On Saturday,Feb. 14 and Sunday, Feb. 15, the Carleton Juggling F.I.S.H. made their annual trip to MONDO, a juggling and unicycle convention in the Twin Cities. This marks the 37th year of what mondofest.org describes as the “largest, annual gathering of jugglers, unicyclers and yo-yo enthusiasts in the Midwest.” 

When asked why someone should go to the festival, co-president of F.I.S.H Camilla Smith-Donald ’26, asked, “Why not go to MONDO? Do you want to be amazed? Do you want to have your mind blown?” 

One highlight of the weekend was the MONDO Spectacular Variety Show. Even before the acts began, the show was full of whimsy. The organizers released giant balloons into the auditorium that children ran after in joyful pursuit. A man in the audience twisted balloon animals and handed them out. 

As the lights dimmed, the audience settled in for a truly remarkable show. The Twin Cities Unicycle Club showcased local talents as they performed a routine to music with around two dozen unicyclers aged 10 to 74. Most performers were professionals who travelled in from around the country. Chicago circus artist Avi Kritzman showed off his antipodism skills, juggling with his feet rather than with his hands. Juggling duo Smitty & Sweaty, donned in neon headbands, performed a 1980s fitness-themed routine. 

Kassandra LaVictoire travelled from Florida to perform a flowing hoop juggling dance.

“[LaVictoire] would spin them around in the ground, she would juggle them, she would spin them around in her hands — that was completely mesmerizing,” Smith-Donald said.

The Institute of Jugglology — a group interested in “using juggling to draw out and explore the relationships humans have with objects,” according to founder Galen Harp — juggled wet paintbrushes to splatter themselves, the stage and a canvas with paint while a metal cover of the Italian song “Bella Ciao” played.

“There was a huge variety in the acts, but they were all very fun,” Smith-Donald said of the show. “Definitely up there was the devilstick juggler from Chile, Alejandra Parada. Just really impressive — unbelievable feats with the devilsticks.”

Parada was ranked 21st in the Top 40 Jugglers of 2025 and recently won third place in the International Juggling Association Regional Competition Latin America. She is known for her creative and innovative use of devilsticks, a circus art in which a central baton is manipulated between one or two sticks held in each hand. When Parada began juggling two devilsticks at once, audible amazement rippled through the crowd.

On Saturday, Feb. 14, and Sunday, Feb. 15, Carleton jugglers had a chance to hone their own skills at the MONDO festival. Vendors sold their circus-related wares on the edges of the center, master jugglers taught their skills in workshops and people exchanged circus tricks. For some students, it was their first exposure to the larger circus world.

“I learned how to juggle this year: I joined the Carleton Juggling F.I.S.H with no prior juggling experience, and I’ve done pretty well for myself,” said Corey Ostenson ’29. “[MONDO] was not what I was expecting, but also kind of what I was expecting at the same time. It was crazy to see some of the things these people could do. Also, I was surprised by the variety of ages — there are kids who can unicycle and juggle, and also some senior citizens.”

James Bruinsma ’29 started juggling during the COVID-19 lockdown. He encouraged non-jugglers to try out the activity.

“I think it’s fun,” said Bruinsma said. “It’s really easy to do it in your room, or when you’re feeling bored: Get some balls. Juggle them.”

MONDO was Bruinsma’s first juggling convention.

“It was crazy because everyone was just so good at juggling. Normally, I’m pretty good at juggling, but in comparison, that was not the case,” said Bruinsma said. 

“I went to a Mills Mess workshop, which is a trick with three balls. I think I kind of got it! And then I went to a five-ball [juggling] workshop, which I did not make any progress on,” Bruinsma said. He also attended a basic devilsticks workshop taught by Alejandra Parada herself. 

Smith-Donald joined the Juggling F.I.S.H her freshman year and has attended MONDO several times. She fondly recalled her past MONDO experiences.

“The first time I went to MONDO, it opened up a whole new world for me of people doing crazy things,” Smith-Donald said. “My freshman year, there was this guy on this very tall unicycle — abnormally tall — with one foot on, bouncing. And he had a stick that he was balancing on his forehead, and he had a ball on top of the stick that he was bouncing up and down, as he was bouncing on the unicycle. And then he started juggling clubs. That was just happening in the gym at MONDO.” 

This year, Carleton students were thrilled to observe and participate in juggling feats during MONDO’s competitive games.

“It was remarkable to see people exhibit their expertise in the juggling games. Especially in the pin balancing,” said Ostenson, referring to a competition to see who could balance a juggling club on their face the longest. By the end of the game, the contestants would be asked to lie down on the floor, roll, and stand up again without letting the pin drop. 

Nick Placksin ’26 and former Carleton juggler Jack Comfort made it to the final round of the distance club juggling competition. Placksin also placed 6th in a juggling quarters competition, and Comfort placed 5th in a five-ball juggling endurance competition.

“I think what made [watching the endurance games] really fun was how many people there were. There were 50 people all juggling at once, and at least 25 of them were juggling five balls,” Bruinsma said. 

John Dyehouse ’28 and Sadie Levitan ’28 participated in several games of unicycle hockey.

“I didn’t get into any Heated Rivalry sort of action, but it is kind of like hockey except instead of skates you’re on unicycles, and instead of pucks you use a ball. It takes a lot out of you; I was parched by the end. But at the last second, I ended up scoring a goal,” Dyehouse said.

This was Dyehouse’s seco2nd year in MONDO, but he spent his childhood in a youth circus.

“I initially started doing it because my mom signed me up for it. I was playing soccer, and I hated it. Frankly, I didn’t want to do anything, but [my mom] said, ‘well, you’ve got to do something.’ My neighbor did circus, so she signed me up for it,” Dyehouse said. “That was when I was six years old. Since then, it’s been so fun to have these skills like unicycling and diabolo that I can just pull out. I [also] think the community in my youth circus really kept me going. As we were practicing, we’d hang out, have fun with each other.” 

This year at MONDO, Dyehouse unexpectedly bumped into someone who had attended a youth circus with Dyehouse in Ohio.

Dyehouse has found a similar community at Carleton. “Part of [the reason we go] is to practice and learn juggling, but also a lot of it is that in the juggling club we have a community of really nice people. We just talk,” said Dyehouse.

For Carls looking to get a taste of the home-grown juggling talent, Smith-Donald declared, “Well, you’re in luck, friend. Carleton Juggling F.I.S.H. is having our very own show on nin9th [week] Saturday, Mar.ch 7.”