Juggling Equipment: Props
The objects used in juggling are called “props”.
fire juggling propsSome of the most common objects that jugglers used during the early days of juggling were balls and rings. Balls were made of acrylic or even glass! The use of fruits was common in the tropical Pacific Islands.
To get more spectacular, early jugglers often implemented flaming torches and knives. In Ireland, there were even laws written to give audience members the right to compensation if they were in anyway harmed by a juggler during their show.
Today, people juggle with anything from bean bag sacks to dogs and chainsaws.
When learning to juggle, scarves are the easiest, rings are the easiest prop to juggle within large numbers as they’re light, and it’s easy to hold several, and clubs are easier than balls to juggle while on a unicycle because they require less accuracy to catch.
Here’s a comprehensive list of props that re used for juggling:
- Balls: The most common juggling prop, usually round and easy to handle, ranging from soft beanbags to bouncy balls.
- Clubs: Elongated, tapering objects that rotate in the air when thrown, often made of plastic or wood.
- Rings: Flat, lightweight rings used for juggling, known for their smooth and stable flight pattern.
- Contact Juggling Balls: Solid or transparent balls, usually larger and heavier, designed for rolling across the body without being tossed.
- Diabolo: An hourglass-shaped spool spun on a string between two sticks, used for tossing and catching in various tricks.
- Devil Sticks: A central stick manipulated by two handsticks, used for twirling, tossing, and balancing tricks.
- Cigar Boxes: Rectangular boxes typically made of wood, used for sliding, stacking, and tossing tricks in juggling.
- Poi: Balls attached to strings, swung in patterns around the body, often used in performance art or fire shows.
- Shaker Cups: Plastic or metal cups used in juggling, especially in flair bartending, for tossing and catching.
- Juggling Knives: Sharp blades designed for juggling, with blunt handles and weighted blades to make them safer for throws.
- Fire Torches: Weighted torches with wicks on the end, lit on fire for juggling, adding danger and spectacle to performances.
- Bounce Balls: Specially designed balls that are more elastic and bounce consistently off surfaces like floors or walls.
- Unicycle: A one-wheeled vehicle used as a prop in juggling to increase the challenge while balancing and performing.
- Juggling Hats: Soft, wide-brimmed hats with enough structure to be tossed, flipped, and caught in juggling routines.
- Plate Spinning Discs: Flat, lightweight plates designed to be spun on a stick, often used alongside other juggling tricks.
- Kendama: A Japanese toy consisting of a ball and a cup-and-stick tool, used for catching tricks in precision juggling.
- Chopsticks: Thin sticks used in contact juggling, commonly employed in devil sticks or flower stick routines.
- Hoops: Large rings, typically used for spinning around the body, but can also be thrown and caught in juggling.
- Peacock Feathers: Lightweight feathers balanced on different parts of the body, often used for concentration exercises.
- Torches with LED lights: Battery-operated juggling props that light up, used for juggling in dark or low-light environments.
- Boomerangs: Used for both throwing and catching in specific juggling routines, particularly when returning flight is needed.
- Beanbags: Small, soft bags filled with beans or beads, often used by beginners because they don’t roll away when dropped.
- Eggs: Occasionally used as a novelty juggling prop, real or fake eggs add an element of risk to the act.
- Chairs: Chairs can be juggled by strong performers, or used in chair-balancing acts as part of a circus performance.
- Bowling Pins: Similar to clubs but heavier and bulkier, adding a comedic or exaggerated element to the performance.
- Stage Balls: Larger, smoother, and more visible balls often used for stage performances, designed for visibility and aesthetics.
- Yo-yos: Some advanced juggling acts incorporate yo-yos, where performers manipulate their stringed movement while juggling other objects.
- Whips: In some cases, jugglers use whips in their routines for cracking and object manipulation tricks.
- Baton: A long, thin, balanced stick used for twirling and juggling, often seen in majorette and performance arts.
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