Fountain (juggling) facts for kids
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| Minimum prop #: 4 | |
| Difficulty: 7/10, 4 (note: difficulty ratings are arbitrary and subject to change) | |
| Siteswap: 4 | |
| Shannon: 4 | |
| Period: 1 | |
| Parity: even | |
| Notes: asymmetrical, synchronous or asynchronous |
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The fountain is a popular juggling pattern. It's the main way jugglers handle an even number of objects. Imagine juggling four balls. In a fountain, each of your hands works on its own. You don't throw objects from one hand to the other. This means if you have two balls in your right hand, you'll have two in your left. So, the total number of balls is always even.
Think of it like this: each hand throws its balls straight up. Then, it catches them with the same hand that threw them.
Synchronous or Asynchronous?
A fountain can be done in two main ways:
- Synchronous: Both hands throw their balls at the exact same time. It's like a mirror image of throws.
- Asynchronous: Your hands take turns throwing. One hand throws, then the other, creating a steady rhythm.
It can be tricky to make your hands throw at different speeds. Our bodies often want to make both hands do the same thing at the same time!
Circular Motion vs. Columns
The fountain pattern is juggled in a circular way. This is what makes it different from columns.
- Circular Motion (Fountain): The balls travel in a circle-like path. You throw a ball from a spot close to your body. Then you catch it further away from your body. This creates an "outside circle" motion. You can also reverse this. For an "inside circle," you throw from further away and catch closer to your body.
- Columns: In this pattern, the balls go straight up and down. Each ball stays in its own vertical "column." You catch the ball right where you threw it from.
Other Fountain Styles
There are a few variations of the fountain pattern:
- Asynchronous Asymmetrical Fountain: This is often called the "4" pattern.
- Synchronous Fountain: This is known as the "(4,4)" pattern. Both hands throw at the same time.
- Wimpy: This is a special version of the synchronous fountain. It involves the balls crossing over slightly, known as "(4x,4x)".
