Until the early 1950s, juggling was only practiced by performers. Since then more and more people have begun juggling as a hobby. The International Jugglers' Association began as a club for performing jugglers but soon non-performers joined up and started attending the annual conventions.
As more amateurs around the world began to juggle as a hobby sport or pastime, they started meeting together regularly to practice and socialize in local groups. These groups formed into juggling clubs, and currently there are clubs for jugglers in almost every city and large town in the western world. When juggling was practiced by professionals only, jugglers were secretive and possessive of their tricks and skills. Over the years the attitude has changed, and juggling has now become a major social activity for hundreds of thousands (or possibly millions) of people all over the world who are more than happy to share their skills and encourage others to join in. This more open approach, and the fact that basic juggling is not that difficult to learn, has made juggling an activity that almost anyone can participate in.
