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CJ Glossary

  • el
  • pt
  • When I started with CJ I had some difficulty with what exactly the difference was between a Windshieldwiper and the Butterfly. Or between the Butterfly and a Cradle to palm roll.
    J. Ernest (in his book) uses the term Butterfly for a roll from palm to cradle over the fingertips of one hand. Yet everybody calls the move from the movie Labyrinth the Butterfly. Ernest would probably describe that move as something like: a Butterfly with a Back-to-back transfer followed by another butterfly. But in my mind the image of a Butterfly motion would mimic the motion of the wings of a butterfly. Since a Butterfly has two sets of wings, I'd expect the Butterfly CJ-motion to be made using both arms, one arm for one set of wings.
    For myself I worked out the descriptions for the mentioned moves. When someone at the Yahoo CJ-Club posted a message expressing the same difficulty with the terms as I had experienced. I responded to that message with a post (#513) wherein I explained the terms as how I nowadays use them.
    Only one reply was made (#524 by Rich Shumaker) to my post, so I have concluded that my set of explanations of the terms was generally acceptable.
    If two people had difficulty with the terminology then probably more people might also have the same problems, so I thought that it would add something to this web site if that information was easily available. I changed some things and included R. Shumaker's remarks in this paper. Also I added Ferrets Flyaway system (to be found in the contactjuggling.org Bulletin board)

    Marco
    You can contact me via e-mail.

    Hand positions =

    Cradle to palm roll =
    Or vice versa; a Palm to cradle roll.
    The basic move in Contact Juggling, it keeps the ball rolling in between other moves. The ball rolls from Cradle to Palm either over the top of the middle finger (three finger cradle)or in between the index and middle finger (two finger cradle).

    (Single) Windshieldwiper =
    A movement mimicking the motion of the Windshield wiper of a car. The elbow is somewhat stationary (kept still) and is the pivot point for your vertical forearm. The forearm moves from cradle to Palm-up-outside-hold and back and is kept strictly in the Wall-plane.
    So this is basically a Cradle to palm roll, except that special notice is given to rigidly using the complete arm instead of only twisting the wrist.

    Double Windshieldwiper =
    Same as the (Single)Windshieldwiper but with two balls, one in each hand. This can be done with the forearms moving parallel to each other, the Symmetrical double Windshieldwiper.
    Or with the forearms mirroring each other, Asymmetrical double Windshieldwiper.
    Or the Cheating double Windshieldwiper where in only one arm makes the single Windshieldwiper motion and as it returns to the cradle position, the other arm starts it's single Windshieldwiper.

    Folding =
    Same as the Single Windshieldwiper except it is not done in the Wall-plane. The starting cradle position is the same but the forearm makes it's sweep more to the front, resulting in a Palm-up-stretched-arm at approximately 1 or 2 o'clock.

    Double Folding =
    Same as the Double Windshieldwiper (most of the times done as the Cheating double Windshieldwiper). Except it is not done in the Wall-plane. The starting cradle positions are the same but the forearms are making their sweeps more to the front, resulting in a Palm-up-stretched-arm at approximately 1 or 2 o'clock.

    Butterfly =
    The name is derived from a similar hand movement in a middle eastern dance. The forearm makes the same motion as in the Windshieldwiper (Cradle to Palm-up-outside-hold) but the hand (and thus the ball) makes a figure eight pattern in the air. Also the elbow is not kept in a stationary position but moves from side to side, leading the movement of the forearm. The Butterfly is always done with two arms mirroring each other (mimicking the two sets of wings on a butterfly) with a Back-to-back transfer to pass the ball to the other hand.
    So one hand does the movement with the ball, while the other is mirroring empty handed.

    Cheating Butterfly =
    Same as the Butterfly only here the arms are not mirroring each other. The empty hand just trails behind and comes back at the transfer of the ball.

    Labyrinth Butterfly =
    Same as the Butterfly only now you are not moving your arms in the Wall-plane but more in front of your body, and making the Cradle to palm roll more with your wrist than with the elbow.

    Flyaway =
    A Flyaway is a move where the ball becomes airborne. It is the general name under which the Toss, Flick, Jump, Free-Fall and Snap are categorized.

    Toss =
    A Toss is anything being thrown directly from a specified body part.
    For example there are the Palm Toss, a throw directly from the palm. And the Inside elbow Toss and the Outside elbow Toss.

    Flick =
    A Flick is anything being thrown, (or flicked) from the Cradle position.

    Jump =
    A Jump is any time the ball rolls off your elbow, fingertips, or shoulder at a high rate of speed. And becomes airborne, only to be caught at the last sec. by another portion of your body, this is usually proceeded by some sort of quick arm roll or reverse arm roll. (Think ski jump) To make these look good, meaning catching them with confidence, takes a lot of practice. But the variations are many.

    Free Fall =
    The Free Fall is pretty self explanatory.
    Any time the ball gently rolls off a part of your body and you catch it is a Free Fall.

    Snap =
    A Snap is a more a move than a type of Flyaway. Hold the ball in a Finger-tip Hold only use the index, middle, and thumb. to get your three points of contact. Let the ball sit a little low on your fingers so you can get a little grip on it, then squeeze.
    Snap!
    The ball can be projected upwards and depending on the control of the individual finger pressure, can be aimed to go where you want it to go. And your audience sees very little movement as if the ball just leaped off your fingers. Regardless of the description, this trick and the ability to control flight direction, is really easy with just a bit of practice.