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Reviews
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Schools
"Through his impressive stilt-walking and juggling skills, entertainer Mat Emerick came to Sherwood Park this spring for a K-8 assembly and delivered a very engaging
hour long Anti-Bullying Message through clever stories, keeping the attention of all the students throughout the his presentation. Students and staff alike were very
positive in their comments about this assembly and wanted to know if he was coming back next year. I was very happy with Mat Emerick’s assembly and very pleased
with how well he was received by all who watched. I encourage any administrator who deals with bullying issues to bring Mat Emerick to your school for this assembly."
Mark Frost, Principal, Sherwood Park Global Studies Academy, Grand Rapids Public Schools
"Mat performed at our inaugural kickoff assembly for our Character Initiative. His storytelling and juggling talents compliment one another so well, which captivates
the children. He is willing to listen to your needs as a school, and tailor the performance to those needs." Dave Wojcicki, Counselor, Fremont Public Schools
"I heard several teachers comment how much they appreciated your humor in working with an intangible subject like Character and how marvelous an addition your
show has been in the past and after watching, I whole heartedly agree!" Bob Cassiday, Principal, Pathfinder Elementary School
"Our students loved the performance of the Patchwork Pear! Through acting, humor, music, and juggling, the students were given the message to use 'Respect' and
'Responsibility.' It was a great kick off for our MEAP testing!" Gloria Anderson, Social Worker, Coopersville Public Schools
"We have had Mat Emerick back for six years in a row speaking to our student assemblies on Character, Recycling, and Reading. He never fails to entertain or
inspire the students! He’s also brought us his unique team building program and it was fantastic! He worked with our entire 5th grade class over the course of 9 days.
The kids loved the characters, costumes and games. The teachers loved the valuable team, leadership and character training and message that the students received.
It made a big difference and we will bring him back!" Barb Liescheidt, Social Worker, White Cloud Schools
"Thanks to Mat Emerick our 2011Leadership Day at the Newaygo County Career-Tech Center was a huge success! As he did the year before, Mat engaged
students in an entertaining and motivational manner with excellent team building activities. He established an immediate rapport with participants. His keynote
'Leadership By The Juggler Guy' message was very effective. Students gave glowing reviews that they saw meaning and purpose in what they were doing while having
a lot of fun!" Sandy Tower, Career Development Specialist, NC RESA
"Thanks for the Anti-Bullying presentations today! You were right on target and the balanced message of how to stand up to a bully and how to report mean
behaviors will make our school a better place. The kids really liked the sharing of self and the challenge you gave them to beat a bully with their hearts. The teachers
appreciate that strategies were given and this reinforced our current system of knowing when to report a mean behavior. Your skills as a juggler held their attention and
they were locked onto the message. I especially loved how you encouraged them to be protective bystanders and together they stand taller than a person showing
bully behavior! Thanks again for sharing your gifts today . Our school culture will grow in a positive direction because of today's shows!"
Martin Alexander, Principal, Coopersville South Elementary
"Our students were fortunate enough to have Mat give them an anti-bullying assembly as well as teamwork and character building programs! The kids were able
to play cooperative games and had a lot of fun and learned a lot about how to be a team player!" Rebekah Hetrick, Teacher, Godwin Heights Middle School
"Mat’s Circquest Team Building Program provided our students with an afternoon full of activities that challenged them to cooperatively solve problems and
experience interpersonal skills critical to living a successful life. He managed to accomplish these lofty goals while creating an environment that felt more like relaxed
play. Students who normally would be hesitant to participate jumped right in. Mat is a skilled teacher and performer. We appreciated his ability to communicate with
the students and to challenge them to accomplish difficult tasks. The lessons of the afternoon will be ones we can recall time and time again."
Andrew E. Apps, Teacher, Grant Christian Middle School
"Mat Emerick did a marvelous job of blending scripture, mime, storytelling, and juggling to lead our students in a celebration of God's creativity and his ultimate control
over our lives. Following the Chapel, there were many positive and enthusiastic comments from the students and teachers throughout the day!"
Gretchen VanHeukelum, Teacher, Allendale Christian School
"Thank you! I can't say enough about how blown away I was today. The kids absolutely loved the Team Building activities, but more importantly they got the big
picture. They understood the values that were attached to what they were doing. Our entire fourth grade staff was equally impressed, as were the parents that were in
attendance. Nice work. You changed some lives today." Brian Hausig, Teacher, Coopersville Public Schools
"Fremont Middle School was fortunate to have Mat Emerick speak and perform for our 6th and 7th grade students. Not only did he entertain the kids with his clown,
juggling, and stilts routine, but most importantly, he left the kids with this important message: 'Don’t sit by, take a stand against Bullying.' Our middle school level kids
need to hear this regularly, and Mat did a great job of conveying the message!" Ken Haggert, Principal, Fremont Middle School
"Mat Emerick has graciously come into our High School and woking with a Juggling Workshop and Performance. He captured their attention and tells great
stories! His message was to encourages them not to give up . . . because ALL jugglers, and all people, “drop the ball” sometimes. He is an impressive entertainer,
teacher and speaker!" Julie Gardenour, Fremont High School Teacher
Libraries
"Mat had a crowd of kids and their grownups spellbound with his zany costumes, mesmerizing mime, and clowning antics as he juggled balls, hoops and stories! As
an added bonus, he gently slipped in an encouraging message: follow your dreams and make the world a better place for everyone. I highly recommend Mat Emerick
to anyone interested in a quality entertainer whose ability to keep kids laughing for an hour is unsurpassed! We received many wonderful comments; 'What a great
program!' 'That was great! Thank you!' 'You guys have the greatest programs!' etc, etc, etc." Donna Smith, Youth Librarian, Baldwin Library (Birmingham)
“If you took a Medieval street juggler, mixed in healthy doses of Charlie Chaplin, Marcel Marceau, and Dan Rice, you’d get Mat Emerick. His show is fascinatingly old
school, which may be the reason young people of the information age respond to it so well. I watched Mat keep a big group of energetic preschoolers completely
entranced without uttering a word as he mimed a story replete with Chaplinesque sweetness. And when he did start talking and joking and tossing balls around, the
audience was in stitches. Seriously, this guy could entertain squirrels! But that’s not all. Mat also delivers – in a light-handed way - a positive message about
recognizing your own gifts and using them to make the world a better place. I’d recommend Mat Emerick to any library looking for a funny and upbeat show for children
of all ages. “ Tom Shilts, Youth Librarian, Capital Area District Libraries - Okemos
"Mat did a wonderful performance for our kids' 2013 summer reading program. He knows his audience well and is able to entertain both kids and adults. The kids
especially loved his juggling antics; they were laughing hysterically and squealing with delight! Several families commented after the show how much they enjoyed it.
Mat's teen Circus JAM workshop was also a hit at our library. He provided a good variety of props for teens to try and it was something new and different for them.
Mat worked well with the teens and was an engaging presenter and teacher." Becky LeBoeuf, Youth Services Librarian, Delta Township District Library
"Mat Emerick's 2013 Summer performance of The Miner Forty-Niner Digs... at the Commerce Township Community Library was both educational and entertaining.
Mat kept the kids interested and involved, and his juggling and gags produced lots of gasps and giggles. Mat's storytelling skills are wonderful, and keeps the
audience enthralled. Having Mat at Commerce Township Community Library was a pleasure!" Abigail Daniels, Youth & Teen Services Manager, Commerce
Township Community Library
"Mat did a wonderful presentation of A Juggler's Dream for our Summer Reading Program! I was extremely impressed with the way he told a folktale (with a great
message) through mime! On top of that, he is a GREAT juggler! The kids were delighted with him. You could hear them laughing through the whole library! Everyone
connected with him and his performance from the very beginning. I'm usually not a fan of mimes or clowns but Mat was wonderful! Everyone, young and old found Mat's
performance to be captivating." Tina Talbot, Children's Librarian, Auburn Hills Public Library
"Mat came to our library for one of our weekly summer reading program performances and he was hugely successful. Our library is in a small town, but we had 293
children and their caregivers turnout for this performance. Mat had the audience giggling and laughing the whole way through. Many parents commented to me on how
great it was that he tied the theme of Summer Reading Program into his performance and numerous children have expressed their joy over the performance. We will
definitely have Mat again in the future." Melissa M. McAlvey, Children's Librarian, Ionia Community Library
"My teen summer reading program was recently visited by Mat Emerick, an amazing juggler and storytelling master. As a teen librarian, I must choose very carefully
when booking performers since teenagers can be very harsh critics and a cynical and daunting audience. I need not have worried. Mat told a story about Jack (of
beanstalk fame) after he obtained all his wealth. Mat told the story very tongue-in-cheek and included many hilarious asides to the audience. We all felt in on the joke.
All the while during the story, Mat was miming, juggling, clowning and contorting his body and face gymnastically. The teens (nearly 60 of them) were laughing and
participating with enthusiasm. At the end of his program, Mat taught the group the basics in juggling. Every single teen who attended had a great time and many
asked me to invite him back. My teens’ assessment of Mat’s show, in one word, was “awesome.” Mat is a talented performer and I'll definitely have him back!"
Sally Wilcox, Teen's Librarian, Ionia Community Library
"Mat, thank you for your wonderful presentation of A Juggler's Dream for our Summer Reading Kickoff. Mime is so interesting, but can be difficult for the very young to
follow. You have a real talent for getting the story across to the entire audience. And it was a great story - silly, funny and with a very important message too! Thanks
again. We'll be looking forward to seeing you again in Rochester. Anne Marie Eklund, Rochester Hills Public Library
"Mat's Juggler’s Dream program was great for our Summer Reading Program Finale and he even effectively worked in that particular event's Batman theme along
with the overall Dream Big, Read theme! Mat kept the kids laughing long and loud and helped make our Finale a great success and we'll have him back next year!"
Robin Linkowski, Youth Services Librarian, Chelsea District Library
"Mat entertained both children and adults with his juggling, mime and storytelling at our outdoor 'Springfest.' He did a fantastic job!"
Carla Sharp, Head Youth Services, Brighton District Library
"Mat is a fantastic performer. He had all of our patrons laughing and participating in his show. His story between the juggling performances was quite engaging to the
children and adults in the audience. I would not hesitate to have him back at our library!" Debra Refior, Head of Youth Services, Orion Township Public Library
"Your Summer Reading Program performance was wonderful and we had so many positive comments from adults and children both! Kids were talking about learning
to juggle and they were showing me mime and asking me to guess what they were doing. You are also the most approachable performer I have dealt with and are very
organized about keeping in touch. I know the conditions at the museum aren't the best but you took it in stride and both put on a wonderful show!"
Joan Miller Moran, Belding Library
"Our patrons (& staff) really enjoyed the performance! It was wonderful to have so much folklore included in the program. The staff liked the way you tied part of the
program to the Summer Reading Program theme. I don't usually care for mimes but I thoroughly enjoyed watching Mat. We'll invite them back!"
Marilyn Painter, Loutit Library
"I loved the Patchwork Pear and so did all the kids and parents watching their Summer Reading Program presentation! Most of the parents and grandparents came up
and said how wonderful they were. They are musical, mimical, and juggical (my inventive spelling). It was interactive and entertaining. I highly recommend them!"
Ellie Mazor, Children's Librarian, Gary Byker Memorial Library of Hudsonville
"Mat was a very talented entertainer who kept the children's attention throughout the performance! I would highly recommend him for a library with high energy children."
Dawn LaVanway, Library Director, Jordan Valley District Library
Churches
"Mat and Deb performed for our church's Rally Day Worship Service. Our students obviously loved the presentation and we had many positive comments from both the
kids and adults. Patchwork Pear provided a unique mixture of music, mime and juggling and we appreciated the fact that they were willing to tailor their performance to
our theme. After the presentation, Mat taught our students juggling skills. His rapport with all of our students from preschool through high school was amazing. We would
happily invite Patchwork Pear again!" Mary Keith, Fruitport Congregational United Church of Christ
"Good entertainment is not always easy to find, but you will get your money's worth with Mat Emerick. From the first phone call to the final performance, he was easy to
work with and very flexible with what my needs were. Our Vacation Bible School is filled with hundreds of kids and Mat was able to keep them and the adults
captivated with his performance. He engages the audience and gets them involved making it exciting, funny and amazing to watch. He was even able to adjust his
routine at the last moment to tie in one of our lessons for the day with his act. Mat has so much to offer for any age, that you could hire him many times over and never
get tired of seeing his performance. I highly recommend him for any function that needs a little extra pizazz - because that's what Mat brings. Your event may be good,
but Mat would make it great!" Natalie Ten Brink, VBS Director, Calvary CRC, Holland
“It was great to have Patchwork Pear perform for us at our Church Social Event. Both our adults and children enjoyed the good mix of creative music, mime, juggling
and clowning! They are truly a talented pair and they kept us spellbound for the entire hour. This is the second time we had them with us and I would not hesitate to have
them back again!” Howard Matthews, Pastor, HomeFront Church (Grandville, MI)
"We are so thankful for Deb and Mat coming to Corinth and giving such a wonderful performance! The kids were really engaged and they really held their attention. The
adult leaders really enjoyed it too! We will have them back again!" Nancy Hop, Events Coordinator, Corinth Reformed Church, Byron Center
"Mat facilitated our High School Youth Retreat and this was the first time that we had Mat with us. We sure were not disappointed in the high energy, Spirit filled
sessions that he presented to our teens. With his gifts of juggling, team building and mime, he brought the Lord to us through Scripture and personal testimony. The
teens had a great time attempting to match Mat’s skills and did not give up trying. They listened with full attention as he encouraged them to use their gifts and talents
for the work of the Lord and to know that the Lord knows them personally and is there for them at all times. We look forward to having Mat back with us and also in our
Diocese for other youth events!" Marsha Hoppe, Director of High School Ministry, Alpena Catholic Parishes
"What a pleasure and honor it was to have Deb and Mat return to the 30th St. James Lutheran Church Bratwurst and Craft Festival. Mat, as a roaming clown and
juggler, captures the attention of the young and old alike, bringing smiles to their faces and giggles from their tummies. Their Sunday morning program shared again
the many God Given talents they both have developed-- the love of music; the art of storytelling from the Bible using outstanding facial expressions, voices, sounds, and
props; not to mention the art of mime and juggling that amaze all who are viewing. We love how you incorporate the audience in many of the acts you perform, making
each person feel special and loved." Lesa Kuebler, Youth/Family Ministries Director, St. James Lutheran Church, Columbus Ohio
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