British Juggling Convention
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The British Juggling Convention (BJC) is a yearly Juggling convention put on by British jugglers from a city or a university Juggling club. The event usually takes place in the second week of the Easter holidays, lasting from the Wednesday to Sunday. The event is not just for Toss Juggling but all forms of juggling. The BJC usually features a large list of workshops during the day, renegade shows at night, and a public show on the Saturday.
Cost
The BJC usually costs;
- Pre Reg - This includes the show ticket
- Adult - £50
- Child (11-16) - £25
- Registration - £60
- Day ticket
- Adult - £25
- Child - £12
- Show ticket - £10
but prices can vary according to the financial requirements of the event so take these prices as guidelines only
Facilities
The convention usually has;
Vendors
Stalls are set up around the 24hour juggling hall to sell equipment. They usually open on part way through the Wednesday until the Sunday. This can be a good opportunity to get juggling equipment cheaper than usual.
Attendance
The BJC usually has from around 450 - 1000 jugglers attending the convention with the largest BJC being Coventry with over 2400 people. Most arrive on the Wednesday, but usually everyone is there on the Saturday to see the Public show. Most people will camp when on site until the Sunday; however those who are performing or can afford it may stay in a Bed and Breakfast for the convention. To date, only 4 jugglers have attended all 20 BJCs.
Shows
Public show
The public show is put on every year for the BJC featuring a line up of professional jugglers. This show is also open to the public. The show features a compere who talks between the acts while they set up. The Show is usually in a theatre or similar venue and often requires a bus ride to get to. The BJC organisers often have to organise transport many miles for up to 1000 people.
Open stage
The open stage lies somewhere between the public show and a renegade. It usually takes place on-site in the renegade tent, but features more structured acts than in a renegade, often from performers who will be in the public show. This is an opportunity for people to gain performance experience and exposure for their act without the pressure of being booked for the public show.
Renegade
The Renegade show happens in the evening, usually in a big top, and feature the members of the audience as the stars. This show is only open to convention attendees as it is held on-site and the quality of the acts depends on who is willing to take part.
Fire show
There is also sometimes a fire show. This will consist of a range of skills using fire being displayed, including Fire Breathing, Staff, Fire Clubs. This can only be done if the site gives permission for fire to take place on site.
Parade
The parade usually happens before the games on the way into the town centre.
Games
On the Saturday of most conventions there will be games put on in the local town centre. The usual games include;
- 5 Ball Endurance
- 5 Club Endurance
- Long distance passing
- Gladiators
- Unicycle Gladiators
- 3 Coin Endurance
However whoever is running the games has the final say on what gets played.
The games usually last an hour and prizes are awarded to the winners of each game. The prizes are donated by the vendors that are at the convention.
Meeting
At the end of the convention there is a meeting, which anyone can attend. The discussion includes how the BJC ran, positives and negatives of the week, and usually a decision on who will host next years BJC.
British Young Juggler of the Year
This is a show/competition for young British jugglers to compete in to win the prize of British Young Juggler of the Year (BYJotY). This was first held in Perth 2005.
Competitors in the BYJotY are under 21, British and are a juggler.
Each juggler performs for 2-5 minutes, using any prop they prefer.
Awards
The main title‚ "British Young Juggler of the Year", is voted for by the audience. It is left up to the audience as to what they think that title should mean. So if a juggler wants to win this prize they need to be either the best juggler of the night, or the most entertaining, or (better yet) the best, most entertaining juggler. Everybody in the audience is given a piece of paper and at the end each juggler will stand in front of a basket to show whose basket is whose and then the audience will go and put their vote in a basket.
Gold and Silver Awards are decided on by a panel of three experts. The judges look at each act on its own merits, based on how well the juggler does what they do. e.g. If a juggler presents (with few or no drops) a choreographed routine of high professional standards in terms of technique, choreography, costume and music, and the judges feel they would book that act for a professional show, they could receive a Gold Award or, if presented with a street show style routine, the judges think they would put £10 in the hat at the end, that juggler would get a Gold Award too or, if shown a purely technical juggling routine, the judges think it could rank at the WJF, that juggler may get a Gold Award. In other words, if a juggler does what they do really well, they get Gold. If they are not so high standard they may get a Silver Award. For comparison, a BYJotY Gold Award Routine should be of the same standard, or higher, than an IJA Juniors Gold Medal.
Judges Choice Award. The judges get together and decide which young juggler was the most professional, stylish and skilled.
Convention Awards. Organisers from other conventions and festivals can award a place in their own public or gala shows to their favourite performer.
BJC history
2008 - Sheffield
The 21st BJC will take place in Sheffield.
The Team is Headed by Liz Meyer.
dates and location will be available soon as will www.bjc2008.co.uk
2007 - Nottingham
The 20th BJC took place in Nottingham, run by the Nottingham Juggling Club [1]. It was held at Harvey Haddon, and ran from 11 April to 15 April. The BJC2007 also featured the WJF UK, that was run alongside the BJC, along with the BBMC (British Balloon Modelling convention).
the attendance was in excess of 1000 people and the public show had 1450 in the audience.
2006 - Bodmin, Cornwall
The 19th convention took place at the dragon centre in Bodmin, Cornwall between 20 April to 23 April 2006. Approximately 700 people attended. The pass was a laser cut surfboard with the BJC2006 logo on it. Children were only allowed the string for health and safety reasons.
Show line-up
The public show was held in Redruth cinema, Cornwall, and featured:
- Matt Hall (compère)
- Ryo Yabe (headline act - diabolo)
- Jon Udry
- Apex Acro
- Volker Maria Maier
- Niels Duinker
- Beyond The Bounce
- Aaron Gregg
- Marco Paoletti
- Freehand Juggling
- Luke Burrage & Pola
Facilities
On site there was:
- Swamptemp - where the renegade, BYJotY, Juggle Jam and open stage took place.
- Food tent - where burgers (including the Bodmin Beast), and hot pasties were served.
- Beer Tent - With a stage and a large seating area and a bar.
- Swimming pool - that was available for use for an hour on Friday (6pm-7pm) and Sunday (6pm-7pm)
Workshops
Workshops included:
- Beginners club passing
- Beginners devil stick - Luke Browne
- 3 balls blind behind the back (BBB)
- Performing for hobbyists - Matt Hall
- 1 Diabolo vertax - Matt Hall
- Devil stick hand stick release tricks - Luke Browne
- Whip cracking for beginners
- Compèring - Luke Burrage
- Beginners Sharing and Stealing Mini Mansell
- Takeouts in Club passing
- Teaching circus skills to kids: Ideas/trick swap Mini Mansell
- Pirouettes (360s) - basic pirouette technique - Norbi
- Nail in the nose
- First tricks with clubs
- Zen Wrestling
- Beginners bar flair
- Yoga
2005 - Perth, Scotland
The 18th convention took place in Perth between 31 March and 3 April. Approximately 450 people attended.
Show line-up
The public show was compèred by The Raspyni Brothers, and featured:
- Mark Segal
- Luke Burrage & Norbi Whitney
- Priam Pierret
- Ewan Colsell
- Ian Marchant
- Jan Schmutz
- Hella Gandlau
- Kristian Wanvik
- The Pylonauts
Games
5 Ball Endurance winner - 'Mad' Martin - From Nottingham Juggling Club
2004 - Derby
The 17th BJC was held in Derby.
Show line-up
The public show was compèred by Mr Jules, and featured:
- Mad Pangea
- Luke Burrage
- A Fistful of Lice
- Team Rootberry
- Jay Gilligan
- Susan Voyticki
- Max Haverkamp
- Matt Hall
- The LaSalle Brothers
2003 - Brighton
The 16th BJC was held in Brighton.
Show line-up
The public show featured:
- Tim Bat (Compère)
- Arron Sparks (Yo-yo)
- The Gandini Juggling Project (Globalls, Vivaldi)
- Bibi & Bichu (Club passing)
- Sam Hague & Stuart Pemberton (Gangster car act)
- Bongo Bolero
- Yella Fever Foundation (Hats)
- lukaluka (Club passing)
- The Racketeers (A very funny tennis-themed act: Sean Gandini, Kati Ylä-Hokkola, Haggis Mcleod, The Great Dave & Manu Laude)
2002 - Whitstable, Kent
The 15th BJC was held in Whitstable, Kent from March 29 to April 1. It featured a 24 hour Juggling Hall a 24 hour Unicycle Hall Public Show in Kent's biggest theatre, the parade and games, renegade cabarets each night, live music each night, workshops, parties, chill out zones and plenty of juggling, camping, catering and late bar all on site.
Show line-up
The public show featured:
- Soapy (Compère)
- Devilstick Peat
- Jason Maverick
- Alexi & Tweedy
- The Professional Idiot
- Vova and Olga (The Galchenkos)
- Alban Elved
- Jamie Walker (diabolo)
- Ben Beever
- ? (Corde Lisse act)
- The Bird Project
Online reviews
2001 - Cardiff
The 14th BJC was held in Cardiff.
Show line-up
The public show was held in The Coal Exchange and featured
- Ron & Don (Compères)
- Tommy Baker
- "The Russians" (4 precocious teenagers passing clubs, one of whom was Vova Galchenko)
- Emmanuele ?(crystal manipulation)?
- Barry & Joan Grantham(?) (Vaudevillians)
- Take That Out
- Jason Maverick (mime/comedy)
- Donald Grant (Diabolo)
- Manu Laude (Clubs)
- Mimbre (Acrobalance)
- Kaleigh Grainger & Leigh Wilkins (Unicycle)
- Stickleback Plasticus
Games
The games were held in Cardiff Bay, and were run by Charlie Dancey.
2000 - York
The 13th BJC was held in York, with an attendance of 1000 jugglers It took place in the sports centre and sports fields of the University of York, UK and was notable for the presence of Anthony Gatto.
Show line-up
The public show was held at the University's distinctive Central Hall, compered by Mr. Jules and Andy Wood (Tiger Bond), and featured:
- Anthony Gatto
- Feeding the fish premiered their Aerotech glow club routine
- Decubito Supino
- The Curious Eyebrows
- Benjamin Smalls
- Sam Foulkes on BMX
- Gandini Juggling
- Manomani
- Freefall
- Sharon Haddock & Kati Ylä-Hokkola
- Errol Richardson
- Rod Laver & David Ericson
- Jamie Fletcher
Online reviews
1999 - Durham
The 12th BJC was held in Durham.
The event was organised by DCJ Event Management LTD. Directors were Mini Mansell and Nicole Taylor
The pass was a Yo-yo which was sponsored by Vipa juggling equipment.
Show line-up
The public show was held in Middlesborough Town Hall and featured:
- Rod Laver (compère)
- Greg Kennedy
- The Gandinis
- Bruce Wilson
- Tim Foolery
- Jason Maverick
- Ben Jennings
Facilities
The Convention Venue was the Maiden Castle Sports Centre in Durham. No Fit State Circus provided the Renegade Tent. The Wildcats of Killkenny played in the Bar on the Saturday night.
1998 - Bath & Bristol
The 11th BJC was held at Whitchurch Sports Centre, Bamfield, Whitchurch, Bristol. It started on Thursday 9 April until Sunday 12 April.
It featured a full one hour show by stretch people
Show line-up
The public show featured:
- Kati Ylä-Hokkala
- Meike Arden aka Venus
- Luke Wilson
- Peter Panic
- Tommy Baker
- Dual Impact
- Loopin Louie Lichtenstein, the only Jewish cowboy (Lassoo)
1997 - Nottingham
The 10th BJC was held in Nottingham. The event was held at Nottingham University. This convention ran into financial difficulties.
Show line-up
The Public Show featured:
- Jay Gilligan
- Feeding The Fish
- Steve Hoops
- Cosmos Jugglers
Facilities
The campsite was at Wollaton Hall, a 1 mile walk or 3 mile drive from the gym and show tents. This reportedly cost £3.5k. Minibuses had been put on to take people from the campsite to the gym. The gym was partially carpeted to prevent unicycles from damaging the floor.
The swimming pool was also available for use for a £1 admission.
On site there were 3 tents including a Swamp tent. The pass was a pea green wrist band.
Because of a last-minute panic regarding licensing regulations, the British Juggling Association was formed and the event became "members only". Membership lasted one year and got you free entry into the convention.
1996 - Edinburgh
The 9th BJC was held in Edinburgh from April 12 to April 14.
Show line-up
The public show featured:
- Blink (Jay Gilligan, Fritz Grobe & Morten Hansen)
1995 - Norwich
The 8th BJC was held in Norwich.
Show line-up
The public show featured:
- Philip Penny
- Spectral FX (Judy Goulston, Mark Bolwell, Ellie Behrens) UV juggling and puppet show.
- Duo Full House (piano, juggling, acrobatics)
- Meike Arden (Diabolo)
- Jugglestruck (Duo ball juggling)
- Le La Les
- Jeremy James (Ring juggling)
1994 - Manchester
The 7th BJC was held in Manchester. The event had 1700 Attendees.
Keith Chegwin
Keith Chegwin visited the site for breakfast TV, and reports at the time told that he entered the tent of a convention-goer for a voxpop segment to camera, and asked the inhabitant what he was doing. "I'm smoking a big spliff" he said, holding up a spliff. Chegwin was astonished at the brazenness of the reply, and said "This is live television!!". The unnamed smoker replied "And this is a big spliff".
Show line-up
The public show was in a Circus Big Top. Circus Fudge and High Voltage trapeze performed for the queue before the public show, which featured:
- Ben Cornish
- Phillip Dammer
- Rachel Henson?(swung glo-torch thingies)?
- and some kids.
Facilities
Nofit State Circus and Croissant Neuf both provided tops for workshop space and renegade shows.
1993 - Birmingham
The 6th BJC was held in Birmingham.
Show line-up
The public show was compèred by Boothby Graffoe (comedian), who was then more-or-less unknown, but has now found fame and success, on BBC Radio 4 and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe amongst other places.
1992 - Coventry
The 5th BJC was held in Coventry between April 10 and April 12. The event had over 2000 attendees.
1991 - Leeds
The 4th BJC was held in Leeds.
1990 - Exeter
The 3rd BJC was held in Exeter, at a school in Topsham St. Mary, with the camping more-or-less adjacent. It was bloody cold.
1989 - Bath
The 2nd BJC was held in Bath, in the sports centre next to Bath RFC's ground, The Recreation Ground.
Games
The games were held in the public square adjacent to Bath Abbey, adjacent to the Pump Room of the Roman Baths, which was surely the most spectacular background ever for BJC games. Games included 5-egg cascade endurance, and unicycle jousting.
Facilities
Camping was provided some miles away in the walled kitchen garden of a stately pile.
1988 - London
The first BJC was held in London.