Jan 16, 1979 - The Decatur Daily Review -
Decatur, IL
Magic Kingdom juggling is a job for Dan Berg
Lots of people can say they have been to Disney World, but few can say they performed there.
Dan Berg of Decatur did.
Berg, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald E. Berg of 447 Powers Lane, performed a juggling act with Bruce Pfeffer of Tallahassee, Fla, from Dec. 16 to Jan. 1.
Twice a day the two juggled on a float in a 45-minute parade through the streets of the Magic Kingdom. Three times during the parade they would stop and do the better parts of the act - such as the routine of passing six clubs over their shoulders while standing back to back - off the float.
"It was an entertainment act and everyone enjoyed it," Berg said. "We got a lot of compliments."
Berg, a student at Illinois State University, and Pfeffer, a student at Florida State University, met while performing at Marriott's Great America.
The two performed there for two summers, decided to form a professional act, had promotional pictures taken and sent them to Disney World. That's how they got the job.
Their juggling act really comes as the result of the Gamma Phi Circus at Illinois State University, where Berg is act captain, and the Flying High Circus at Florida State University, where Pfeffer is the most proficient juggler.
Berg, who is majoring in business administration with a data processing and accounting minor, does not plan to make a permanent career out of juggling. But it is paying college expenses. In 1 1/2 years, he has earned $8,000 (2 summers and 1 Christmas holiday break from school).
Berg graduates next winter. He hopes the letters of recommendation from Disney World will bring more engagements.
He and Pfeffer also plan to enter an international jugglers competition in July.
Aug, 1979 - The Daily Pantagraph - Bloomington, IL
ISU juggler, partner first in competition
Illinois State University has a certified, authentic, true-to-life, honest-to-goodness international champion.
Senior Dan Berg, one of the stars of ISU's Gamma Phi Circus, and his partner from Florida State University, Bruce Pfeffer, surprised the juggling world and themselves by winning the team juggling competition recently at he International Jugglers Association competition at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass.
Billed as the Wimbledon Brothers because of their tennis theme (they wear rhinestone-studded tennis outfits and juggle, among other things, tennis rackets), Berg and Pfeffer were among more than 500 jugglers from the United States and Europe at the convention.
"No one knew who we were because others compete there every year", Berg said. "We totally surprised everyone by winning. We got three standing ovations, which were nice but made it hard to concentrate on performing".
The applause may have been distracting to the "brothers" but it was far from their biggest obstacle. In may, Pfeffer was performing in Florida State's gymnastics circus show when he fell and broke a foot in three places. Obviously, it limited their practice time.
Then, two weeks before the international competition, Berg and Pfeffer were practicing their eight-club juggling trick when a club broke one of Berg's thumbs. They didn't resume practice until a few days before the competition.
"Each team was allowed six minutes to perform, and our final trick is where I'm standing on Bruce's shoulders and he's standing on a teeter board," Berg said. "We didn't know how it would go, what with his foot still healing, but we did it without a hitch."
The only immediate tangible gain from their triumph is a first-place certificate, but the heavy media coverage, the upcoming story in the international jugglers newsletter and word-of-mouth among jugglers is sure to spread the reputation of the Wimbledon Brothers.
"There was a juggler's agent from Germany at the competition and he assured us we could come to Germany to perform," Berg said. For now, however, the pair is continuing its planned summer itinerary playing in Hershey, Pa., amusement park and on the streets of New York City and New Orleans.
Do the passers-by appreciate the level of talent they watch for free (or a small voluntary donation) on the streets?
"When we worked in the Pearl Street mall in Boulder, there were two other juggling teams there too," Berg said. "One team finished second in the competition and the other finished fifth."
Berg, of Decatur, is an accounting major at ISU. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Donald Berg, are in their second year as presidents of the ISU Parents Association.
Aug 6, 1979 - The Tallahassee Democrat - Tallahassee, FL
Juggler's job stays up in the air
Excerpt:
The jugglers of the world gathered at Amherst, Mass. recently for the 32nd Annual International Jugglers Association Convention. Among the Americans was one man from Tallahassee.
"When we got there, no one had ever heard of us. We'd never been to a convention before," said Bruce Pfeffer of Tallahassee. And when no one knows you, no one wants to know you.
Before the competition, most of the other contestants shunned Pfeffer and his partner, Dan Berg of Decatur, Ill. So they ended up spending most of their time practicing for their event - team juggling. Practice paid off. The two won first prize in their category.
Instant fame. "After the competition everyone wanted to get to know us," the 20-year-old Pfeffer said during a telephone interview last week.
Although the first place win awarded the team only a certificate, it might mushroom into a tour of Germany. According to Pfeffer, their act caught the attention of the German acrobat agent Karl-Heinz Ziethan who made some positive noises about booking them through Germany next summer.
However, the thrill of victory did nothing to feed the juggling pair, so they got back on the road. Billing themselves as "The Wimbledon Brothers," the pair has traveled across the country this summer, playing in streets instead of courts. They perform in sequined tennis costumes tossing rackets and balls - and passing the hat.
"We wanted to see a lot of this country. We wanted to make money too," Pfeffer said.
The hat has been an unpredictable provider though.
"Philadelphia was a nice city," Pfeffer said, "only the section we were allowed to perform in had no people."
After putting on two shows, they had scraped up $12 - scarcely enough for gas.
But New York proved more lucrative. There they put on six 15-minute performances one evening and netted $280.
Three years ago while working at the Great America Amusement Park north of Chicago, Pfeffer met Berg. The two compared notes and the team was born. They performed together at the park during summers, and were booked into Walt Disney World last December. At one point, their act was filmed for the "Captain Kangaroo" children's TV show.
This week the pair will be in New Orleans for more street performances. They travel in a VW bus, their summer home. Existing in such cramped quarters is in itself a crafty trick.
But the craftiest trick of all is getting people to part with their money.
Toward the end of the show, the pair will begin to trade lines as they juggle:
"Now comes a very important part of the show," one says.
"We hope you've enjoyed the show and we've left you some fond memories," the other says.
"And we hope you'll leave us something too. Like a cheerful smile, a thankful handshake, a kind word, or perhaps some pictures of your ancestors."
"George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or Andrew Jackson."
"Heck, we even accept Susan B. Anthony!"
"If you enjoyed the show today, we are the Wimbledon Brothers."
"And if you didn't enjoy it for some reason, well then, that's Mr. Smith and I'm Mr. Jones. Thank you very much and good night."
And then they pass the hat as they continue to trade comical lines about street performing.
Sep, 1979 - International Jugglers Association Newsletter
Competition Results
Excerpt:
Team Division First Place - Wimbledon Brothers Bruce Pfeffer & Dan Berg. Technical: 42, Performance: 41, Total: 83.
Most of the daytime hours of Friday were taken up with the remaining two championship events: the Senior Division and the Team Championships. Both events elicited a tremendous response from a highly enthusiastic audience; when the Wimbledon Brothers performed their eight tennis racket routine which won them first place in the team event, the crowd went wild (as crowds are known to do).
Sep 27, 1979 - The Daily Vidette - Illinois State University -
Normal, IL
Juggling fools!
Front page: We're all used to juggling our schedules, but ISU senior Dan Berg has learned to juggle a whole lot more.
"I can juggle almost anything," said senior Dan Berg, half of the winning team at the International Jugglers Association competition held this summer.
From tennis rackets to fire torches, Berg and his Florida State University partner, Bruce Pfeffer, have street-juggled their way around the U.S. this summer picking up first place international team title in Amherst, Mass.
Berg, a self-taught juggler, has performed for Gamma Phi Circus and at Marriott's Great America. This summer he and Pfeffer decided to tour with an act.
Billing themselves as the Wimbledon Brothers because of their tennis theme (they wear rhinestone-studded tennis outfits and juggle, among other things, tennis rackets), they financed much of their trip through donations.
The street act brought them to seven states and Toronto. While in Boulder, Col., they were given advice for their act by the Nimble Brothers, another pair of touring jugglers who took second at the IJA competition.
"It was ironic because they gave us pointers on how to talk to the audience. They had better lines, but we had a more difficult routine," Berg said.
Concentration is the key behind juggling up to eight tennis rackets, ten clubs, or fire torches Berg explained.
The Wimbledon Brothers have performed on Capt. Kangaroo and Bozo's Circus. Offers from agents in Germany and Israel have also been made to the Brothers.
"A lot of people say we can make it to Las Vegas. I don't know if I want to make it a career though."
As heavy media coverage, a story in the international jugglers newsletter and word-of-mouth among jugglers spreads the Wimbledon Brothers reputation, Berg and Pfeffer have a smashing opportunity.
Nov, 1979 - International Jugglers Association Newsletter
Dollarhide's Convention Photo List
Excerpt:
The Wimbledon Bros., total of 25 shots, 6C back to back, 2 high on roly-poly each 3C, championship group photo--Wimbledon Bros., Morris, Jackman, Wimbledon Bros., 5 shots of good racket and club passing, Summers awarding Wimbledon Bros., Wimbledon Bros. 6C back to back overhead pass, Bill Barr relaxing on floor talking with the Wimbledon Bros., 1979 Champions pose--Jackman, Wimbledon Bros., Morris.
Jan 8, 1980 - The Decatur Daily Review - Decatur, IL
Dan Berg may catch a career with his juggling act
"Juggling your way through school" probably conjures up visions of balancing classes, time and passing grades.
But to 22-year-old Dan Berg of Decatur the phrase has more meaning.
"It's been paying my way through college," he says of tossing and catching tennis rackets, balls and clubs.
For the past 4 1/2 years, Berg has worked professionally as a juggler between semesters at Illinois State University, where he majors in business and computer programming.
Berg began juggling eight years ago, but he writes the first three years off as "just performing the basic ball patterns. I just thought it was something fun to do in my spare time."
But spare-time juggling does not lead to appearances on the Captain Kangaroo television show, at Disney World in Florida and other amusement parks or the 1979 first-place award at the International Jugglers Association Team Championships.
Berg has done all that.
That path started at ISU when Berg discovered the college had a circus.
Joining it, Berg became adept at more complicated, team juggling routines.
Two and a half years ago, his skills earned him a job at Marriott's Great America amusement park in suburban Chicago.
"That's where I met my partner and we put an act together," he says.
The first few times he worked with Bruce Pfeffer, a Florida State University student and participant in that college's circus, Berg knew they were onto something.
"When we got together we could tell right away that we worked together well," he says.
They performed during college breaks and vacations.
Last summer they created an act called "The Wimbledon Brothers," which is 20 minutes of tossing, catching and juggling of tennis rackets and balls.
They traveled around the country, performing on city streets, in amusement parks and nightclubs, and before civic clubs.
And capping it off was the competition in Massachusetts before their peers of the International Jugglers Association.
"We won the contest with our trick using eight rackets," he says.
"During our six-minute act for the competition we received three standing ovations, the only standing ovations given during the whole week.
The jugglers spent Christmas vacation in Florida and had a stint at Disney World.
"We did 61 performances in three weeks in Florida," says Berg. "That's tiring."
Now he's back in Decatur to rest and maybe think a little about the future before his college studies resume.
In a sense, Berg is juggling careers in his mind.
"It's a big question right now," he explains. "We have a chance, just a chance, of going to England this summer. And I'm sure we could make a living juggling full time."
"But I'm not sure how I would like life on the road. It was fun this summer but it might get tiring."
Job interviews in business might determine his future this spring, says Berg.
Yet there is the lure of doing more tricks, throwing more objects than have ever been tossed in team juggling, and most important, catching them.
Whatever the decision - the stage or the computer room - Berg is sure of one thing.
"No matter what happens careerwise, I'll keep on juggling".
Mar 27, 1980 - The Fairbury Blade - Fairbury, IL
The circus comes to town, Gamma Phi here Saturday
Excerpt:
"This circus has the most out and out talent in nine years I've been coaching," Gamma Phi's head sponsor Jerry Polacek said at a Thursday evening rehearsal. "Gamma Phi always works up to its potential and this group has more potential to start with." That star caliber talent includes world class juggler Dan Berg. Dan and his partner, Bruce Pfeffer of Florida State University, won over many other teams to cap a world team juggling championship.
Apr 15, 1980 - The Daily Vidette - Illinois State University -
Normal, IL
Circus' new acts add to old tradition
Excerpt:
Coach Jerry Polacek said all the acts are slightly different from previous years, adding that this year should provide the "best-ever juggling act" with such participants as Dan Berg, winner of the International Jugglers Association Team Championships.
Dan Berg, captain of the juggling act, predicted juggling to be the "best ever", with tricks, "no one has ever done before and I doubt will be done again".
Gamma Phi will be losing their top four jugglers this year as members Dan Berg, Greg Grimstad, Pete Schulte and John Burns graduate.
Apr1 17, 1980 - The Daily Pantagraph - Bloomington, IL
It's circus time at ISU
Excerpt:
Among the jugglers will be Dan Berg, winner of the International Jugglers Association team juggling competition in 1979.
Apr, 1980 - Bloomington-Normal Magazine - Bloomington, IL
Collegiate Circus for a Circus Town
Excerpt:
Another popular Gamma Phi act is juggling. This is due mainly to act captain Dan Berg. Dan and a fellow juggler were crowned the World Juggling Champions at an international competition this summer. The Gamma Phi juggling exhibition will include not only the passing of traditional juggling pins but also tennis racquets, rings, and fire-juggling. The finale also features an unprecedented 10-man juggling act.
Jul 27, 1980 - The Sunday Pantagraph - Bloomington, IL
Tough Act
The juggling alone is a difficult maneuver, but standing on someone's shoulders adds considerable problems. The ISU jugglers are, from left, Greg Grimstad on John Burns' shoulders, and Pete Schulte standing on Dan Berg's shoulders.
Jul 27, 1980 - The Sunday Pantagraph - Bloomington, IL
ISU jugglers gamble and lose in international competition
No one thought there would be any gambling involved in the international juggling competition held in Fargo, N.D., but Dan Berg, who headed Illinois State University's four-man Gamma Phi Jugglers team to the competition, gambled and lost.
Actually, the ISU quartet didn't lose. It just finished in second place under unfortunate circumstances.
As Berg, Greg Grimstad, Pete Schulte and John Burns began their juggling routine before the judges, the taped music that usually accompanies them was silent. An engineer pushed the wrong button and the jugglers performed music-less.
When the routine was over, Berg told one of the judges what had happened and the judge gave Berg a choice. Take the points you just got without music or run through the routine again with music and take your chances. The four had done quite well without music but Berg decided they should give it another try to give the judges the full effect. That decision backfired.
The quartet did not do as well the second time around, and received 78 points (out of 100) for a second-place finish behind the winning 83 points.
"We did a lot better the first time," Berg said. "We got applause after the first time, even without music. I wish I knew how many points we had after the first time. A couple of judges told me they lowered their scores for us after our second try."
Last summer Berg was part of a two-man team which won the team competition at the contest in Massachusetts. All teams of two or more persons are judged together. The ISU jugglers this year lost to a three-person team headed by a man from last year's second-place team, the team Berg and his partner beat.
The four from ISU have juggled together for three years in ISU's Gamma Phi Circus. Their routine in the international competition consisted of about six minutes of their Gamma Phi act with a few complications thrown in. All four graduated this year.
Not that he's looking for excuses, but Berg also made a costly decision in a new contest this year, the "one-mile joggle," a one-mile race where the contestants must juggle all the way.
All the runners juggles rubber balls, except Berg, who juggled clubs. After leading nearly all the way, Berg tired and finished second with a respectable 5:33 time.
The quartet has entertained at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri this summer and has been invited to a festival in Concordia, Mo.
Sep 2, 1980 - The Daily Vidette - Illinois State University -
Normal, IL
Dan Berg
Dan Berg, a recent ISU graduate and five-year member of Gamma Phi Circus, makes juggling with more than just a couple balls look easy as he practices his hobby on the Quad recently.
May 20, 1982 - The Benton County
Enterprise - Warsaw, MO
Jugglers To Perform During Jubilee Days
"Debbie and the Debonaires", a juggling act whose members are among the finest talent ever to perform for Illinois State University's Gamma Phi Circus, will entertain during various Jubilee Days events June 10-13.
Members of the group are:
Debbie Becker, a former captain of Gamma Phi's juggling act, is believed to be the greatest female juggler to ever perform in their circus.
Dan Berg, also a former act captain of Gamma Phi, has performed in numerous amusement parks and resorts including Walt Disney World (Dan has performed for Jubilee Day spectators in the past).
Gerry Berg is Gamma Phi's act captain for this year's ten man juggling act which recently performed before 15,000 people.
Danny Thomas, a former ringmaster for Gamma Phi Circus, is also a three-year veteran of the juggling act.
Members of "Debbie and the Debonaires" have appeared on various television shows including Captain Kangaroo and Channel 9's Bozo's Circus as well as performing during holiday celebrations, before civic clubs, for festivals and school assemblies.
Incidentally, Dan Berg was half of the 1979 International Jugglers Association Championship team.
They all plan to compete in international juggling competitions this summer in Santa Barbara, California.
The Gamma Phi Circus is a well known, well respected collegiate activity which has been in existence for over 50 years. There has been a surprising amount of young talent given recognition as a result of the organization. Some of the Gamma Phi performers graduating from Illinois State have continued to pursue the art of entertainment.
Oct 4, 1982 - The Daily Pantagraph - Bloomington, IL
Tricky catch
Former Gamma Phi Circus member Dan Berg, 603 E. Taylor St., Bloomington, top, and current member Bruce Turner, 104 W. Willow St., Normal, juggled yesterday before the start of activities to kick off Illinois State University's Homecoming events, which are scheduled throughout this week.
Oct 6, 1982 - The Daily Vidette - Illinois State University -
Normal, IL
Toss 'em
A warm afternoon and the Julian parking lot is a perfect combination for ISU's Bruce Turner and 1980 grad Dan Berg to practice their juggling.
Sep 29, 1987 - Emory Wheel Newspaper - Emory University -
Atlanta, GA
Bailey/Hampton concert filled with jibberish
Excerpt:
I hesitate to even call what they played music. I think that a group of drunk apes could produce music similar in quality. The night was not a total loss however. To warm up the crowd, a juggler was brought in. This guy was great as he could have easily appeared on the Carson show.
Jul 13, 1990 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Atlanta, GA
Magic Extravaganza
Excerpt:
Illusionist Bill Clary heads a program sponsored by the Georgia Magic Club. Performers include jugglers Randy Fenster and Dan Berg.
Winter, 1993 - Juggler's World Magazine
A Portrait In Purple - Truly Remarkable Loon
Excerpt:
The Library Mall was a bit friendlier, and he and Martin practiced there long into the night under electric yellow lights. The practice was purely for their own entertainment until an act known as the Wimbledon Brothers came to the Madison Farmer's Market. The Wimbledon Brothers had an act oriented around tennis - tennis clothes, passing eight rackets, and the like. After performing at the Farmer's Market, the Brothers performed at the Library Mall just as Martin and Loon had for the past year, with one difference: at the end, they passed the hat. Loon invited them to stay at his place that night and watched in amazement as they counted the hat. "I said, 'I can do a show almost that good, and I've been on that corner for years.'" So starting with the Equinox Festival, the juggling team of Martin and Loon began performing.
Spring, 1995 - Juggler's World Magazine
NOTES
Excerpt:
Atlanta's Dan Berg enjoyed a late-April reunion with his 1980 Fargo team championship cohorts at the every-five-year reunion of the Illinois State University Gamma Phi Circus. Berg and John Burns, Greg Grimstad and Pete Schulte finished second in 1980's Team Championship to the Magnificent Material Movers. Dan was a member of the Gamma Phi Circus for five years, doing school assemblies, raod shows and the big year-end finale show. During this year's reunion weekend, Dan performed his solo four baseball bat routine, then stood on a rolling globe and passed to his old partners. He occasionally performs now in Atlanta with Randy Fenster, but makes a living as vice president for development of a computer software company he founded.
Dec 30, 1995 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Atlanta, GA
CeleBoom
Excerpt:
The finale for the Lenox Square Ice Fantasy and a celebration of the New Year at the mall Monday with entertainment inside from 4 to 6:30 p.m., including the juggling duo Sky Trix.
Jul 26, 1996 - The Daily Olympian Newspaper - Olympic Village -
Atlanta, GA
Festival
Excerpt:
Appearing 26 July 19h00 Dan Berg - World-class juggler. Theater Area.
Au programme le 26 juillet 19h00 Dan Berg - Jongleur de classe mondiale. Zone du cinema.
Jul 30, 1996 - The Daily Olympian Newspaper - Olympic Village -
Atlanta, GA
Juggler Dan Berg
Juggler Dan Berg has three times the fun as he entertains residents of the Atlanta Village. S'amuser en amusant: le jongleur Dan Berg au Village d'Atlanta.
Dec, 1996 - The 'Star News - Tracy, CA
November Seminar - The Best Ever
Excerpt:
The highlight of the conference introduction was the presentation by Vice President Dan Berg. Mr. Berg gave a demonstration of the relationship between juggling and software development while using some tools of the trade - bean bags (4) and bowling pins (4) under somewhat adverse conditions (a low ceiling). His point was graphically made.
Winter, 1996 - Juggler's World Magazine
NOTES
Excerpt:
For three nights last summer, Dan Berg and Randy Fenster entertained Olympic athletes in the Olympic Village in Atlanta. Berg and Fenster performed their usual passing and solo routines, but really drew a crowd when Fenster held up five rings in the Olympic symbol and Berg stood next to him with three lit torches, a la the Olympic flame. "This drew immediate response and photos, especially with the Olympic fountain directly behind us," Berg said. They then juggled those props, and struck the pose again at the end. A line of athletes inevitably formed to have their pictures taken with the two jugglers in their Olympic pose, and many had their photo made standing in the middle of their six torch passing pattern. This winter the partners are the "official jugglers" of the Atlanta Hawks, entertaining sports fans with pre-game performances before 26 home games, including some center court appearances.
Spring, 1998 - Juggler's World Magazine
Friendly, Familiar Atlanta Fest Celebrates It's 20th
Excerpt:
Sunday's show included Just Joey with some yo-yo tricks and silliness, Rodger French with a three ball routine, Andreas Dieberger with contact juggling, diabolo and some hat silliness, and Dan Berg teamed with David Dimuzio to pass oversize plastic baseball bats.
May, 1998 - The Union-Recorder - Milledgeville, GA
Fest Of Ville Schedule Of Events
Excerpt:
4:00 - 6:00 p.m. "Sky Trix" - Randy Fenster and Dan Berg perform on unicycles while juggling fire torches, balls, rings, clubs, knives and anything else not tied down. This talented duo are known throughout the southeast for their amazing ballon sculptures and technical juggling at sporting events and festivals.
May 16, 1998 - The Union-Recorder - Milledgeville, GA
Hands Full
Dan Berg and Randy Fenster have their hands full as they juggle a bunch of multi-colored balls Friday for an appreciative audience at Fest Of Ville on the front lawn of Georgia College & State University. Fenster and Berg, known together as Sky Trix, were just one part of the annual Milledgeville celebration which continues through the weekend.
Fall, 1999 - Gamma Phi Circus Newsletter - Illinois State
University - Normal, IL
Creating Waves
Excerpt:
Dan Berg has been performing juggling during the half time show for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. He and his partner are one of a few jugglers who can juggle 11 pins in the nation.
Jan 30, 2000 - FoxSports.com - Super Bowl XXXIV - Internet Super
Bowl column
Far From Stellar
Excerpt:
After star-studded week, Georgia Dome concourses lacking in celebrities.
...I decided to find a Super celebrity to tell me why the Super Bowl is such a celebrity magnet...
At the club level, I entered a three-ring circus. Literally. Clowns twisted balloon animals. People had their faces painted. Jugglers juggled. The souvenir stand had a leather jacket for $1,000. Disposable cameras sold for $20. Two lounges with big-screen TVs had been set up, just in case you couldn't get enough of home at the stadium.
Imagine my disappointment, however, after five minutes of walking around, no celebs. Not even a B-grade celeb like Charlie Sheen.
So I asked those currently entertaining if they had seen any entertainers.
Dan Berg of Alpharetta, Ga., had been juggling for three hours, and by the time I reached him an hour before kickoff, he was easily keeping four pins into the air. He looked fresh. Had he seen anyone?
"I'd have to say no," Berg said. "I've been keeping my eyes on what I have to do."
Spoken like the 25-year veteran he was. Berg won a national juggling title in 1979 and finished second in 1980 and had performed under pressure before. I shook his hand and wished him luck. In the time we were talking, I didn't see a celeb walk by.
My quest continued...
July, 2000 - The Insider - An Update for Employees
Dan Berg Reaches 20-Year Milestone
Four juggling photos, plus this excerpt from the full-page article:
Software development is not Dan's only forte. Dan recently treated the Roswell office to a juggling performance. A self-taught juggler since he was 13 years old, he financed his college expenses while attending Illinois State University through performing his world-class juggling. When asked if he ever considered going professional, he admitted that he enjoyed juggling so much that he wanted it to remain a fun hobby. His hobby has led to multiple TV appearances, numerous events including the 1996 Olympic Village, Super Bowl XXXIV, Atlanta Hawks basketball games, Walt Disney World, and first place in the International Jugglers Association competitions.
Oct 22, 2000 - Gwinnett Daily Post - Gwinnett County,
GA
Lawrenceville festival focuses on children's fun
Caption under a photo juggling 3 torches:
Dan Berg juggles three flaming batons to the delight of onlookers at the Lawrenceville Fall Festival.
Excerpt from the article:
The stilt walker and unicyclist that juggled also captured the children's attention.
They sat with open mouths and watched as the juggler threw all three pins into the air and caught them one by one.
Oct, 2001 - The 105 Things I Learned During My 14 Years of College - by Russell T. Hany
This book includes Chapter 31: "It's more fun to show someone up than it is to simply do a good job".
When I was a kid, my parents would bring me with them to
see Gamma Phi shows when I wanted to go, but I didn't always want to go.
One of the times that I wasn't planning on going, Bruce informed me that I
really should watch this one. A World Champion juggler was going to be
performing in the show. Bruce was never very eager to go to the circus,
but this was something that he really thought was going to be fantastic.
So, I went along to see what the fuss was about.
He was right. I really did enjoy the juggling act that
year. The World Champion guy was Dan (Hef's partner at the time). He
was pretty good. I was very impressed with his big trick, in which he was
juggling different types of items and passing them to everybody else in
turn. The passing of only one type of item was known as
"feeding," so when different items were involved (rings, balls, and
tennis racquets), it was called a "Fantastic Feed." The entire
audience went crazy when he finished the trick by collecting and holding onto
all of the items from everyone.
I never forgot what I had seen, and in my third year of Gamma
Phi I was the captain of the Juggling act. I decided to do Dan's trick,
but I was going to do it one better. I added an additional item to our
trick - fire pins. Dan didn't catch any fire pins - ha ha. We were
the Juggling Hillbillies that year, and we had a great time during the
act. Regardless if we dropped any pins or not, we yelled, screamed,
laughed and had a good-old time. However, for our last trick (the
Fantastic Feed), dropping was not going to be an option.
If we could finish that trick drop-free we would successfully
kick the World Champ's ass. We did. Nobody dropped anything during
the feed, and I collected all of the regular pins, balls, rings, tennis
racquets, and FIRE pins without dropping one single thing, and that gave me a
real sense of accomplishment.
I have since juggled with Dan quite a bit, and while he may
be a better juggler than me, our Gamma Phi act was better than his.
One-upping a past juggling act was really all that was important to us - the
audience was unaware that our ultimate goal really had nothing to do with
performing for them (they just happened to be in the gym when we kicked Dan's
ass). The applause was nice though.
Excerpt from Chapter 21: "It's a good thing that summer jobs don't last all year".
During the summer, I learned many new circus skills
myself. Aside from learning how to fly on a trapeze, I had to learn how to
eat fire so that I could teach kids how to do it. In addition, I learned a
bunch of juggling tricks from Hef. He had previously won a national
juggling competition with his partner from Gamma Phi - Dan. The two of
them were juggling legends to those of us who were into the whole juggling
thing. In fact, part of the reason I even went to this camp was to juggle
with him. He taught me the act that they won the national competition with
- which I thought was great. We then performed it in the camp talent show,
and since it was good enough to win the national juggling competition, we
managed to beat out the campers' acts and win that big contest.
Hef must have been impressed with my skills, because towards
the end of the summer he invited me to take Dan's place in the act (the two of
them didn't get along any more). If I agreed, the two of us would tour
Germany, juggling in nightclubs. This was all being arranged through Hef's
agent. That sounded pretty good to me, but I was still in school. I
told him that I would love to do it, but I would have to wait until I
graduated. I told him that I should be done in a year - I didn't know what
the hell I was thinking, but that's how long I thought it would take.
Guess what, we never went on tour - I still had 11 years of college to go at
that point.
Excerpt from Chapter 68: "Sweaty gorillas are cool".
This act was another kick of Dan's ass. We did another Fantastic Feed, except this time I was standing on a big ball while passing the stuff (including fire pins) to people who were circled around me. It went very well, but I don't suppose Dan ever saw it. Then again, the television audience didn't get to see much of it either. They filmed a good deal of the sweaty gorilla in his cage during our performance.
Oct 21, 2001 - Gwinnett Daily Post - Gwinnett County,
GA
Good times, great weather
Excerpt from the article:
There were plenty of games and attractions for children, with an especially long line forming in front of the ever-popular Moonwalk, but jugglers Dan Berg and Carrie McQueen were a special attraction.
Despite standing atop a pair of substantial stilts, McQueen seemed not at all scary to small children, who along with their parents craned their necks to watch her juggle solo and with partner Berg.
"The little kids love her ... they come running up to her," Berg said. "They're not intimidated at all."
Nov 8, 2002 - Star Notes - Settles Bridge Elementary
School - Suwanee, GA
A Funtastic Fall Festival!
Excerpt from the article:
Mr. Dan Berg of Sky Trix entertained and amazed the crowd with his awesome juggling tricks and unicycle riding while getting the students involved in the action too. Thank you, Mr. Berg, for donating your time and telents!
Mar/Apr, 2004 - Juggle Magazine - The Official Magazine of the IJA
Bob Nickerson: In a Class by Himself
Excerpt from the article:
Amherst, Massachusetts was close enough for Bob to go check out the 1979 IJA get-together. He recalls his own inferiority attack while waiting in line, as one of the Wimbledon Brothers (Dan Berg & Bruce Pfeffer) stood nearby practicing back-to-back crosses: single-double-triple, ad infinitum. He thought, "Maybe I should just go home and burn my props. Is everyone like this?"
