International Jugglers' Association
The International Jugglers' Association or IJA is the world's oldest and largest nonprofit circus organization, and is open to members worldwide. It was founded in the United States in 1947, with the goal of providing, "an organization for jugglers that would provide meetings at regular intervals in an atmosphere of mutual friendship." Though its focus lies on juggling, its programs also support other circus disciplines.
Programs and events
The International Jugglers' Association runs the following programs and events:- International Regional Competitions
- The Video Tutorial Contest
- World Juggling Day
- eJuggle - the IJA's official publication
- The Afghan Mobile Mini Circus for Children
Conventions and competitions
The convention is held in a different city each year during mid-to-late July since 1948. There were also additional winter conventions in the 90s. Aside from the competitions, at the convention there are shows open to the public in which professional jugglers perform, and workshops are taught by jugglers of all skill levels.
The organization maintains lists of IJA record-holders, and IJA competitors.
IJA Stage Championship
The IJA's Stage Championships are the formal world juggling championships that offers medals and prize money for juggling performances. These competitions are held during the week at the IJA's annual festival, held in the summer. There are three categories of IJA Stage Championships: Individuals, Teams and Juniors.| Year | Individual | Teams | Juniors |
| 1969 | Gold-George Zsilak | N/A | N/A |
| 1970 | Gold-Danny Rees | N/A | N/A |
| 1971 | Gold-Tommy Curtain | N/A | N/A |
| 1972 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1973 | Gold-Jerry Greenberg | N/A | Gold-Martin Gray |
| 1974 | N/A | N/A | Gold-Nate Stein |
| 1975 | N/A | N/A | Gold-Peter Cuneen |
| 1976 | N/A | N/A | Gold-Norm Johnson |
| 1977 | N/A | N/A | Gold-Lenny Mazel |
| 1978 | N/A | Gold-Fred Garbo & Allan Jacobs | Gold-Ben Decker |
| 1979 | Gold-Edward Jackman Silver-Larry Vaksman Bronze-Peter Davison | Gold-Wimbledon Bros. Silver-J. Held & B. Felker Bronze-Locomotion Circus Silver-L.A. Juggling Company Bronze-Up In the Air Juggling Club | Gold-Anthony Gatto Silver-Patrick Dempsey Bronze-John Webster |
| 1982 | Gold-Peter Davison Silver-Anthony Gatto Bronze-Michael Marlin | Gold-Airjazz Silver-Gravity's Last Stand Bronze-Not Awarded | Gold-Andrew Allen Silver-John Webster Bronze-Christa Rypins |
| 1983 | Gold-Allan Jacobs Silver-Edward Jackman Bronze-Anthony Gatto | Gold-Bryan Wendling & Scott Burton Silver-Jongleur Jugglers Bronze-Raspyni Brothers | Gold-David Deeble Silver-Rick Coleman Bronze-Patrick Cox |
| 1984 | Gold-Albert Lucas Silver-Mark Nizer Bronze-Dan Holzman | Gold-Raspyni Brothers Silver-Young Gentlemen Jugglers Bronze-Circus Shmirkus | Gold-David Lee Silver-Dana Tison Bronze-Robbie Weinstein |
| 1985 | Gold-Andrew Head Silver-Dan Holzman Bronze-Arsene | Gold-Benji Hill&Dana Tison Silver-Benji Marantz & Tom Murphy Bronze-Live Aid | Gold-Ken Falk Silver-Robbie Weinstein Bronze-Bogar Zuniga |
| 1986 | Gold-Anthony Gatto Silver-Scott Burton Bronze-Benji Hill | Gold-Jet Set Jugglers Bronze-Jongleur Jugglers Bronze-Doubble Troubble | Gold-Curt Bonnem Silver-David Cain Bronze-Mark Faje |
| 1988 | Gold-Jeff Mason Silver-Ryder Schwartz Bronze-Benji Hill | Gold-Raspyni Brothers Silver-Passing Zone Bronze-Philippine Pride Jugglers Silver-Doubble Troubble Bronze-Clockwork | Gold-Jonathan Rosenberg Silver-Brian Patz Bronze-Alfonso Guerra |
| 1990 | Gold-Mark Nizer Silver-Carlos Rodriguez Bronze-Dan Holzman | Gold-Darn, Good & Funny Silver-Raspyni Brothers Bronze-Not Awarded | Gold-Chuck Gunter Silver-Joel Purcell Bronze-Brian Patz |
| 1991 | Gold-Not Awarded Silver-Andrew Head Bronze-Jason Garfield, Dana Tison, Tuey Wilson | Gold-Not Awarded Silver-Doubble Troubble Bronze-Clockwork | Gold-Pat McGuire Silver-Brian Patz Sean Mckinney |
| 1992 | Gold-Not Awarded Silver-Miguel Herrera, Dan Holzman, & Dimitri Mourkes Bronze-France Robert, Larry Vee, Bob Whitcomb | Gold-Not Awarded Silver-Chuck Gunter & Benji Hill Bronze-Dew Drop Jugglers | Gold-Sean McKinney Silver-Ben Tolpin Bronze-Brian Patz |
| 1993 | Gold-Fritz Grobe Silver-Not Awarded Bronze- Jill Westover, Eric Wenokor | Gold-Not Awarded Silver-Benji Hill&Chuck Gunter Bronze-Not Awarded | Gold-Jay Gilligan Silver-Corey Hoelcker Bronze-Jason Kariotis |
| 1994 | Gold-Tony Duncan Silver-Brian Patz Bronze-Martin Mall | Gold-Crash & Burn Silver-Darn,Good&Funny Bronze-Clockwork | Gold-Joey Cousin Silver-Artom Khomanko Bronze-Casey Boehmer |
| 1995 | Gold-Francoise Rochais Silver-Jay Gilligan Bronze-Jochen Schell | Gold-Blink Silver-Cousin Brothers Bronze-Trio One Over Par | Gold-Vladik Miagkostoupov Silver-Casey Boehmer Bronze-Kevin Bylund |
| 1996 | Gold-Greg Kennedy Silver-Jay Gilligan Bronze-Brian Patz | Gold-Dew Drop Jugglers Silver-Tripp&Fall Bronze-Not Awarded | Gold-Casey Boehmer Silver-Mike Price Bronze-Rick Friscia |
| 1997 | Gold-Vladik Miagkostoupov Silver-Brian Patz Bronze-Matt Henry | Gold-Mark & Charlie Peachock Silver-Flight Patterns | Gold-Adam Kariotis Silver-Emil Carey Bronze-Rick Friscia |
| 1998 | Gold-Jason Garfield Silver-Dana Tison Bronze-Brian Patz | Gold-Les Tourisks Silver-Rasing Cain Bronze-Redefining Gravity | Gold-Jeff Civillico Silver-Luke Jay Bronze-Mike Roberts |
| 1999 | Gold-Adam Kariotis Silver-Sean McKinney Bronze-Jay Gilligan | Gold-The Mad Five Silver-The Fling Kings Bronze-Marty&Jake | Gold-Peter Gerber Silver-Emil Carey Bronze-Christopher Chiappini |
| 2000 | Gold-Michael Price Silver-Jason Garfield Bronze-Patrick McGuire | Gold-Redefining Gravity Silver-We're Not Clowns Bronze-Propellorheads | Gold-Christopher Chiappini Silver-Nate Seefeldt Bronze-Dorothy Finnigan |
| 2001 | Gold-Matt Henry Silver-Nicolas Souren Bronze-Jeffery Daymont | Gold-The LaSalle Brothers Silver-Team Rootberry Bronze-Rasing Cain | Gold-David DiMuzio Silver-Nate Seefeldt Bronze-Josiah Jones |
| 2002 | Gold-Jason Garfield Silver-Pat McGuire Bronze-Rod Laver | Gold-Saccade Silver-Team Rootberry Bronze-Stoolies | Gold-Ryo Yabe Silver-Josiah the Bold Bronze-Stephen Caruso |
| 2003 | Gold-Bill Berry Silver-Matt Hall Bronze-Vova Galchenko | Gold-Team Rootberry Silver-Olga & Vova Galchenko Bronze-Jugheads | Gold-Jonathan Brady Silver-Charles "C.J." Smith Jr. Bronze-Leo James |
| 2004 | Gold-Thomas Dietz Silver-Ivan Pecel Bronze-Emile Carey | Gold-Olga & Vova Galchenko Silver-Stanford Juggling Research Institute Bronze-The Jugheads | Gold-Wes Peden Silver-Leo James Bronze-Edgar Mkrtchyan |
| 2005 | Gold-Ryo Yabe Silver-Mark Kolbusz Bronze-Cecile Poncet | Gold-Jonglissimo Silver-Kikyo Brothers | Gold-Kazuhiro Shindo Silver-Komei Aoki Bronze-Takashi Kikyo |
| 2006 | Gold-Artem Khomanko Silver-Yuki Kojima Bronze-Michael Karas | Gold-MHD Silver-Swatch Bronze-Vanillatown | Gold-William Wei-Liang Lin Silver-Tony Pezzo Bronze-Billy Watson |
| 2007 | Gold-Thomas Dietz Silver-Wes Peden Bronze-Vova Galchenko | Gold-Jonglissimo Silver-Kikyo Brothers | Gold-Yoshiaki Nagatake Silver-Nate Martin Bronze-Teruki Okamoto |
| 2008 | Gold-Vova Galchenko Silver-Billy Watson Bronze-Yoshihisa Suehiro | Gold-Sharpe Brothers Silver-Kikyo Brothers Bronze-Taiwan Physical Education College Silver-Smirk Bronze-Poetic Motion Machine Silver-Poetic Motion Machine Bronze-The Five of Clubs Silver-Smirk Bronze-The Jugheads | Gold-David Ferman Silver-Jack Denger Bronze-Patrick Fraser |
| 2012 | Gold-Satoshi Eto Silver-Thom Wall Bronze-David Ferman | Gold-Daniel & Dominik Silver-Institute of Jugglology Bronze-Kikyo Brothers | Gold-Kellin Quinn Silver-Jack Denger Bronze-Ashley Ellis |
| 2013 | Gold-Kyle Driggs Silver-Wes Peden Bronze-Kellin Quinn | Gold-The Pastels Silver-Kikyo Brothers Bronze-Mountain Motion | Gold-Ashley Ellis Silver-Yusuke Yokoyama Bronze-Patrick Fraser |
| 2014 | Gold-Kota Hayashi Silver-Yusaku Mochizuki Bronze-Thom Wall | Gold-Institute of Jugglology Silver-Duck&Cover Bronze-The Nine Hips | Gold-Jack Denger Silver-Patrick Fraser Bronze-Delaney Bayles |
| 2015 | Gold-Yusaku Mochizuki Silver-Yosuke Ubukata Bronze-Kento Tanioka | Gold-Kentokaito Silver-The Jugheads Bronze-The Bling Bros. | Gold-Delaney Bayles Silver-Max Poff Bronze-Daniel Van Hoomissen |
| 2016 | Gold-Hiroki Kamei Silver-Jorden Moir Bronze-Scott Sorensen | Gold-Jonglissimo Silver-Totchees Bronze-Aki and Takeru | Gold-Jonah Botvinick-Greenhouse Silver-Christopher Haaser Bronze-Bennett Santora |
| 2017 | Gold-Hayato Watanabe Silver-Shinya Yamane Bronze-Delaney Bayles | Gold-CAPT – New Style Crew Silver-CAPT Bronze-Duo Octo | Gold-Bennett Santora Silver-Christopher Haaser Bronze-Houston Odum |
| 2018 | Gold-Masayuki Furuya Silver-Jonah Botvinick-Greenhouse Bronze-Makoto Hanada | Gold-Cosmic Cousins - Silver-KK Staff Bronze-The LemonHeads (Isaac Cantor & Joshua Nelson | Gold-Sho Kasuya Silver-Grant Bishop Bronze-Christopher Haaser |
IJA Numbers Championships
The Numbers Championships awards Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals to those who demonstrate that they can juggle the most balls, clubs or rings for the highest number of catches. Competition occurs in three categories: Individuals, Duos and Trios. See the current IJA records. Starting at the 2006 convention, prize is given to each "numbers" winner, with an extra prize for anyone who breaks an existing International Jugglers' Association record.Other competitions held at the IJA's annual festival include the Individual Prop Competitions, the , the World Joggling Championships, as well as traditional juggling games and events.
Publications
The IJA has published Jugglers' World and JUGGLE magazine. In 2012, the IJA transitioned to an all-digital form of communications, halting publication of JUGGLE magazine. Today, members read juggling news through , hosted on the IJA's website.In addition to the online magazine, the IJA also produces a monthly with IJA news, articles of interest, and news from the global juggling community.
Notable IJA Members
- Thomas Dietz
- Vova Galchenko
- Marcus Monroe
- Christoph Mitasch
- Manuel Mitasch
- The Passing Zone
- Thom Wall
- Sergeij Ignatov
- Anthony Gatto