Note: This is the third in a series. begun in the May 1977 and June - July 1977 issues of the lJA Newsletter, of a translation by Dave Walden from the German edition of Bauman's book which was originaly wriitten in Russian. These lessons below begin on page 133 of the German edition. Scenically Developed Numbers for Six Participants

 

At amateur collectives it often happens that more participants would like to participate in the development of a number. Therefore, we will now bring you a proposal for a formation in which six jugglers can participate. To make the description of the movements simpler, the actors will again work with counting.

 

After the announcer has indicated the number and the orchestra has played an introductory melody, all participants walk to the stage. Each holds three clubs in his hands. They walk to the front of the stage, bow to the audience and begin, all in one row beside each other, individually juggling with three clubs.

 

To begin they throw single turns and then double turns. They can, however, depending upon the preparedness of the participants, demonstrate other moves. After all actors have juggled in this manner for a little while, they return to juggling the clubs with single turns and then without interrupting the juggling or changing their position, on command they begin to juggle in pairs.

 

Number One throws the clubs with Two, Three with Four, Five with the Six - the so called partner cascade. (Note: it appears that what we call a shower, Bauman calls a cascade); it also appears that the jugglers are doing a trick (throwing doubles) which Bauman described earlier in the book and which is illustrated below:

- see figure 122 (left drawing).]

 

When the actors have completed this juggling trick, they move on to three cascades. To do this, One throws not to Two but to Three. The clubs are now thrown not with double but with triple turns. Three catches the club thrown by One with his left hand and hands it to Two in his left hand. While being thus passed, the clubs must move so that the handle points toward the floor.

 

Two passes a club from his right hand to the left hand of One (see figure 159 (middle drawing)).    

 

The second "troika" of jugglers does the same trick as the first, that is, Four throws to Six with triple turns, Six gives it to Five, and so on. After all participants have juggled in this manner for a while, upon command they switch to juggling individually with single turns. Without interrupting the juggling, the participants now change their position.

 

They form two rows. (The individuals must continue to juggle with the same rhythm.) Three and Four move back a few steps. While doing so Three steps slightly to the left, so that he stands facing Four. Four has moved somewhat to the back and right so that he is standing facing Three. Two and Five step backward a few less steps and also stand facing each other.

 

And then One and Six turn so that they are facing each other. The distance between the participants must be calculated so that the clubs do not come in contact with each other while juggling. As a result of their movements you now have two rows of people facing each other on the stage.

See figure 160 (right drawing).

   

If necessary the two rows should step a bit nearer to each other. The combined juggling of both rows begins on a command (or after a counted number of throws). One throws his first club to Six, the second he keeps (that is, he juggles it at the set rhythm). Six throws his first club to One and the second club to Two and continues to alternate between them. Two throws his first club to Five, second club to Six, and then continues to alternate between them.

 

Five throws his first club to Two, the second club to Three. Three passes his first club to Four, and second club to Five, and Four juggles his first club to Three, and his second club he keeps. All participants pass the clubs with single turns.

 

(The patterns which complete this section will be included in a later issue.)