Mills Mess
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The Mills Mess (sometimes referred to in print as "Mills' Mess") is a popular toss juggling pattern, typically performed with three balls although the number and objects can be different. It is considered somewhat of a milestone in juggling, "a mind-boggling pattern of circling balls, crossing and uncrossing hands, and unexpected catches." [1]
The base of this pattern is a traditional reverse cascade, (siteswap 3 in siteswap notation), with an extra "mess" added by alternately crossing and uncrossing arms. The effect created is that the balls pursue each other from one side to the other.
The name of this pattern is very commonly, though incorrectly, spelled: Mill's mess.
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[edit] Modern origin
Though any toss juggling maneuver may very well have "originated" anywhere and may have been known in antiquity, Mills Mess was reportedly invented in the late 1960s or early 1970s.
[edit] Variants
Mills Mess combines several additional skills to create a pattern that is moderately more difficult than the traditional three-ball cascade. Though most commonly performed with balls, bean-bags or similar objects, the pattern is adaptable to rings, clubs, torches and a variety of other juggling props.
While impressive by itself, Mills Mess can be made to appear even more complicated by including it in a routine or sequence of other juggling maneuvers, or by combining it with chops, or other juggling maneuvers or flourishes:
[edit] Boston Mess
Boston Mess is a variant of Mills Mess in which the arms similarly cross and uncross, but the balls are thrown in columns. It is performed with three balls in a columnar cascade pattern (siteswap 3).
[edit] Eric's Extension
Eric's Extension, invented by Eric Uhrhane, is a variation on Mills Mess in which the arms cross twice on each side instead of just once. The extra throws may add to the visual appeal of the pattern. Eric's Extension requires the juggler's arms to be slender or flexible to cross two times, a requirement for some which makes this variation physically impossible.
[edit] Inside Out
When combined with chops (a chop is a downward sweep or flourish of the hand that has just caught and is holding a ball), the Mills Mess pattern is sometimes called "Inside Out" -- from its appearance when performed: alternate chops alternating from inside the pattern to outside the pattern, making it seem almost as if the balls are juggling the hands. The effect is that of a juggler frantically pursuing the balls in their stacatto movements. "The Great Bongo", Glenn, gave this pattern its name, and claims to have taught hundreds of jugglers how to do it the easy way. Mills Mess the 'easy' way, below, is adapted from a video of him teaching "Inside Out" to a beginning juggler.
Five ball variations of the above 'three-ball tricks' have also been performed.
[edit] Learning Mills Mess
[edit] The 'easy' way
A four step method of progressing to Mills Mess from a three-ball cascade is to begin by throwing one ball from under the opposite arm rather than over it. (throwing from under the opposite arm eventually becomes the 'crossing and uncrossing' motion of the arms which is often considered the most difficult part of the trick)
The next step is to throw the ball caught with the opposite hand (on the throw three beats following the "under throw" -- this is the same ball as the first 'under' ball) under its opposite arm as well. The third step is to alternately throw each succeeding ball (only one ball goes under with the other two swapping places) under the opposite hand -- in other words (describing the "under" ball's movement):
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- Right hand under, left hand catch, left hand under, right hand catch, right hand under, left hand catch, left hand under, right hand catch, right hand under, left hand catch, left hand under, right hand catch, left hand catch, right hand catch. This is the complete pattern of the Mills Mess 'flash'-- at this point all balls have returned to their starting point.
The final step is to bring the pattern closer to the center, and smooth it out by moving the arm under which the opposite arm is throwing closer to the midline of the body. Some jugglers describe this over/under/under/over motion as "doing the hand jive" -- a reference to the hand move made popular by dancers, dancing to 1958 Johnny Otis' hit song "Willie and the Hand Jive".
As many jugglers will tell you, "this trick is easier done than said". However, using the above method, hundreds of 'beginning jugglers' have learned Mills Mess in their first few weeks of juggling. It only looks impossible.
[edit] Another way
Mills Mess is a 6 beat pattern. The hardest part about the pattern is the crossing and uncrossing of hands. Most jugglers will find it difficult to move their arms across their body. That said, the order of throws-and-catches, or exchanges, still alternates between the hands like they did in the 3-ball cascade.
Most jugglers were taught juggling to think in terms of "exchanges", or where a throw followed by an immediate catch happened. So here are the order in which the exchanges happen starting with the hands uncrossed.
(hands uncrossed) 1. Right hand exchange as it crosses over the left hand. (hands crossed) 2. Left hand exchange under the right hand. (hands crossed) 3. Right hand exchange at it uncrosses back to the right side. (hands uncrossed)
Exchanges 4 through 6 are an exact mirror of 1 through 3.
(hands uncrossed) 4. Left hand exchange as it crosses over the right hand. (hands crossed) 5. Right hand exchange under the left hand (hands crossed) 6. Left hand exchange as it uncrosses back to the left side. (hands uncrossed)
Repeat continuously, trying to appear nonchalant.
[edit] Yet another way (the 'very easy' way)
For jugglers already proficient with the false shower pattern, in both clockwise and counter-clockwise directions, Mills Mess can be learned by simply alternating three clockwise throws and three counter-clockwise throws. A prerequisite is the ability to seamlessly transition from a clockwise false shower pattern to its counter-clockwise twin.
[edit] Some general hints
- The balls must each be tossed to the point where the hand will catch the ball, not where the hand is when the ball is thrown
- During the exchanges numbered 2 and 5 the hands must not uncross, though it may be tempting. The uncrossing will happen on the next exchange. Uncrossing the hands during 2 and 5 ruins the illusion.
It might be a good idea to simply learn the reverse cascade with one's arms crossed, on both sides, then simple switch over as one juggles. Once one can train his or herself to throw the lead ball back on itself, the rest should come naturally.
[edit] References
- ^ Quote from Beyond the Cascade, George Gillson ©1990 Cascade Books, Seattle Washington: reviewed by Bill Giduz in Juggler's World: Vol. 42, No. 4
