Burke's Barrage

Another catchy alliteratively named trick which involves some nice carries.

Start with two balls holding one in each hand with your arms crossed over. Make an Under the arm throw with the hand on the bottom so that the ball goes straight up on the side of the pattern peaking at eye level. While it is in the air bring your empty hand out from underneath then cross it back over your other arm before catching the ball. Now without uncrossing your arms do the same with the other hand. & just keep on throwing one ball under the other arm at a time, right under left, left under right, uncrossing & recrossing to make each catch.

When you are bored of that do the same again but this time Claw every ball from above, after each catch turn your hand from palm down to palm up while the other hand is uncrossing & recrossing so as to not break the rhythm of the pattern.

While juggling this two ball pattern watch the hand that is holding a ball while the other is in the air. As you uncross & recross your arms notice how the hand holding a ball instinctively dodges out of the way, making a small half circular movement. In the full Burke's Barrage pattern you have to exaggerate the dodging movement into a much larger carry.

Imagine yourself travelling forwards in a very thin car. Imagine the front axle running in front of your chest in line with your shoulders & the wheels spinning right next to your body. When juggling Burke's Barrage your right hand will make a circular carry around the outside of the left wheel & your left hand will carry round the outside of the right hand wheel. Both hands carry in the same direction that the wheel is turning.

When you first claw catch a ball continue the downwards motion into a circular carry. First carry down over the top of your other arm, then pull back passing on the outside of your opposite elbow, then come up past the opposite shoulder. At this point make the under the arm throw with your other hand. As the carried ball reaches the top of the circle begin to turn your hand from palm down to palm up & carry the ball down in between your empty hand & the ball in the air. While still carrying bring your empty hand out from underneath the carrying hand, claw the ball in the air & immediately begin an identical carry on the other side. Again just keep going, throw, claw & carry, throw, claw & carry...

At this point try to run this pattern as smoothly as possible. Try to make both sides even so that a carry on the left takes the same amount of time as a carry on the right. Don't try to do the move quickly at this point either, remember you've still got the third ball to add yet. Keep your throws nice & even & make them peak at eye level.

Next do the same as before but in between throwing & clawing each ball click the fingers of your empty hand. This is where the third ball is caught & thrown. This ball will be thrown from hand to hand in the middle of the pattern between the two carries, so I call it the CENTRE ball.

Now get all three balls, hold two in one hand & one in the other. Start as before with a vertical throw from the hand with two. Throw the centre ball from the other hand over to the opposite side, claw the first ball & begin the carry. When the carrying hand reaches the top of its circle throw the third ball straight up underneath the carrying arm & catch the centre ball. Wait until the carrying arm has passed between the ball in the air & your hand before throwing the centre ball. Then claw catch & carry on the other side before throwing straight up...

Now just keep going. Remember that after one ball is clawed the one on the opposite side is thrown. Also each ball stays in its place, one is caught, carried & thrown on the left side another on the right & the third ball is thrown from hand to hand in between. If you have one ball that is a different colour to the rest, hold that ball in one hand & start with the other two balls in the other hand to ensure that it is the centre ball.

After Burke's Barrage, you'll probably enjoy Rubenstein's Revenge. Also take a look at Burke's Slam & Burke's Orbit.