American juggler Thom Wall describes performing at Riga’s Zelta Karlis festival and offers tips for future competitors.

The fifth annual Zelta Karlis circus festival took place this past January 23–26, in Riga, Latvia. The festival is Latvia’s national circus competition and is hosted by the state’s official circus organization, Rigas Cirks. Rigas Cirks has been in continuous operation since 1888, in the red-domed circus building on one of Latvia’s main streets just outside of the old city. I was invited to compete in the festival’s 2015 edition with my mouthstick number and to present my contemporary ball juggling number in the welcome show. I was not the only American in at...