Burke's Orbit

This trick is almost exactly the same as Burke's Barrage, the only thing that changes is the path of the carry. In this variation the full arm wheeling carry is replaced by an orbit around one of the other balls.

If you haven't already come across an orbit, it is a fast circular carry made with the wrist that goes around another ball. Orbits can be done both ways, clockwise or anticlockwise with either hand. In this trick you need to do outside orbits, that is clockwise with the right hand & anticlockwise with the left.

Start with two balls & hold one in each hand. Throw one ball Under the arm straight up on the other side of the body. Holding the other ball between the fingertips begin an orbit around the thrown ball BEFORE it leaves the hand. Lift the carrying hand with the thrown ball as it rises. Start the carry on the inside of & slightly above the ball, as it leaves the hand the carry should be directly above. Then carry around the outside & as the ball peaks carry under & back up on the inside. When the ball starts to fall carry over the top, back down on the outside then scoop the ball down. Then make an under the arm throw on the other side at the same time as catching the first ball with the same hand that threw it.

All that sounds a lot more complicated than it is. The orbit sounds difficult but it is just a case of swinging your hand round at the wrist joint. It is all in the wrist, try to keep the movement as smooth as possible & make sure you actually draw a circle with the ball rather than flapping your wrist up & down. Just start at the right time & orbit the ball around the other as fast as you can & you should get the timing right.

Practise the move described above starting with an under the arm throw from either hand. Work on getting a nice smooth & even orbit & on getting the timing right so that you throw the orbited ball under the arm at the same time as you catch the first throw.

Now instead of stopping in between doing the move on one side then the other, put the two together to make a continuous two ball pattern. Begin as normal, but when you catch the first ball carry it over & around the second under arm throw instead. Keep practising until you are comfortable, then notice that there is a slight pause alternately on each side just after making a throw when the hand is empty. Keep juggling the two ball pattern & click your fingers in the gap. In the next step you will catch & throw the third ball in this gap.

Now with all three balls start juggling a cascade & begin the pattern with a vertical throw on one side. Make an Over the top throw then reachover & Claw this ball at its peak all with the other hand. At the same moment as you make the claw catch the other arm makes an under the arm throw & then catches the ball thrown over the top. Carry the clawed ball around the under the arm throw in an orbit as you have been practising. During the orbit, at the same time as the under the arm ball peaks throw the ball held in the other hand back to the other side again as an over the top throw. Throw the carried ball up under the other arm & catch the over the top ball. With the other hand catch the ball you just orbited & begin the orbit on the other side. & repeat & repeat & repeat...

Try & keep all throws to the same height, nothing needs to be thrown above head height. Throwing low makes the orbiting a bit easier because you don't have to reach up so far. It may help you keep track of the pattern to watch the over the top throw, it is made with the same ball each time so it 'Tennises' back & forth while the other two balls take turns in orbiting around & being orbited around by the other.