A |A-B|A-A| NOTE: A is a good position for the novice juggler
B C |B-C|B-C|
|C-A|C-B|
When everyone can do each position equally well try shifting the
positions (mentally not physically) while juggling after an even
count. There is room for an extra juggler in the middle to pass with
the one who was throwing others. Have that person (A) feed to the
middle instead of throwing a self. Now have the middle person turn
after each even count, shifting positions mentally each time. BEWARE!
This requires some thought.
A |A-C|A-A|A-B|A-A|
B C |B-B|B-C|B-C|B-C|
|C-A|C-B|C-A|C-B|
Again a fourth juggler can be put in the middle and the one feeding in
others now does a three-person feed. The middle throws others.
A |A-B|A-D|
B D |B-C|B-B|
C |C-A|C-A|
|D-D|D-C|
(A) must be able to throw at 120 deg. Not challenging enough? Try adding a club to the pattern. Have D throw the extra as a triple to B in the first frame instead of a self. In the 2nd frame; rather than throwing a self, B now throws a triple back to D and so on. (This has yet to be put to the test.)
A B |A-B|A-M|A-C|A-M| A&B feed 3
|B-M|B-A|B-M|B-D|
M |C-A|C-C|C-A|C-C| M = masochist
|D-D|D-B|D-D|D-B|
C D |M-C|M-D|M-B|M-A| C&D do others
Positions C&D are the easiest but do require a person who can catch
the erratic throws which tend to come from M. Positions A&B are harder, requiring the ability to throw one place while catching from another in solids. It is important that A know he/she receives from C when making her/his pass to B. Likewise, it is important that B know whom he/she receives from throughout the pattern.
Position M: This is the hardest position but it is not impossible! You may experiment with turning slightly one way or the other to make your passes to C&D easier. I recommend making an under-the-arm pass to C and an over-the-shoulder back drop to D. You always receive from A&B.
More passers can be 'fed' into the pattern by C&D since they are only doing every others. Adding two more passers yield the 7-person torture chamber.
A B |C-A|C-E|C-A|C-E|
|D-F|D-B|D-F|D-B|
E M F |E-E|E-C|E-E|E-C|
|F-D|F-F|F-D|F-F|
C D
A,B,&M pass the same as before. If E&F want more of a challenge have E start with four clubs tossing a triple to F in the 1st frame instead of the self. F catches the triple and returns a triple to E in the 2nd frame instead of the self.
Torture chambers can be joined. With 9 people you can have the following set up:
A---B
| | a
| M | / \
| |/ \
C---D m b
\ /
\ /
d
where D is now feeding into another torture chamber. This process
could even (theoretically, if not practically) be repeated to get a
ring of torture chambers --possibly as few as 3 chambers requiring 12
exceptional passers. With 10 people:
A---B d---c | | /| | | M |//| m | | |/ | | C---D b---awhere D is now feeding into a torture chamber rotated 180 deg.
A B |A-D|A-E|A-A|A-B|
|B-B|B-F|B-C|B-A|
C D |C-F|C-D|C-B|C-D|
|D-A|D-C|D-E|D-C|
E F |E-E|E-A|E-D|E-F|
|F-C|F-B|F-F|F-E|
The Hourglass was discovered at the 1991 IJA Juggling Festival in St.
Louis. Unlike the patterns shown thus far each person is receiving from the same one to whom he/she is throwing. The corners A,B,E,&F still throw a self with diagonals throwing their selves simultaneously. Notice that it's impossible for diagonals to pass singles to each other because C and D are in the way.
A B |A-F|
D E |B-D|
|C-E|
F |D-A|
C |E-B|
|F-C|
A lot can be done with this pattern. If the drop back pattern is done
on others, the others can turn into two separate inner and outer
triangles.
A |A-A|A-E|A-A|A-E|
|B-E|B-B|B-F|B-B|
|C-F|C-C|C-E|C-C|
B E |D-D|D-F|D-D|D-F|
F C |E-B|E-A|E-C|E-A|
|F-C|F-D|F-B|F-D|
D
HINT: Have B&C move back and forth (up and down in the diagram) to
make it easier for E&F. This seemingly impossible pattern is really
possible! More can be added to this --in fact it gets easier with more. Adding one to the middle requires two more to be added to the outside circle. With 9, the pattern becomes:
B |A-G|A-A|A-G|A-A|
A C |B-B|B-G|B-B|B-H|
G H |C-H|C-C|C-H|C-C|
I |D-D|D-H|D-D|D-I|
F D |E-I|E-E|E-I|E-E|
E |F-F|F-I|F-F|F-G|
|G-A|G-B|G-A|G-F|
|H-C|H-D|H-C|H-B|
|I-F|I-E|I-D|I-E|
Notice that each triangle (one formed by A,C,&E and the other --B,D&F)
does others simultaneously. Of course, passing singles would
interfere. But they could conspire to pass left-left doubles. The
A-C-E triangle's doubles would not interfere with those of the B-D-F
triangle. As far as I know, this one has not been done before.