Juggler lights up festival with act of flying torches, fire-breathing

The threat of rain was not enough to put out the fire of Joe Welling’s flame-juggling performance Thursday night at The District’s Twilight Festival.

In front of a crowd of children and adults, Welling balanced four chairs on his chin, played a harmonica while juggling, and breathed fire as the finale to his performance.

Welling’s performance was one of three acts arranged by Leah Wyllys-Gambiza, associate director of the Columbia Special Business District, and came before the Flat Branch Park Outdoor Cinema Series screening of the movie “Chronicles of Narnia.”

The Flat Branch activities started three years ago when the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department, the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Flat Branch Pub and Brewing joined together to purchase an inflatable movie screen. Ragtag Theater also helps coordinate the event.

Gabe Viles, the representative for Ragtag, explained that the movies are family-oriented. “We choose movies that people want to see on a summer evening.”

In order to draw crowds to the movie screening, Wyllys-Gambiza redirected the route of the carriage rides that are offered each year during the Twilight Festival so that they make a circuit from Broadway down to the park. She said that “Flat Branch Park is a nice area,” and that she wanted to “expand the boundaries” of the Twilight Festival.

Throughout the night, people stepped down from their carriage rides and crossed a short distance to see the performances. The main event was Welling, a performer out of St. Louis with 21 years of experience. Although a few faces in the crowd showed concern while he spit flames, many said they were entertained. “He was very good. He has a good rapport with the audience. That always helps,” said audience memberDavid Simpson.

Simpson didn’t realize that he would become part of the show when he and his family drove from St. James to attend the festival, but he played along when Welling asked for an adult volunteer from the crowd. “Being part of the show, I was a bit nervous. All I had to do was hold chairs and get out of his way so it was OK.”

During the finale, Welling lit three torches and juggled them. “How about a double spin?” he asked the crowd as the torches completed two full circles before he caught each one. Although the fire may have looked dangerous, Welling dismissed the threat, saying that he’s received worse burns from pizza.

“The performance is meant to look dangerous. It’s theatrically dangerous,” he said. This form of entertainment is a skill Welling has developed that combines the appeal of risk with crowd involvement.

The ends of Welling’s torches are made of Kevlar, the same material used in bullet-proof vests. The material allows Welling to put the torches in his mouth without the material burning him because it does not conduct much heat.

Welling said the worst threat he faces is from the carcinogens emitted from the kerosene, the fuel used to light the torches.

“It’s fun,” Welling said. “It’s about being connected with the audience. I literally have had times when I cracked up because of something someone has said at an unexpected time.”