What the Heck is Contact Juggling?
Contact Juggling [CJ] is one of the most hypnotic and fascinating forms of the art of juggling. Unlike normal juggling, in which objects are thrown, spun, or balanced, in contact juggling, as its name implies, objects remain in contact with the body. The standard object used is a transparent ball, which is usually plastic,but has the look of a magical crystal ball. This ball is rolled in patterns over the hands and arms (and sometimes chest, feet, and head). There are endless variations, and there is no throwing or catching, so the effect is extremely graceful. It tends to have different effects on different watchers – some people are indifferent, while others simply cannot tear their eyes away. The clear balls pick up light from the surroundings, so if there are brightly colored lights nearby, the balls will twinkle and flash as they move. The introduction to James Ernest’s book explains: “The illusion created is one of a free-floating, weightless ball, subject to unusual laws of moti
