Bravo Juggling presents: Stick Heroes / 2018. 05.
Tetsu is a great technical juggler who mainly focuses on the double moves.
Name: Tetsu (Tetsuya Hangai)
Age: 29
Nationality: Japanese
Place of living: Iwaki City Fukushima Prefecture
Job: Monk / Graduated from Tohoku Gakuin University and Taisho University
How many years have you been juggling with devilsticks:
11 years
The number of devilsticks you have:
10 (All the same type.)
Other types of juggling equipment you play with:
Balls and diabolo.
Are you a member of any team/group/club/association:
I do not belong anywhere now. In the past, I belonged to the "Tohoku Gakuin University Magical Circle", after that the "Taisho University JUGDUCK" was founded.
Please write some sentences of yourself in general:
I started juggling in college days and I married a juggler woman. As the woman was the daughter of the temple, I became the successor to the temple. I decided to succeed the temple of my bride, but due to the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the temple became a difficult-to-return area. Currently, I am performing a juggling performance activity in the afflicted area while making efforts to rebuild the temple.
Why did you choose this juggling tool and where did you first meet with it?
When I first saw a devilstick performance, I felt like: "This is it!"
Where did you learn to play with devilsticks?
I was taught the elementary skills by the seniors of the circle I belonged to.
I also practiced using the Internet and a Japanese book about the devilstick juggling.
Which trick did you find the most difficult to learn?
The dual idling and pirouette.
What are you practicing at the moments?
I am practicing mainly unison idling system (one hand idling with each hand). Also, in order to eliminate the discomfort of the reverse propeller, I have taken a lot of practice time for it.
Do you have tricks that you invented?
The unison idling system derivation technique which combines unison idling and dual idling. It is probably an original system.
What are your favorite tricks?
Dual stop and go, unison idling.
What is the most difficult trick you can do?
Cross dual propeller's pirouette.
What is the most difficult trick that you would like to learn?
Shower and cascade with 3 center sticks.
In what style do you play and what other styles do you like?
Basically, I practice only dual. However, the single technique also appeals to me, and I also feel the charm of the triple flowersticks.
Do you play with firestick?
No, I have never played. I want to try if there is an opportunity.
What do you do on a normal day, how many hours do you practice?
I work as a priest. I practice 2 to 6 hours.
How and where do you practice?
I practice at home, at gymnasiums and farms. At home, I practice the basics, at the gymnasiums and the farms I practice the fancy exercises and routines. I also prepare practice lists and after finishing I always try to practice other moves too. When watching TV, I usually practice the propellers.
Do you perform with devilsticks?
Occasionally. Sometimes I perform magic tricks or other juggling too, but I will make the devilstick the main tool. I strive to tell as many times as possible how great the impact I received has been when I first saw the performance with a devilstick.
Do you teach juggling?
I used to teach younger people in college. Now I am in the country so I do not teach people anymore.
Why do you like devilsticks?
Of course, it is fun hitting the devilsticks but this is because I can never forget the impact I received first.
What are your strong/weak points regarding juggling?
Practicing alone defines both my strength and weakness. The strength is that I can explore my field of excellence without being influenced. The weakness is that I do not meet the fashionable techniques, and I have little experience of participating in a tournament.
What kind of devilsticks do you prefer to use?
I prefer a 74 cm-long, tennis grip-wrapped custom devilstick.
How is juggling life in Japan? Are devilsticks popular?
I practice silently alone in the countryside. In Japan I think that the devilstick is as popular as the other juggling tools.
Tell us a funny story related to devilsticks.
Once a devilstick was convenient as a stick for watermelon splitting. (Suikawari is a traditional Japanese game that involves splitting a watermelon with a stick while blindfolded.)
What is your goal related to devilsticks? What is a challenge for you?
Marcus Furtnero is a great goal and challenge!
How do you imagine yourself when you are old? Will you still juggle?
Besides juggling there is nothing that has been going on for 11 years. Therefore, I think that it will continue for a long time. It would be great if I could play with my own child in the future.
Can you imagine not juggling devilsticks anymore?
No Devilsticks, No Life!
Who do you recommend devilsticks for?
For people who were impressed by watching the devilstick, like I was.
What do you advise to beginner/advanced devilstick players?
Let's practice more and expand the world of devilsticks!