Welcome to Swamp's Kids Can Do Homepage.
You might be visiting this page because you participated in a Swamp Circus Trust circus workshop
provided as part of Sheffield
City Council's Kids Can Do - Positive Activities for Young People
We hope you enjoyed the workshop.
This page aims to offer you some links to further information on
places where you can learn new tricks, practice your new skills, find a practice session, buy equipment and so on.
If you find any dead links please let me know (jules@swamptrust.org.uk)
Warning!
Before you visit any web site please, please always ask your parents or guardians if you can use the internet.
Although the internet is full of information it is not always a safe place!
It’s cool to be safe on the ‘Net: So Be Safe, Be Cool and Ask before you Surf!
Never use a ‘chat-room’ without supervision!!
The web sitehttp://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/ gives advice on how to be safe on-line.
Please note: Swamp Circus Trust is not responsible
for the content of any external web site!
Swamp Circus Trust has it's own youtube channel showing 'how to..' videos and some great acts
http://www.youtube.com/user/swampvideos
The internet home of juggling is the juggling data base - http://www.jugglingdb.com/
jugglingdb links all all parts of the known juggling universe.
This section is useful for a beginner - http://www.jugglingdb.com/compendium/skills/
and this to learn basic three ball juggling - http://www.jugglingdb.com/compendium/startjuggling/learntojuggle.html?page=0
The best internet site for top contemporary acts and artist, as well as for history is juggling tv
Devil or Flower Stick
http://www.devilstick.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil_sticks
Diabolo
http://www.diabolotricks.com/
Staff or Stick Spinning
http://mcp.tepookatoys.com/
Hats
http://www.trickswithhats.org/
Hula Hoops
http://www.hooping.org/
Circus and Theatre-Circus
http://www.blackpoolcircusschool.co.uk/circus_history.html
http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/pressnews/press_detail.php?rid=10&id=951
Buying Equipment
Some Juggling equipment is specialised, some is very simple. Juggling shops are few. Swamp Circus Trust has a shop which means that you can order equipment from us (see our contact details) Juggling Shops can also be found via the Internet. The best place to start for UK shops is http://www.jugglingdb.com/vendors/
The nearest are also two of the biggest Beard ( Hebden Bridge) and Butterfingers (Harrogate)
Another alternative is to make your own equipment.
• Juggling balls can be made by filling round balloons with rice or
linseed then pulling more balloons over the first one until you have a nicely
shaped ball shape.
• You can use rolled up socks or any three balls (tennis balls, for
example) that you can throw and catch easily.
• You can use oranges or potatoes or even apples – but ask first!
Then after juggling you can wash and eat the fruit or (cooked) vegetables.
• Juggling scarves can be made from spare fabric or plastic shopping
bags. Be sure that the bags have been opened up so that they are safe around
small children.
• Poi can be made by putting tennis balls in the end of long socks.
• Staffs can be made from broomstick handles either painted or covered
in tape. Some people glue a length of old rubber inner tube at each end to
improve the feel.
• In all instances ask your parents or guardians for help!
• Be aware that while learning to juggle you can knock over objects
by accident very easily – so always check the space in which you juggle.
Ask your parents or guardians first!
Some words about Juggling.
• Juggling improves hand-to-eye co-ordination (making you a little bit
better at sports). It doesn't matter if you catch the balls – in juggling
it’s the throwing that is more important.
• Don’t get frustrated if it doesn't work – relax! Let go
of the balls and remember to laugh at getting ‘wrong’. Juggling
should always be fun.
• Juggling can help with your concentration skills – but don’t
concentrate too hard – ‘not-minding’ and relaxing usually
makes you juggle better.
• Don’t ‘think’ hard about trying to juggle –
“Use the Force” and trust your instincts and body, young Padawan.
• Juggling requires no batteries.
• Juggling has unlimited minutes.
• Juggling has endless tricks and variety – by ‘making mistakes’
you are just experimenting with new patterns and rhythms.
• Juggling is not a competitive sport – we juggle to play and
not to win!
