h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I can juggle thre balls in a cascade, but seem to be unable to take it further. Any suggestions for a simple straight forward next step to more balls and better tricks? I would also really like to be able to do the shower, but all I seem to get is a load of balls on the floor...

Bambi

Hi Bambi,
There are lots of tricks you can learn once you've got the hang of the basic cascade. Here's a few suggestions:

Juggler's Tennis:
Start by juggling three balls in the normal way. Then, instead of throwing one of the balls underneath the one in the air, throw it over the top instead. Catch it in your other hand, swapping as before and then, when it comes time to throw that one back, throw it over the top of the incoming ball again. You should end up with one ball ('the ball') going backwards and forwards in an arc, over the top of the other two balls ('the net') which you're still exchanging normally. Hey presto, tennis!

Reverse Cascade:
Once you've got the hang of tennis, try throwing all of the balls 'over the top' rather than just the 'ball' ball. That's the reverse cascade.

Two in one hand:
The first step towards four balls and also a step towards several other three ball tricks. Ditch the third ball for now and practise throwing two balls round in a elongated oval (long and thin) pattern from one hand. Practise going round anti-clockwise and clockwise. Now try throwing them in columns, up and down, moving your hand from side to side to throw and catch them. Now try it with the other hand.

Once you've got the hang of columns, pick up the third ball again. Hold one ball in each hand and throw the third up the middle to about head height. When it comes down, switch it with one of the other balls in one hand (as in columns) and throw the other ball straight up from the other hand. (So you've got one ball going up and down the middle and the other two going up and down on either side). See how long you can keep it going.

Variations:

Switch the hand with which you catch the middle ball.
Instead of throwing one of the outside balls, just move your hand (still holding the ball) up and down the column. (Much comedy value )
Instead of throwing the outside balls up and down, throw them in an arch pattern across to the other hand (hoping that they don't just hit each other in the middle). You've now got two balls exchanging in an arch, with the third still just going up and down in the middle. The Umbrella!

Four balls:
This, in it's simplest form, is just two in each hand. Try circling clockwise on your right and anti-clockwise on your left. Alternate right-left at the same sort of speed as for three (but throw the balls slightly above head height).

I wouldn't worry about the shower for now. What you can do is the half-shower, which is throwing all the balls from one hand 'over the top' as in tennis above but all the balls from the other underneath as in a usual cascade, so you get a kind of pac-man shape, facing downwards.

It might be worth you checking out the Juggling Org website (the URL of which is reasonably obvious..) for a few hints and tips on other tricks and a guide on juggling clubs (that's clubs as in organisations, rather than pin-like implements (and that's pins as bowling pins, rather than sewing pins)) in your area.
If you're thinking of getting a book, Charlie Dancey's Encyclopedia of Ball Juggling has enough tricks to keep you frustrated for years

Other than those you could try 'under the leg', 'under the other leg' or 'claw catching' (try catching the balls palm downwards, clawing them out of the air, while doing a standard cascade).

Good luck! Hope that made some sort of sense. Language is not the best way of describing juggling! If you can find a club in your area, that's probably the best way to learn, but feel free to give me a shout if you want some more suggestions.

Very nice, very nice, but why is the previous just a chat and not in the main article? Tricks section ahoy methinks? I can juggle records too ya know, but dats a different story. Jugglers mess sir? Nice, Vee Bee Emm, out. Peace. Equality. Nice stuff too. Flowers and puppies. sorry. bye.

Serious book recommendation: "The Encyclopedia of Ball Juggling" by Charlie Dancey. This is the only juggling book you'll ever need. It explains everything from simple three ball cascade to the five ball Mills Mess (you *don't* want to know!) and is absolutely excellent. There's an accompanying volume on club juggling.

The only other juggling book worth a damn is "Beyond the Cascade" by George Gilson, but it's not as much fun as Dancey's book and the diagrams are harder to follow. Avoid "The Complete Juggler". I bought it, and I can honestly say, I think it's a load of toss.

If you've got three balls dialled, go buy some clubs, but don't spend any less than £50 on a set of three or you're storing up trouble.

H.
Juggler.

You forgot about Dancey's other masterpiece, his 'Compendium of Club Juggling'. If such is indeed possible, its even more comprehensive than his ball juggling tome.

I refer my honourable friend to the phrase "There's an accompanying volume on club juggling." in said posting... Possibly not something someone who's just cracked the cascade needs to worry about for a week or two at least...

H.

Fair points

Yep, I'll back up both of those recommendations (I already mentioned Charlie Dancey's book up there ^
I've got Beyond the Cascade too, but found the Dancey book much easier to understand. Have to splash out on the club companion sometime!

Yep, I'll back up both of those recommendations (I already mentioned Charlie Dancey's book up there ^
I've got Beyond the Cascade too, but found the Dancey book much easier to understand. Have to splash out on the club companion sometime!