Name - Michael
Karas
Age - 22
Birthplace - Pittsburgh, PA
How many years have you been juggling? 5 years
If you could be any juggler in the world other than yourself who would it be and why?
I would probably be Viktor Kee. To have that much skill and to be able to experience Cirque du Soleil's magical environment
every night would be a slice of heaven for me.
What are you personal juggling goals (short-term and long-term)?
My short-term goals right now include headrolls, getting 5 club cascade solid, and learning to juggle three clubs with
a fourth balanced on my chin. My "numbers limits" are 7 balls, 5 rings, and 5 clubs. I am purposely not going to go any higher
than these goals at the risk of sacrificing creativity and entering "the numbers zone."
How would you describe your juggling style?
I'm a master of three ball artistic juggling. I can basically do every artistic 3b trick in the book. I am
constantly searching for new patterns. The videos on this site show my style. I'm constantly looking for new ways to
manipulate objects. However in performance I stray from stringing together long series of tricks. Instead I focus on making
the juggling quality more dance-like and transitional where objects are in constant movement and can never totally be pinned
down to a recognizable pattern. My clubs technique focuses on lots of trapping and lots of "spin-downsizing". I am of
the new movement to eliminate as much spin as possible. In other words, 5 club singles are prettier than 5 club doubles.
I am pretty technical with rings although I have experimented at large with artistic ring placement. I am a supporter
of the thick ring movement, thanks to Renegade. Rings don't have to be painful. If there were any other prop that
I would like to be known for besides balls, clubs, and rings, it would be shaker cups which I'm currently working with a lot.
What would you like your contribution to be to the juggling community?
I want to be remembered as the man who successfully fused theater, dance, and juggling into a coherent harmony.
Any non-juggling hobbies?
Yes, acting basically consumes my life although I'm hoping it will turn into a career and not a hobby. My hobbies include going
to museums, trying to understand difficult math, listening to music of all kinds, video editing, and women.
I also attend theatre like it's my job - I see over fifty live productions a year.
Favorite trick - Romeo's Revenge
How did you first learn to juggle?
I was in a production of A Musical Christmas Carol and one of the actors played a street vendor who walked through
the streets juggling. That actor taught me the 3 ball cascade.
How often do you practice? On average, I try to put in an hour a day. However, for me
it's not practice. It's procrastination.
Anything else that others may find interesting about you?
I love math and was even considering going to college for computer science at one point in my life. But then I realized
that the thing I really wanted to do for a living was perform and I am currently at Point Park University studying acting.
Any final advice to jugglers?
Don't do everything - balls, rings, clubs, spinning plates, contact juggling, diabolo, cigar boxes, devil sticks.
A lot of people take this road and they never move beyond average. Pick two or three props and focus solely on them - you'll
thank yourself later on. Learn everything you can and then run with it. I literally spent one solid year soaking
up every single 3 ball trick on the internet (and believe me there are tons). Then one day I realized that there wasn't a
single new 3b trick on the net (at that time)that I hadn't seen or downloaded. Since then I've worked on inventing
original tricks for myself, which has really helped shape my unique style.