Professional juggler Spencer Androli will perform in the Hideaway Circus presentation of “Canvas Sky” Sept. 10-11 at Barefoot Acres in Fountain Inn.
The 23-year-old Tyler, Texas, native has been perfecting his craft for 15 years. He was recognized by his peers as the 2023 top juggler in the world, named World Juggling Federation Champion three times since 2017 and has set eight world records in juggling.
How long have you been a juggler?
“Around 15 years. I started when I was 8 years old. My cousin, Lucas, is also a juggler. He’s my only male cousin, so I was hanging out with him and a friend of his, and they were making up a juggling routine. I wanted to hang out (and) play with him, so they taught me how to juggle balls. I’ve been obsessed ever since.”
Do you have another job or do you work full time with Hideaway Circus?
“This is it for me. I’m fortunate enough to be doing this full time.”
What kind of training goes into learning to be a juggler?
“I think you have to be patient, a little obsessive and not get discouraged easily. You need to do consistent practice and be able to analyze what you do. It’s a very hard discipline to maintain. Sometimes you practice a trick so much that you master it, but the (skill) level will still go down if you don’t practice for a week. You are catching the balls continuously (and) you can minimize errors by consistent practice.”
What is a typical day for you?
“My days change a decent amount due to us traveling so frequently. On the first day, I usually drive to the next site. It takes two to five hours (and) it depends on how far we are jumping. I tow the concessions trailer. After I drop that off, I have some time to rest. The next day, we load in and start rehearsing and practicing before the show. We usually load in noon to 1 p.m. and have a show at 7:30 p.m. Sometimes, we will have two shows on the following day. My mornings are pretty free to get the energy to do the shows in the evenings. It can vary based on certain challenges at a location, like if we have to adjust based on the space. Sometimes we have to do a rehearsal if someone else is out of the show.”
How long have you been a circus juggler?
“Last year, I did my first circus tour with Flynn Creek Circus under a five-month contract. I took time to hone in on my juggling. I went to college and got an associate’s degree in business. I had a professor who said, ‘you will only be good at something if your heart’s in it.’ I started performing full-time in my hometown, (but) I wanted to perform my eight-minute act as part of a bigger show. Last year, I ended up emailing Flynn Creek and that was my way in. From that contract, I got in contact with Hideaway and the ball has kept rolling. I’ve been with Hideaway since May.”
What is the biggest misconception about your job?
“I feel like the biggest misconception with the circus is that it’s not super professional. As an artist, a lot of the time it seems if you joined the circus, you joined a crazy group. There’s often a stigma of our job being something that is not a real job. It is quite organized and like a regular job in some ways. We have to show up on time and do a lot of work to maintain what we do. For me, it’s the best job in the world. I get to see so many places and bring people joy. There’s a lot more work that goes into it than what most people see.”
Want to go?
What: Hideaway Circus’s “Canvas Sky”
When: Sept. 10-11, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Barefoot Acres, 181 Barefoot Acres Way, Fountain Inn
Tickets and info: $25-$65, hideawaycircus.com
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