New Zealand juggler Mike Twist has worked all over the world, including for the world-famous Cirque du Soleil. Photo: Mike Twist
Mike Twist was around seven years old when he realised he could juggle.
It always came naturally to him, he never had to be taught. A basic three ball cascade felt as easy as breathing.
But it wasn't until Twist entered his early twenties that he realised he could make a career of it.
"When I was a kid I never really had much interest in it, I was busy playing tennis and other sports. It wasn't until the ripe old age of 22 where I actually fell in love with it and decided to pursue it as a career ... it just sort of happened."
Some three decades later, Twist has enjoyed an illustrious career performing on stages around the world, including the world famous Cirque du Soleil.
But none of it happened overnight.
Twist spent much of his early career working various stints around New Zealand - in nightclubs, on TV shows, and even as resident juggler at Rainbow's End theme park in Auckland.
"I started off ... in shows like Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess, whenever they needed a juggler.
"In the early 1990s, I worked at Rainbow's End for three and a half years and I had a spot every Saturday and Sunday. During the long weekend or school holidays, Easter, Christmas time, things like that, they'd have me on every day for however long the holiday was ... it was a great place to work, good fun.
"After six or seven years I found my way to Japan where I was based for many years, from there I went to other gigs around the world, juggling conventions and that's sort of just how it started.
"[But] it took me a while to work for Cirque du Soleil ... it actually took me nine and a half years."
In 2019, Twist received a call out of the blue. It was Cirque du Soleil with a job offer.
"They just said, We've got a position that we think would suit you'. I jumped at the chance and they flew me to the Dominican Republic."
Five months into his contract, the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Twist's contract had been renewed for another half year, but one by one, it was time for the performers to head back to their home countries.
After three cancelled flights and a roundabout trip via New York and LA, Twist finally managed to get back home to Auckland.
Now, the professional juggler spends his days performing at the Saigon nightclub Cabana Club in Vietnam.
"I thought I'd go there for a month or two cause I'd heard great things about the country. It's a wonderful country to live in, but I wasn't expecting to stay that long. I just wound up being based there and met up with other expats and fell in love with the place. I've been there on and off for six years."
At 54-years-old, Twist is believed to be New Zealand's oldest performing professional juggler - and he's showing no signs of slowing down.
At Cabana Club, Twist is juggling practically every night of the week.
"It's like going to the gym every night basically. It's like doing three and a half hours of aerobics and juggling at the same time.
"I'm out on a small podium, there's not much room to move around it ... gogo dancers are dancing as well, so it's not about me doing a show for myself per se, it's about blending in with the others, dancing and juggling at the same time for people at the club."
Twist says the nightclub is loosely organised - every night looks different. And it's all a part of the fun.
"I don't have any control over the music, they just play whatever. It's very humid every night, especially in Ho Chi Minh city in the south of Vietnam where it's summer all year around.
"It's very noisy, there's a lot of colour, lot of lights and a lot people, so it's like an assault on all of your senses. I go out there and do my things ... every night's different."
