Page 30 Spring 1991
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You
might find this pattern easier to start, at least initially, if the
left-handed passer has three clubs. If that's you and you still have
trouble getting the first throw off, try starting with two clubs
in the right hand and one in the left, making the first throw be a
self from the right at the same time as your partner starts with a
right hand pass. Follow your right self with a left (diagonal) pass
and you're underway. Remember to keep the passes high enough to be
doubles. SEVEN
CLUBS LEFT HANDED If
both you and your partner can do the left handed part of seven
crossing above, then you might as well try a straight seven left
handed, with both of you passing left handed straight across (no
diagonals). When you're passing left handed, you may exhibit bad
habits that you don't have right handed. For instance, make sure
you're passing from outside of your (left) leg, and keep the passes
lofty. In fact, go back and read the beginning section above on
learning to pass seven clubs, and apply the ideas there to your
left handed seven. And if you master seven doubles left handed, go
back and try seven singles and doubles left handed, then even seven
singles. RIGHT
AND LEFT FEED WITH 11 CLUBS If
you add a right handed seven-club passer to a duo passing seven
left-handed, you get a challenging ll-club feed. The feeder passes
with both hands: right-handed to a feedee who is just passing seven
right handed and left handed to the other feedee passing seven
left handed. Try it with doubles. SEVEN
CLUBS IN A 3 COUNT Since
the 3-count has been gaining popularity with six-club jugglers,
here's the 3-count for seven clubs. In a 3-count pattern, you pass a
club every 3 counts, that is, every 3 throws counting both hands:
pass, self, self. So each juggler passes alternately from the right
and left hands.
The
straight passer starts with a right-toleft double and then just
continues in the 3-count (double, self, self, double, self, self).
The
diagonal passer starts one-half count after the straight passer
starts and first throws a left self, then a right-to-right double
and continues the 3-count (self, double, self, self, double, self,
self). This starting delay is only half the delay (1 count) in the
start of a normal seven doubles pattern. The 1/2-count delay makes
the diagonal passes occur 1 1/2 counts after and 1 1/2 counts before
a straight pass from the other juggler - so the pattern is
symmetrical.
The
general rule to remember for starting the seven-club 3-count is
this. The first person (with four clubs) starts with a pass toward
the hand that has two clubs, and the second person (three clubs)
does a self 1/2 count later followed by a pass. Of course, one
person has to throw diagonally and one straight, but it doesn't
matter which one starts.
3-COUNT
FEED WITH 11
CLUBS You
can make the 3-count into a feed by adding one or two people with
four clubs each to create an ll-club 3-count feed or a 15-club
1count typewriter feed. These two patterns are described for 9
clubs and 12 clubs in Juggler's World, vol. 40, no. 3. The extra
clubs don't change the basic pattern of passes for anybody, although
they do change the start. Be sure to have the feedees start passing
1 count apart. In the 3-ct feed, the feeder does pass, pass, self.
In the typewriter feed, the feeder has no selves.
SEVEN
CLUBS IN A 1-COUNT This
might be considered the ultimate seven club pattern, since both
jugglers are passing every club, with no selves at all. Like the
3-count above, one juggler passes diagonally and one straight (Fig.
7).
This
pattern can be done with singles or doubles (or a combination!). It
is slower with doubles, but easier to keep under control (easier
to see where your passes are going) with singles. If you try
singles, keep them slow, that is high and lofty, spinning slowly.
To
start the 1-count, decide who will throw straight and who
diagonally. Now the person with four clubs starts by passing toward
the hand that has only one club. The second person starts quickly
thereafter, passing from the hand with two clubs (the right,
probably, if that's the most comfortable). Now you both just
alternate passing from right and left, making sure your throws are
of the proper kind (diagonal or straight).
Here are some techniques that can be used to make the 1-count manageable. First, try to make your throws arrive just outside the shoulder at shoulder level, and keep them slow and high. The person who is throwing diagonals should throw from in front of the leg to just outside the shoulder. The person throwing straight should throw from well outside the leg to outside the shoulder. This will help avoid collisions by keeping the clubs all in their own lanes. As usual, watching your passes will help you keep them accurate.
SLOW
FAST In
the slow-fast pattern, the slow juggler passes from both the
right and left hands, whereas the fast juggler passes to both
hands. The slow juggler has no selves, only passes. The fast juggler
has selves plus passes and makes twice as many throws in the same
amount of time. Fig. 8 shows all the throws. The easiest way to do
this pattern with seven clubs is probably with doubles, but you
might also try singles or singles and doubles.
Let's
have the fast juggler start with four
clubs and pass first a right-to-left double, then a left self,
a right -to-right double, and another left self. That's the whole
pattern. Basically, the fast juggler feeds the slow juggler's two
hands, with doubles.
The
key is for the slow juggler to go as slow as is reasonable, passing
only when necessary. The slow juggler controls the speed of the
overall pattern, and since the fast person may be a little pressed for
time, the slow juggler should keep things from getting too fast
There's
one likely collision problem, because the jugglers' two diagonal
throws cross somewhat close together. The fast juggler can help
avoid a collision there by throwing rightto-right passes that arrive
outside, or at least definitely not inside. It's also useful to throw
those passes from a little bit inside the right leg, as the hand
tosses diagonally toward just outside the slow person's right
shoulder. Throwing this pass from inside in this way helps get it
quickly out of the way of the following diagonal from the slow
juggler's left hand. BACK-TO-BACK
AND FRONT-TO-BACK These patterns can be done in the same fashion as their six-club variants. Things are just a little faster with seven. One interesting facet is that these patterns are syncopated with six clubs because the pass is higher and slower than the self. But the seventh club speeds things up and evens out the rhythm. Note that in front-to-back one person passes left handed and the other right handed. It's probably easier with the drop back done left handed (so why not try the other way too!).
TRICKS
IN SEVEN-CLUB PATTERNS All
the usual sorts of trick throws can be done
with seven club patterns. For instance, try throwing chops,
flats, early passes (doubles or triples), under the leg, etc. In
particular, if you're
passing doubles, you can throw an early triple from the hand that
isn't usually passing, or a late triple to the hand that isn't
usually catching passes. But you can't throw early passes if you
don't have any selves (e.g., in a 1-count).
IN
CONCLUSION ... Many patterns extend naturally from six to seven clubs. Try your favorite six-club variations with one more club. Passing seven clubs has the advantage that since seven is odd you can have symmetric crossing variations without collisions. If you have any comments or suggestions for Juggler's Workshop, you can write to Juggler's Workshop, Palo Alto, or call: Martin Frost. |