Paris The Hip Hop Juggler
Thank you
Thank you to our dedicated Roustabouts (Donors & Volunteers) who made this exhibition possible. Especially:
Paul Byrd
Michael Bell
Shanna Tucker
Kinetic Arts Center
The UNCLE JUNIOR PROJECT is a community-driven digital exhibit dedicated to celebrating and sharing the inspiring stories of African American circus performers.
This exhibit was made possible by our Roustabouts. This is our community of passionate and named after the title given to people who would set up and tear down circus tents.
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Beginnings…
At age 9,
Paris discovered the Big Apple Circus outreach program.
“I asked my mom, please please please put me in this program because I'm in trouble all the time for flipping at home on the bed.
At least there, I can do it legally and in front of professionals.”
Paris started off as an acrobat
before moving on to other art forms within the circus.
“Where we were from, juggling was associated with clowns.
So we looked at clowns with goofy shoes on or suspenders… that was not the swag we liked.
Being from Harlem, we’re very fashion conscious.
We wear Air Force 1s and nice jeans and make sure they’re clean.
So I dismissed juggling quickly.”
The "Original Six" Air Force 1 campaign
Mentors
Paris continued to attend the Big Apple Circus programs as a kid.
There he met juggler Russell Davis.
Russell had coached several successful jugglers including Michael Moschen and Tony Duncan.
“His approach was…
I’m going to teach you the skills first, then it’s you’re choice what you want to do later.”
When it came time to perform, he said
“Paris, just be yourself.”
Paris’ first performance was with the Big Apple Circus at Lincoln Center.
He felt sick.
He took the stage with several other kids who were juggling.
He dropped a ball…
tried to recover it…
causing the other kids to drop their balls too.
“Hearing what feel likes an entire city laughing at you,
on your first performance, is really disheartening.”
“But my coach Russell Davis came and said:
“It happens. It just happened to happen on your first try. Don’t worry about it. At least it can’t get worse than this.”
He was right.”
Paris and Russell
Race, Culture, and Circus
“Being from Harlem, the hip-hop culture was strong there and you had to be able to dance.”
Paris’ first juggling routines were more “traditional and showy” juggling routines.
He was encouraged to make it his own with dance moves and other nontraditional techniques.
“I had to look in and figure out:
What about me, can I put into this?”
Al Roker gave Paris the nickname - the Hip Hop Juggler
“I saw how differently juggling was being presented.
And it’s because those people are from completely different environments.
And at first, you can look at and go, ‘I'm the odd one out’.
But as a performer you want to be unusual, you want to stand out.
So I didn't have to do anything unusual to myself to make something stand out.
I could just be myself.”
At only 14 years old, Paris took the opportunity to be a guest juggler at the Universoul Circus.
“It felt for the first time, that I was working with professionals who truly understood me. At the time, it became normal for me to not be understood – as far as why I choose certain music or wear certain clothes.”
Surgery
During Paris’ first year in college,
he was told he would need to have spinal surgery
Having grown up with scoliosis, his spine was becoming more crooked.
Doctors needed to perform major surgery to correct it.
The surgery would prevent him from any sort of physical activity.
Audio Interview: Paris Discusses His Surgery
As a result of his surgery,
Paris didn’t touch his juggling equipment for 3 years.
“My movement wasn’t right.
My body, just couldn’t cooperate.
Paris started back juggling in his senior year.
Rebuilding his strength and coordination.
However, he was still pursuing a job in the corporate world after college.
Paris performing beginner level tricks (1:46 YouTube)
“For the first time, I felt like everyone else.
BUT I HAD TO BE HONEST WITH MYSELF.”
Paris chose to leave the corporate world,
and pursue a career in juggling.
Success
Paris
Paris has been able to bring his talents to The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Sesame Street, The White House, and more.
2020 Highlight Reel (2:38 YouTube)
“You're never gonna get 100% approval and anything you do.
And if you do, chances are you're not doing anything real.
Chopped N Skrewed 2009 (7:02 YouTube)
“I am one of the few black jugglers you're going to see on the side of the world.
In the Western world, I stand out, so I don't really have to work hard to have myself be noticed in that.
What I do want, is to be respected.
I don't want to be the black juggler.
I want to be the guy who did that sick five club pattern and happens to be black.
I received good reviews based on the style, the presentation, the skill set, not ‘Hey, and he's really good for a black guy juggling.’
So as long as I keep myself respectable in terms of skill set, I'm happy.”
Paris regularly teaches at programs like the one that introduced him to juggling as a kid.
“I want to inspire people.
That’s why I spend a lot of time teaching.
I purposefully go out into places just like where I came from.
Whether they want to be circus performers, or whether they want to go to college, do presentations, become great parents…
that they can take whatever it is that makes them happy, and pursue it.”
Paris Visits Chicago (2:09 YouTube)
There’s More To The Story!
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