Juggling Festival returns to Brandywine after 2 years
Circus-like event features workshops, games and free show
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cascade Brigade Juggling Festival returns to Brandywine Heights High School on May 21.
The Cascade Brigade Brigade Juggling Club — a Brandywine Heights student club that meets Thursdays after school — began hosting a festival in 2016. This year’s festival will be the club’s fifth event.
The juggling festival features workshops, open juggling and an evening juggling show.
“During the event, people can show up and juggle, learn to juggle, participate in workshops and games and hang out with some cool people,” said Lori Angstadt, club adviser with Christa Heagerty.
Held from noon to 9 p.m., the Cascade Brigade Juggling Festival is divided into two parts. In the afternoon there is open juggling in the gym and cafeteria. People can learn to juggle and attend workshops to learn new skills with a variety of props.
“It is a circus-like atmosphere where you can not only learn new skills but watch some incredibly talented people throw around a variety of objects in creative ways,” she said. “The festival allows our students to experience the juggling world outside of Brandywine, and it inspires them to try new things.”
The second part of the festival is a free juggling show in the high school auditorium at 6:30 p.m. Admission is a canned food item for Friend, Inc. Community Services Food Bank.
The Cascade Brigade Jugglers will perform a glow-inthe-dark number featuring lighted objects.
In the past, the festival welcomed jugglers from Reading, New York, New Jersey and the Philadelphia Juggling Club. This year’s headliners are expert jugglers Jen Slaw and Michael Karas, who have competed at the International Juggling Festival and performed off Broadway.
James Stilianos from the Reading Jugglers Club is to serve as emcee. There will be performances by expert whip cracker Kyle Mertz, Bob Swaim and his many bicycles combined with his juggling talents and Bill Peirce, who is part of the Philadelphia Jugglers Club.
Club for Juggling
More than 200 jugglers have participated in the Brandywine club since its creation in 1997 by math teacher Jerry Battenfield.
“This is a great club for students to participate in because it offers them a chance to learn skills that go beyond the classroom. Not only can students learn individual skills, but we learn to work as a group when we create our performances for our yearly show,” said Angstadt. “We learn teamwork and cooperation and how to teach others.”
“It is also a lot of fun!” she added.
This year, 22 students are participating in the club. Members juggle a variety of objects including balls, rings, scarves, poi, cigar boxes, bouncing balls, diablos, devil sticks and clubs.
“Juggling Club is like a community. Students teach other students, create bonds that are unique and you never lose them,” club President Sara Pham said. “I have a new skill set and have learned how to accept help and offer help as well.”
“The club feels like family,” said club treasurer Lucas Foster, a senior. “I have gained an appreciation for the performing arts and improved my skill level.”
Foster likes that Brandywine’s juggling festival brings people together who normally would not juggle with one another.
Pham said the festival is very personable.
“You can get to know new people through juggling. No one is going to judge you on your skill set,” said Pham
The Cascade Brigade Juggling Club has performed for the elementary school, residents at The Lutheran Home at Topton, during Relay for Life and at the Brandywine Minstrel Show. The club has also performed at June Jugglefest hosted by the Reading Jugglers Club, Pocono Juggle Festival, and the student showcase at the International Juggling Festival in 2002.
For event updates, follow the 5th Annual Cascade Brigade Juggling Festival Facebook event page at https:// www.facebook.com/events/ 1912222015833521/?ref=new sfeed.