World renowned juggler Niels Duinker talks juggling, future plans SPECIAL
By Markos Papadatos Nov 25, 2016 in Entertainment
Guinness World Record holder and acclaimed juggler Niels Duinker chatted with Digital Journal about his professional career in juggling, and plans for 2017.
When asked how he got into juggling, he said, “It’s been about 25 years now that I tried to juggle for the first time. I was 8 years old. I grew up in a suburb of Rotterdam (Holland) and at the end of each summer the city of Rotterdam organized the ‘International Rotterdam Street Theater Festival,’ which over the years invited many of the world’s top buskers to come and perform. I remember that the comedy jugglers always interested me the most. My father and I went to see most of the shows. It inspired me and I tried to learn how to juggle… on my own. This was before YouTube and I had to figure myself how to possible do it, and I had no idea. A few years later I found a beginner’s juggling kit that included instructions. That kit got me started, and life has never been the same.”
He was featured in the Guinness Book of World Records. “Every young boy has looked through the Guinness Book of World and amazed himself over all the seemingly super human and amazing accomplishments that are featured in that book. At the age of 23 (and the week after graduating from college), I turned juggling into my full-time profession. I, then, made it into the Guinness book for the first time in 2013. That was so great. I practice juggling for two to three hours a day for over 20 years already and now to be getting listed into this world famous publication was a great sign that all the hard work was paying of and it was a great motivation to keep going!”
When asked what motivates him each day, he said, “Since my childhood I have spent well over 15,000 hours honing my craft as a juggler. Because I did put in all that time I now have developed a very solid foundation in juggling. Although juggling is limited in the way it’s mostly based on only the throwing and catching of objects, there are still are various areas of this art form that haven’t been explored much. It’s really excited to take juggling – with my passion for it – to new heights and into directions that haven’t been developed yet. I love it!”

Aside from being a professional juggler, Duinker holds a mechanical engineering degree. “In 2009, I graduated from one of the top colleges in The Netherlands, Delft University of Technology. But the week after graduation I was already doing my first cruise ship gig and performing as a headliner entertainer on board Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Although a lot of people think juggling and mechanical engineering are two very distinctly different careers, without the engineering I wouldn’t have been able to build to the same success with my juggling that I enjoy now. There are various parts in my show that have become a “unique selling positions” for me, and that I couldn’t have had developed without the knowledge I got at college. In juggling the most widely used props are balls, clubs and rings. It’s difficult to set yourself apart from the pack with those, yet to get into the top venues you need to bring something unique to the table. For example – One prop that I now enjoy a lot of success with is the juggling of cups. My mentor Freddy Kenton (recipient of the Historical Achievement Award from the International Jugglers Association) performed the juggling of metal shaker cups in his act in the famous Moulin Rouge in Paris back in the days. Some years ago he taught me this unique routine and with my technical background I managed to improve the design of the prop and become the first person in history to juggle 12 cups (which is a world record). I also have a really large-scale diabolo act and a prop case that shoots juggling balls to me. These routines set me apart and help me be more successful in my career as a juggler,” he elaborated.
Regarding his future plans, he said, “Right now, I am 31 years old. Before my 30th birthday, I was fortune to be able cross of many things that are on any artists’ wish list, like performing in Las Vegas and getting an invitation from the Royal family. My show has taken me to all seven continents, and the list of wonderful things goes on and on. It’s so great. So my future plans don’t include hopefully nailing those goals some day. Right now I am working on my new theater show. About a hundred years ago only the Enrico Rastelli (equivalent to the juggling world as what Harry Houdini is to magic) managed to accomplish to star in his own full on juggling show and bring juggling the masses successfully. He was a household name and in Italy still is. For the next five years that is a big goal of mine. All of 2017 I will be performing in the U.S.A., which is a great next step in my career and towards that goal. America is where you can dream big and where dreams can come through, so I am excited.”
Duinker defined the word “success” as “nailing his personal goals.” “I have set goals for different areas of my life: personal, professional, study, etc. From time to time, I take the opportunity to think about which direction I want to take myself into next for all these various areas and I define goals for each. I thereafter try to be successful in those areas based on the goals I have set for myself,” he concluded.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/entertainment/entertainment/world-renowned-juggler-niels-duinker-talks-juggling-future-plans/article/480421#ixzz4RCkGL1EW