Another studio video, presenting some interesting patterns… or at least they are interesting to me. In each of these patterns, balls are bouncing off each other in the air.

I came up with these techniques years ago and try them out every now and then… but only in private! I’ll never use these tricks in performance, so after a conversation earlier this week I thought I’d stick the basic ideas in a video.

Normally I do these tricks with silicone balls, but it is almost impossible for the viewer to work out what is happening unless the balls are different colours. I have many more multiplex patterns that are just too hard with these large stage balls.

Some distinct techniques I use are:

- near-hand side by side air bounces.
- high side by side air bounces.
- near-hand underside air bounces. These look much like a cascade throw, but sends the incoming ball back to the hand that threw it.
- repeated near-hand underside air bounces. Like above, but twice in a row. Again, you’ll only see this if you aren’t colourblind.
- side by side air bounces with multiplexes.
- high three quarter air bounces. These are thrown asynchronous, glance in the air and land synchronously.
- high and near-hand side by side air bounces. I do this twice with four balls.
- mulitplexed three ball air bounce.
- non-multiplexed three ball air bounce. Throw one ball up, then hit it from underneath with another two. A fun trick!

Enjoy the video, and enjoy trying the tricks.