In a way, we’re all jugglers. Work, the dishes, the kids, friends, just life in general. It was never more apparent than when Johan Juslin came to 6401 Penn Avenue a creative work space with just enough room for him to do his thing.
The workers all stopped for a few minutes, very appreciative of Johan’s expertise and mindful, perhaps, of how he gave them a terrific lesson in how to deal with it all.
As it turned out, the Swedish juggler had no skills (he thought) until he saw Cirque du Soleil. Somehow, the sight of objects swirling through the air appealed to him. So at 17, he joined a youth circus. By 2013 he made his way to the National School in Montreal where he honed his skills.
Now he can do up to nine balls, seven rings and seven clubs. By himself. In Corteo, Cirque’s latest arena show that is coming to town at the PPG Paints Area, he tosses more around with his trio members, Laido Dittmar of Hungary and Svetlana Tsarkova of Russia.CThe production has, like most Cirque spectacles, a loose story to house a procession of acts. The official plot line revolves around a clown that imagines his own funeral. But in true Cirque fashion, it is a joyous occasion. After all, Corteo means “procession” in Italian. And we equate Italy with sunny personalities.
So there will be Hula-Hoop and Cyr Wheel, but there will also be Chandeliers and Bouncing Beds, two of Johan’s favorites in the show. Plenty to whet your whistle, along with a unique character never before seen with Cirque, Mr. Loyal (The Whistler).
There’s also plenty to juggle in the show itself, with 18 nationalities, 4,000 parking jewels on the chandeliers, a bevy of angels whose costumes total the yardage in five football fields and 1 giant turntable.
Just like Johan, we should all employ a juggling mentality to handle everything around us and what unfolds before us in Corteo. “We focus in a different way,” he explains. And of course, there’s “constant, constant practice.”
Corteo appears Jan. 16-20 at PPG Paints Arena. Click on Cirque.
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