This is something I discovered when learning Mills Mess, while hardly a groundbreaking trick I think it is worth learning as a good exercise in concentration.
This trick involves doing a Reverse Cascade in the three basic available arm positions: uncrossed, right over left & left over right. If you can do the Crossed arm cascade with your arms folded both ways this trick is really easy. All you need to do is learn how to switch from an uncrossed reverse cascade to a crossed reverse cascade & back again.
Uncrossed to Crossed
Start by juggling a regular reverse cascade. Pick one ball & instead of throwing an Over the top, throw it straight up in the air to the same height as all the other throws so that it will land on the same side of the pattern. After making the vertical throw & catching the next ball, start to cross your arms, the hand that threw the vertical throw goes under & the opposite hand comes over to make the catch. As you swing the lower hand under the other arm scoop & throw an Under the arm throw. When you make this throw don't throw it straight up. As you scoop point your fingers out to the side & throw the ball from the fingertips so that it will land in the other hand on the other side of the pattern. DON'T UNCROSS YOUR ARMS! Instead juggle a crossed arm reverse cascade for a while.
& back again
This move is the mirror opposite of how you got into the crossed arm position.
While still juggling a crossed arm reverse cascade lead with the arm on the bottom. When it comes to making a throw with the arm on the bottom, instead of throwing it over the top, throw it straight up in the air, then catch the next ball. Also throw the next ball from the hand that is on top straight up rather than over the top. Uncross your arms & catch the ball thrown by the lower hand with the one that was on top. Lead into a reverse cascade with an over the top throw & catch the next ball with the hand that was on the bottom.
Practise switching from uncrossed to crossed & back again ON BOTH SIDES. When you can make smooth changes in both directions start working up to making a change at every opportunity.
Start with the change from uncrossed to crossed first. Juggle a reverse cascade then switch in to a crossed arm cascade. Watch the arm with which you make the under arm throw. You swing to the other side, make an under arm over the top throw then catch a ball. When you catch that ball, immediately swing your arm back out again & settle back into an uncrossed reverse cascade. This bit should feel very much like Half Mess. Practise this on both sides.
Now watch what happens when you switch back into a normal reverse cascade. Watch the hand that swings under then swings back. It then throws an over the top throw then catches another ball. Take note of the ball thrown over the top, let's call it the LEADING ball. After returning into the reverse cascade from one side, you lead into a crossed arm cascade on the other side by catching the 'Leading' ball & throwing it under the arm.
For the full trick it is 'just' a case of putting everything together.
Things to Remember
- The hands throw alternately throughout the pattern, despite all the crossing & switching sides at no point does one hand need to throw two balls one after the other.
- All throws are made over the top, even the vertical & under arm throws because everything is thrown on the outside of the preceding ball.
It can be quite a brain twister trying to remember which hand throws what, where & when. Because it borrows bits from so many different tricks it is easy to lapse into a different pattern, by learning this trick you also learn how to break habits, which is a very useful skill in itself.