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Steve Rawlings showed me this trick in Birmingham and said that he used to do it in every show, but now that he's older (and a little rounder :-) he can't get it every time any more. Steve uses a china plate for this trick, but it works with hats too which is why it's here! :-)
Take the hat in your right hand, using an inside grip and hold it so that the crown of the hat is facing to the left.
Throw the hat virtically with some spin, and then do the following while the hat is in the air...
Put your right hand between your legs
Take the hand around the back of the right leg
Stand on your left leg and move the right hand & foot behind the left leg
Then, catch the descending hat in your right hand, from that position. Without falling over.
Top Tips: Practice the "tangle yourself up" bit first without the catch. Keep your eye on the hat as it decends, practice loads...
Luke Burrage managed to get this on video within 30 minutes. I've been trying for weeks and can't do it. It's pretty hard.
00:06
2401
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15-03-2015
[0]
The hatstand made its debut at chocfest 7, where I was compering. After a period of prototyping and refining, I built the version that worked. I demoed this a couple of times then it broke. I replaced the elastic and set it up for the big day, used it on stage and it worked, then broke next time I used it.
Be prepared to spend significant tinkering time in between uses, and for frequent breakdowns. That said, it's never let me down when I've needed it.
All in all I've found it a great way to get chicks[1], if you don't count the long evenings spent honing the design and strewing the house with geeky construction equipment, and the fact you'll be laughed out of most nightclubs if you go in wearing a topper. But on stage it works, and it has drawn admiring glances from fellow jugglers and even won us a bag full of croissants on one occasion.
Sweavo, June 2003
[1] facts may vary
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:07
3165
1
24-01-2015
[1]
The Shuffle - Another three hat juggling trick - this time it's the half shower
This is a variation of a jugglers' trick called the Half Shower.
Start with one hat on the head, and one in each hand, held in an outside grip. Throw one hat across the body, flat, with no spin. As soon as you've let go of this hat, take off the one on your head with your now-empty hand. The other hand slaps/places its hat onto the head, just in the nick of time to then catch the first (thrown) hat. You should now be back where you started.
The timing is a little odd for this one, but just remember "Throw.... take....place....catch", and you'll get it.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:10
2654
0
06-12-2015
[0]
The Shuffle (Fakes) - A variation of The Shuffle.
First learn the shuffle, and then watch the video - you'll work it out!
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:06
2548
0
06-12-2015
[0]
Thumb Spins - Spin the hat around your thumb
Hold the hat in an inside grip and spin it so the top of the brim stays in contact with the thumb. After a single spin catch it again in an inside grip.
Once you've mastered singles try longer spins. This trick is very versatile and can be used to add lots of flourishes. Try adding one in anywhere that you use an inside grip, or just throw one in with your hand outstretched or up above your head.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:04
1987
0
15-03-2015
[0]
Twiddled Big Circles - A trickier but nicer version of Big Circles
Big Circles is a big, visual trick, but the grip change can be slightly ungainly. The twiddle that this trick adds gives a similar effect but has a smoother, if slightly more difficult, change.
Mike and LP disagree on the best way to do this - LP's way, shown in the video clip above, is to do a finger twiddle, as described in the Forward Twiddle when the hat is at the top of the circle. Mike uses a Thumb Spin to adjust the grip.
Try both and decide which feels more comfortable to you, there's little point getting both smooth as they look identical to anyone except a hat manipulation geek, and there aren't many of them in the world!
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:05
1770
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15-03-2015
[0]
Upward twiddle - Twiddle the hat directly above the head
Use a palm-up fork grip on both sides the hat, and lift it off the head and straight up. Remove the ring fingers from the brim and twist the hat between the fore and middle fingers. Stop the spin by gripping the brim between the fore fingers and thumb.
You can either place it straight back on the head, or reverse the twiddle on the way back down.
From the TricksWithHats Archive
00:03
1734
0
04-12-2015
[0]
Upward twiddle (one hand) - Twiddle the hat above the head.
Grab the hat in a palm up fork grip. Lift the hat straight up, remove the ring fingers from the brim and twist the hat between the fore and middle fingers. Stop the spin by gripping the brim between the forefingers and thumb. Bring it straight back down to the head.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:03
1856
0
06-12-2015
[0]
This is a combination of parts of two other tricks, so it would probably help to learn them first. They are the Arm Roll and the Wipe Up
Start with the hat on your head. With the right arm, do the first part of a wipe up, just to the point where the hat comes off your head. However, instead of carrying it out to the side, push the hat back on your head so that the bottom of the brim comes into contact with your shoulder blades.
Use your upper arm to push the hat off and to the left, so that it can roll down your arm as though you were doing an Arm Roll, catching it in you hand as you do so
One variation that Mike is fond of, is to grip the front part of the crown with the crook of the elbow. Mike claims this gives him more options, and more control over where the hat goes. Try it, it may work for you too!
00:03
1987
0
15-03-2015
[0]
Throw a pancake throw, and catch it with your other hand above head. The catch is easier if you stick your thumb forward like a coat peg.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:03
1710
0
09-03-2015
[0]
Hold the plate by it's edge and spin it so that the rim stays in contact with your thumb. After a single spin catch it again. Once you've mastered singles try longer spins. This trick is very versatile and can be used to add lots of flourishes.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:03
1643
0
09-03-2015
[0]
These are exactly the same as the throws with clubs. They work best with pancake throws.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:04
1466
0
09-03-2015
[0]
Slide the plate down your back and allow the plate to catch and stay in the back of your trousers. What comedy!
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:08
1653
0
09-03-2015
[0]
Hold the plate flat in your left hand, bring your right hand up and over the plate, cross your arms and put the heel of your right hand against the underside of the plate's rim. Bring your right hand up and turn it over so that plate ends up flat in the palm of your right hand. If you turn this round it becomes the Forward Turnover
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:03
1658
0
09-03-2015
[0]
A variation of the simple turnover:
Start with the plate flat in your right hand. Throw it slightly, and while it's airborne turn your right hand so that the heel of the hand contacts the underside of the left rim of the plate as it descends. Push upwards and over with your hand and turn it over so that the plate comes to rest back in your palm.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:05
1705
0
09-03-2015
[0]
A variation of the simple turnover:
Start with the plate flat in your right hand. Throw it slightly, and while it's airborne turn your right hand so that the heel of the hand contacts the underside of the left rim of the plate as it descends. Push upwards and over with your hand and turn it over so that the plate comes to rest back in your palm.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:05
1631
0
09-03-2015
[0]
Start with plate flat on your right hand. Swing it in a full anti-clockwise circle, twisting your wrist over at the top so the plate finishes back in its original position with your shoulder and wrist twisted to support it. Reverse the move to unkink your arm.
It's also possible to stop the plate at the top of the circle and bring it back down the way it came.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:03
1555
0
09-03-2015
[0]
Start with a normal right handed upward curl and as soon as the palm is facing forward at the top reach the left hand over and put it onto plate to the right of the right hand. Curl both hands round the front of the plate, which comes down in front of the belly, and then continue to bring the hands round to the back, pushing the plate back up to the left. Take the right hand off and do a left handed downward curl.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:06
1579
0
09-03-2015
[0]
Throw the plate vertically and catch it under the leg (on the left side of right leg with right hand).
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:03
1497
0
09-03-2015
[0]
The plate is held and thrown vertically, and spins in the vertical plane. Jugglers will recognise this as the way that rings are usually thrown.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:04
1470
0
09-03-2015
[0]
The Willy Catch:
Throw the plate vertically, then reach between your legs from behind and catch the plate in front of your crotch.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:05
1623
0
09-03-2015
[0]
2 male Chinese acrobats performing with tridents. I do not know which troupe they are from.
This skill is sometimes called Fei-cha. It is a traditional Chinese acrobatic form. The tridents have loose elements at the head, which creates the characteristic jangling noise.
From a video titled Chinese Acrobatic Feats.
05:10
2222
0
04-09-2015
[0]
Solo female Chinese acrobat performing with tridents. I do not know which troupe she is from.
This skill is sometimes called Fei-cha. It is a traditional Chinese acrobatic form. The tridents have loose elements at the head, which creates the characteristic jangling noise.
From a video titled Beijing Magic Shows.
03:38
2422
0
04-09-2015
[0]
Teenage boy & girl from Chinese acrobatic troupe performing with tridents - a traditional Chinese acrobatic form. From the Chinese National troupe.
The trident heads have loose elements which make the characteristic jangling noise.
(This skill is also known as fei-cha)
04:27
2747
3
04-09-2015
[0]
This form of staff juggling now seems to be commonly called "fei-cha".
It comes from the traditional Chinese acrobatic repertoire, and in chinese acrobatics books and videos that I have seen it is translated as "trident manipulation".
The trident has loose elements at the head, which make the jangling sound - it's often a very noisy act.
This spinner is Mohamed Badr El Nouby from the Cairo Circus School.
01:33
3248
0
02-09-2015
[2]
