Steve Mills (juggler)

Steve Mills (1957 – June 3, 2023)[1] was an American juggler and unicyclist from Morristown, New Jersey. He was the inventor of the "Mills' Mess" juggling pattern.[2][3] Mills was taught to juggle by Ron Graham, a juggler and mathematician.[4]

The Dazzling Mills Family

In 1978, Mills married Carol Sue Haines.[5] They began performing a juggling and unicycle act,[6] later accompanied by their children Michelle and Anthony. Together the group became known as The Dazzling Mills Family.

They had performed at venues such as Harlem Globetrotters basketball games,[7] the Arnold Fitness Expo, fairs,[8] and schools.[9] Television appearances included PM Magazine, The Statler Brothers Show, The Penn and Teller Show, Daily Planet, Most Daring, Smoking Gun Presents, and The Shotgun Red Variety Show.[10]

Carol stopped performing in 2004 because of a nerve disorder.[5] Kris Groth, who married Michelle in 2009,[11] joined the group in 2008.[12] In 2011, a baby girl, Chloe, was born to Kris and Michelle.[13] In 2014, the group's web site stopped advertising for the group and was moved to advertising Steve as a solo act.[14] The web site subsequently went dark in late 2017.[15]

Awards

Mills was a winner of the International Jugglers' Association Championships in 1975, 1976 and 1978.[16]

References

  1. ^ "Remembering Steve Mills". Juggling Information Service Committee. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  2. ^ Dancey, Charlie (1995). Charlie Dancey's Compendium of Club Juggling. UK: Butterfingers Books. p. 116. ISBN 1-898591-14-8. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
  3. ^ Arthur Lewbel (Winter 1994–1995). "Academic Juggler - A Messy History and Other Academic Notes". Juggler's World. 46 (4). International Jugglers' Association: 31. Retrieved December 13, 2010. Apparently [Ron] Graham experimented with many patterns that crossed hands or changed direction in the Mess way, some of which were likely to be close to the current Mess: Steve studied Ron's patterns, and other jugglers as well, including films of Vaudeville jugglers. From this stew, the Mess emerged. Ron and Steve juggled at the YMCA in Morristown, N.J., when the mess was created, but the name "Mills Mess" was given to this trick some years later on the West coast by Ed Jackman, Barrett Felker, and/or Norm Johnson.
  4. ^ "What got you juggling?". Steve Mills. Retrieved December 13, 2010. I learned from Ronald Graham, a well known mathmetician [sic]... in 1972, when Ron continually prodded me to give it a try.
  5. ^ a b "Steve and Carol Mills". Dazzling Mills Family. Archived from the original on April 9, 2010. Retrieved December 13, 2010. Steve and Carol were married August 5th, 1978 and they began performing straight off the bat doing street shows in New York.
  6. ^ "Brief Notes". IJA Newsletter. 30 (6). International Jugglers' Association: 6. October–November 1978. Retrieved December 14, 2010.
  7. ^ Mark Singer (August 11, 1980). "Talk of the Town, 'Steve & Carol'". The New Yorker. New York, NY: New Yorker Magazine. p. 24. Retrieved December 13, 2010. ABSTRACT: Talk story about Steve and Carol Mills, a couple who do professional juggling in Father Demo Square... They entertain between halves of Harlem Globetrotters basketball games
  8. ^ "Dazzling Mills Family returns to County Fair". The Post-Journal. Jamestown, NY: Ogden Newspapers. April 14, 2010. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
  9. ^ "From Watson to 'America's Got Talent'". Town Crier. Youngstown, OH. October 22, 2009. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
  10. ^ "The Dazzling Mills Family - Television appearances". dazzlingmills.com. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
  11. ^ Andrew Mayo (October 23, 2009). "Behind the lights: faces of the fair". Raleigh Public Record. Raleigh, NC. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
  12. ^ "The Dazzling Mills Family - School assemblies - Fairs - Upward Award night Speaker - Family Entertainment". dazzlingmills.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  13. ^ "The Dazzling Mills Family - Juggling, Unicycling, Acrobatics and Fun for all ages!". dazzlingmills.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  14. ^ "Steve Mills - Juggler, Unicyclist, Acrobat". dazzlingmills.com. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  15. ^ "Crawl history for www.dazzlingmills.com". Archived from the original on April 14, 1997. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  16. ^ "Championships Results 22nd to 31st IJA Summer Festivals 1969-1978". International Jugglers' Association. Retrieved December 13, 2010.


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