Katie Durkin

Chanel Connor

December 18, 2016

Journalism 333 Video Team Final Assignment Description-Narrative

Subject’s name: Henry Lappen

            Meet Henry Lappen: a man with a variety of talents! He’s a professional juggler, tango dancer, and educational performer who lives in Amherst, MA. While juggling professional, Henry has also helped thousands learn to juggle. He also speaks Spanish fluently and a bit of Zulu, a language from South Africa. He learned Zulu while traveling to South Africa, performing for the local people. He said this trip was “probably the highlight of his life.”

Henry resides in a unique place known as “Pioneer Valley Cohousing”. It’s like a condominium- each member owns their own homes, but the land is owned by the community. Unlike most other condominiums, Henry and his neighbors “share a lot more” and “manage themselves”. Henry’s house is decorated with intriguing artwork and unique objects, and many of these are gifts from his friends and family. The pictures and decorations come from a variety of interesting places around the world such as Haiti, Nepal, and Mexico.

Henry learned to juggle when he was in college. One day when he was practicing in a Burlington, VT Park, a man noticed him, and he was hired! The rest was history.

Henry additionally performs a show on birds, makes numerous bird masks, and he teaches about bird biology. He grows fruit and mushrooms. He bakes his own food, such as pies and muffins.

            Henry doesn’t have a typical week or career schedule. There are weeks where he’s got several shows and he’s driving all over the place, whereas other weeks he’s mostly on the computer looking for new gigs to do-or just relaxing and bird-watching. He has performed for weddings, schools, and numerous events. He prefers performing for adults, where most of his humor is oriented, but says the children enjoy it just the same.

Henry says his schedule is “erratic”, but he has been doing this for over 30 years, and it doesn’t stop him.