What are Different Types of Juggling?

The most traditional form of juggling involves one person tossing three or more balls into the air and catching them before they fall to the ground. This common form of juggling is referred to as toss juggling and may also use clubs or rings in place of balls. As juggling experts have improved in their craft, however, a broader range of juggling styles have emerged.

One type of juggling is the cigar box. With the cigar box, the juggler tosses three or more boxes in the air. As would be expected, these boxes are designed to look like cigar boxes. As the juggler tosses the boxes into the air, he or she periodically stacks them in unusual combinations. These combinations may include stacking some of the boxes on their edges or stacking them beneath one leg while standing on one foot.

Another type of juggling is devilsticks or hippysticks, which is also referred to as devilstick manipulation, fiddlesticking, or just sticking. With this form of juggling, the juggler manipulates a central baton by using two other sticks. Using only these control sticks, the juggler may toss the central baton in the air, twist it, and perform other tricks without allowing the central baton to touch anything other than the control sticks.

Diablo is another form of juggling. With this style, the juggler makes the Diablo, which is an object shaped like an hourglass, perform certain tricks using a special tool. This tool is simply two short wands with a string attached to both of them. Using these strings, the juggler makes the Diablo spin and fly through the air.

Jugglers have also made juggling more than just a one man show. When more than one person is involved with the juggling act, it is referred to as group passing. Usually, the members of the group face one another during group juggling. To add to the excitement, members of the group often perform tricks while juggling the objects back and forth.

The most popular object to use during group passing is clubs. Some professional jugglers, however, have made their act more daring by tossing objects such as swords or lit torches.