IJA eNewsletter May 2026

IJA logo
www.juggle.org		IJA eNewsletter
May 2026Editors: Don Lewis & Martin Frost
(ijanews@juggle.org)

CONTENTS

  • Hard isn’t just a word … it’s a feeling, too
  • IJA Festival Registration
  • IJA Hotels
  • IJA Festival Open Stage
  • IJA Festival workshop leaders
  • Creative Club Contest
  • 2026 IJA Film Festival Deadline Extended!
  • Online voting is now open in the 2026 IJA Board of Directors Election
  • June 20, 2026 – World Juggling Day!
  • Planting the Juggling Seed show – call for performers, teachers, and emcee!
  • Get your ticket now for the Fort Wayne Walking Tour & Pub Crawl
  • YJA Badge Book
  • IJA Board meetings
  • Upcoming juggling festivals (and juggling clubs)
  • Latest from eJuggle: podcasts & articles [includes editor’s recommendation]

 

 

Hard isn’t just a word … it’s a feeling, too
Benjamin Domask-Ruh

Chair article

Here we are at the end of May and the IJA is in full festival preparation mode!  Have you booked your hotel room yet?  I find myself at the tail end of a busy April and May filled with performing, woodturning, house projects, and, of course, teaching.

This month I taught three sections of a 1st grade class at an elementary school here in Minnesota.  What a spirited group of students!  Our classroom discussions ranged from terminology like Throw, Path, Catch, and Dwell to different types of toss juggling patterns.  We balanced those iconic peacock feathers and learned not only to follow the eye, but also that an object is never truly balanced passively.  We are always moving ever so slightly, adjusting to the fall, and, as we improve, learning to control the fall.  Life lessons!

The biggest takeaway we try to instill is this: “It is okay to fail.  In fact, it is required!”

I am always learning during these teaching residencies, too.  While my script becomes tighter, my classroom management more natural, and the rhythm of the days more familiar, my students continue to introduce me to new ideas.

One such example happened this week.  A young student was working on the cascade foundation of crossing two balls from one hand to the other, the criss-cross, and she said, “This is hard!”

A feeling we all relate to, I’m sure.

I piped in with my teacher voice: “Remember!  Hard is just a word.”

She thought for a second and replied, “Yeah… but it’s also a feeling.”

I was a deer in headlights.  Such a perfect response.

I paused and said, “Hmm.  You’re right.  It’s a feeling, too,” while frantically trying to figure out if I needed to pivot.  Eventually I said with a smile, “And it’s a feeling that will pass as we grow and learn from what didn’t work.”

I often use the analogy of children learning to walk when talking about juggling skills.  When we learn to walk, we constantly fall down, struggle to stand back up, grab onto tables, chairs, or nearby adults, and then try again.  Falling over is part of the process.

How can we extend that same grace to ourselves and to those around us?  Where can we allow ourselves those “safe little falls” while we learn to move in a new direction?

This is one of the things I love most about our juggling community and our festivals.  We create shared spaces where people can try new things, struggle openly, fail safely, and keep going … whether you are learning a juggling pattern or stepping onto the competition stage for the first time.

That’s why I’m so excited to see you all at the festival this year.  I hope you’ll join us, bring your curiosity, your props, your victories, and, maybe even your frustrations.  We’ll learn, laugh, drop things, pick them back up, and keep moving forward together.

And if you want to keep moving forward together, I would love to hear your ideas about how we can continue creating spaces for jugglers.  You can always reach me at ija.chair@juggle.org.  Members are also welcome to attend Board meetings.  Just send me an email for the Zoom link.

RA2FJ,
Benjamin Domask-Ruh
IJA Board Chair

 

 

IJA Festival Registration2026 IJA Festival in Fort Wayne, IN

We’re a short 8 weeks away from the 79th Annual IJA Festival and we cannot wait to see you in Fort Wayne, July 27 – August 2!  If you haven’t registered yet, now is the time.  You can find festival registration info here.  Online registration closes at 11:59pm EDT on June 21 – don’t hesitate.  If you’re only able to attend for 3 to 4 days, buying a festival package is still the best value to get your gym pass, shirt, and all your show tickets.  Registration will be available onsite as well.

IJA Hotels

The IJA has secured three fantastic hotel options for the 2026 festival, all just steps away from the gym.  The hotels are filling up; if you’re attending, be sure you make your reservation today.  Booking at the IJA room rate gets you closest to the action and saves you a lot.  And sharing a room saves you even more.  With two people in a room, the nightly rate could be as low as $86 each (including tax), and with four people it’s as low as $43.

The most availability is currently at the Courtyard by Marriott and at the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton.  For full information, go to IJA hotels, which includes the links to book at our reduced rates.  Don’t hesitate – our room blocks are selling out.  If you’re looking for a friend to share a ride or room with, check out this unaffiliated Festival room and ride share group on Facebook.

IJA Festival Open Stage

Are you interested in showcasing your juggling skills at the IJA Festival?  Looking for an opportunity to perform in front of an audience?  Volunteer to perform at the Open Stage!  You’ll have a chance to impress your peers and receive a video of your act.  You’ll find more information and how to sign up for the Open Stage here.  The deadline for submissions is June 20.

IJA Festival workshop leaders

We’re seeking workshop leaders for this year’s festival.  Workshops are a great way to share your skills, connect with others, and contribute to the community.

Creative Club Contestoutline of a juggling club

The Creative Club Contest is still open!  Jugglers are invited to transform a blank juggling club template into an original work of art (no AI-generated art, please).  Designs can inspire practice, bring humor, or even re-imagine the juggling club as a symbol of change.  Selected designs will be printed and displayed throughout the 2026 festival as workshop markers and visual highlights, with full credit given to each artist.  The top three submissions will each receive a $50 USD prize, and approximately five to eight designs will be featured overall, depending on printing capacity.  Whether or not you plan to attend, this is a great opportunity to contribute to the creative spirit of the festival.  Submissions are open through June 15.  See additional details and the submission form.

2026 IJA Film Festival2026 IJA Film Festival Deadline Extended!

In an effort to give jugglers a little more time during the busy Spring season, we have moved the deadline for this year’s IJA Film Festival to July 6.

We have also adjusted the film duration guidelines to 2 to 25 minutes in length to give applicants a little more wiggle room for their projects.

The event is open to short juggling films of all kinds, and one does not need to be a professional videographer to participate, so don’t be shy about entering!  We’re excited to see what sort of creative projects people bring to the table.

Films will screen on July 31 at the IJA Festival in Fort Wayne, IN.

See the full Film Festival rules.

If you have any questions, contact the Film Festival Director, Nathan Wakefield at: nrwakefield@gmail.com.

 

 

Online voting is now open in the 2026 IJA Board of Directors Election
Martin Frost

The annual IJA election for members of the Board of Directors takes place at the IJA Festival in Fort Wayne, IN.  The nominees are listed below, along with a web link to all their statements.

IJA Board of Directors is comprised of seven people who make policy and collectively decide on the direction of the IJA.  Each director is elected for a two-year term.  There are four director positions up for election this year, so IJA members can vote for up to four people in this election.

WHO CAN VOTE?

All regular, life, youth, and family IJA members who are at least 13 years of age as of Thursday, July 30, 2026, can vote.

HOW DO I VOTE?

You can vote online anytime up to 11am EDT on Thursday, July 30, 2026.  Or you can vote in person at the IJA Festival on Thursday, July 30, 2026, until 30 minutes after the end of the IJA annual meeting, which is scheduled to start at 1:30pm EDT that day.  Voting either way is easy and only takes a minute or two.

You can use the following link to sign in and vote online now.  It will ask you to enter your IJA username and password and then it should take you to the voting page.  (If it doesn’t, after signing in, go to IJA 2026 election and cast your ballot there.)

NOMINEES

Below are the nominees for member of the IJA Board of Directors.  Please see their candidacy statements online.  You can vote for up to four.

  • Sofia Noethe
  • Jeffrey McLean
  • Jonathan Perry
  • Noel Yee
  • Benjamin Domask-Ruh

 

 

2026 IJA World Juggling Day T-shirtJune 20, 2026 – World Juggling Day!
Biz Olbrisch

Check out our World Juggling Day video, renew your membership, and take the pledge!

World Juggling Day is an annual celebration of juggling commemorating the founding of the IJA in June of 1947.  We would like to encourage our members to make a plan to celebrate with us.  There’s no wrong way to celebrate WJD!  However you plan to celebrate, we want to hear about it!

If you are having a public event for World Juggling Day, please let us know by emailing the details to wjd2026@juggle.org.  Please let us know about your event, no matter how small!  You never know when you might have that encounter that sends someone on a juggling journey!

We will be posting the list of events at juggle.org/programs/wjd/.

 

 

Planting the Juggling Seed show – call for performers, teachers, and emcee!
Benjamin Domask-Ruh

Hello IJA Members and 2026 Festival Attendees!

Planting the Juggling Seed showThis year at the IJA Festival we will once again be presenting the Planting the Juggling Seedshow!

This is Benjamin speaking, your IJA Board Chair and the YJA Director!  This is a call for anyone interested in being a volunteer performer, emcee, or teacher!  The first hour is a performance in the library’s theater space.  The second hour is an open and free juggling lesson for anyone in our audience interested in learning!  We are looking for performers, an emcee, and teachers.

Who might be a good fit as a performer?  The idea of this show is to connect with the local community and share a broad overview of all that juggling incorporates: classic toss juggling routines, experimental juggling ideas, flow juggling moments, historical juggling tricks, artistic expression, etc!  If you feel you have a routine or performance that represents one of the many facets of juggling, we would love to hear from you!  You do not have to be a professional full time performer.  But a confident performance piece is welcomed.  Tech will be minimal (simple lighting and sound!)  Professional photos and video will be taken and provided to you!

Who might be a good fit as an Emcee?*  The show is presented as an informational introduction to our world of juggling.  Our hope is to get the audience excited to take a lesson after the show and also come visit us in the gym AND even come to one or more of the big shows in the evenings!  A good emcee might be a teacher, a presenter, someone who has done educational programming or has theater experience.  Someone who is engaging and able to connect with the audience while letting our performers shine and demonstrate what they love about juggling through their performances.  Additionally, this Emcee would be comfortable moderating questions taken from the audience and being ready to answer them!  Professional photos and video will be taken and provided to you!  I will be helping develop the show alongside you as we get closer to the festival.

*Interested in Emcee-ing but not quite sure if you are ready?  Send us a message and let’s talk about it!  We are always interested in fostering curiosity for the future.

Who might be a good fit as a teacher?  Anyone who loves sharing the beginnings of juggling and balance tricks.  Anyone who is patient and encouraging!  The idea of this session is to share the joy and fun facilitated by juggling.  If you have experience teaching juggling?  Wonderful!  If you are new to teaching juggling, come learn alongside us as we invite this new community into the art form.

Don’t feel you are a good fit for any of these roles?  That is okay!  Come join us as an audience member and support your fellow jugglers.

Here are the details.

When: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 10am – 12pm
Where: Allen County Public Library
Who: The local Fort Wayne community and IJA Festival attendees

If you are interested or would like more information, please contact: Benjamin Domask-Ruh, yja@juggle.org

Thank you so much, and see you at the festival!

 

 

Get your ticket now for the Fort Wayne Walking Tour & Pub Crawl
Mike Sullivan, Advisory Future Festival Site Coordinator

Join in our casual walking tour of all our festival venues and downtown Fort Wayne at 2pm, Monday, July 27, 2026.

You’ll get a look at all our festival venues, including the gorgeous Embassy Theater and the Grand Wayne Convention Center, visit all the new eating and drinking spots close to our festival venues and hotels, plus learn your way around downtown.

Tickets are on sale now, so get yours today and be ready to start the week with new friends and fun while learning your way around Fort Wayne!

We’ll step off about 2pm from the lobby of the Hilton Hotel and cruise through our juggling spaces and the spectacular Embassy.  Then we’ll have a leisurely stroll through downtown, pointing out and stopping into several great (but sometimes hidden!) restaurants and bars.

There’s no shortage of fun, casual and delicious places to eat in downtown, but not all of them are easy to find!  Your guide for the afternoon knows every nook and cranny and has already found the best of the best, so come along for a tour of where you can wet your whistle and satisfy your appetite all week.  Plus, a local Fort Wayne juggler will accompany us for more fun insights on all things Fort Wayne!

Our tour is just $25 per person, and includes three draft pints at stops along the way and check-ins in over a dozen other spots close to our IJA venues.  We’ll wind up at a downtown dinner favorite for an OPTIONAL group dinner with your old and new IJA friends.

Tickets are limited, so make plans NOW to be in town and ready to join our tour early in the afternoon on Monday!  Click here to get your ticket!

NOTE: All participants must be 21 years of age or older to enter the pubs along our route.

 

 

YJA Badge BookThe Juggler's Badge Book

Did you know that the IJA’s Youth Juggling Academy has a book?  It does!

The Juggler’s Badge Book is the ultimate companion for aspiring jugglers of any age!  Track your progress, unlock achievements, and earn badges as you learn the art of juggling.  With its engaging format and rewarding sticker system, The Juggler’s Badge Book makes learning to juggle an exciting and fulfilling adventure.  Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned juggler, let The Juggler’s Badge Book be your guide to skillful juggling and a collection of well-earned accomplishments.  Start achieving your juggling journey today!

The Juggler’s Badge Book is $25 and makes a great gift!  Purchase yours today!  Proceeds go to supporting further YJA initiatives and advancing the IJA’s mission to render assistance to fellow jugglers.

Published by the International Jugglers’ Association in collaboration with Modern Vaudeville Press.

 

 

IJA Board meetingsIJA Board meetings

IJA Board meetings are open to all IJA members and are hosted on Zoom.  To find out the times of this month’s vision and business meetings, or to attend, please email ija.chair@juggle.org and say which meeting you’re interested in.

 

 

Upcoming juggling festivals (and juggling clubs)

For a list of upcoming juggling festivals, please visit our friends over at The Juggling Edge.

While you’re there, visit their list of juggling clubs.

 

 

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Latest from eJuggle

[eNewsletter editor’s note from Martin:
I highly recommend the videos in Division Dialogues by Erik Åberg.
After watching the video in the eJuggle article, be sure to follow the link at the end of the article to:
www.researchcatalogue.net/view/4392556/4392557
and watch the related videos embedded on the resulting page.]

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