Page 30 Fall 1986
TIPS
&. TRICKS
The
following juggling ideas were collected during years in different
phases of show business. Some are old, some new, some changed and some
will suggest other novel effects to you. I hope you can find at least
a couple that you will use. THREE BALL TRICKS: Cross hands and cascade balls. To open, have three balls in one hand, toss them over your shoulder and let them bounce on the floor in front to begin cascade. · Bounce ball off the floor with reverse English, catch it with your hand cupped outward by your side.
·
Throw three balls down hard on the floor in front, pirouette to catch
them and resume juggling. · One ball is thrown high, reach up and
catch it at the top of its flight, then bring it back into the pattern
slowly while you do two in the other hand. You can wave your fingers
at the audience while hand is high.
·
Close a three ball routine with three in one hand. · Hit and bounce a
ball with your
elbow or back of the other hand. · SPECIAL
EFFECTS: Juggle three magic store light bulbs that illuminate. ·
·
Replace dolls' feet with wood handles to "juggle small
children." · Juggle three flashlights turned on with the stage
darkened. · Before you juggle and eat an apple, put a rubber worm
in it to surprise the audience.
·
If you balance a ball on a mouthstick, use a flute instead and end the
routine with a tune. · Juggle a napkin, doughnut and dark empty pop
bottle. Eat the doughnut, wipe your mouth with the napkin and act like
you wash it down with a drink from the bottle. · Do a cigar box
routine with three square bird cages containing toy birds.
·
Ventriloquist jugglers can paint a face on one hand and then give
running com mentary
as the other hand juggles balls. . To comment on "how time
flies," juggle three watches. DRESS
& DECORATION: Cut circles or diamond shaped pieces of foil and
glue to
your rings for more color and flash. . Buy a jacket from a uniform
supply company and sew sequins to the lapels and hems to make a
flashy costume coat. · Make
a waist sash from a five-inch wide piece of satin that fastens with
sewed-in hooks. · Laundry carts make excellent props holders. They
have wheels and fold flat for packing. Decorate with red velvet or
corduroy and sequins.
·
Use different hats for different tricks. A fez for torches, clown hat
for three balls, Mexican hat for devil's sticks, top hat for clubs, a
turban for knives. · Paint your
spinning plates white to look like fragile ceramic or pottery
instead of metal. · Plate spinners can also use arrows instead of
plain sticks. · Big old socks stretched over clubs protect them and
keep them clean.
·
Dip three dime store balls in glue and Six
Ball Juggling Most
people trying to do six balls would initially try three in each hand,
as a logical extension of four ball juggling. However, a crossing
pattern where balls are thrown almost simultaneously might be easier.
Dan
Bennett uses it in IJA numbers competition. Edward Jackman, who
reported on the pattern in 1977 in an IJA Newsletter, said he learned
this pattern up to 24 throws before he could do three in the his left
hand.
Start with three balls in each hand. Raise one hand slightly above the other so throws don't collide and then make the crossing throws in unison. All throws pass in front of your nose, which makes them easier to see. Eight balls can be done in the same manner. |