Martha "Trixie" Firschke (1920-2001) was born in a circus family in Budapest, Hungary. She started learning juggling from her stepfather, Oscar Firschke,[1][2] when she was 11 years old. Her father had seen Enrico Rastelli perform, and he taught his daughter many Rastelli-style tricks. Trixie was able to balance a ball on a mouth stick the first time she tried it,[3] and she was able to juggle 3 balls the first time she tried it.[4]
Trixie practiced by doing a trick perfectly 10 times out of 10, starting over if she missed any attempts. She was able to juggle 5 large balls, 7 plates, and 6 plates with a head bounce, and she could bounce two balls on her head at once.[3][5]
Trixie worked in various circuses and variety shows in Europe, and performed for several royals and heads of state.[6] In 1938, she moved to America,[1] where she performed at Radio City Music Hall and with the Ice Capades. In 1940, she appeared in a movie with Fred Astaire. She married Escoe Larue, another Ice Capades performer.[3] Trixie received the Historical Achievement Award from the IJA in 1991.[7]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.juggling.org/jw/90/3/letters.html
- ↑ http://ezine.juggle.org/2016/10/17/scott-cain-updates-on-previous-ejuggle-articles/
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 http://www.juggling.org/jw/90/2/trixie.html
- ↑ https://www.walden-family.com/juggling/28-6-pub-s.pdf
- ↑ http://www.juggling.org/books/alvarez/part8.html#p93a
- ↑ http://ezine.juggle.org/2015/02/13/trixie-a-juggling-legend-spinning-through-history/
- ↑ https://www.juggle.org/history/honorary-awards/#historical
Trixie Firschke Juggling with Fred Astaire
Trixie juggling in Broadway Melody of 1940