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Sunday, April 29, 2007 1:25 AM CDT
Juggler gets attention for efforts to pump up his skills
By ROB STROUD, Staff Writer
rstroud@jg-tc.com
Eric Wiley has been juggling multiple rubber balls, bean bags, clubs, knives, and even flaming objects for several years as an up-and-coming entertainer.
Now the 21-year-old Charleston resident hopes to take his burgeoning career to a new level by juggling and moving to the beat of dance and rock music. Sporting sunglasses and spiked hair, Wiley has brought “pop star” style to his juggling act.
This new act has attracted the attention of Danville resident Jared Michael Yates, who was a top 24 contestant on season four of Fox’s “American Idol.” Yates hopes to utilize Wiley as an opening act and possibly incorporate his juggling into some of the shows.
Wiley, the son of John and Gina Wiley of Charleston, was introduced to juggling at age 10 when his brother received a set of juggling balls for Christmas. Wiley said he gave the gift a try and was surprised to find he had a natural talent for juggling.
“I picked the skill up in a matter of five minutes,” Wiley said. His skills have grown over the years to include juggling multiple rubber balls by rapidly bouncing them off the floor and juggling two ping pong balls by spitting them from his mouth.
Over the years the young juggler has performed at various parties and festivals in the area. Wiley said at age 18 he spent two weeks performing at scheduled shows and as a roving entertainer in Florida.
Wiley, who is a Lake Land College student, said booking shows in the area has been difficult, so he started looking a couple years ago for ways to attract more attention to his act and get more bookings in bigger cities. He soon decided to use hip hop, techno, rock and other music.
“I kind of wanted to change up my act a little bit,” Wiley said. “I knew I wanted to come up with something that is unique and that no one else really does.”
As a juggler, Wiley said he has developed a knack for focusing on the performances while tuning out shouts from the audience and other distractions. He said adding choreography has come naturally to him because he can follow the music by instinct.
“I go with the flow of it. I just go with the beat of the song,” Wiley said.
Since adopting this new juggling style, Wiley has appeared on Fox affiliate KSDK’s “Show Me St. Louis” program and performed at the “Red Hot Winter” concert in February in Rantoul. The young juggler met Yates at this concert.
“You don’t really see a lot of people doing the type of juggling (Wiley) does, especially around here,” Yates said. “I think he has a lot of potential to do really well in a style like that that not many other jugglers are acting upon.”
Yates said he is impressed with Wiley’s stage presence and has talked with him about performing together. He said the young juggler could be an opening act or even part of the main concert. Yates said Wiley’s style of juggling could catch an audience by surprise and add to the whole effect of a concert.
Wiley has also gotten more exposure for his act during the last year by going online at www.myspace.com/ericwiley. Visitors can view videos there of the young juggler’s performances.
“I have been getting thousands of hits a month. It’s such a wonderful feeling to know people are watching what I do and enjoying it. I love entertaining people,” Wiley said.
Contact Rob Stroud at rstroud@jg-tc.com or 348-5734.
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CLICK TO ENLARGE
 Kevin Kilhoffer (JG/T-C)
Among the items that Eric Wiley juggles are knives and balls.
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