Does anyone know if there is any Acrylic ball manufacturers/wholesalers based in the US that don’t change and arm and a leg? I have been looking to place bulk orders but cannot find any US based suppliers

I've wanted to learn contact juggling since I was little but didn't have anywhere to learn from but recently a friend gave me a fushigi ball so I decided to actually put effort into learning. Today is my second day of practicing, I've been working on isolation a little but I'm mostly focused on the butterfly, I almost have passing the ball to the front of my hand down but I still have a long way to go. Any tips would be much appreciated and I'm excited to get to know the community!

I was told to post here. Any advice on getting started as well as gear recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you :)

For some reason, the YT algorithm decided I needed to see a video on contact juggling. I'd never been interested in it or "normal" juggling before, probably because it looked too much like gym class. Throwing things and catching them again? Okay, I'm never going to be any good at that. Even most of the other contact juggling I've seen was done by pretty athletic muscley people who use their whole upper body, and it still looked like it was not within my sphere of interest or ability.

But the tutorial I watched showed someone seated and using mostly just their arms, fingers, and hands, and I'm a musician, so that looked doable for me. So I just got a glittery 76mm acrylic ball and am playing around with it. I already managed a reasonable "enigma" and figured out how to roll it over my index finger from the palm to the back of my hand without dropping it, on both hands.

I like the fact that it looks like there are a lot of things you can learn in contact juggling at all ability and athletic levels. If you are a jock, you can do the super-showy stuff, but if you want to just use your arms and hands, there's still a lot you can do.

Wish me luck!

OK. This is a not so hot video of me contact juggling a LONG time ago. It was about halfway into my progress. Unfortunately, it is the only surviving video. Not horrible but I eventually got better.

https://youtu.be/k7f31KVkwWs?si=aIiEgNQyMPBWkuxo

This was at mom's house on mothers day. We also did a few videos of my nephew trying out his new fire toys I made for him.

I'm a little saddened that there are so few posts here. 10 years ago contactjuggling.org was hot with new people every day. That site still exists but it's mostly just an archive of what once was.

I spent 10 years learning and got kind of good. I quit practicing a few years ago due to... goose poop at the park, and the wife needing me to tend to her health issues.

I'm thinking I ought not let it go and get my skills back. I can still do stuff, just way shaky and not smooth at all anymore. My favorite start was a back cross throw to a left arm elbow catch. Followed by an elbow pop to the opposite. Now I just do a simple throw to the elbow, not risking the fail.

Heh heh... one time I was presenting a CJ workshop at a juggle fest. Meanwhile, Tony Duncan was on the other end of the gym. Stupidly I elected not to pester him. OH! the missed opportunity. Next time I vowed I'd spend as much time with him as he allowed. Darned if he didn't camp next to us at the following Juggle fest and spent all kind of time with me. Then wound up sitting next to us at the Saturday night show where he did an amazing blind juggling routine.

If you don't know who Tony Duncan is watch these.

https://youtu.be/btRCkWNt4h8?si=WoULmSUeQMIe2IIh

https://youtu.be/ipeGRR1hMPQ?si=CTElVPWYgi7-XE3w

https://youtu.be/-pxgHz6g9ro?si=lsdM9wMJpHDqKY1E

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Years ago, there was this craze called Fushigi. Some guy thought he could make contact juggling the next "As Seen on TV" sensation. Fushigi, the Magic Gravity Ball, anyone can do it!

So I had gotten pretty good at Contact Juggling and my nephew wanted one of these things for Christmas. I went out to the mall and was in Spencers Gifts. There was a display of these abominable knock off props.

Sales clerk comes over and wants to 'assist' me. So I decide to have some fun. "Yea, I was looking at these things, what are they?" He tried to explain that they were some toy that looks all floaty and such when you play with it. I replied, "Cool! Mind if I open one up and give it a try?"

So I proceeded to do one of my Contact Juggling routines. Butterfly, Circle, Inside and Outside elbow stalls, Chest Roll, Finally parked it on my knuckles and exclaimed, "What do you know? It works! I'll take two!"

I recently went to a comic-con using a blue contact ball as my 'water bending' from Avatar and really enjoyed that.

For the life of me, I can't seem to think of another really good fit for contact juggling cosplay besides Mister Terrific, GoldBalls(kinda), and Menat from Street Fighter 5.

Here are some reasonable fits I've come up with.

Lots of characters shoot or throw energy balls, but I don't think contact juggling is very true to those characters. I don't think Goku is going to have a ki ball do anything besides be thrown at someone for example. I'd like something that is a better fit.

Do people have other ideas? This is such a neat skill that seems like it should pair so well with cosplaying!

Edit: Somehow forgot David Bowie's character from Labyrinth!

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So question for you guys. I may be moving into an apartment soon, and it’s on the third floor of the building.

Are there any soundproofing pads/mats you know of that I could put on the floor, so that when I drop an acrylic ball it won’t bother the other tenants?

Prompt: “Give some tips for training at contact juggling”

Contact juggling is a form of object manipulation in which a juggler manipulates one or more objects, such as balls or clubs, around their body without throwing or tossing them into the air. Here are some tips for training at contact juggling:

Start with one ball: Before attempting to juggle multiple balls, it's important to master the basic techniques of contact juggling with one ball. Practice rolling the ball around your body, including on your hands, arms, and head.

Use the right type of ball: Different types of balls are better suited for contact juggling. Acrylic balls are popular among contact jugglers because they are durable and easy to see.

Practice with a mirror: Practicing in front of a mirror will allow you to see your technique and make adjustments as needed. Take your time: Contact juggling is a slow and graceful art form. Don't rush through your movements.

Learn new tricks: Once you have mastered the basics, try learning new tricks and moves. There are many tutorials and instructional videos available online to help you learn new techniques.

Practice regularly: Consistency is key when learning contact juggling. Set aside time each day to practice and you'll see improvement over time.

Have patience and be persistent: like any new skill, contact juggling requires patience and persistence. Don't get discouraged if you don't get the hang of it right away; keep practicing and you'll get there.

Let's look back at some memorable moments and interesting insights from last year.

Your top 10 posts:

• "Was told this would be a good place for ring rolling" by u/odifin
• "Elegance and perfection" by u/Weed_Brigadier
• "Meditation" by u/Markski28
• "Contact juggling in Lumpini Park" by u/manipulationJuggling
• "Throwback practice session" by u/Markski28
• "🔮" by u/manipulationJuggling
• "First day. Just trying to get comfortable moving the ball." by u/jmdejesus6
• "throwback practice session" by u/Markski28
• "Practice session" by u/Markski28
• "Learning to walk" by u/Markski28

Hi all, so I have quite clammy hands and oily skin in general. I’ve become quite fascinated with contact juggling and would love to give it a go myself but with my skin I’m concerned that I’d never be able to make any progress with it.

Does anyone have any insight here to how things would go for me? Thank you