Pathways in Juggling: Learn How to Juggle with Balls, Rings, Clubs, Devil Sticks, Diabolos and Other Objects - Hardcover

Irving, Robert

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1850768218 ISBN 13: 9781850768210

Publisher: Apple Press, 1997

Synopsis

Rare book

About this title

About the Author

Robert Irving and Mike Martins

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

Juggling is a very special activity. We hesitate to use the word "skill" as the basic three-ball cascade is about as difficult to learn as is tying shoelaces and can be taught to young and old alike. Yet the enjoyment from this uncomplicated activity is without doubt out of all proportion to the level of difficulty. For onlookers it is also incredibly impressive -- even with only the very basic three balls. This book is about how to juggle, how to have a lot of fun, and how to look incredibly impressive.

When we discussed the nature of this book, we decided that what was needed was not only how to tell you how to do something, but also to show you. This is a very visual book, something for which we have adopted the phrase "virtual video." We hope you will find it has attributes of both a book that can be used as a source of reference and a video that permits you to see how something should look as well as being told how to do it.

Juggling has permeated history, from the earliest records over 4,000 years ago, which showed that the Egyptians had developed this form of entertainment, through the Middle Ages, which defined the accepted look of a "jester," to modern times where no circus or visual performance is complete without at least one exponent of this art. And art it certainly is, although juggling is a unique activity in that, in learning it, it is the left side of the brain that works through the logical processes of how it all fits together, but it is the right side that finally takes over. Once this transference has taken place -- and only when this happens -- you can juggle without thinking about it and the artist in you can really get going. Most modern activities do not lend themselves to right-brain thinking, which makes juggling the unusual activity it is.

Juggling is a relaxing activity which can be used as a form of stress relief. Due to the actions necessary, it also gives much-needed movement to the neck and upper torso for those in sedentary jobs. It is also good for the eyes - they need exercise too!

But -- you have learned the three-ball cascade. What now? All your friends have been impressed but you have reached the stage where you are looking up old friends to whom you haven't yet shown your new-found skill (there we go again, sorry -- "activity"). And isn't it difficult to bring up the subject of juggling when you haven't yet asked about their girlfriend, job, or latest hobby? Or maybe you just feel there are greater challenges in life. There are -- and more importantly for you, some of them relate to juggling. This is also what this book is about: what shall I do next, now that I can juggle?

In juggling, as in life, choices are there to be made. These are not necessarily exclusive but humankind has found that specialization leads naturally to greater skill within that specialization. So it is with juggling. We have identified the major paths available to you, once you have mastered basic juggling -- although we are not saying that these are the only ones available, or that you should decide to do just one.

If balls are impressive, a solid-looking, weighty and highly decorated club, spinning and whirling through the air, is vastly more so. So the first path is to look beyond balls at the myriad options available in club juggling, starting with the basics, giving you some pointers in practicing club control, and then giving some practical tricks which can be used to both practice the skills you have learned and to utilize those skills in visually stimulating club juggling tricks.

But while juggling three of anything can be made to look more impressive than it really is, adding additional quantities of balls (or clubs) makes even the most basic pattern stunning. The second pathway is therefore to look into the realm of quantity juggling, the additional timing skills required and the patterns needed to juggle four, five, and more.

Many, many jugglers are in love with three balls. And the patterns that can be performed with just three balls are innumerable. The third pathway is concerned with some of the ways in which the basic three-ball cascade can be enhanced -- culminating (in this book at least) with the incredibly visual Mill's Mess.

And then, juggling is a joyous activity -- so why not share it? Juggling with a friend, passing and sharing the experience, is not only one of the truly rewarding ways of spending time, but also a massively entertaining spectacle. In Chapter 5 we introduce the basics of these skills, imparting some of the intricacies of timing and the patterns commonly used.

No juggling book would be complete without some reference to the many different types of equipment that can be juggled other than balls and clubs. A couple of hundred years ago the Western world was introduced by the Chinese to the Devil Stick and the Diabolo. in addition to using standard items, many jugglers become avid pyromaniacs, setting fire to anything they can lay their hands on, so we also include a small section on fire products and safety.

And finally, "performance" is the watchword of most jugglers -- amateur and professional alike -- so we have included a section on the development of routines, "business" to be included therein, and those vitally important aspects: the beginning and the end of a routine.

The enjoyment you derive is a personal experience. Only you can determine which of the above paths you want to tread. So try them all, and above all -- have fun!

Edition details

• Publisher: Apple Press
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 1850768218
• ISBN 13: 9781850768210
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 128