Text and Photos by Katie Histed
On a mission to teach 5,000 people a juggling lesson and bring a little more joy into our world at a time when we need it the most
Sometimes you don’t know you need a wake-up call until it literally hits you in the face. After years of being unsatisfied with my job, I was peddling home from work on my bicycle and was hit by a truck, causing me to gain a whole new perspective on life. Had I not been wearing a helmet, the accident could have resulted in a much worse fate. With just a cracked helmet, collapsed lung and a few broken ribs, I was lucky to be alive. Realizing that life is way too short, I began to try and change my life.
After leaving my corporate job, I set two goals for myself:
- Spend one year traveling and spending time with family, friends and exploring nature.
- Go outside every day, do yoga, meditate and play with my dog, Willow.
After just a few weeks, I was able to lean into things I was curious about, and I’m curious about A LOT! I began painting, drawing, filming, and was open to exploring any creative interests that spoke to me. One day, while at a park in Santa Monica, California, Willow (who ALWAYS has at least one ball with her) found two additional tennis balls. I thought to myself, “I’ll teach myself to juggle!” Within a week, I was able to get a three-ball cascade down. I’m a former division one basketball athlete, so I had some built-in hand-eye coordination and skill. I’m sure any juggler can relate, but once I got the first consecutive juggle, I was HOOKED! So, while still sticking to my goal of going to the park, doing yoga, and meditating, I added in juggling.
Willow has learned LOTS of tricks with juggling balls!
I began to meet strangers on a regular basis, prompting wonderful conversations about life and the world we currently live in. I tracked my time and locations while juggling in public. As my juggling skills improved, and I interacted with more strangers on a daily basis, I instinctively began teaching people there on the spot. After about the 30th stranger I met and gave a juggling lesson to, I set a goal for myself. In an effort to create more community in our world, get kids and adults away from their devices and remember that life can be fun, I am aiming to teach 5,000 people how to juggle. I made the decision to get rid of almost all my belongings and my wonderful Santa Monica apartment, and hit the road to get started on this endeavor. I officially launched my company, Alley-Oop Adventures, and have been traveling the country for the past year giving lessons in schools, parks, summer camps, corporate events and various other locations.
As I visit each city, I partner with local tennis clubs who typically donate their used tennis balls to me once I explain my goal. I then take the tennis balls (Willow takes her share) and cover them with colorful balloons that not only add grip, but kids LOVE all the different colors and patterns to choose from. For every single lesson that I’ve taught, I’ve given away 3 juggling balls, which is how I track my progress. To date, I have taught just over 1,200 people, given away 3,600 juggling balls(!!), and traveled over 100,000 miles. I often muse upon the journey these balls embark on and hope that they are getting time in the air as the students keep up their juggling practice. It’s meaningful to me that just by planting a seed of teaching someone something new, you can help shake up their routines, and they may start to make small changes in their lives, which can then lead to big change. I’ve also had several parents tell me their kids won’t put the balls down, even sleeping in bed with them!
Ball donation (roughly 500)
Decorated balls ready to give away
I have continued to take time in each city to juggle in public in highly visible areas (bridges, traffic circles, red lights, open fields). I’m not doing it for tips, I’ve turned juggling into my service to others. My goal is to get people to look up off their phones, to make them laugh. To give just a single moment of joy as someone drives by on their way to work at a job they probably don’t like. So far, I’ve spent over 1,200 hours juggling in public spaces and recently attracted enough attention in Nashville to make the news! I’ve also had the cops called on me four times for “concern for my mental state.” I can assure everyone reading, I’m as clear and sane as I’ve ever been! This juggling journey has been incredible and it has changed my life in the most beautiful ways. I’ll continue my adventure until I reach my goal of teaching 5,000 people.
Teaching Nashville Firefighters (with Willow)
Juggling Lesson at a school in Nashville
Author Bio:
Katie Histed is a traveling juggling instructor, artist, writer and dog Mom. Originally from upstate New York, she grew up playing sports and played basketball at the University of Pittsburgh. After 15 years in corporate hospitality as Director of Security, she quit her job to pursue a goal to teach 5,000 people a juggling lesson. She also runs summer camps and programs for kids through her company, Alley-Oop Adventures. You can visit her website at www.alleyoopadventures.com, Instagram: alleyoopadventures and YouTube: @Alley-Oopadventures
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