BYJOTY
Calling all performers under 21!
Are you looking to show off your new act? Want to win some awesome prizes? Want to get booked for one day conventions? Simply want to have a go at performing? Then THIS IS FOR YOU!
We are looking for young people to take part in the British Young Juggler of the Year show. It's an evening where people gather to see the best young talent the UK has to offer. There will be prizes galore!
If you fancy it, please email the BYJOTY Team!
For more information on BYJOTY, have a look at this British Juggling Convention Wiki page or feel free to give us a bell!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who can enter?
Anyone can enter! That is, as long as they are;
- British (slightly British is close enough, but living-in-Britain-at-the-moment is not)
- Young (under 21)
- A Juggler
2. What do they have to do?
Entertain an audience of jugglers for between a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5 minutes.
More specifically, what is suitable for the competition?
Any kind of act with any prop. If they want they can perform their skills choreographed to music… or do a themed act… or a comedy routine… or a presentation of pure technical ability. Any props too: balls, hula hoop, rings, diabolo, unicycles, devilsticks, flowersticks, cigar boxes, hats, ball spinning, staff, poi, shaker cups, plate spinning, etc, etc...
3. What awards can be won?
There are loads of awards that can be won! Check these out:
1. The main title ‚British Young Juggler of the Year' is voted for by the audience. It is left up to the audience as to what they think that title should mean… so if a juggler wants to win this prize they need to be either the best juggler of the night, or the most entertaining, or (better yet) the best, most entertaining juggler. Last year this was won by David Haslam.
2. Gold and Silver Awards are decided on by a panel of three experts. The judges look at each act on its own merits, based on how well the juggler does what they do. Eg: If a juggler presents (with few or no drops) a choreographed routine of high professional standards in terms of technique, choreography, costume and music, and the judges feel they would book that act for a professional show, they could receive a Gold Award…
or, if presented with a streetshow style routine, the judges think they would put 10 quid in the hat at the end, that juggler would get a Gold Award too… or, if shown a purely technical juggling routine, the judges think it could rank at the WJF, that juggler may get a Gold Award. In other words, if a juggler does what they do really well, they get a Gold. If they are not so high standard they may get a Silver Award. For comparison, a BYJOTY Gold Award Routine should be of the same standard, or higher, than an IJA Juniors Gold Medal. Only 1 juggler in the history of BYJOTY has won a gold award.
3. Judges Choice Award. The judges get together and decide the which young juggler was the most professional, stylish and skilled.
4. Ok, so they are the awards… but what do they win?
Last year the BYJOTY gave about 500 pounds worth of vouchers for the winners to spend on anything from the convention's equipment traders or the Butterfingers catalogue, plus other prizes such as sets of glowballs and guaranteed booking to numerous one day conventions.
5. I'm a young juggler, and I think I'm pretty good… but I don't have an act… can I still enter?
This year there is a new event as part of the BYJOTY show…. Best Trick! While the judges are out deliberating and the audience votes are being counted, any young juggler is allowed to take to the stage and show off their most impressive, skillful, creative, stupid or interesting trick. The competitors themselves, with help from the competition host, vote on the winner.