By Grace Dille
The Congress of Jugglers and the UMD Juggling Club hosted their annual variety show on April 21, featuring juggling, comedy, dancing and other performances.
The founder of the Congress of Jugglers, Wil Allyn, invited those who wanted to perform in the show to Ritchie Coliseum beforehand. He then selected the best to take the stage at Hoff Theater.
Throughout the show, Allyn also raffled off prizes including professional juggling balls and clubs, T-shirts and a light-up baton.
According to Allyn, the Congress of Jugglers has been coming to the University of Maryland for over 15 years.
“I thought the performance tonight was amazing,” said Jason Nekritz, president of the UMD Juggling Club. “It was much different than it was last year; probably one of the best I’ve seen so far. I loved the diversity of the acts.”
Emma Levine, a member of the UMD Juggling Club, was selected to perform in the show. She chose to show off her devil sticks skills, a form of juggling she started learning when she was 8 years old at a circus summer camp.
“I’ve never really been good at what everyone typically considers juggling,” Levine said. “It was only last year when I learned how to juggle with three balls. But I love devil sticks.”
Levine encouraged any student who is interested in juggling to come to one of their club meetings. The club meets on Wednesdays and Fridays from 4 to 6 p.m. on McKeldin Mall by the sundial when the weather is nice and in the Art-Sociology Building when it’s not.
“We take everyone,” Levine said. “We teach you whatever you want to learn and we’re always happy to.”
Siboney Godoy chose to perform a routine she has been working on for three months involving juggling, dancing, hula hooping and contorting.
Godoy attends Montgomery College, but when she heard about UMD’s annual variety show from her cousin, she decided she had to perform. Godoy enjoyed watching the other performers in the variety show as well.
“It was awesome. It was something I have never seen before,” Godoy said. “I liked their energy, they got along with the people and they were very charismatic.”
“As a performer, you get nervous because it’s so many things to remember — the choreography, the juggling and everything,” Godoy said. “But I think the most important thing to do is continue. It doesn’t matter [if you mess up]. Just continue and smile.”