Juggle fever hits Gray Academy

Canadian champion juggles and judges

The plaque in the foyer of Gray Academy is a grim reminder of why Jewish people came to Winnipeg.

“They came to escape inquisitions, ghettoization, pogroms, racial discrimination and ultimately genocide – the fate inflicted upon Jews for centuries...”

But on Nov. 30, a later generation of those forced to flee their homelands by so many documented atrocities came to juggle.

And Gray Academy was going crazy for Juggle Fest winner, Yavniel Field, who was chosen by Canadian Juggling Champion Robin Chestnut to take the $50 Futureshop voucher home.

Field finished third last year and was relieved after he performed to the 200 strong crowd in the gymnasium.

At 13, he’s been juggling for five years.

“It really develops your hand-eye co-ordination,” said Field, a River Heights resident.

“It’s a good physical outlet for me.”

Field juggled small balls before donning a crash helmet and moving onto cheese graters and “very sharp” spatula.

For now he’s happy to keep juggling as a hobby.

“I doubt I’ll be a professional juggler but I’ll certainly keep it up.”

As Field performed he peppered his routine with jokes and at one stage when he was juggling an egg he said went through a list of Jewish dishes he was going to prepare.

Robin Chestnut, Canadian juggling champion and former Charleswood native, acted as judge for the competition and was impressed by all of the entrants.

“I was really impressed by not only the skill level, but the performance and confidence in front of the crowd,” he said.

Chestnut had recently returned from Saudi Arabia as part of the first Canadian style circus to visit the country.

Chestnut was as much sports psychologist as crowd pleaser, as he offered advice to the kids to never give up in ways they could relate to.

He said for the aspiring future Canadian champion jugglers, there’s always hope and perseverance pays off.

“Anyone here could be a national champion, it’s not necessarily the winner,” said Chestnut.

“It could be one of the kids that didn’t even qualify. It has more to do with belief and determination than skill level right now.”

During his 25-minute performance, he managed to balance an eight-foot step ladder on his nose whilst juggling pins, then juggled balls and finally rode an extended unicycle as he expertly tossed three large knives about.

Sheppy Coodin, an award-winning science teacher with a PhD in cell biology and a juggler for more than 20 years, was floored by the performance.

He also appreciated Chestnut sticking around after the competition to show the kids some tricks.

“They learned more in 30 minutes off Robin than they learned from me in the last five years,” he said.

Coodin’s classroom is filled with juggling paraphernalia and he’s clearly popular with the students.

Coodin attributed landing his first teaching job through juggling and when he was travelling the world he found juggling is a universal language that provides camaraderie despite language barriers.

As for competition winner Field’s future, Coodin was confident it could involve juggling.

“It wouldn’t surprise me to see him buskingå at The Forks.”