A little about me...

I discovered the art of juggling almost ten years ago when I was working and living in Yosemite National Park. My first real juggling festival, and probably the inspiring event that sent me on the wild adventure of becoming a professional juggler, was the 1995 International Juggler's Association Juggling Festival in Las Vegas. There I saw wonders I knew I was destined to replicate. Today, many of the wonders I witnessed I can quite easily and gracefully perform.

Most of my skills were learned on my own, but over the years, and through my travels, I have managed to attend over twenty juggling festivals and conventions in both North America and Europe. At these festivals I have had the pleasure of juggling with and learning from some of the finest jugglers from around the world.

I have two achievements in the world of juggling for which I am truly proud. The first is founding the Humboldt Juggling Festival, a free three day annual festival, now going into its 5th year. My second was completing a year at Circomedia, a professional circus arts and physical theatre school in England. There I trained under world-renowned juggling instructors Rod Laver, Haggis Mcleod, Sam Veale, and Sean Gandini.

I must attribute my success as a performer to all my previous instructors, but special credit must go to the two instructors who had the most influence on me in regards to physical theatre, directing, and creating material. While at Humboldt State University, I trained under Jyl Hewston of Theatre Plexus. Jyl's style of teaching is influenced by her training under Hovey Burges and James Donlon. While in England, I trained under Circomedia co-founder Bim Mason. Bim's style of teaching is influenced by his training under Jacques Lecoq and Desmond Jones.

I also owe a special thanks to Janet Warren for teaching me most of what I know about maskmaking, special effects makeup and prosthetics. And to Mimi Mace who was both my advisor and the person who taught the begining and advanced puppetry classes I took.

I have just graduated with a Master of Arts, Theatre Production graduate degree at Humboldt State University and plan to travel the world spreading my love of theatre and the art of juggling.

Walter Beals

Walter juggling five balls in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris France, early Spring 2003.