Juggling got its start in the Middle Ages as a type of street show in which performers sang, danced, did tricks, and told jokes. By the middle of the 18th century, juggling had become a profession, and jugglers had begun working for circuses. In the 19th century, they also began performing in the then-popular musical theaters, doing routines between acts.
雜技表演從中古世紀起，就是街頭賣藝的主流形式之一，藝人集唱、跳、雜耍、逗樂於一身，直到 18 世紀中期，雜技師才開始專門化並受雇於馬戲團演出，19 世紀進一步受雇於城市中蓬勃興起的歌舞劇場，在換幕時負責串場。