We had the good fortune of connecting with Paprika Leaverton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paprika, why did you pursue a creative career?

YES – I CAN DO THIS..!   Is how I fuel my creativity.

I find the journey of creating magic and juggling performances and many films fills my cup of creativity in mind, body and soul like no other.

I’m the lucky one to be able to have these blessings in my life as fun and as work.

My filmmaking came to me young in life.

I pursued filmmaking/ TV Production as a choice for a Bachelors Degree in Corporate Television from Texas Tech.

I was intrigued by the ability to tell stories through the visual medium and the possibility of travel and adventure.

Being a Texan, both my parents and many family members attended Lubbock and I also had family living in these Flatlands of Texas.

I chose Lubbock, Tx  and Texas Tech to achieve my undergraduate degree… in a place where my Great Grandfather had been the General Contractor for the gorgeous Chemistry Building at Tech and Lubbock High to name only two of his masterpieces.

I was attracted to the technology and storytelling of Video/Film and thus began my career in filmmaking/TV. This road lead me to commercial and corporate productions and later to many films with my company Walkabout Productions established in 1987 in Los Angeles. In LA from 1985-89 I worked for Steven Speilberg (Amblin) Disney Studios, Tri-Star Studios and other major studios and productions and has quite the Hollywood Experience.

I was also a gymnast and athlete my entire childhood and found juggling much later as an adult.   This journey lead to Juggling and Emcee performances for various family and Variety shows in Austin, Tx., Coloraodo and around the world.

This 28 year juggling career than lead me to integrating magic into my performance within the past five years.   My Magic Show was recently honored with a Gold Medal and awesome Trophy for Stage Magic Competition by TAOM (Texas Association of Magicians) and a Gold for Innovation and Silver for Stage Performance by PCAM (Pacific Coast Association of Magicians) in Vancouver BC area.

Blazing paths for me to follow.

These awards have given me direction and inspiration to continue the creation of theatrical stage magic shows utilizing character, comedy and magic.  To me, its about the self-empowerment of this journey and not about the male dominance of this industry…

 Even though only about 5% of magicians are women. 

I feel such gratitude for this road I am on and look forward to the theatres throughout the world, the travel and the wonderful people I will meet as I create my life called Paprikas Adventures.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

The journey of my life has been full.  Presently I balance my life and businesses in Colorado and in Texas.

I feel I have strength in my ability to combine my creative and business side in a way that has benefited me for my entire lifetime.  Empowering both the left and right side of the brain.  Building grey matter as I juggle. Always an entrepreneur…a go getter… a get things done kind of gal.

Once I found juggling in 1995, I began combining my performance and filmmaking at various Busking festivals around the world, producing films of the event including Edmonton Buskers Fest, European Juggling Festival and many others.  These DVDs were sold the Worldwide Juggling Market and are still available today through my website. PaprikaMagic.com


My first full length documentary began as I traveled the world performing as a comedy solo juggler from 2000-2005  I found so few women in Juggling and so I began to film these amazing talented women.

The resulting documentary “Trailblazers: Women Who Juggle” had a World Premier at the IJA (International Juggling Association Fest) and a DVD release was distributed for the juggling market.  It is available on my website as a download or as a DVD. 

PaprikaMagic.com

 “Trailblazers”was directed/co-written/produced by your truly and co-produced by Cindy Marvell with editing by Chris Mazzone.

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My latest juggling documentary was released in 2022. 

“The Queen’s Influence – The Vanishing Culture of Hiko in Tonga’ is also a combination of my juggling and filmmaking and has so far garnered numerous awards and is available on Prime and on Tubi now.

‘The Queens Influence” is a story of a Women’s Polynesian Culture of Juggling that was influenced by the Queen Salote of Tonga and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth. 

The juggling is called ‘Hiko’ and Tonga is the only country in the world where ONLY women juggle. Juggling is still dominated by men throughout the world…but not in Tonga! 

The women’s stories are shared through the Hiko/Juggling stories with wonderful insight into the Queens that influenced this island group in the remote waters of the Pacific Ocean. 

As Producer/Director/Writer/ and Co-Editor, it has been a one woman 10 year journey of challenges and rewards where after a decade I finally crossed the Finish Line!  Whew. I still have more to come with marketing and distribution.  Similar to a child…a film is always in your life.

Easy? No. Inspired? YES !


In March of 2020…I was in the film festival circuit ready for distrubtion…and that came to an abrupt stop with the Pandemic. Finally ‘The Queen’s Influence’ was released in 2022 on Tubi and Prime.  To watch it (please do! And write a review!) Just type in Hiko you will find it.

Or go to these links:
https://amzn.to/3rdDirm
https://link.tubi.tv/5RTqxP8Qlub

www.queensinfluenc.com

www.hikofilm.com

I do have the help of many, and that is imperative.   

As I continue to make projects happen, the balancing of all the demands becomes easier. Good thing I’m a juggler and unicyclist with good balance.


It’s like a fine tuned instrument or wine..it just gets better and easier with time and practice.

It can also be exhausting. 

When I feel I just can’t go on… I go into a cocoon of quiet, sometimes for many days. I let go of things for a while so I can re-charge my battery. It’s so important to know your limits and know when your battery is low and when you need to re-charge.

We are humans of amazing potential. And I find this potential of mine needs to be monitored and regulated so my body/mind and soul stays strong and healthy.

The payoff is the happiness and connection on audiences faces in live and virtual performances and film screenings. This lightens my heart and gives me a skip in my magical steps in the dance of life. 

My mantra is Yes I Can Do THIS!
Whatever the THIS may be.

Looking in the mirror to empower myself and have a good pep talk with myself happens often.

Yes there are friends and family there supporting you..but it boils down to YOU.

It’s YOU that makes the decisions and makes things happen. 

No one else.

YOU CAN DO IT!  

Is truly my favorite Mantra that I repeat daily especially on my walks.

I continue to grow by learning new tech, new magic/ juggling, new filmmaking and new ways to say YES to life so that I can enjoy each moment as the throttle of opportunity opens.  It helps me stay young.

The Magic of Life.

The Magic of Persistence.

The Magic of Yes.


Bountiful blessings to all of you as you follow your dreams.

Paprika

PaprikaMagic.com

Magician and Leader in Self Empowerment Seminars WorldWide

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

I live in 2 places in Colorado. I have my mountain hideaway in Buena Vista and a downtown loft in Denver. Both have wonderful places I’d like to share.

Just north of Buena Vista is the Cottonwood Canyon with hiking trails, the Cottonwood Creek and the Wonderful Cottonwood Hot Springs… a treasure! It’s simple, low key and has 5 pools and a cold plunge into the Cottonwood Creek..if you dare!

I also recommend The Lariat in BV for food and wonderful music and The Stardust as a private event/ music venue. Not far is The Salida Circus, an amazing troupe of talented performers in which I’ve had the pleasure of performing with for 10 years. We perform all over Colorado in all sorts of venues.

Denver is new to me but I have already found Dazzle, the most wonderful jazz club and the Clocktower Cabaret where Vaudeville has returned. So many kinds of shows including Circus, Cabaret, Comedy and Magic. Looking forward to the possibility of performing there.

I live in a downtown loft right off of the 16th St. Mall. Fabulous!

I am finding Downtown Denver and the 16th St. Mall a work in progress with a giant remodel going on, but its still enchanting and has a great live music at The Apaloosa Grill and Dazzle. The arts center is not far and so many museums to explore! Wonderful City.

The Fantastical Regal Cinemas is awesome where I have acquired an unlimited pass. As a filmmaker.. I LOVE MOVIES! yet it is amazing to see how few people are going to the Cinema these days. I’d like to prompt everyone to return to the Movies so we don’t lose these amazing facilities. Avatar is bringing people back, but its been pretty quiet in most of the films.

I also live part time in Austin, Tx where I own houses and have AirBnB’s which allows me to pop in and visit. Austin has a plethora of amazing music, Highly recommended the Continental Club and The Gallery, Radio, CBoys, SXSW and Austin City Limits.

Bountiful Beauty and Best in cooler winter!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

Mentorship has been so influential in my life. Steven Spielberg was probably my biggest mentor for filmmaking when I worked with him at Amblin Entertainment in Los Angeles. Many others influenced me including Michael Moore and Ken Burns as well as Fritz Lang the director of the classic Metropolis, one of my favorite all time movies.

My mentors in Magic and Juggling are so many, but I do want to Shout Out to
David Copperfield and Homer Liwag for introducing me to so many magical possibilities and insight.

I had the honor of traveling with David and Homer bit and saw probably 40 Copperfield shows back in 1996/97 and figured out how it was done…though of course they were very secretive of their craft. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this was my training for years later when I would begin studying and performing magic.

It happened like this…
I was attending acting school in NYC and I attended a Copperfield show on Broadway with a friend. David Copperfield chose me from the audience and brought me on stage to be part of a magic illusion. And yes…this completely change my view and interest of magic.

This was my first magic show to ever see in person or on TV though I had been juggling for a short time.

After this on stage moment, they invited me back stage for the evening and I got to be friends with Homer and the team..…and ended up traveling a bit with them and seeing so many shows. I had no idea how magic was done.. and this was only an introduction for my future magic performance career…which enriches my life greatly!

Jeff McBride of McBride Magic is presently my Magic Mentor and Guide through the International World of Magic and Performance. His insight, patience, innovation and training is giving me the confidence to pursue illusions on a grand and world wide scale.

In regards to juggling.. Red Ryder formerly with Esther’s Follies in Austin was very influential in my view of juggling. His ability to play and practice at pretty much all times of the day and night was interesting and awesome.
Turk Pipkin in Austin also influenced me as well as hundreds of other performers including comedians such as Lucille Ball, Tina Fey and Carol Burnet, Tina Lenert, a Magician as well as Lilly Tomlin and so many more funny ladies also influence me.

I went to acting school in New York City and The Neighborhood Playhouse gave me training of staying in the moment  on stage with the repetition technique.  At this school I also combined my talents of filmmaking and acting and made a marketing video for the school in exchange for tuition.  This is the only way I could have gone to Acting School in NYC. Thanks NPH!

This journey to NYC in 1995 then introduced me to a woman juggler Asa Lodmark who taught me more advanced juggling and street performing. 

After acting school I had my motorcycle (Virago 750cc) in NYC so I decided to make a Short Film about my talking motorcycle and her first adventures into NYC called “Vera’s Initiation’.   It was a great experience utilizing most of my acting class from Neighborhood Playhouse.  I was the multi-tasking Director/Producer/Writer/Lead Actor/Etc on this short film.

See it on YouTube. https://youtu.be/RPq4lkmZkGE

The IJA, the International Jugglers Association was my first big blast of Juggling in Pittsburgh in 1997 changed my life when I walked into the gym and found my people! People, who liked to move, throw things, hang upside down and PLAY!  

Loved that I found juggling and Variety. It was so similar to gymnastics in the way routines are rehearsed and made into a theatrical presentation.

I met so many jugglers here and through the years that influence me greatly such as Cindy Marvell, Barry Friedman, Tony Duncan, Erin Stephens, Gena Shvarstman, Michael Rosman, Lee Ross, Victor Kee, Karamozov Brothers, etc…….

So many influences and so appreciative for all of these amazing people and projects!

Website: PaprikaMagic.com QueensInfluence.com Hikofilm.com

Instagram: instagram.com/paprikas_adventures

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paprikasadventures/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaprikasAdventures www.facebook.com/hiko

Youtube: YouTube @paprikasadventures

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