juggling.tv

Not good enough for first place (especially due to my substitution of one item), but it was fun nonetheless.

Use a palm-up fork grip at the back of the hat and remove it, straightening the arm. As the arm straightens twist the wrist and take the ring finger off the brim. Spin the hat so that it moves between the middle and forefingers, then transfer the grip to the forefinger and thumb and continue the spin for as far as you can. Reverse the "twiddle" to place it back on the head. The main video clip for this trick doesn't show the fingers in any great detail. See the closeup version (120K mpeg) for a better view. For best results you might want to set your video player to loop the clip.

After getting the hat to your foot (the knock to foot is the most common way, but there are plenty of others) you can hop and quickly remove your foot from the hat. Quickly get your throwing foot onto the ground and place the other foot inside the hat. As you can see from the video the hat stays fairly still and it's you that does all the movement. This video of the hat being spun as it is thrown between the feet should give you some ideas for variations on this trick.

Place the inside of the elbow against the forehead and duck your head down out of the hat. The little drop to the side in the video clip is based on a move normally done with plates. This trick links nicely to levitation.

Take a pinch grip at the front of the hat's crown and flick it up and forwards. Turn the hand round so the palm is facing forwards to catch the hat in another pinch grip at the back. After you've got a feel for this try doing it without looking at the hat. Either place it straight back on the head or reverse the process to return it. If you use a bowler hat make sure you take a really firm pinch to crease the top of the hat when removing it, otherwise you'll be left trying to catch the smooth round surface of the back of the hat. Once you've mastered this one it's a trivial task to start by pinching the back of the hat and flicking it to a catch on the front.

Place your palm flat on the back of the head for a neck chop and knock the hat upwards with the little finger side of the hand. A few tries and you will see how much force is required to get it to spin 3/4 and land on your foot. You need to flex your foot as much as possible to stop it slipping off.

First do the coatpeg with your left hand. Then drop the hat straight down, and catch it with the right hand behind the back. Place it back on the head.

Turn your head to the left, then reach over with the right hand to grab the front of the brim (in as close to an inside grip as you can manage). Lift the front of the hat and remove it from the head so it is upside down above the shoulder. Straighten the arm so it ends in an inside grip at arms length. Turn your head to the right so you are looking at the hat, flex the wrist so the hat lies inside the forearm then bend the elbow and replace the hat on the head (with your hand at the back). Repeat on the other side.

A short clip from one of the hottest days of the year in Berlin. Filmed in Victoria Park, shortly after the katakomben burnt down and all of us had no place to practice.