Flype, a fragile plastic film that you spin on a finger

I dropped into my local Learning Express yesterday, and saw this; they say they are one of very few retailers that have it. Comes from France. It's a credit-card-sized rectangle of thin plastic film shaped like a tray, which spins when you push it through the air, balanced on your finger.

They are  fragile so they come in a 3-pack. I think they were $5. There seem to be lots of videos of them on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDfKadWonYU

Road Trip to the Victoria Public Library

Victoria, TX has a large public library that serves 60,000 people in Victoria and the surrounding area. They were nice enough to bring me out for a kickoff of their summer program. I did four shows in the summer heat last Monday June 8, and was very glad they had a tent. Also, they had free snow cones, which is something I recommend for all future shows. Really helps bring in the audience. :)

This show involved a road trip ... it was a 2.5h drive for me to get to Victoria to do this one.

The libraries I've performed at

Here's a list of the Texas libraries I've performed at:

Austin Public Library, five different branch locations
Bastrop
Bulverde/Spring Branch
Cedar Park
Fredericksburg
Georgetown
Hewitt
Johnson City
Lago Vista
Lockhart
Navasota
Pflugerville
Salado
Tri-Community
Victoria
Wells Branch

Show finale at Penfold Theater Show Saturday Night

Here's a shot my wife Tanya caught as I was ending my show Saturday night; I opened for the Penfold Theatre's production of "Shipwrecked."  There are still a couple of weekends of this free theater-in-the-park style show and it's appropriate for all ages.

Navasota Public Library Show

Here are some photos the folks at the Navasota Public Library took during my show there June 3, and were kind enough to share:

Where to get spinning plates, revisited

On a quick web search, I see this:

- plastic spinning plate set $7.30 at Mansion Athletics http://www.mansionathletics.com/spinning-plates-w14356-juggling.html?channelid=Google%20ProductsPM&gclid=CL7x64Xa37ACFQgUKgodwz1J0A
- plastic spinning plates $6 at Serious juggling http://www.seriousjuggling.com/spinning-plates.htm

Spinning plates are an easy trick to get started with, and for building confidence. For me, learning a trick is about understanding what I'm trying to do and seeing it as something possible.

Here's a good page of instructions on how to spin plates:

http://www.platespinning.com/learn/


(I just did a library show and found myself recommending spinning plates again, so I thought it would be good to update the information here about how to get them.)

Spinning plate sources

Had a couple of shows for Hill Country libraries this week ... at which I mentioned plate spinning as a great, easy, introductory trick. But you want to get some special spinning plates, and here are some places where you can do that.

http://www.jugglingstore.com/store/platescups.aspx?CategoryID=27

http://www.seriousjuggling.com/spinning-plates.htm

http://www.mansionathletics.com/spinning-plates-w14356-juggling.html?channelid=Google%20ProductsPM&gclid=CL7x64Xa37ACFQgUKgodwz1J0A

I'm not affiliated with any of these retailers ... I just did a search and posted some likely-looking links. The Mansion Athletics one promices a $5-something price, which is better than I've seen elsewhere.

If you're in Austin, I believe you can find these at Terra Toys and Toy Joy.

The Juggler Explains Facilities Management

Here's a great example of an orthogonal approach to a juggling routine. Funny stuff.

Cigar boxing

Another photo from this summer's show for the Bulverde/Spring Library. Taken by a library volunteer.

Another Bulverde photo

Another post from my Bulverde/Spring library show this summer, taken by a library volunteer.

The Balance and Motion Show

I do a Balance and Motion juggling show that lines up with the Texas Second Grade curriculum, which includes a Balance and Motion FOSS kit.

It's a 30-minute show aimed at demystifying juggling by showing how the physics of balance and motion makes it possible to make props fly through the air.

Bring me to your school, gather your whole second grade in your auditorium or cafeteria, and put a bit of fun in your science.

Here's a quote from some second grade teachers who brought the show to their classrooms:

The Amazing Aaron's "Balance and Motion Juggling Show" created a balanced learning environment, where our kids were able to concretely relate the balance/motion TEKS and vocabulary concepts with an exciting visual dimension. The presentation, itself, was clear and concise yet thorough and valuable. Aaron's positive and genuine attitude connected with the students and made them become almost hypnotized by his performance. I hope that we can get Aaron to come to our school again next year!

 --Adam Turner and Kelly Matlock, 2nd grade teachers at Townsell Elementary, Irving ISD

Juggling show at the Bulverde/Spring Branch library

I had a blast doing a show for this nice new library. Lots of kids and parents turned out for the show...150 kids and 90 parents, I'm told.

Plus the library had a volunteer take sixty-five photos, and was kind enough to send them to me immediately. Here are my favorites.

Opening for a Shakespeare play

I'll be doing an opening act for The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, a free show in Round Rock. They're playing August 5 through 22; my opener is just on the 22nd. So get there early!

Wooden unicycle from Austin Jugglefest 2010

I failed to make it to the unicycle room this year, and this is what I missed.

"Devil's Triangle" variation on devil stick

I frequently perform devil stick routines...but I've never seen a Devil's Triangle. Check this out, via a YouTube video.

Video from the 2009 University of Texas Madrigal Dinner

I just found a video on YouTube that someone posted from their iPhone....they took some video during this past December's Madrigal Dinner. And they have a tiny snippet of me juggling knives embedded in it, at the 1:27 mark.

Here's a link directly to the spot where I juggle.

And if anyone wonders why I keep going back to this show, here's a snippet of the same video where the choir sings the Carol of the Bells.

Juggling for the middle school

I juggled at the Murchison Middle School fall festival last night. It was fun. This is the second time I've done this event. Since the majority of my shows have been for elementary-aged kids, it's interesting to see how older kids react.

One big challenge at this event, and events like it, is the noise. I like to do patter, and patter gets destroyed by the background noise at a thing like this, unless you have a microphone, and I don't, yet. I plan to go that route eventually, but right now my act uses no electronics, and it's hard to resist that simplicity: I can show up at a place and open my trunk and get started, with no setup.

The older kids like my material just fine, but they show a much greater interest in trying things out. I spent a lot of time teaching half-juggling and plate spinning.

They can replace us...with blind heartless robots

Continuing the theme of mechanical replacement of skill, here's an interesting physics project, a mechanical apparatus that 'juggles'...it's really a mechanism for bouncing a ball that is self-correcting. It's a fun device though.

Motorized, self-balancing unicycle from a Slovenian inventor

This one looks like fun.

Using a bike like a unicycle

...and other amazing bike tricks, via an indoorcycling contest in Germany. Youtube video.