8 Days to lift off. It’s finally very nearly here and we’ve set up what we laughingly called the Ministry Bookshop so its now possible to pre-order copies of Multiball Contact and ensure that you get your copy as soon as is possible. You can order it delivered to anywhere in the world.
We’re also offering a bulk discount for people who order 4 or more copies in one go, so if there are several of you in one city who want to order together, just e-mail: book@this domain.
Next we’ve got to get it into the juggling shops. UK distribution seems to be sorted ok, via Oddballs. After 2 years, Multiball Contact is finally nearly here and it doesn’t quite seem real….
Ever since the dawn of online circus video, two projects stand out for their level of quality, fresh perspective, visual style and high production values. The first was GIOCOLERIA.ORG’s series of high-quality releases including the astounding full-length Imperfect Cirquel and Emispheres.
The second project is from VisionBot. Entitled VSNBT MNPLTN SRS, this series of high-quality short films feature some astoundingly original ideas in modern juggling and manipulation. This stuff utterly floored me… my mouth has been hanging open in amazement for the past few days.
From the Site:
Visionbots latest film project is a series of art/manipulation short films called VSNBT MNPLTN SRS. We are going to release four parts. They will all be released here free to download. Each piece is a collaboration between one juggler, one filmmaker and one musician. Showing one performer with a certain prop in each film (Elias Hedlund with clubs for example) All the ideas are discovered at the locations and after editing the music has been specially written. Our purpose with this project is to inspire the new scene of object manipulation. Enjoy!
Currently there are 3 high-quality downloads in the series. If you are at all interested in funky new material, this series is a must see. VisionBot gets a standing ovation from me.
I think i’m going to have to go out an buy their 9-1 Nordic Objects DVD now.
This was posted over on Jugglingdb and i think it deserves a bit more publicity.
Jon Solberg has created 2 DVD’s of vintage juggling and manipulation available free to download as torrents. pirate bay link for torrent 10gb! a Goldmine.
If you need software to get torrents, try: utorrent
Thanks to Jon Solberg for encoding making and sharing his collection.
More review, when I’ve seen it… 11% and counting.
YouTube link
Ah ha. I’ve been after a web video of this for years. Multiball Contact - Baoding Ball style.
The First clips shows a traditional technique for holding and rotating multi-layer stacks of balls in one hand, by using plates to hold the tower together, I’ve heard reports that stacks of over 50 balls have been palmspun using these plates.
In the clip, the bottom balls look like 65mm balls, large compared to the Baoding balls for sale in Europe.
The 2nd half of the clip looks like a combination of Tai Chi and Baoding Balls - woo ha.
The origins of Ball Contact are not in the 1980’s with Micheal Moschen (his fantastic routine “Light” was a milestone), Contact has several roots, most of them go back thousands of years in China, this Clip shows one of them, still alive in its home country. Multiball Contact has it’s origins in Baoding balls. It’s history baby!
The only place I had footage demonstrating these 2 before was on Greg Irwins hand health Chinese therapy balls DVD. Which, I’ll review…one day.
China - There’s 1 billion of them and they got skills.
Sorry Guys, While I’m away I’ve had a spot of trouble with the printer, the upshot is that it turns out that despite quoting for it, they can’t actually print it!
Grrrrr.
So now Multiball Contact wont be ready for the middle of January.
There was nothing I could do about it I’ll do my best to get it published by the end of February.
New slogan: Multiball Contact - Later than Windows Vista!
As an apology, I can tell you that the ministry is planning something, and expect a few goodies on the site appearing in the next month, but I’ll make sure that the book is ok first.
Happy new year… Sorry
Drew
Multiball Contact - Your first 10 years.
Yippee. Mulitball Contact the book, is completed and has been sent to the printer.
Fingers Crossed, the first copies hit the shelves on the 16th of January 2007. SRP £15.99.
Want to see what the covers will look like, theres high res versions over with the sample pages.
Stay tuned for Euro and Dollar Prices and details of how to pre-order so you can be one of the first to get your hands on this book, the definitive guide to Multiball Contact with 3 to 11 balls; Palmspinning, Pyramids, Snakes, Formations, Morphing and a whole load of Technique.
Tired, but happy.
Drew
Longer Review:
Buy it, it’s brilliant.
Lots of atmosphere, lots of high skills in both juggling and manipulation, lots of fun, lots of shows, lots of ideas, high quality filming, great editing and 4 hours long (2 disks). Totally raised our expectations of how good an event DVD can be, best EJC video ever. If you are into Juggling or Manipulation I recommend this for your Christmas wish list.
Computer game style review: 97.2%
Enjoy watching these 2 online 2 sample clips.
You can buy it online at juggling.tv for £16 + p+p.
Howie and Jen made it Howie Bailey - video PRODUCTION.
Phew, got through the whole post without mentioning PEGS!
Drew from The Ministry has been working full time producing a book on Multiball Contact. It’s being proof read at the moment and very nearly ready for publication. We though you might like to see some sample pages and a now updated press release. Contents Page Free Sample Lesson 9 - Snakes
(These are unproofed and untested: A cookie for anyone who tries them out and finds new typo’s or suggests good ammendments. We know of 2 already in that pdf.)
When can you get a copy? Somewhere between Christmas and the end of January. Price: TBC.
Nearly there now.
Smiles, Drew
Playpoi.com is the site of Nick/Meenik. Who is, in our opinion, one of the best teachers of poi in the world. Years of Tai chi, influence his refined and controlled technique. Which can be seen on numerous videos on his site: “Nickwithfire” (an oldie but still a goodie) and “Dervish yers” to name 2 examples.
While you’re there, whether you’re into poi or not, you’ll love the photography Especially the glow photography.
This year, Playpoi completed their first instructional Poi DVD - “The Scales of Poi”. The Ministry are glad to say they played a small part in this production, with some recommendations made to improve a draft version. If you are at all interesting in poi swinging, at any ability the Playpoi DVD is an essential. While it’s not perfect, it is THE BEST poi teaching aid available today. We recommend it to all poi spinners of all abilities (Beginners my find it a little confusing at times, as it isn’t an elementary level video, but will still gain a great deal from it.)
If you are into any kind of manipulation of juggling, check out this section of the DVD availiable free online. Nick consulted a physio. to get professional advice on: Skill Toys and your Health.
And if you’re into poi, then a a new online tutorial secret of flowers. Posted this week is essential viewing.
I’ve only seen the edit of my bit, it was filmed in just 20 minutes at bristol juggling convention. and I love what Matt has done with it, he’s taken my performance, my work and added to it with his editing, and choice of music, so that the final peice of film isn’t what I would have created on my own, it’s better, it’s a combination of both our art.
Looking forward to seeing the final product when it come out…soon.
Smiles
Drew
The promo for Full Moon Performers/Beard Juggling Ltd’s ”In Isolation” is now available through the Ministry and on Jagos Fullmoon site: (hint: on fullmoon you’ll find that the download the wmv or mov, are higher quality than their inbrowser version):
The release date for the video is the 9th of July; available at juggling shops worldwide and via www.beard.co.uk, but for now, enjoy this sneak peek.
It is the year 2006 and Human Contact Jugglers have now been rendered obsolete - Replaced by “Markrokosmos” a truely fantastic 3m by 3 by by 2.5m kinetic sculpture manipulating 79 glass balls at a time.
click here.
Poke around the site and you will find lots of short video clips:
Click “about Markrokosmos” and “preferred location” and all it’s sub-menu’s
Genius, I love it.
The clips are extracts from a DVD which is also available: “Kinetic,” a film by J.W. van Reijen on a selection of Mark Bischof’s kinetic work. I have it, and I think it’s fab, recommended viewing for anyone who likes to see balls rolling! Details of Mark and the DVD
Enjoy.
Drew
Sorry Guys, While I’m away I’ve had a spot of trouble with the printer, the upshot is that it turns out that despite quoting for it, they can’t actually print it!
Short Review: Buy it. 
