Have you ever wanted to learn how to juggle? Stop outside the library between 2:30 and 5 p.m. Fridays to get a lesson from Iowa State’s very own juggling club.

The members of the club encourage newcomers to stop by to learn how to juggle. When the weather is nice, the club is outside the library every Friday. Club members can also be found in the basement of State Gym Tuesdays between 7:30 and 10 p.m.

After its beginning in the early years of the university, Jesse Shoemaker reinstated the Juggling Club in 2001 as a juggling and unicycling club combined. However, most of the members in the club were focused on unicycles, so those who wanted to do more juggling decided to create a separate club. Since then, the ISU Juggling Club has taken its hobby more seriously and one of its goals is to teach other students on campus the tricks of the trade.

“Anyone can learn to juggle in about a half-an-hour if you’re dedicated to learning,” said club president Theodore Murdock.

The group has 10 members. A key factor in choosing the practice space outside the library is because it’s a high-traffic area. The increased visibility gives club members a chance to welcome students to join and learn new tricks.

Murdock’s best advice for beginners at juggling is to come to the Juggling Club meetings.

“It’s always easier when you have a good teacher,” Murdock said.

To start, the jugglers teach newcomers by using regular juggling balls filled with millet. This is simply because they are the easiest to learn with.

Once a beginner starts to get the hang of it, the jugglers can teach them how to use clubs, rings or even torches. During the time the club meets, members create new passes and teach it to one another. They also do yo-yo, diablo, the little devil stick and rolla bolla.

Besides teaching and learning new tricks, club members occasionally practice for shows and competitions. This year, they have performed in two shows, one for Cub Scouts and another at the Edwards Elementary Carnival. The shows consist primarily of a number of jugglers showing off their tricks and skills. Murdock said this is more fun and exciting for the children than a routine would be.

The jugglers have also participated in numerous competitions over the past couple of years including Mad Fest in Madison, Wis., and Mondo in the Twin Cities. The competition part of the festival is only a small portion of the event, but in this section, there are various competitions such as yo-yo, Simon Says and 7&8 Club passing endurance, which tests to see who can juggle the longest. The larger portion of the event consists of jugglers coming from all over to perform new tricks and teaching it to others. Most of the jugglers use the clubs at these events.

“The clubs make the most interesting patterns,” Murdock said.

When asked what Murdock thought was the best thing about being in the Juggling Club he chuckled: “Juggling.”

“It’s great getting together with people and passing,” Murdock said. “There’s always a new level to take it to with juggling.”

The Juggling Club encourages anyone who is interested in learning a new, fun hobby to visit soon.

Juggling Lingo

Diablo

Diablo is a form of yo-yo that comes from China. It involves tossing a barbell-shaped hollow toy on a string with handles on the end.

The little devil stick involves tossing a long, skinny stick back and forth with two other sticks. Once this is mastered, tricks are then incorporated.

Rolla Bolla

The rolla bolla is a device the juggler stands on while juggling. The trick is learning to balance on the platform that lies on a small ball while completing the juggling tricks.