Jugglers reunite at 11th J-Fest: Turkish Juggling Convention
At the upcoming juggling convention, everyone will dress up and show off their juggling skills no matter if they have previous experience or not.

At the start of every October over the past decade, juggling enthusiasts from Turkey, Europe and all over the world have been coming out to Sundance Camp in Antalya's Tekirova to convene for an end-of-the-summer juggling convention, which is one of the most highly anticipated juggling events



Not only is Sundance Camp, otherwise known as Sundance Nature Village one of the most beautiful places to relax, rejuvenate and reflect on life in Turkey, but juggling is also probably one of the most pleasing, satisfying, fun and relaxing sports out there. Put them together and you have J-Fest, the 11th annual Turkish Juggling Convention, which will take place between Oct. 3-9 at a picturesque and peaceful camp retreat in Antalya's Tekirova district.For nearly two decades now Sundance Camp has been a special haven for myself and many like-minded souls. Situated in a wooded area along the Mediterranean coast, Sundance is a place that has it all, stone buildings, bungalows, tree houses and tents, the healthiest and most delicious food served up buffet-style and a stunning sandy shore along the Mediterranean. When in Sundance, on one side is the shimmering sea and an endless horizon while to in the other direction are the picturesque views of Antalya's epic Mount Baba. Sundance is also where the forest meets the sea,where fresh water mingles with salt water, where the ancient site of Phaselis sits on the neighboring shore and where the world's first reptile museum leads the way to the camp's entrance. Shall I go on? At Sundance Camp beautiful horses run free and eat from your palms and my own personal favorite part which is a giant swing that hangs from a tree over the sea. This is Sundance Nature Camp, and every fall, huge domes are set up and the grounds are transformed into one of the most fun, colorful and creative festivals ever; J-Fest: the Turkish Juggling Convention.First started in 2006, every year J-Fest has grown bigger and better, creating traditions of its own and becoming one of the most highly anticipated juggling events in Europe. While preparations for the event have been ongoing throughout the week, the festival officially kicks off on Monday, Oct. 3 at 8 a.m. and from then will be a nonstop juggling workshop of sorts with people forever practicing and sharing their tips for tricks along the sidelines. The program for the event has non-juggling games at 10 p.m. on the first evening while day two will have a film showing at 11 p.m. On Wednesday,Oct. 5 there will be Juggling Games at 3 p.m. and Renegade at 11 p.m.On Thursday, Oct. 6, J-Fest will hold what has now become their traditional annual Juggling Parade in which everyone and anyone can dress up and show off their juggling skills in possibly the most colorful parade there is held on the streets of the nearby summer resort destination town of Kemer. Starting at 4 p.m., the theme for this year's parade is "space." On Friday, Oct. 7 there will be a Volley Club Tournament at 4 p.m. followed by a Fire Night at 10 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 8 there will be the traditional Gala Evening starting at 10 p.m. to close out the event, On Sunday, Oct. 9, the festival comes to an end and the cleaning begins. There will also be music most nights, the organizers tell me, with the bands Yolda and Roxy Kalan performing for the festival as well as dance parties where participants do the DJ'ing themselves.Each year the number of participants in the festival continues to escalate, especially the number of Turks gaining interested in this fun sport. Last year there were nearly 400 attendees, a third of which were foreigners and this year they are expecting that figure to grow up to around 450. The cost for taking part in the event and camping out in your own tent is TL 150 ($50) for adults, TL 100 for those between the ages of 16 to 18 and free for children under the age of 15. There is also the option of staying in a bungalow or tree house. In addition, there will also be a number of stands where people can purchase juggling gear on site. A great way to close out the season with the sea at your fingertips, this is definitely a wonderful opportunity to take on this relaxing activity as a hobby in a beautiful destination and with like-minded souls.Find your voice and use itSundance Nature Village will also be hosting a very special voice workshop from Nov. 4-6. Kefas Berlin, whom hails from Stockholm, Sweden, is a voice coach, sound healer and voice liberator that will be leading this very special workshop geared toward discovering and releasing our inner voice. Held in English, with Turkish translation if necessary, during this workshop, participants will have the chance to "open their voice" in which they will not only discover whom they really are and gain confidence, but they will also learn how to exude this confidence and portray that vision to others. This weekend of breath, voice and movement exercises, in which no previous singing experience is required, will be liberating, empowering and healing for all involved. A unique opportunity to work under the tutelage of Kefas, a Waldorf educated teacher in Physical Theater, Singing, Contact Improvisation, Fine Arts, Acrobatics and Movement, who has appeared in approximately 100 stage productions and has written more than 300 musical compositions. This very special workshop will take place at Sundance Camp from Friday, Nov. 4, to Sunday Nov. 6 and costs 125 euros with accommodation being extra and between 50 to 110 euros for two nights at full pension, in other words, three meals a day.