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A hard act to follow

Wednesday, 16 July 2008

RICHARD Kane never had a childhood dream of running away and joining the circus. However, he did have a strong interest in the performance arts associated with the circus, especially juggling. Indeed Richard became so interested that he decided to open the first juggling shop in Dublin’s Temple Bar in February. ‘Jugglin Dublin’ is located in Crow Street Bazaar where you will find pretty much everything you need to get started and develop as a juggler. Richard caught the juggling bug when he attended the World Juggling Championships in Mill Street, County Cork, in 2006. “I couldn’t get over the level of talent that was on view at the championships,” he told Northside People. “The interest in juggling is growing all the time and more and more young people are getting into it.” According to Richard, juggling is more than simply a hobby and he believes there are numerous benefits. “It has been proven that juggling will help you to concentrate better at whatever task you’re engaged in,” he said. “A 2004 report from the University of Regensburg in Germany found that learning to juggle causes certain areas of your brain to grow. “Juggling will bring you into a state of relaxed concentration; it will also improve your hand to eye co-ordination, your rhythm and timing and it’s definitely a great party trick to have.” Richard said he has seen a lot of parents come into his shop and they are very happy that their kids have begun to develop an interest in juggling. “With modern living, kids have so many options open to them including television, computers, games and so on,” he stated. “Parents see juggling as a healthy alternative - and they’re right.” Richard said juggling does not have to be an expensive interest to acquire. “You can buy three quality juggling balls here for e20 and away you go,” he stated. “And I promise you that you will get the hang of juggling very quickly. “In less than an hour, you will be able to juggle three balls in the air.” Young people are not the only ones interested in juggling. Richard said he has noticed a steady trickle of barmen come into the shop looking for tips on how to juggle bottles of alcohol in the air. “It’s known as Bar Flare and it became popular after the movie, ‘Cocktail’, starring Tom Cruise,” he said. While Richard’s shop is primarily concerned with the art of juggling, he also carries an array of other circus performing items. “We do everything from fire eating to stilt walking,” he stated. “Stilt walking is actually becoming very popular and we sell the actual stilts here. “I know some people who can make e250 per hour from stilt walking.” Richard has big plans for the future and talk of the country heading into a recession doesn’t particularly worry him. “My dream would be to expand the business into a complete circus performing arts shop,” he added. “I can visualise it as being in the shape of a circus ring and we could have a café and cabaret acts, why not?”