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- WHAT CAN YOU DO????
You could
- Hold a handstick in each hand and rest the baton on top
- You might
- Roll the baton up and down your sticks-maybe even up your arms?
- How about
- Toss the baton up in the air a bit, then gently catch it.
Try it higher and higher! Have a catch with a friend!
- Can you
- Balance the baton on one stick? Where does it balance?
What makes it flip over? Which way does it fall?
DIRECTIONS: |
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THE FLIP-FLOP
1. Notice the path of moving:
Place one end of the baton on the ground, crouch down in front of it. Place one handstick well above the center point of the baton-this is marked with colored tape. Using your entire arm for the motion, slowly lower the handstick, with the baton resting on it, nearly to the ground.
Now lift the baton, using your handstick, up and over to the other handstick, gently catching it again above the center point and lowering it to the ground.
Keep passing the baton, with one end on the ground, back and forth until you can keep a smooth, continuous motion going. |
| Falling over? Are you sure you're catching it above the center point? Catching it below will make it top heavy, so it will fall to the outside-a different trick!
Absorb momentum, you are going for a soft catch, with lots of contact. Catch and bring it down, then push back up.
2. Getting it in the air:
At this point, with a smooth motion going back and forth between handsticks, try speeding up some. Still follow the full arc, lowering the baton each time you catch it. AND START WATCHING THE BOTTOM END!
The baton's momentum should cause it to come up and balance momentarily off the ground, before falling back over. Now try it a bit off the ground, keeping the catching motion the same.. |
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Figure #1 |
THE SPIN
You've probably noticed by now, touching the baton near the center makes it want to turn over.
CONGRATULATIONS!
You've stumbled onto the spin!
It's best to try when the flip-flop is easy.
You can start a spin (one handed) from the flip-flop. As you push the baton up and over, follow it all the way over with your handstick, getting the other handstick out of the way. You'll need to flip the baton over a little harder than before to start this. (see Figure #1) |
| Making contact with the baton a few inches below the center point, bring your handstick down and under and back up again-the motion looks like a "J". (see Figure #2) Remember, the top part of the "J" motion, that's what lifts the baton so it has energy to spin!
GET REVOLUTIONARY!
If you make that "J" starting below the center on the baton each time it comes completely around the circle, you can do another spin...and another... |
Figure #2 |
INDIRECTIONS:
- BE SENSITIVE to the sticks and to your own body; by tuning into the feelings of the moment, you will learn from ALL you do. Be delicate. Dance with it!
- DON'T PANIC! You'll make the sticks nervous (and they're quite sensitive.)
- SEE learning opportunities instead of mistakes. Be unconcerned about success or failure and never miss. Watch! Whatever you do is OK, even if you think you're out of control. Things happen...go with it. Learn from the sticks. There are no mistakes, only new tricks!
- TRY EVERYTHING with both hands, on both sides, in different angles, directions. How slowly can you go? How fast? How innocent? How high? How funny? How unique?
EXPERIMENT! EXPLORE! DISCOVER!
IF YOU'RE HAVING FUN, YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT! |
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