Forums > Beginner Staff Moves > A question of contact.
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38 posts
Location: Presently in São Paulo, Brazil
38 posts
Location: Presently in São Paulo, Brazil
Posted:
We all know but know that there isn't a "right" size of a staff. People of all different sizes twirl staffs of all different sizes and do so quite happily.
However I just wanted to know what other contact twirlers thnk about the weight of a staff and how it reflects on performance and technique.
Personally I've found that I have a lot easier time with a heavy staff than what I do with a light one. The weight and the momentum of a heavy staff carries it around differently than to a light staff.
A couple of weeks ago I tried the heaviest staff I ever come across. It was made out of a thick iron pipe and had two big rubberballs at the ends of it.
The sheer weight of this beast turned it into a real "macho" staff. The funny thing is that it was this really thin, petite girl who had it
Anyway, this beauty of a staff was an absolute joy to contact twirl and I found that moves I have struggled with with my normal staff (a Concentrate staff that is far from light) just flowed like running water. Elbow rolls, neckrolls, arm rolls, back rolls etc. The all just flowed into each other and it was no problem in keeping the staff rolling around the body for minutes.
The only downside was that mistakes was dearly paid for hehe.
Now I know that a lot of people do some crazy contact twirling with light staffs (just take a look at the baton twirling crew, freaky stuff!) so the weight of the staff clearly doesn't effect the ability to do contact twirling.
Is a heavier staff more "forgiving" to poor technique than a lighter staff?
What are your expereinces? Do you prefer a light or a heavy staff for contact twirling and why?
I played around a bit with Drew's (Glass) staff a while ago and it was clearly heavier than most other staffs I've come across.
Drew is also by far the best contact twirler I've ever met as well. Coincidence?
We all know but know that there isn't a "right" size of a staff. People of all different sizes twirl staffs of all different sizes and do so quite happily.
However I just wanted to know what other contact twirlers thnk about the weight of a staff and how it reflects on performance and technique.
Personally I've found that I have a lot easier time with a heavy staff than what I do with a light one. The weight and the momentum of a heavy staff carries it around differently than to a light staff.
A couple of weeks ago I tried the heaviest staff I ever come across. It was made out of a thick iron pipe and had two big rubberballs at the ends of it.
The sheer weight of this beast turned it into a real "macho" staff. The funny thing is that it was this really thin, petite girl who had it
Anyway, this beauty of a staff was an absolute joy to contact twirl and I found that moves I have struggled with with my normal staff (a Concentrate staff that is far from light) just flowed like running water. Elbow rolls, neckrolls, arm rolls, back rolls etc. The all just flowed into each other and it was no problem in keeping the staff rolling around the body for minutes.
The only downside was that mistakes was dearly paid for hehe.
Now I know that a lot of people do some crazy contact twirling with light staffs (just take a look at the baton twirling crew, freaky stuff!) so the weight of the staff clearly doesn't effect the ability to do contact twirling.
Is a heavier staff more "forgiving" to poor technique than a lighter staff?
What are your expereinces? Do you prefer a light or a heavy staff for contact twirling and why?
I played around a bit with Drew's (Glass) staff a while ago and it was clearly heavier than most other staffs I've come across.
Drew is also by far the best contact twirler I've ever met as well. Coincidence?
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. --Mark Twain
AnonymousPLATINUM Member
Posted:
I think heavy is important but so is weight distribution... If I werent travelling in a week I'd be building a long ass staff with weight distributed towards the ends. and grip tape for about 4 feet in the middle of the stick.
Josh
I think heavy is important but so is weight distribution... If I werent travelling in a week I'd be building a long ass staff with weight distributed towards the ends. and grip tape for about 4 feet in the middle of the stick.
Josh
BRONZE Member
Lambretta Fanatic
4,997 posts
Location: United Kingdom
Lambretta Fanatic
4,997 posts
Location: United Kingdom
Posted:
sure we can loan you a weird stick when you come to bonny scotland, nicly weighted towards the end a 1 meter handle and 1 meter of wick at either end, momentum is awsome might need to loan some stilts to!
sure we can loan you a weird stick when you come to bonny scotland, nicly weighted towards the end a 1 meter handle and 1 meter of wick at either end, momentum is awsome might need to loan some stilts to!
geek, level 1
5,300 posts
Location: everywhere
5,300 posts
Location: everywhere
Posted:
actually i find weight distribution more important than weight itself.
and yes they are a bit more forgiving.
late again for work....
actually i find weight distribution more important than weight itself.
and yes they are a bit more forgiving.
late again for work....
Holistic Spinner (I hope)
BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both
Posted:
agree
agree
This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti
BRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted:
I agree to, except this issue has put me in a bit of a quandry.
My busking and performance style has a definite speed aspect to it, to the point of three routines relying on spinning speed. The heavier the staff, the more stuffed I get with speed moves, and, of course, the harder it bites me if anything goes wrong.
I've been toying with more weight at the ends of the staff, perhaps the 'distribution' everyone keeps mentioning, which does make a lighter staff much better for contact.
Also a quick note, you say batons are light? The ones I've come across are pretty damn heavy for their size.
I agree to, except this issue has put me in a bit of a quandry.
My busking and performance style has a definite speed aspect to it, to the point of three routines relying on spinning speed. The heavier the staff, the more stuffed I get with speed moves, and, of course, the harder it bites me if anything goes wrong.
I've been toying with more weight at the ends of the staff, perhaps the 'distribution' everyone keeps mentioning, which does make a lighter staff much better for contact.
Also a quick note, you say batons are light? The ones I've come across are pretty damn heavy for their size.
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BRONZE Member
Lambretta Fanatic
4,997 posts
Location: United Kingdom
Lambretta Fanatic
4,997 posts
Location: United Kingdom
Posted:
*random plug* every one should invest in a te POOKa staff and see how good contact feels with one it changed my life and love of a stick.
*random plug* every one should invest in a te POOKa staff and see how good contact feels with one it changed my life and love of a stick.
member
38 posts
Location: Presently in São Paulo, Brazil
38 posts
Location: Presently in São Paulo, Brazil
Posted:
Well, Charles I don't know what kind of batons you have seen but the ones I saw when I lived in the US were just standard ones and yes, I agree that they might be heavy for their size but still rather light compared to a 4-5 feet staff.
Also regarding twirling speed, I used to twirl very fast but since the fire goes out quicker the faster you twirl I've slowed it down. Besides you can't really do contact moves that fast anyway so a slower speed suits me just fine.
Well, Charles I don't know what kind of batons you have seen but the ones I saw when I lived in the US were just standard ones and yes, I agree that they might be heavy for their size but still rather light compared to a 4-5 feet staff.
Also regarding twirling speed, I used to twirl very fast but since the fire goes out quicker the faster you twirl I've slowed it down. Besides you can't really do contact moves that fast anyway so a slower speed suits me just fine.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. --Mark Twain
110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London
3,149 posts
Location: London
Posted:
I have very light spinny sticks and big heavy contact poles. and some that are not one or the other but something inbetween. They are all good, except for a couple which are bad, but thats not the point. Different staffs do different moves in different ways. I've seen people doing wicked contact moves with unweighted broomsticks. But a big heavy staff with a little bit of weight on the ends is easiest for most contact moves IMHO
Here's a bit what i wrote about earlier in this thread:
I have very light spinny sticks and big heavy contact poles. and some that are not one or the other but something inbetween. They are all good, except for a couple which are bad, but thats not the point. Different staffs do different moves in different ways. I've seen people doing wicked contact moves with unweighted broomsticks. But a big heavy staff with a little bit of weight on the ends is easiest for most contact moves IMHO
Here's a bit what i wrote about earlier in this thread:
quote:cool, i just quoted myself.
Originally posted by simian
i reckon how much the staff "flows" through contacty stuff isn't really dependent on how heavy the staff is, but on the ratio of:-
{total staff weight} to {weight on the ends}
Too much weight on the ends = crazy runaway staff that you can't control
Too little weight on the ends = not enough momentum, slows to a stop during moves then falls on the floor with an embarrassing *clonk*
Additional point: When I say weight 'on the ends' thats not an either/or judgement. Its a sliding scale based on distance from the centre.
A 500g weight 1 foot away from the staff centre is equal to a 1kg weight 2 foot away from the centre (i think)
"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."
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