Twirling Recovery Techniques!

C'mon staff peoples, surely you've had to continue the show even if you decapitated onlookers! or even if you wild overuse exclamation marks!

My personal favourite recovery is to jump n land where the fallen staff is evenly placed behind my left heel and hooked on top of my right foot. Raising the right foot (still hooked) against the left leg spins the staff and you can continue yer twirl as if from a low left leg pass.

A stoopid grin usually distracts worried onlookers from that fresh set of gaping headgashes during a performance too. Just remember: No brain, no pain!

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It is said that "Twirler with hand in pocket feel cocky all day."
[img]http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~rsywp/images/billsite shorcutbar_r1_c4_f2.gif[/img]

As far as I can remember Xaeda, Pele and a few others have all mentioned doing cartwheels and things to pick up dropped staffs.

[This message has been edited by Cantus (edited 09 January 2002).]

I'm new to staff, so I don't have many fancy tricks in which to drop it, but one problem I have is getting tangled. What I mean is that the staff is spinning and my hand/arm reaches its maximum twist factor and I haven't thought about what to do next. The staff slows down and stops - I think "bugger" and then proceed to act as if I meant to do that and reverse the spin.

Once I get that staff book and expand my vocabulary, I will prolly have to learn a few more recoveries, so I'll be watching this thread for ideas

As for recovery techniques,
I was never very good at cartwheels, but I have two that work pretty well. The first one is pretty simple, but it doesn't work on certain surfaces or with certain shoes. You just kick your toes under the balance point of the staff and pop it up (thank you hacky sack). The second is to execute a forward roll, grabbing the staff with both hands during the roll, and coming out of the roll with my legs crossed so when I stand up I can turn my body 180 degrees and whip the staff into a helicopter, like nothing ever happend.

But, all in all, I prefer to not drop the staff at all.

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If you love something, set it on fire.

[This message has been edited by SickpuPpy (edited 10 January 2002).]

(Actually I can't do either yet)

I've found several great ways to recover from a drop (usually when busking, I tend to push too hard and get tired at the end of the night).

First is to stare at the staff, stare at the audience, stare at the staff, stare at the audience..."Ok guys, when i drop the staff, you clap!" A huge round of applause normally follows.

Another is to do a super-high throw off the ground and catch it in slow-mo, /saturday night fever style.

Another is to pretend it's hurt, listen for a heart beat, hold it in my open palm unmoving, then sudeenly it starts to spin slowly, hug it like a long lost friend and then continue with the show.

A favourite one is to look at a lady in the audience and say "don't look at me like that, pretty ladies always make me drop..."

You can act up as if the staff is always doing this sort of thing just to make you look bad, then complain that it never talks to you in front of other people...

Or you can...or...or...or...(you get the idea)

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Charles (INFERNO)

newdolbel@hotmail.com
http://juggling.co.nz

I'd never put that much thought into it, but those are pretty good.

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If you love something, set it on fire.

hmm..maybe I'll just be quiet.

Another favourite of mine, when doing single staff, is to stare at the staff for a few seconds in disbelief, hit your head with your hand and go "It's ok, people, it's allright, I've got another one" Then go and pick up the other staff and leave the other one there...

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Charles (INFERNO)

newdolbel@hotmail.com
http://juggling.co.nz

Seen "Pleasantville"? It is like when the first basketball misses the ring.

And please lets not head towards highly graphical signatures! I've seen a half decent forum go to hell cos of it! Still a nice chicken.

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I am not a bot.
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Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...

http://www.pyromorph.com

But that wasn't crowds in general. Just one extremely deranged & misguided individual that was to blame for that.

Just thought I should mention it.

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C@ntus

There's only one way of life and that's your own.

or words to that effect, you can imagine my spirit was a little dampened.

Then I thought stuff 'em - enjoy.
Ade

"Come on!!! Why didnt you catch that one?!?"

when i drop my staff i do something i learned/made up with my devil sticks when i was 10. if you hit the baton with your two other sticks it will roll up onto the sticks and to can resume passing the baton.

ive just modified it to staff, step on the staff with the arch of your foot and roll in backwords it will keep rolling onto the top of your other foot when it gets there give a kick and it pop up into the air. i catch it and spin it around.. it looks totally planned.