(Staci Sagliano Photo)
He might be just a bit biased but juggler Niels Duinker of Holland thinks there is “no other performance in town” quite like the new show “Array” at the Mountain of Entertainment Theater in Pigeon Forge.
He might be exactly right because the show has singers, dancers, a live band and diverse specialty performers with unique skills.
“It is a great show. There are not that many shows of this type left. It is very unique. It is a great opportunity to be part of a high quality show like this,” Duinker said after the two-hour show ended Tuesday night.
“We are all very friendly backstage. People are always helping each other and making suggestions. If the show is better, we all win because it is better for the audience. We all want to make it the best experience for our guests.
“It is the most versatile show on the parkway. The show is called ‘Array’ and it has everything. You like amazing circus acts, we got them. We also have more variety than any show on the parkway.”
The GoGaucho performances by Sebastian and Amberlyn Sayago of Argentina were high energy. The duo can amaze you with their “bolas” — double balls attached to long leather cords.
Nicole Landkas and Christian Biles are veteran circus performers who can dazzle you with their aerial straps performance. Biles, who is from Romania, does an incredible chair balancing act. They have both performed at Circus Hollywood.
Duinker saw a street juggler and then another juggler on TV and decided he wanted to be a juggler, too. He perfected his skills to where he was working on cruise ships, theaters in Europe and even had his own show in Myrtle Beach before coming to Pigeon Forge to work at Comedy Barn before joining this new show.
“There were not many places as successful as Comedy Barn, so when I had the chance to come here (Pigeon Forge), I did it,” Duinker, who incorporates comedy into his routine, said.
He holds eight Guinness Book of World Records — juggling 14 cups at once and juggling for the longest time while blindfolded are two of them — and won the Golden Merlin Award from the International Magician’s Society.
He does a six-minute performance during the first half of the show and eight-minute bit later in the show.
“You pick the best bits of all the things you have. I have a lot more stuff I can do which is good because you can pick what you want to do and keep it fresh all the time because you have more material,” he said.
Duinker says an eight-minute performance can be more tiring than spectators might realize.
“You have to track what you are doing. You have got to know when and where it (objects he is juggling, including knives) are coming down. That’s the juggling aspect,” he said. “But you also have a show and you have to listen to the music and have to do everything on time.
“I also like interaction with the audience so at same time I am juggling and listening to the music, I am also seeing where the audience is at. You can sometimes hear laughter or the way they move and sit in seats and know it is this kind of crowd and do jokes for that specific audience. A lot of stuff that goes on in your brain every show. That six or eight minutes can wear you out because you make so many calculations.”
Duinker said in Europe a solid juggling act was enough for spectators. It’s different in the United States.
“Here they want juggling and comedy but that’s good. If you are funny and can do the juggling at the same time, it’s almost like a combo deal. Buy one, get one for free,” he laughed and said.
That’s kind of a theme for “Array” because you get the specialty acts along with a wide variety of singing/dancing by talented performers. The show had traditional country music, song tracks from popular movies, patriotic songs and gospel music — “How Great Thou Art” was spectacular.
“There is no other show in town that covers more types of music than us,” Duinker said. “If you don’t know what show to pick, there is something in this show that you will like with the variety we have.”
He’s right. The two-hour show appeals to all ages with the music, dancing, specialty acts and non-stop energy.
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Show times are 7:30 p.m. (Monday-Saturday) and 3 p.m.(Saturday only). Call 865-245-4386 for more information or click here to purchase tickets.
