Editing Juggling (section)

==Origins and history==
{{main|History of juggling}}

===Ancient to 20th century===
[[File:Early Egyptian juggling art.jpg|thumb|left|This ancient wall painting appears to depict jugglers. It was found in the 15th tomb of the [[Karyssa I]] area, [[Egypt]]. According to Dr. Bianchi, associate curator of the [[Brooklyn Museum]] "In tomb 15, the prince is looking on to things he enjoyed in life that he wishes to take to the next world. The fact that jugglers are represented in a tomb suggests religious significance." ... "round things were used to represent large solar objects, birth, and death."<ref>Gillen, Billy (1986). "[http://www.juggling.org/jw/86/2/egypt.html Remember the Force Hassan!]", ''[[Juggling.org]]''. ''Juggler's World'': Vol. 38, No. 2.</ref>]]

The earliest record of juggling is suggested in a panel from the 15th (1994 to 1781 B.C.) [[Beni Hasan]] tomb of an unknown Egyptian prince, showing female dancers and acrobats throwing balls.<ref name="Science">Beek, Peter J. and Lewbel, Arthur (1995). "[https://www2.bc.edu/~lewbel/jugweb/sciamjug.pdf The Science of Juggling] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304104003/https://www2.bc.edu/~lewbel/jugweb/sciamjug.pdf |date=2016-03-04 }}", ''Scientific American''.</ref> Juggling has been recorded in many early cultures including [[History of Egypt|Egyptian]], [[Nabataean Kingdom|Nabataean]], [[History of China|Chinese]], [[History of India|Indian]], [[History of Greece|Greek]], [[History of Rome|Roman]], [[Norsemen|Norse]], [[History of the Aztecs|Aztec]] (Mexico) and [[Polynesia]]n civilizations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.bc.edu/~lewbel/jugweb/history-1.html |title=Prof. Arthur Lewbel's Research in Juggling History |publisher=.bc.edu |access-date=2012-03-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217090129/https://www2.bc.edu/~lewbel/jugweb/history-1.html |archive-date=2012-02-17 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.juggling.org/museum/ethnography/ |title=The JIS Museum of Juggling's Ethnography section |publisher=Juggling.org |date=1995-03-13 |access-date=2012-03-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FcAoBq4_EnEC|title=Petra and the Lost Kingdom of the Nabataeans |first= Taylor|last=Jane|pages=41|year=2001|publisher=[[I.B.Tauris]]|location=London, United Kingdom|isbn=9781860645082 |access-date=16 July 2016}}</ref>

[[Juggling in ancient China]] was an art performed by some warriors. One such warrior was Xiong Yiliao, whose juggling of nine balls in front of troops on a battlefield reportedly caused the opposing troops to flee without fighting, resulting in a complete victory.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120804050209/http://www.juggle.org/history/archives/jugmags/39-1/39-1,p42.htm] Chinese Acrobatics Through the Ages, by Fu Qifeng</ref>

[[File:Tiberius Psalter - Juggler.jpg|thumb|Circa 1075–1250 A.D. Juggler in the [[Tiberius Psalter]], with balls and knives.]]
In Europe, juggling was an acceptable diversion until the [[decline of the Roman Empire]], after which the activity fell into disgrace. Throughout the [[Middle Ages]], most histories were written by religious clerics who frowned upon the type of performers who juggled, called [[gleeman|gleemen]], accusing them of base morals or even practicing [[witchcraft]]. Jugglers in this era would only perform in [[marketplace]]s, streets, fairs, or drinking houses. They would perform short, humorous and bawdy acts and pass a [[hat]] or [[bag]] among the audience for tips. Some kings' and noblemen's [[bard]]s, [[Jester|fools, or jesters]] would have been able to juggle or perform [[acrobatics]], though their main skills would have been oral ([[poetry]], [[music]], [[comedy]] and [[storytelling]]).

In 1768, [[Philip Astley]] opened the first modern [[circus]]. A few years later, he employed jugglers to perform acts along with the horse and [[clown]] acts. Since then, jugglers have been associated with circuses.

In the early 19th century,<ref>''The Times'' (London, England), 27 July 1813, p.2:'The exhibition of the Indian Jugglers, at No. 87, Pall-mall, has been attended by nearly all the Families of distinction in town; and is becoming extremely popular.'</ref> troupes from Asia, such as the famous "Indian Jugglers"<ref>"[http://www.orientalism-in-art.org/The-Indian-Jugglers.html J. Green: The Indian Jugglers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814121250/http://www.orientalism-in-art.org/The-Indian-Jugglers.html |date=2016-08-14 }}", ''Orientalism-in-Art.org''.</ref> referred to by [[William Hazlitt]],<ref>[http://www.juggling.org/papers/hazlitt/] In his ''Table Talk'' (1821) Hazlitt recalled the opening routine: '... the chief of the Indian Jugglers begins with tossing up two brass balls, which is what any of us could do, and concludes with keeping up four at the same time, which is what none of us could do to save our lives... to make them revolve round him at certain intervals, like the planets in their spheres, to make them chase one another like sparkles of fire, or shoot up like flowers or meteors, to throw them behind his back and twine them round his neck like ribbons or like serpents...with all the ease, the grace, the carelessness imaginable... is skill surmounting difficulty, and beauty triumphing over skill.'</ref> arrived to tour Britain, Europe and parts of America.<ref>[http://www.aboutfacesentertainment.com/pages/about-juggling.html] An appearance by the leader of the Indian Jugglers troupe, Ramo Samee, is described in the ''Salem Gazette'', 5 October 1819</ref>

In the 19th century, [[variety show|variety]] and [[music hall]] theatres became more popular, and jugglers were in demand to fill time between music acts, performing in front of the curtain while sets were changed. Performers started specializing in juggling, separating it from other kinds of performance such as [[sword swallowing]] and [[magic (illusion)|magic]]. The [[#Gentleman juggling|Gentleman Juggler]] style was established by German jugglers such as [[Salerno (juggler)|Salerno]] and [[Kara (juggler)|Kara]]. [[Rubber]] processing developed, and jugglers started using rubber balls. Previously, juggling balls were made from balls of [[twine]], stuffed leather bags, wooden spheres, or various metals. Solid or inflatable rubber balls meant that bounce juggling was possible. Inflated rubber balls made [[ball spinning]] easier and more readily accessible. Soon in North America, [[vaudeville]] theatres employed jugglers, often hiring European performers.

===20th century===
[[File:Skeeter Reece carrying Albert Alter juggling while on unicycle.jpg|thumb|[[Albert Alter]] juggling on a unicycling [[Skeeter Reece]]]]
{{main|Modern juggling culture|Juggling convention}}

In the early to mid-20th century, variety and vaudeville shows decreased in popularity due to competition from [[motion picture]] theatres, [[radio]] and [[television]], and juggling suffered as a result. Music and comedy transferred very easily to radio, but juggling could not. In the early years of TV, when variety-style programming was popular, jugglers were often featured; but developing a new act for each new show, week after week, was more difficult for jugglers than other types of entertainers; comedians and musicians can pay others to write their material, but jugglers cannot get other people to learn new skills on their behalf.

The [[International Jugglers' Association]], founded in 1947, began as an association for professional vaudeville jugglers, but restrictions for membership were eventually changed, and non-performers were permitted to join and attend the annual conventions. The IJA continues to hold an annual convention each summer and runs a number of other programs dedicated to advance the art of juggling worldwide.

World Juggling Day was created as an annual day of recognition for the hobby, with the intent to teach people how to juggle, to promote juggling and to get jugglers together and celebrate. It is held on the Saturday in June closest to the 17th, the founding date of the International Jugglers' Association.<ref>"[http://www.juggle.org/ija/wjd/wjd-archive/ World Juggling Day] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630074314/http://www.juggle.org/ija/wjd/wjd-archive/ |date=2015-06-30 }}", ''IJA''.</ref>

Most cities and large towns now have juggling clubs. These are often based within, or connected to, universities and colleges. There are also community circus groups that teach young people and put on shows. The Juggling Edge<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jugglingedge.com/clublistings.php |title=Juggling Edge - Global Juggling Clubs |publisher=JugglingEdge.com |access-date=2012-07-15}}</ref> maintains a searchable database of most juggling clubs.

Since the 1980s, a juggling culture has developed. The scene revolves around local clubs and organizations, special events, shows, magazines, web sites, internet forums and, possibly most importantly, [[juggling convention]]s. In recent years, there has also been a growing focus on [[juggling competition]]s. Juggling today has evolved and branched out to the point where it is synonymous with all prop manipulation. The wide variety of the juggling scene can be seen at any juggling convention.

Juggling conventions or festivals form the backbone of the juggling scene. The focus of most of these conventions is the main space used for open juggling. There will also be more formal workshops in which expert jugglers will work with small groups on specific skills and techniques. Most juggling conventions also include a main show (open to the general public), competitions, and juggling games.