Renegade Passing Ring

The Renegade Passing ring is lightweight and easy to catch and throw. It's one inch thick and 14 inches in diameter, made of soft plastic and available in ten colors. Fun for jugglers who think they hate rings and perfect for beginners who are learning to pass. Renegade Juggling Co.; Santa Cruz CA.

Chasley Juggleables

The Chasley Company introduces three new sets of personable beanbags - High-Tech Wonders (computers with glow-in-the-dark screens), Milk Shakes (cows) and

Catching Fireflies (glow-in-the­dark lightning bugs). Available at retail outlets. For orders over $100 contact Chasley; Seattle WA.

MYSTIX

Wizz-Bang Engineering presents the MYSTIX, inspired by a desire to improve upon the handling characteristics of the devil stick. Constructed of silicone­coated fiberglass and tipped with foam rubber bumpers, the MYSTIX provides a high-friction control surface. Light-weight and flexible, MYSTIX is easier to learn than traditional juggling sticks, more controllable, safer and tougher. Wizz-Bang Engineering; Cape Coral FL.

VIDEOS

Ball Bouncing Juggling. By The Idea Machine, Inc., Monee, IL, Price:$29.95.  40 minutes. Also available from Brian Dube.

Although ball bouncing acts have never been as popular as air juggling, they are a time-honored tradition, particularly through vaudeville and post-WWII acts. "Ball Bouncing Juggling," with Paul Bachman, might just increase the possibility of some new performers who will extensively use this style in the future.

The video is set up in four sections: 1) Possibilities with 3, 4, and 5; 2) How to Begin; 3) "English" in ball bouncing; 4) Bouncing balls and stages. In section one, Paul shows a nice variety of forms with different numbers.

Section two starts off right, showing how to release, time and catch a number of different kinds of throws, as well as explaining some pattern variations. But section two is all too brief. Perhaps there will be a follow-up video with more intermediate and advanced patterns, but we need to see more breakdown of some of the patterns in section one. Bachman will explain an initial throw or two in a pattern, and then just stop explaining any further, seemingly satisfied to just give us a taste of what he's doing. Personally, I would have preferred more detail.

Section three reveals some of the "tricks" in getting that wonderful spin on a ball that propels it through one, two or even three bounces before catching. Paul Bachman certainly makes it look easy.

Section four deals with the type of ball to use for bounce juggling and how to construct a portable stage that will give you a consistent bounce in any performing conditions. As much time was spent on this more advanced consideration as on some of the basic breakdowns in the patterns, and it seems less useful to a beginning bounce juggler. But for those who want to get into performance, there are good tips here.

One great appeal of this video is interviews with Bachman, who describes some of his pro's secrets and thirty-some years of personal history. These relaxed, chatty sections are sprinkled throughout the video and are full of little nuggets of wisdom, especially about how to focus the audience's attention through timing, pace and size of patterns. The camera work is solid, with numerous close-ups and full shots. I should point out, too, that Bachman talks frequently during his juggling, even when he's got four or five balls going in many directions. In and of itself, this is a most impressive display of simultaneous conscious awareness and unconscious competence in a juggler!