Equilibristics

Encyclopedia : E : EQ : EQU : Equilibristics

Equilibristics refers to a number of 'circus arts' and juggling skills characterised by balancing or maintaining a moving equilibrium or balance of opposing forces. The term applies equally to an act in which the performer's body is balanced on a prop or an act in which the performer balances a prop, or spins it.

Many different tricks and stunts fit into this category.

Technically, balancing a cane on the tip of a finger is an equilibristic stunt, but generally equilibristics is more flashy:

Couch juggling, where the juggler lays on his or her back, balancing an upended sofa on the soles of the feet... the couch is flipped end-for-end, and caught at the other end, gradually beginning a spin which is maintained by deft movements of the feet. This stunt can also be performed with a canoe, or other large and unwieldy objects, even rarely performed as a gymnastic stunt, using a human gymnast as the juggled object.

The traditional Scottish athletic event, the Caber Toss might be considered another form of equilibristics.

Perhaps the most well-known of the equilibristic arts is the twirling of batons, and the use of the juggling prop known as Devil Sticks.

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.