The classic figure-of-eight pattern with which almost all jugglers first learn three balls.
The Half Shower,Tennis, Reverse Cascade, Windmill, and the famous Boston Shuffle and Mills Mess are all variants on this basic pattern, with the hands' throw/catch positions changing.
A 3-Cascade, where every third throw is a split multiplex.
Essentially it's a superposition of a 2-Fountain SS:2T and a 3-Cascade throw SS:300 .
This is one of the easiest ways of juggling three balls. Remember to throw the crossing ball higher than the others. It's good practice for throwing split multiplexes from a pattern, and for the full 5-Ball Split-Multiplexed 3-Cascade SS:[32T] .
This is a very common trick to see in three-ball routines, as it creates an interesting change of pace/height from the non-multiplexed 3-ball patterns.
This pattern has the same look as the Fake Box SS:441 , but not the energy. And here's why - in SS:441 , there are two fountain throws next to each other. But in SS:[42]21 a ball is held, not fountained, before every zip. But that still leaves one fountain, so it looks like a watered-down version.
All it really is is a combination of SS:420 and SS:201 . But nice to confuse people!
This is 2 balls in one hand SS:40, and a single 4-Fountain SS:4000 in the other.
This pattern has the rhythm: RLR, RLR, RLR, ...
3/4 of a 4-Fountain SS:4 (or 4 with a ball missing), it's good practice for learning this pattern. Progressing on from the Hot Potato 2-Ball FountainSS:4400 and 2 balls in 1 Hand SS:40, you can concentrate on 2 in 1 hand while the other hand is no longer empty - it's now doing 4-Fountain throws, but with a gap so you can still concentrate on the other hand.
This is the Hot Potato Sync 2-Fountain SS:(4,4)(0,0) with a single fountain throw in place of the empty hands.
Visually, the effect is of two balls rising, one falling, etc. You can throw the single one either inside or outside the pair, to create quite different effects. This only works really well if the pair are thrown to exactly the same place at the same time.
3/4 of the Sync 4-Fountain SS:(4,4) , it's good practice for learning this pattern.
This is very similar to One Up, Two Up SS:(4,4)(4,0) , except the thrown pair are now crossed. It can create a nice rainbow effect. You need to practice avoiding collisions between the 4x's.
Good practice for this one is the "Hot Potato" 2-Ball Cross SS:(4x,4x)(0,0) .
This is very similar to One Up, Two Up SS:(4,4)(4,0) , except the single ball switches hands. Depending on outside/inside throws/catches, you can make it trace a figure-of-8 around the sync pair.
This is a squashed version of the Async ShowerSS:51 . It can be hard to learn to co-ordinate, as one hand zips across at the same time as the other cascades across.
You need to get the timing of this right, in both directions, to master the Box SS:(4,2x)(2x,4) .
Similar to the Sync Box SS:(4,2x)(2x,4) . Looks harder, but is easier to do!
This pattern has the rhythm: RL, LR, RL, LR, ...
Because you're throwing only 4's from each hand, and the extra zip gives an impression of business, it can appear as if you're actually juggling four balls, in the FountainSS:4 . This is why SS:441 is sometimes known as the "Fake Four".
Each ball goes everywhere in the pattern, in a SS:400040001 pattern, where it's fountained twice in each hand before being zipped across to the other hand.
This looks very similar to the Fake Box SS:441 , but with a different rhythm: R, RL, L, LR, ... Now only one ball switches hands; the other two stay in each hand.
You can keep adding as many fountain throws SS:42 as you want: the SSN patterns are all of the form 414(24)n.
A Classic pattern. Very easy to see what's going on, much harder to do well!
One ball is fountained while at the same time the other hand zips a ball across. Then the direction is switched. You can also think of it as single showers SS:(4x,2x) constantly switching direction.
Visually, the effect is of a ball fountained in each hand, underneath which the third one is zipped across between the hands.
This is quite a hard pattern. Two balls are stacked high-low; the lower is caught first and then stacked again with the 3rd (held) ball. It looks like a busy SS:[44]040 .
You really need to split the stack wide to give yourself enough time to catch and throw the lower ball again before the upper one lands.
A high, slow 3-cascade SS:3 . Useful to practice the 5-Cascade throw height SS:5 , but it's hard to do this without "cheating" and collapsing the heights down to a SS:3
Each hand is simply holding a ball between every throw, so you've got time to quickly exchange them underneath in a showerSS:531 . This makes it harder to collapse the heights and keeps the throw a true 5.
This can be used as a pirouette from the 3-Cascade SS:3 . Throw one high while holding the other two, spin around, throw them, catch it and continue the juggle.
The pirouette can be a half-turn, full turn or more!
Useful to practice the 5-Cascade throw height SS:5 , but because it isn't an even tempo pattern, it's hard to do this without "cheating" and collapsing the heights down to a SS:3
One hand is momentarily empty between every pairs of throws, so you've got time to quickly exchange the held ball across and back in a double zip SS:5511 . This makes it harder to collapse the heights and keeps the throws true 5's.
A two-ball pirouette from the 3-Cascade SS:3 . Throw two high while holding the other one, spin around, throw it, catch them and continue the juggle.
Harder than the High 3-Cascade SS:522 because you need to line up the two high as you throw them. So practice SS:522 first.
This is actually a 5-cascade SS:5 with two balls in a row missing. It's also called the "3-Ball Flash". (However this name can also refer to just three catches of the 3-Cascade).
This pattern has the rhythm: RLR, LRL, RLR, ...
3/5 of the 5-Cascade SS:5 , as with SS:522 , this is a useful pattern to practice the 5-Cascade SS:5 , but it's hard to do this without "cheating" and collapsing the heights down to a SS:3 . However both hands are momentarily empty between every set of throws, so you've got time to clap your hands. This makes it harder to collapse the heights.
This can be used as a three-ball pirouette from the 3-Cascade SS:3 . Throw all three balls high, spin around, catch them and continue the juggle.
Flashier, although harder than both the High and 2-High 3-Cascades SS:522 , SS:5520 because you need to line them all up as you throw them. So practice SS:522 and SS:5520 first.
Compare also the harder even-tempo Hot Potato CascadeSS:900 .
3/5 of the 5-Cascade SS:5 , this is also a 5-Cascade with two balls missing. But, unlike the 3-High 3-Cascade SS:55500 , they're spaced two throws apart.
Visually, the effect is of three balls being snaked around from hand to hand in the rhythm: R, RL, L, LR, ...
As with SS:522 and SS:55500 , this is a useful pattern to practice the 5-Cascade SS:5 . However, unlike the other two, its timing means you can't "cheat" and collapse the heights down to a SS:3 . So it's a very realistic practice for the 5-Cascade SS:5 . But this also means that it's a hard 3-ball pattern to do - many jugglers reckon that they can't really do it properly until they can do the 5-Cascade SS:5 itself!
Although the 2-Shower SS:31 is the one most non-jugglers can already do with two balls, mostly they assume that the 3-Shower SS:51 must be the easiest with three balls. But it's the 3-Cascade SS:3 that's the easiest - the 3-Shower SS:51 is actually quite hard to learn!
This is very similar to the Sync ShowerSS:(4x,2x) , except one ball is cascaded before another is zipped (rather than simultaneously). This means the cascades have to be higher to accommodate this extra delay, and so the 4x's become 5's. Learn in both directions as good practice for the 5-Ball CascadeSS:5 .
This is a well-known pattern where, although officially three balls are juggled, only two are ever tossed in the air SS:50500 . The other is constantly being zipped across between the hands, between pauses SS:20201 . This means that it's treated very gently, and can be replaced by a baby or similarly delicate prop without (too much!) risk of dropping it.
You can also think of it as two reversing 3-Ball Showers SS:51 .
You can keep adding as many shower throws SS:51 as you want: the SSN patterns are all of the form 525(15)n12. This is effectively a nice transition between three balls showered in each direction.
Visually, the effect is of a ball fountained in one hand SS:4000 , with the other two being showered higher SS:5201 on the other side between the hands.
Visually, the effect is of a ball cascaded from hand to hand in a high, lazy arc SS:50000 , and the other two are zipped between a 2-Fountain in each hand SS:41401 .
Visually, the effect is of 3 balls cascaded in the usual pattern SS:3 , but rather high SS:522 . Then just before one hand throws a 5, the other hand throws the second ball in a low fountain (4), rather than just holding onto it (2). In theory this is simple to do - you've plenty of time to do the wee throw (04) instead of the hold (22). But in practice it's really hard to learn! You need to be consistently solid with the high 5 throw to give yourself enough time to neatly pop up the 4, so you're probably able to juggle (at least a bit) 5 balls. But it's only a 3-ball pattern, and one that seems obvious/easy as well - so hence the name!
There's a 2-beat pause between the high and low throws. This is good practice for the 4-Ball 1/2-Shower SS:53 , as the pause lets you adjust the relative heights of the two throws with only one other ball to worry about.
This is as close as the basic Site Swap notation comes to describing a 3-Ball 1/2-Shower, but because of the pause the timing's not right. Actually SS:5223 is closer to the 4-Ball 1/4-Shower SS:5344 in terms of timing, although in the first pattern the 3 then 5 are thrown before the pause, but in the latter the 3 comes after the 5. The 3-Ball 1/2-Shower is really just a 3-Cascade SS:3 with one hand throwing outside. Sometimes the notation is given as SS:3'3 (where the ' is one of these) to show that every second throw is made outside.
Quite a busy pattern, but the simplest one with throws to heights 3, 4 & 5 all in the same pattern.
Visually, the effect is of a ball fountained in one hand SS:4000 , with the other two being 1/2-showered SS:5300 on the other side between the hands. Similar to SS:5241 .
This is excellent practice for the harder 4-Ball fireworks pattern SS:534 , as it's easier to adjust the relative heights of the three throws while juggling three balls rather than four. Also being an even length pattern, by practising it on either side you can work on each hand separately - one hand always does the hard 5 & 4 throws, the other the easier 3 throws.
Quite a complicated 3-Tennis pattern but, like SS:5340 , another of the simplest to throw to heights 3, 4 & 5 all in the same pattern.
Visually, the effect is of a ball cascaded from hand to hand in a high, lazy arc SS:50000 , and the other two are fountained and showered underneath SS:41302 , keeping to separate sides.
What's interesting to spot when it's juggled well is that each hand does the throws 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 in succession so the pattern continuously rises and falls in a "breathing" fashion.
This is another good practice for the harder 4-Ball fireworks pattern SS:534 .
Another complicated 3-Tennis pattern and, like SS:52413 , another of the simplest to throw to heights 3,4 & 5 all in the same pattern.
Visually, the effect is of two balls cascaded high and low from hand to hand in SS:50000 and SS:30020 patterns, while the third is zipped and fountained underneath, SS:40001 .
Another complicated 3-Tennis pattern and, like SS:52413 and SS:53142 , another of the simplest to throw to heights 3, 4 & 5 all in the same pattern.
Visually, the effect is of a ball cascaded from hand to hand in a high, lazy arc SS:50000 , and the other two are cascaded, fountained and zipped underneath SS:34012 .
When done well it's impressive. You throw the 3, 4 & 5 consecutively, and being different parity means they all come down in the same hand. So like fireworks three balls appear from the middle of the pattern, higher and higher, all up to one side. Then all goes dead until it happens all over again to the other side. The reason it can take time to perfect is the difficulty of getting the relative heights of the 3, 4 & 5 correct - if you don't, then you'll probably get more than one ball landing in a hand at once!
Particularly because of this last point, this is another excellent practice for the harder 4-Ball fireworks pattern SS:534 .
This is very similar to the Sync Box SS:(4,2x)(2x,4) , except one ball is fountained before another is zipped (rather than simultaneously). This means the fountains have to be higher to accommodate this extra delay, and so the 4's become 6's. Although most jugglers tend to do the Sync version, some people don't like Sync throws and so this is the box you'll see them juggling.
Three balls zipped between a 3-Fountain in each hand.
This is a 3-ball version of SS:41401 - Three 4-Ball Fake Box throws, or 3/4 of the 4-Ball Fake Box SS:61616 .
This pattern has the rhythm: RRR, LLL, ...
Visually exciting, the effect is of the balls chasing each other up and down and zipped from hand to hand.
This is one of the best ways to practice the 6-Ball FountainSS:6 - you're doing three in each hand separately, but unlike the 3 Balls in 1 Hand SS:60 pattern, you need to start co-ordinating the hands while doing so to get a good changeover.
Each ball goes everywhere in the pattern, where it's fountained in each hand before being zipped across to the other hand.
This is similar to the "One Up, Two Up variation SS:(4,4)(4x,0)* . Two balls rise and fall synchronously, one in each hand. The third ball is showered around them, if the 6x is thrown on the outside. This looks very clever, especially if the two fountained balls are mirrored completely.
This is similar to the "One Up, Two Up variation SS:(6,6)(2x,0)(0,6x)(2,2) . Two balls rise and fall as before, but the third is thrown underneath as a zipped fountain from hand to hand. Again, this looks very clever, especially if the two fountained balls are mirrored completely.
One hand throws and catches the same ball in a 6-Fountain pattern SS:6 .
This is the 3-ball version of 2 Balls in 1 Hand SS:40 . Half of the 6-Fountain SS:6 , it's good practice for learning this pattern, as you can practice each hand separately.
This is much harder than you might first expect, given that learning SS:40 is pretty straightforward. This is because of the height you have to throw the 6's. The 4's are low enough to make them small fat circles where there's plenty of space for the balls to avoid one another. But the 6's height forces them to follow tall, thin paths where the likelihood of collision is far higher.
As with 2-in-1-Hand SS:40 , there are several basic ways to do this:
1) Inside throws, when each hand throws from the centre of the body and catches on the outside (eg clockwise with the right hand). This is probably the most common, and the way to juggle the normal 6-Fountain SS:6 .
2) Outside throws - opposite to 1) (eg clockwise with the left hand). Used in a Reverse 6-Founatin SS:4' .
3) Cascade throws - where the three balls are all thrown from the centre to the outside R,L,R,L,Y This can look more impressive than simple circles 1),2) because it creates a fireworks effect and it's less obvious as to what's happening.
4) Reverse Cascade throws - opposite to 4) all thrown from the outside R,L,R,L,Y to the inside. Some people find this easier when they want to run 3-in-1-Hand for a long time, as throwing errors can be easier to deal with when the ball is falling into the middle of the pattern, not into its edge.
5) Columns - the balls rise and fall in their own separate columns. Used in some 5-ball patterns, eg SS:(6,6)(6,6)(6,0) . Very impressive when done smoothly, but this is surprisingly difficult to do.
6) Anywhere & Hope - the most common pattern. Throw the balls to the correct height, at the correct frequency, but into any hole that you see above you that avoids a collision!
This is the one of the simplest 3 in 1 Hand multiplexes. Two balls are multiplexed back into the same hand, but are split so are thrown to different heights SS:[64]00020 . The lower is caught and held until the other is also caught. In the meantime the third ball is fountained as usual SS:600000 . Then it repeats.
This is good practice for throwing [64] split multiplexed, but it's easy to "cheat" and hardly split the multiplex - then the pattern collapses to SS:[44]040 .
This is an extension to SS:12345 , and is the simplest pattern to throw to heights 3, 4, 5 & 6 all in the same pattern.
Not only is it harder to do and is more complicated, the visual effect is quite different - one ball is a very lazy Fake Box throw SS:4000120 , and the other two are cascaded and fountained SS:3056000 .
When done well it's even better than SS:12345 . Again, like fireworks four (yes, 4!) balls appear from the middle of the pattern. It's harder still to do because you now need to perfect all four relative heights 3, 4, 5 & 6.
Not only is this is another excellent practice for the harder 4-Ball SS:534 , but also for the even harder 5-Ball SS:645 .
A higher, slower 3-cascade than either SS:522 or SS:3 , but not as extreme as the full Hot Potato SS:900 . Useful to practice the 7-Cascade throw height SS:7 , but it's hard to do this without "cheating" and collapsing the heights down to a SS:3
One hand is momentarily empty between every throw, so you've got time to quickly exchange the held ball across and back in a double zip SS:711 . This makes it harder to collapse the heights and keeps the throw a true 7.
Like SS:522 , this can be used as a pirouette from the 3-Cascade SS:3 . Throw one high while holding the other two, spin around, throw them, catch it and continue the juggle.
This is like a Hot Potato 3-Cascade SS:720 , but instead of holding the ball between fountains, it's quickly zipped across to and back from the other hand before being thrown.
It's actually surprisingly hard to do, as the double zip forces you to keep cascading to the proper height. So this is quite a good first foray into practising the 7-Cascade SS:7 .
A Higher, more overlapping, variation of SS:50505 .
This pattern has the rhythm: R, LR, L, RL, ...
Having nothing but 7-Cascade SS:7 throws, this is a useful pattern to practice the 7-Cascade SS:7 . Both hands are momentarily empty between most throws, so you've got time to clap your hands. This makes it harder to collapse the heights.
This can be used as a double pirouette from the 3-Cascade SS:3 . Throw two high while holding one, spin around, catch one, throw it, spin again, catch and continue the juggle!
Both hands are momentarily empty between every pair of cascades, so you've got time to clap your hands. This forces you to keep to the 7-height, without collapsing down to the lower 3-Shower SS:51 .
This pattern has the rhythm: RRR, RRR, ...
This can be used as a pirouette from the 3-Shower SS:51 . Shower all three high, spin around, catch them and continue the juggle.
3/4 of the 4-Shower SS:71 , it's good practice for learning this pattern, as you can concentrate on throwing the two balls to exactly the same height.
Similar to SS:70701 , here we have two balls cascaded one way, then just one ball the other each time.
This pattern has the rhythm: RR, L, RR, L, ...
Visually, the effect is two balls showering in one direction, the third in the other.
Each ball is zipped and thrown before the previous one lands. You need to throw them high to give yourself time for the exchanges.
This is a really good pattern, with just three balls, to learn the 7-Ball CascadeSS:7 . The zips forces you to keep to the 7-height, without collapsing down lower.
Similar to SS:501 , here we have two balls cascaded across each time rather than just one, and higher.
This pattern has the rhythm: RR, LL, RR, LL, ...
Whenever a ball is zipped across, it is thrown before the previous one lands. You need to throw them high to give yourself time for the exchanges.
This is a really good pattern, with just three balls, to learn the 4-Ball Shower SS71 and the 7-Ball CascadeSS:7 . The zip forces you to keep to the 7-height, without collapsing down to the lower Baby Juggling Pattern SS:52512 .
This is a really impressive variation on the basic 3-ball ShowerSS:51 . Instead of always showering to the same height (5), the showering hand throws alternately high (7) and low (3). The zipping hand does the same as before (not much!)
Visually, the effect is of two balls showering high SS:7001 over one showered low SS:3001 .
This is a variation on the High-Low 3-ball ShowerSS:7131 , where it alternates with the regular showerSS:51 . The showering hand throws low (3), normal (5) and high (7). Again the zipping hand does the same (not much!)
Visually, the effect is of one low, one medium and one high shower in succession, although it's actually only the medium ball that does the same thing SS:500001 . The other three all go around the higher showers SS:713001 .
You throw a ball high, then shower the other two low twice in the reverse direction, before catching the high one and continuing from the opposite side. Really satisfying to do, especially when the 7 and 3 heights are just right.
This pattern looks just like the Fake Box SS:441 , except much higher and with a regular rhythm.
Each ball is zipped and thrown before the previous one lands. You need to really throw them high to give yourself time for the exchanges.
This is a really good pattern, with just three balls, to learn the 8-Ball FountainSS:8 . The zip forces you to keep to the 8-height, without collapsing down to the lower 3-Box SS:612 .
Each ball goes everywhere in the pattern, where it's fountained in each hand before being zipped across to the other hand.
A useful way to start learning 4-in-1-Hand SS:80, but it's hard to do this without "cheating" and collapsing the heights down to a SS:60
During the Hold between every throw, you've got time to quickly exchange the held ball across and back in a double zip SS:808011 . This makes it harder to collapse the heights and keeps the throws true 8's.
A ball is held every third beat, so this can be used as a pirouette from the 3-in-1-Hand SS:60 . Throw two high while holding the third, spin around, catch them and continue the juggle.
The hand is empty every fourth beat, so this can be used as a pirouette from the 3-in-1-Hand SS:60 . Throw all three high, spin around, catch them and continue the juggle.
A useful way to start learning 4-in-1-Hand SS:80 .
This is a nice variation of 3-in-1 Hand SS:60 , from which it can be started. The hand starts throwing alternately high,low,high,low,..., at 4- and 2-in-1-Hand throw heights.
Visually, the effect is two balls being thrown alternately high, and the third always thrown low.
In many ways, it's quite similar to the "High-Low Shower"SS:7131 .
This is an even more impressive extension to the "High-Low 3-in-1-Hand " SS:8040 , as you throw high,low,medium,..., at 4-, 2- and 3-in-1-Hand throw heights.
Visually, the effect is two balls being thrown alternately high and low, and the third always thrown at the medium height.
In many ways, it's quite similar to the "High-Low-Medium Shower"SS:713151 .
This is the 3-ball analogue to the 2-Ball SS:600 .
Like SS:55500 and SS:50505 , this is a 3-Ball Cascade with the same dwell time as SS:3 but thrown (much) higher. Unlike them, however, this is an even-tempo pattern.
Both hands are momentarily empty between every throw, so you've got time to clap your hands. This makes it harder to collapse the heights.
This forces you to keep to the 9-height, without collapsing down to the lower 3-Cascades SS:720 , SS:522 and SS:3 .
This can even be used as a continuous pirouette from the 3-Ball CascadeSS:3 . Throw one ball high, spin around, catch it, throw the other, spin, catch etc.
1/3 of the 9-Fountain SS:9 , I suppose it must be one of the "easiest" way to practice learning this pattern!
This is another really impressive variation on the High-Low 3-Shower SS:7131 . Instead of always showering to the heights 7 and 3, the showering hand throws alternately higher (9) and twice low (3). The zipping hand does the same as before (not much!)
Visually, the effect is of one ball showering high over two showered low, although all balls go everywhere in the pattern.
You throw a ball high, then shower the other two low three times in the reverse direction, before catching the high one and continuing from the opposite side. Really satisfying to do, especially when the 7 and 3 heights are just right.
You can keep throwing higher and squeezing more reverse showers in underneath: the SSN patterns are all of the form {2n+3}(31)n.
A high, slow 3-in-1-Hand SS:60 . Useful to practice the 5-in-1-Hand throw height SS:a0 with only three balls, but it's hard to do this without "cheating" and collapsing the heights down to a SS:60
During the Hold between every throw, you've got time to quickly exchange the held ball across and back in a double zip SS:a011 . This makes it harder to collapse the heights and keeps the throw a true 10-height.
A ball is held every other beat, so this can be used as a pirouette from the 3-in-1-Hand SS:60 . Throw one high while holding the other, spin around, throw it, catch the first and continue the juggle.
The pirouette can be a half-turn, full turn or more!
This is another nice variation of the High-Low 3-in-1 Hand SS:8040 . Instead, you throw extra high and squeeze in two 2-in-1-Hand throws underneath, and continue. The hand alternately throws high,low,low,..., at 5- and 2-in-1-Hand throw heights.
This time all the balls go everywhere in the pattern.
In many ways, it's quite similar to the "High-Low Shower"SS:7131 .
You can keep throwing higher and squeezing more fountains in underneath: the SSN patterns are all of the form {2n+6}0(40)n.
This is the 3-ball analogue to the 2-Ball SS:7001 . This is a 3-Ball Shower, but unlike SS:51 , both hands are momentarily empty between every throw, so you've got time to clap your hands. This makes it harder to collapse the heights.
This forces you to keep to the 11-height, without collapsing down to the lower 3-Shower SS:51 .
This can even be used as a continuous pirouette from the 3-Shower SS:71 . Shower one ball high, spin around, catch it, shower the next, spin, catch etc!
1/2 of the 6-Shower SS:b1 , it's good practice for learning this pattern.
This is another really impressive variation on the High-Low-Low 3-Shower SS:913131 . Instead of always showering to the heights 9 and 3, the showering hand throws alternately even higher (b) and three times low (3). The zipping hand does the same as before (not much!)
Visually, the effect is of one ball showering high over two showered low, although it's actually two balls that go high SS:b0013001 and just one that stays low SS:3001 .
You can keep throwing higher and squeezing more showers in underneath: the SSN patterns are all of the form {2n+5}1(31)n.
The hand is empty every other beat, so this can be used as a pirouette from the 3-in-1-Hand SS:60 . Continuously throw one high, spin around, catch it and continue the juggle.
The pirouette can be a half-turn, full turn or more!
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