By Steve Rawlings So you’ve got your act together and you’re ready to hit the road. Now I think it’s time to tackle one of the most important things you’ll ever need to know about in your career as a performer: MONEY!!!! What am I worth and how much should I charge? The straight answer to this is that you’re …
Dewitt Young – An Almost Forgotten Juggler
By David Cain In the past, I’ve written fairly extensively about Ollie Young, the juggler credited as inventing kick ups with clubs, and an early hoop, diabolo, and boomerang juggler. It turns out that Ollie’s brother Dewitt was a talented juggler as well. The brothers were from Columbus, Ohio (USA). Dewitt Young was born 1879. In the late 1890s, Dewitt …
Jugglers’ Coins and Tokens
By: Esteban Vélez. Commemorative tokens and coins arise as a tribute to a special event in history, prominent historical figures, professions, activities, or specific populations, etc. Creating such a piece represents an act of recognition and remembrance, intended to endure over time. These objects, with both economic and symbolic value, have been collected by numismatists and history enthusiasts, creating a …
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Six Mysteries in Juggling History
By David Cain As I research juggling history, I often come across information and photos that create a variety of new questions. Some of these lead to answers, but many do not. Let’s look at some of my recent discoveries and some long-term mysteries that I’d love to learn more about. A Talented Amateur and a Mysterious Japanese Juggler In …
Thoughts on Putting a Routine Together
By Steve Rawlings There is no right or wrong way to write a new routine and put all the tricks together but I thought it would be good to share my process and get your thoughts and comments. I’ve recently put a new routine into my show and am working it into the act as I write this. First of …
Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Juggling
By Jesse Shavel 1. Less is more. If you do something with perfect form correctly, it is often beneficial to move on to something else. This allows your muscle memory to remember how it’s supposed to be done. I can’t tell you how many hours of my life I have spent trying to get a personal best when it …
Betty Gorham, IJA Member # 1
By David Cain Betty Gorham was born on July 26th, 1931. Her mother was an avid circus fan and would take Betty to all the local performances near their home in Davenport, Iowa. Betty learned to juggle at the age of thirteen, juggling mittens on the way to school. Doug Couden, already an established professional on the school assembly circuit, …
Harry Rouclere – Juggler and Magician
By: Esteban Vélez. Harry was a successful artist who created tricks and routines that revolutionized the world of magic in his time. Together with his wife, Mildred May, they became one of the most sought-after duos in the entertainment industry. Harry Rouclere Terhune was born on June 3, 1866, in Paterson, New Jersey. Before entering the world of magic full-time, …
The European Diabolo Craze of 1812 and the First Western Diabolo
By David Cain In November of 2025, the Museum of Juggling History finally acquired something for which we’ve been looking for over a decade. This is a diabolo that was wildly popular in England and France in 1812-1813. Known as The Devil on Two Sticks, or just The Devil (Le Diable), it was made of a single piece of hardwood …