By: Esteban Vélez and Natalia Diaz Eri Shaktika from México. In order to commemorate and recognize the work of women jugglers in Latin America, with the support of the digital magazine eJuggle and the International Jugglers’ Association (IJA), Natalia Diaz and I created the project Mujeres Malabaristas Latinoamericanas 2025. The call for entries was advertised on social media on February …
The Women of the Ayala family – Aerialists and Jugglers
By: Esteban Vélez. The women of the Ayala family have the “hair-hang” technique in their culture: hanging by the hair and performing acrobatic movements while suspended. The history of the hair-hang in the Ayala family dates back to around 1916 when Francisca Vásquez, a young Mexican circus artist, attended a performance by the Barnum & Bailey circus, which was touring …
The Diaz Sisters
By: Esteban Vélez. The Diaz Sisters had a great artistic career in America. They managed to perform in one of the most important circuses in Mexico and in several highly reputable circuses in the United States. The group was made up of 5 sisters, all born in Mexico: Sara, Graciela, Marina, Yamili and Judy Diaz. They performed together and performed …
Club juggling by Jose Avelar (Junny) from México | IJA Tricks of the Month
This series is part of eJuggle, the IJA’s online juggling resource: https://www.juggle.org/ejuggle. Hello, my name is José Juan Avelar Aquino. I am 25 years old, from Ecatepec de Morelos in Mexico. I have been juggling clubs for 8 years. Juggling has helped me to express my emotions a lot because I can explore the object — and manipulating it — …
Rogge Sisters
By Esteban Velez The Rogge Sisters created a balancing act that became a hit in Europe and the United States. They toured major circuses, theaters, and television shows beginning in the 1950s. The Rogge Sisters consisted of sisters Dora, Gerda, and Vera. All three were born in Germany. They came from a circus family. Their grandmother, Leopoldine Lange (1873-1956), was …
Valentin Dikul – Juggler, strongman and therapist
By Esteban Velez Valentin Dikul. Photo: Ruscircus.ru. Valentin Dikul’s life took a momentous turn after an accident unexpectedly opened up a path for him. Valentin Ivanovich Dikul was born on April 3, 1948, in Kaunas, Lithuania. He was orphaned at the age of 7. His father, Ivan Grigorievich Dikul (1920-1950) was a Ukrainian soldier who died in the line of …
An Interview with Kent
By Esteban Velez Kentaro Oi, known as Kent, is a Japanese juggler who specializes in hoops, specifically in the technique known as “Grinds”: spinning a ring around the inner edge of another ring. His Instagram videos, which reach thousands of views, have amazed the juggling community. Tell us about yourself. I am 20 years old and a college student. I …
Juggling in the Time of Kublai Khan
Editor’s Note: The following article mentions slavery and military conquest. It is presented for educational value without any political endorsement. By Esteban Velez. Kublai Khan (1215-1294) was a Mongol emperor and founder of the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368). He was the grandson of Genghis Khan. He is known as the Emperor of the Seas for his naval campaigns to conquer …
Brinn – the Battleship Juggler
By Esteban Velez The “strongman jugglers” of the 20th century fascinated the entertainment world with each of their performances. Their incredible displays of strength captivated audiences eager to discover the limits of human power. Today, this technique has declined in popularity. Karl Rappo is considered the first “power” juggler. He was followed by jugglers such as Paul Cinquevalli, Paul Conchas, …