7.1 Juggling a Social Network

I initially joined the Cornell Juggling Club purely so I could learn how to juggle. Two and a half years later, I am still a member (not because I am any good at juggling!) but mostly because of the close ties I have formed with other members.
The Cornell Juggling Club is an eclectic community; it is composed of beginners, juggling experts, students, and older adults. People with more experience bring individual skills and techniques to meetings. Those who have no idea what they are doing bring an eagerness to learn. The value of the community as a whole far exceeds that of individual jugglers, and besides, it's not nearly as much fun to juggle by yourself.
Every year, we host the Cornell Jugglest fest , a weekend long extravaganza that takes months of preparation. Last year I actively participated with the executive board in planning for the festival, and strong ties within the executive board and very active group members easily formed. The club also has many weak ties with the juggling community beyong Ithaca, and through these weak ties we were able to bring fun, new performers to the festival that we would never otherwise see at weekly club meetings.
The common ground that exists between jugglers is an appreciation for juggling and performing. The idea of generalized reciprocity within this community, according to Hawthornthwaite, is necessary to "sustain the overall community." Jugglers are completely willing to share their talents by teaching others new skills without necessailry experiencing any immediate self benefits.
CMC has greatly enhanced the connections that exist between the juggling community here on campus and beyond. Through e-mail, the members of the Cornell Juggling Club are able to plan for the festival more efficiently, share ideas, and spread the word when meetings will take place. I individually interacted with others who are on the same committee for the festival through e-mail and IMs.
But CMC plays an even greater role in the juggling community as a whole. Juggling forums demonstrate how members of this community interact without being in the same physical space. Jugglers share tricks online, post show reviews, and discuss the World Juggling Federation championships. I haven't yet reaching this level of CMC with fellow jugglers, but from my observations, it definitely enhances the shared interest of the juggling community at Cornell and has more personally connected individual juggling communities from all over the world.
more photos!
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