Name: Françoise ROCHAIS
Age: 28
Home: France, Les Sables d'Olonne

When did you start juggling?

I started to juggle at the age of 8, in 1982. So, this year that will be 20 years I've been juggling!

Do you juggle any other props apart from batons?

Of course, I don't juggle batons very much any more now, because I had problems with my arms. Batons hurts a lot and I had a tendinite, so last year, I decided to switch for clubs. That was not a very big problem to switch, it's the same technic. Well, I juggle also umbrellas, fire torches and since I'm a little girl, I like to mix objects, like 5 mixed objects (a tennis raquet, a ball, a club, a ring and a baton). Or, an umbrella, a ball, a tennis raquett and a baton...

How much did it take to get used to the batons?

The first thing I've been juggled with, when I was 8, was the batons. I remember, at that time it tooks me about 2 months to be able to juggle good with 3 batons. As soon as I've been started to juggle, I didn't stop since while. It's a real passion for me. So, to answer to your question, I've been always using the batons, so it didn't take me any time to get used of it. It's a part of my juggling and of the difference with the other jugglers.

I know that batons are harder than clubs and they hurt... but can you explain some difficults when juggling batons so people can have an idea and realise how hard is to juggle them?

It's very funny that you say that, because jugglers used to tell me: "Yes, you can juggle 7 batons, but it's much more easy than the clubs, because it's thiner..." I guess that was hard for some of them to admitt that a woman could do that. And they used to say, "why don't you use the clubs". For me, it's always good to be different, that's why I used to use the batons. But, you're right, batons hurt much more than clubs. A club is made for juggling, so it spin right, but not a baton. Here is the difficulty. Now, I juggle 7 clubs because of my tendinite, and around me, I hear : "Why you didn't keep the batons, that was different!..." Well, I can't explain how hard it is to juggle batons, the only thing I can say is that everything I can do with batons, I'm able to do it also with clubs. You should ask jugglers who tried my batons their opinion about that. They used to find it difficult because they hurt and they could'nt feel anything!

Any advice for batons/clubs jugglers?
Well, it's like everything, if you want to make hard tricks, you have to practise everyday. Also, I think, you have to be able to juggle with every kind of clubs or batons. Of course, everybody has is own preference. I've always been using bad props, because I had no choice at that time (you should see the first clubs I've been practising with, very heavy wood, and I have very small hands).

What is the best and worst thing about being a professional juggler?

I wouldn't answer only one thing in each question. First, for me to be a woman juggler in front of men, was sometimes the best and sometimes the worst.
Then, I would say that the best is the stage. I love to be on the stage, I love to juggle for the audience, to try to do my best to give them some pleasure. That' my goal in this job, and it brings me the best, that's such a strong feeling! The best is also the recognize of the other jugglers. The best is to travel and to meet so many different and great people...
The worst is to do everything alone, practising, finding some work... I don't come from an artits familly, so I've learned everything alone since the beginning. That was so hard sometimes! Last year, I get the chance to practise with Nick Gatto for one month, and that was so nice from him and such a great help for me, but that was the first time in 20 years I had a juggling coach. The worst is to wait for some work.

And what is the best and worst thing about batons juggling?

The best is the difference and the worst is that they really hurt.

Can you tell us about when you were in China?

China was a very special moment for me. I guess you are talking about that time when I was there in 1992? That was very hard, 8 hours practising a day, 6 days and half a week for almost 3 months. They were very nice with me, but we couldn't speak together at all. They couldn't speak french or english, and I wasn't able to talk in chinese. So, with my choreagrapher (that was the reason why I was there, to make a new choreagraphy for my act), we had to talk with the hands, and to be patient! Sometimes, it would took us 30 minutes to get what the other wanted to say.
I was alone there, so I couldn't talk with anybody. Very strange feeling when you have no idea what the troup was thinking about you. I needed to write in french my feeling everyday to feel better. But, at the end they showed me that they were happy of my work and offered me a costum and made me do a chinese tv show. That was a great experience.

Have you ever been to a South American juggling festival?

No, but I would love to!!!

What are your records?

Well, in 1987, I had 4 records, because of my age (13):
juggling 6 batons, 5 fired torches, 5 mixed objects, 3 torches blind eyes
Now, since 1999: juggling 7 batons (I juggle 7clubs also and flash 8 batons)

What's your opinion about other jugglers like Jason Garfield or Anthony gatto?

I have a lot of respect for them. I don't know very well Jason Garfield, but I saw his video and he's a very good juggler, very good technic, that's a lot of work.
Anthony is a friend of mine. For me, his the best technical juggler in the World. You can ask him any challenge, he will do it. I've been practising with him last year, and I have a lot of admiration for him. That was one of the first juggler I saw on tv when I was 10 years old, when he was doing the Festival in Paris, and I remember that very well, because he was 10 also. Well, he's an example for me since always. He's a great artist on the stage, and give all that he can to the audience. His technic of juggling in practise or on the stage is so incredible, and he almost never drops, he's very sure. Since 2 years, since I've met him, he tries with his father Nick, to help me and to give me some good advises. And, I haven't met so many people in my career who helped me that much. Anthony brought so many to the juggling!

Anything else to say?

Yes, thank you very much for your interested, excuse me for my english with all the mistakes inside! If you have any other questions or if you don't understand some of my answers, let me know!