2 ‘80s Kind of Guys Are Juggling Their Careers

“Raspyni Bros.” . . . it’s the kind of name you’d figure a couple of jugglers would call themselves. What you don’t quite figure on is the way these Raspyni Bros. look.

“People expect to see two fat guys in leotards covered with spangles,” says Dan Holzman, one of the two Raspynis. “But we’re two ‘80s kind of guys--very hip. We don’t wear bad clown outfits.”

Holzman considers himself a sort of juggler’s ambassador; he’s affiliate director of the 4,000-member International Jugglers Assn. and has been a full-time professional juggler for seven years. He’s also put together the first local juggling festival that will take place this weekend at Valley College. There will be beginning through advanced juggling workshops, and a juggling and comedy exhibition Saturday night with some of the best jugglers and circus entertainers in the country.

Holzman devotes at least two hours every day practicing the tricks that made him and partner Barry Friedman team champions at the 1984 International Jugglers Convention in Las Vegas. And, as often as possible, Holzman takes part in a sort of juggler’s jam session, which happens Thursday nights at the Valley College Gymnastics Center, where 30 to 50 people meet to juggle and pass on new tricks.

All this practice has made Holzman and Friedman one of the hottest juggling acts in the country. They’ve performed on the “Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson, the “Merv Griffin Show” and the “Regis Philbin Show” and have appeared as the opening act for Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett and several other singers and comedians.

Comedy is, in fact, a big part of the Raspynis’ routine. “Juggling helps us stand out, especially when there are a bunch of other comedians around who just talk about 7-Eleven or their last girlfriends.”

Next week, they will face one of their toughest audiences--President Reagan will attend the Festival at the Ford in Washington. Holzman says he and Friedman will perform their toughest trick for the President.

“We place a volunteer from the audience between us and toss six machetes around the person while we spin a ball on a stick we hold in our mouth and keep a hoop revolving around our right ankle,” Holzman says. “We’ve been doing it for five years and haven’t hit anyone yet . . . but I don’t think they’ll let us use the President.”

The first annual Jugglers Festival is Saturday and Sunday in the College Quad at Valley College, 5800 Fulton Ave . , Van Nuys, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Two-day registration fee for jugglers is $8, spectators free. There will be a special variety show at 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the college . Admission is $5. Call (818) 907-5655.