As children, adults and college students looked on in awe, Michael Moschen performed his infamous, mind-bending juggling act in Jones Auditorium at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) on Jan. 29.
During his show, visual artist Moschen displayed his fascinating and complicated juggling acts. He used crystal balls, metal poles and a giant metal circular frame that he would maneuver around the stage.
While Moschen’s show was entertaining, the juggler also integrated inspirational clips of young students showing their creativity as they worked with a variety of objects as a way to make the performance more meaningful.
“I think what the show is really about is the fact that each of us can pursue our own path to incorporate many different kinds of ways of going about things and learning from that and that we impose an awful lot of restrictions on ourselves by not trying things that might be accessible…it’s ok not to know, it’s ok not to be able to do as long as you’re willing to put in the time to see if you can,” Moschen said.
The juggler also gave the audience insight on how he develops his acts by observing nature. Through clips of spider webs, birds, rocks and rivers, Moschen explained how he created a juggling act from his observations. Attendees were impressed.
“What I really took into account was the idea that he sees things outside the box. Besides the amazing illusions, I just really thought to myself I never realized how in nature you can find different things and… how simple things can always turn out to be more complex,” marketing major Eduardo Rodriguez said after seeing Moschen’s performance.
Moschen is a visual performing artist who has performed across the world.
In his shows Moschen displays incredible skill as he throws crystal balls in the air and moves objects in gravity-defying ways.
The juggling performance was also an interacive show. Throughout his performance, Moschen would ask the audience to test their skills by asking them to participate in challenging tasks that required onlookers to trick their brain into thinking differently.
Moschen’s impressive talents have been displayed in a few movies. One of the most notable was in Labyrinth in which Moschen played the hands of David Bowie’s character, Jareth the Goblin King, as he juggled a crystal ball.
This year, TAMUK is bringing music, art and theater performers to the university as part of the Presidential Performing and Visual Arts Series.
“The Presidential Performing and Visual Arts Series at Texas A&M University-Kingsville is a year-long program of art, music and theatre performances that bring culture and variety to Kingsville for faculty, staff, students and community audiences.
The series strives to provide a new element of learning outside the classroom for students as they are entertained and educated through diverse mediums,” a university press release said.
Moschen is one of the guests who has been invited to perform as a part of this series. During his time as a performer, Moschen has performed at many schools. He enjoys working with student crews and seeing how they work and are learning skills.
Moschen also enjoys seeing “independent spirits” who take the initiative to learn and experience new things by coming to his and others shows.