Great stories from 45 years of connecting with people through circus arts.

As a teacher Dave inspired fifth-graders for years to learn juggling and create weekly performances — to the consternation of an uptight principal who eventually got him fired (for juggling). But that opened other doors as he learned the ropes of street performing, harkening back to his street-preaching grandfather and using a knack for theatre to connect with audiences. Hobby became profession as he joined with other jugglers and circus artists, building a troupe of “kind, curious, and patient” entertainers. Along the way juggling expanded to wire walking as he discovered the thrill of “taking my fear for a walk” on a long wire over bodies of water.

And don’t miss part 2 next time as we hear about adventures in wire walking on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), how he came to live in a 9000 sq ft mansion central to the dynamic Philly circus arts community, and more.

Podcast website: https://nwphillypodcast.net

More about Dave Gillies:

• Bio
• History of the Give and Take Jugglers
• Juggler, tightrope walker is a Philly Folk Fest treasure (Courier Post, 2017)
• Subsistence juggling (Philadelphia Inquirer, 2007)