Mill's Mess

I'm not going to organize this into a long document. I'm just going to give a description of the pattern and then describe the drills that I did to learn it. There's nothing visual here to help out. It's time to use your imagination.

Mill's Mess can be described juggling with your arms crossed, then uncrossed, then crossed the other way. Of course, it can be described that way, because that's what it is. Sheesh. It's harder to describe it than it is to teach it. Good thing, too, or nobody would ever learn it.

Mill's Mess naturally breaks into three separate drills, each of which must be done with both hands. I mean each of which must be started with either hand. Oh, heck, you'll see in a moment.

Drill 1: The crossed hands.

1. Take 1 ball in each hand. Hold your arms up as if you were holding a tray at waist level. Now cross your arms, still at waist level.
2. Starting with the arm that is under the other, throw 1 ball straight up.
3. Now throw the ball from the upper hand in a arc toward the other side. I.e. if that ball is on the right, then it arcs to the left. Both balls will be coming down at about the same place.
4. The arcing throw will naturally make your upper arm move in an arc. Let it uncross your arms and catch that first ball (the straight up throw).
5. The arm that was underneath should now swing across on top of the other and catch the second ball. You have now reversed the crossing of your arms. I.e. if you started with your left arm on top, then now your right arm is on top.

You repeat this drill, always starting with the arm that is underneath, but that arm switches each time you do the drill.

Drill 2: The uncrossed hands.

1. Take 1 ball in each hand. Start with your arms uncrossed, as if you were juggling normally.
2. Throw 1 of the balls in a short arc so that it comes down on the same side. If you have done 2 in one hand juggling then this throw is like the outside circle pattern. It comes down just a little off center on the same side from which it was thrown.
3. The now empty hand crosses over the other hand.
4. The now underneath hand throws straight up and catches the first ball. This is the same throw in the pattern as Step 2 of Drill 1.
5. You uncross your hands and catch the second ball in the first hand.

While Drill 1 caused you to naturally reverse the crossing of your hands, this drill always leaves you with uncrossed hands. So you must remember to do this drill starting with each hand. I.e. begin with the right hand until it feels smooth. Then begin with the left hand.

Technically, that's it. Those two drills give you the basics of the Mess. But I personally didn't really feel the pattern in my hands after this. So I invented a third drill for myself.

Drill 3: Three balls, three throws.

1. Take 2 balls in one hand and 1 in the other. Cross the 2 ball hand under the other. (It's vital to put the 2 balls in the underneath hand.)
2. Start Drill 1. Throw 1 of the 2 balls straight up, throw the single balls in an arc across. Uncross your arms and catch the straight up throw.
3. But you still have a ball from the pair and your hands are uncrossed. So do Step 2 of Drill 2. Throw this third ball in a short arc to the same side.
4. Now cross your arms and catch the second throw-- the large arc.
5. Now catch the short arc throw in the new underneath hand, ending with 2 balls in that hand and one in the other.

This drill acts just like Drill 1. You start in one position, make the throws and catches and end up in the mirror position. When you are really smooth with this drill, back and forth, then you should be feeling the Mess pattern.

Moving on to actually juggling Mill's Mess is simply a matter of not stopping to catch the third ball. Instead you make the next underneath arm, straight up throw immediately.

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who happens to learn Mill's Mess from these drills. You can reach me via email at: veale@fafnir.dyndns.org