Rostando was the stage name of José Perez, a Spanish juggler who had originally been a part of his family’s famous restaurant juggling act, The Perezoffs. The Perezoffs, also known as the Charles Perezoff Company, were started by brothers Charles, José, and Francisco Perez in 1904.
In the restaurant act, he played the part of young waiter, doing so in black face, which would obviously and rightfully be considered extremely offensive today.
In the 1920s, José left the troupe to start his own company, called Perez and Marguerite. In the 1940s, he took the stage name Rostando and started working with his wife as Rostando and Gerda. He performed a talking comedy act in either Spanish, German, or English. He performed with balls, cups and saucers, mixed object juggling, the pole pocket trick, top hat and cigar work, and five plates.
Rostando and Gerda were a popular act throughout the 1940s and 1950s and the early 1960s. Rostando passed away in Germany in 1970.
David Cain
David Cain is a professional juggler, juggling historian, and the owner of the world's only juggling museum, the Museum of Juggling History. He is a Guinness world record holder and 16 time IJA gold medalist. In addition to his juggling pursuits, David is a successful composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and singer as well as the author of twenty-six books. He and his children live in Middletown, OH (USA).