Some years ago at a Devoted and Disgruntled meeting, someone called a session asking whether juggling could ever really be art. Brilliant companies such as Gandini with shows like Smashed, which returns this week, have proved it is. When the Roundhouse's Circus Fest opened last month I took a look at the state of the art and some of the rising stars in the field. But like all artists, today's jugglers owe a debt to those who came before them. Here are some of the best on YouTube.

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1) Sergey Ignatov, a juggler born in East Germany in 1950 (not to be confused with his nephew, who has the same name), has been called "the poet of juggling" for his artistic approach – he takes inspiration, he says, from Chopin and the paintings of Van Gogh. In his prime he was a brilliant technician, capable of juggling 11 rings in public. Take a look at him (and the fur-clad audience) here at the Monte-Carlo International Circus festival.

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2) Anthony Gatto, who works with Cirque du Soleil, is reputed to be the highest-paid juggler in the world, and is possibly the best. He's always believed that, however technically good you are as a juggler – and he's very, very good – the audience only cares if you are entertaining too. If you want to know more about Gatto – and the unconfirmed speculation that he may have retired – read this fascinating piece which provides lots of informed background about the man and his career.

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3) For a very different kind of style, take a look at this video from 1984 featuring gentleman juggler Kris Kremo. Kremo, famed for his cigar-box juggling, began his solo circus at the legendary Tower Circus in Blackpool and regularly featured on TV shows such as the Generation Game.

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4) Bringing us right up to date, here are the Gandinis in Smashed, an invigorating show that owes as much to contemporary dance and theatre as it does to circus. It features a cast of nine, as well as four crockery sets (which by the end are destroyed) and 80 apples. According to this interview with Sideshow, the Royal Gala variety are best for juggling with. Red Delicious look best onstage, but don't taste as good during the part where the performer takes a bite. They're probably tastier than your average juggling ball, though.