Bravo Juggling presents: Stick Heroes / 2018. 08.
Triny always amazed us by his contact tricks. Let's learn more about him!
Name: Leonel Trinidad Martinez - but call me Triny or Leo Martinez, I like those
Age: I am 30 years old
Nationality: Mexican
Place of living: In the beautiful Mexican Caribbean called Cancun
Job: I work for circus shows and fire shows at the Riviera Maya hotels
How many years have you been juggling with devilsticks?
I started 10 years ago but I left it for work and other things, now I have been playing for 3 years continuously.
The number of devilsticks you have:
Currently I am playing with two sticks fluently and practicing a lot with three
Your juggling achievements (prize / performance / trick that you are most proud of / etc.): I am proud of all my tricks since I learned everything alone because where I live I am the only one who play devilstick - altough I participated in several festivals and met people from my country with the same passion.
Other types of juggling equipment you play with:
Pois, two and three staff, isolation rings, rola bola, dragon staff, acroyoga and other circus things.
Are you a member of any team/group/club/association:
Actually I am working on a project called "Pure Heavy Pure Perron" which integrats different arts regardless of any connection to juggling or circus. It is a mix of arts.
Please write some sentences about yourself in general:
I like meeting to people with the same passion that I have for juggling. I like to innovate in terms of tricks.
Why did you choose this juggling tool?
Because it is a different kind of juggling, it is very dynamic and expressive and it is also very complex since you have ways of throwing and ways to play contact.
Where did you first meet this juggling tool?
I knew about it from a friend of the street but I really fell in love when I first saw Paul Rozaire at the Flame Master Fest.
Where did you learn to play with devilsticks?
I worked in a circus as a dancer and one day I saw some kids in the street playing with a fire devilstick. I bought one and started to practice little by little.
Which trick did you find the most difficult to learn?
The truth is that all the tricks were difficult for me, I have never practiced with someone who played devilstick, so I copied the contact tricks that the band practiced with clubs. None of the tricks are easy but I keep practicing.
What are you practicing at the moments?
I am practicing more tricks with my feet in order to play 5 devilsticks in contact all over the body.
Do you have tricks that you invented?
I think everybody invents his own tricks: you see a trick which you like, and you personalize it by adding your style. Special tricks are the ones that are hard to get.
What are your favorite tricks?
I really like the tricks with the whole body, like all those that go through the body from the head to the feet and never stop.
What is the most difficult trick you can do?
An infinite contact with a hard return but it is not too technical, I also do it with fire and play blind-folded with fire.
What is the most difficult trick that you would like to learn?
There are a lot of tricks but the one I want to learn most is to play 3 or more flowersticks on a balance ball in pure contact, like a very lyrical dance... that would be beautiful.
In what style do you play and what other styles do you like?
Well, I have my own style of contact game, but personally, I like all styles since I learn a lot from all of them - techniques, forms, tricks, turns -, I learn from all styles to create mine, and others can learn from mine, and always follow a good chain of knowledge.
Do you play with firestick?
Yes, of course I play with fire: devilstick, pois, 2 and 3 staff, dragon staff. Here in the Caribbean it is a part of my daily work.
What do you do in a normal day, how many hours do you practice?
On a normal day, after breakfast I go to the traffic lights to work and practice at the same time. After that I go home to eat and watch some movies. Later I either go to work or get some good songs and stay training all afternoon.
Where do you practice?
I practice on the patio of my house.
Do you perform with devilsticks? How do you create your show?
Yes, of course I act. I have several characters but my favorite is... I cannot tell, I love them all: the Jaguar Warrior, the Futuro Boy and many others. All have a special touch with dancing.
Do you teach juggling?
I am ready to teach all those who want to learn with pleasure and heart.
How is the juggling life in Mexico? Are devilsticks popular?
The life of jugglers in Mexico is like everywhere, has its advantages and some disadvantages. The devilsticks were not popular until a few years ago but recently there are more friends in the country playing and they are on a very good level - such as Carlos Froylan - , and they motivate me to continue to make this prop the most popular.
Tell us a funny story related to Devilsticks.
One day I left the backpack of my devilstick at home and I had to improvise with brooms for children. Everybody laughed in the backstage but at the end they congratulated me for my cunning, ingenuity and the lack of despair.
Why do you like devilsticks?
Because they are dynamic and extroverted. It is a nice and colorful type of juggling, like all the others, but it has that something... that the devilsticks love me!
What are your strong/weak points regarding juggling?
I think being a dancer helps me in terms of contact as I use my body to dance. I also like challenges. I do not see any weakness except practicing.
What is your goal related to devilsticks? What is a challenge for you?
I would like to travel to teach what I have learned, share it with everyone and learn more from everyone. Everything is a challenge that implies effort and work that will bear fruit.
How do you imagine yourself when you are old? Will you still juggle?
Of course, I will continue juggling or teaching, I will invent something even if I have to grab my cane. The truth is if I lost my hands I would play with my feet and would discover something new.
Who do you recommend devilsticks for?
For all those who want to experience and learn a dynamic juggling, something different. Note: I have nothing against the other juggling toys but it is my favorite!
What do you advise to beginner/advanced devilstick players?
I wish the same for all of us: that we continue to train and share so that we would grow big and grow together with everything and everyone!