COMPETITOR PROFILE
VOVA GALCHENKO Born in Penza, Russia. Now living in Agoura, CA.
Q: How long have you been juggling?
A: First learnt to juggle when I was 7, I think, so I've known how to juggle for 13 years now. Though I didn't take it seriously until I was about 13 or 14, so I've been really into juggling for 6-7 years now.
Q: How did you learn how to juggle?
A: Where I'm from, if you aren't doing anything productive, you're probably getting in trouble, so among other things, my parents had me try juggling at a local circus club.
Q: Why did you keep juggling?
A: It's probably because I noticed I was getting pretty good at it, and evidently I found the attention and respect I was getting for it encouraging enough to keep practicing.
Q: Why do you want to compete in the WJF competitions?
A: Good question. I've noticed a surprising amount of people who enjoy watching me juggle, and that's quite flattering. I figure the least I can do is show up and show them what I've been working on.
Q: What are your goals in juggling, technically and professionally?
A: No specific goals. When it comes to technical juggling, I'd just like to keep practicing and getting better. I feel like setting goals only sets limits to what one can accomplish with something like juggling. Professionally, I'm in the process of exploring a number of possible career paths all of which sound equally appealing to me at this point. Juggling's cool, but there's just so much more out there.
Q: What kind of training has been the most beneficial in progressing your juggling skills?
A: Man, I wish this were as black and white as this. There are so many factors that may have influenced my juggling progression, that it's impossible to tell what kind of training my juggling has benefitted from most. Different people have different theories on what kind of practice is the most effective. In my 13 years of juggling all I've been able to figure out is something that might come as no surprise to you - the more you practice the better you get.
Q: What has had the most influence on your juggling?
A: Surely I've influenced my juggling the most. However, I think a big part of juggling is what gets a juggler to put in hours in the gym - motivation. When I first started I did it for the most part to amuse myself and my parents. Between 2000 and 2003 putting up videos of my juggling on the Internet for other jugglers to see was what kept me practicing. When I moved to the US and I met and got to know Jason Garfield, impressing whom was my sole motivation to practice between 2003 and 2004. At this point, I practice because I've done it for so long and I'm curious about how far I can take it. The WJF is great for my juggling improvement, as it supports me in my motivation.
