Learn contact juggling

i got a ball last week from jugglingstore.com

a sil-x silicone practice ball. it’s heavy and tactile and much better than the tennis ball i had been using.

ive been practicing about a week or two and ive learned (not mastered) some of the basics like venus fly trap, praying hands, walking halfpipe, butterfly, etc.

Ever since I saw David Bowe do it I’ve wanted to try this.

A few weeks ago at Scarborough Faire, Davin & I stopped at the juggling booth and got a basic lesson in contact juggling. And then proceeded to buy a wooden practice ball and two acrylic balls (clear for him, purple for me).

I’ve got the first basic finger roll down, and while I was home last weekend my brother’s juggling partner showed me how to practice the movement for the butterfly. Yesterday, another free lesson at Scarborough, this time on rolling the ball to the outside of the hand.

It’s only basic rolls – no fancy moves just yet – but it’s a start.

I want so badly to learn how to do this! It was amazing seeing it done in the Labyrinth (and no, it wasn’t David Bowie) and the small role it played in MirrorMask is also impressive. I’m always busy with my hands anyway. It just seems so, Magical is the only word that comes to mind as well as surreal. I don’t want to impress anyone or anything like that I just want to entertain myself and possibly others as well.

Anyone who wants to learn to contact juggle, I support you and I can offer you some help. I made an instructional DVD on contact juggling. Its available from penguinmagic.com for $30. If you would like a copy because it is something that you really want to learn, then contact me and I will find a way to get you a free copy. No strings attached. Well 2 strings attached. One, please don’t take me up on this offer unless this is something that you really want to do. And two, if you take me up on my offer, do something to help some one on this site accomplish something that they want.

From the moment I saw David Bowie doing it in the movie “Labrinyth” (and I’m sure it wasn’t him doing it but still), I’ve always wanted to be able to do contact juggling. For no other reason than to amuse myself. I’ve found a few books, online supply places, and educational websites on the subject so now it’s just a matter of obtaining everything and giving it a try.