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How to Use Devil Sticks:
A devil stick baton is lifted/struck/stroked alternately by the two control sticks ('handsticks', or 'sidesticks'). The handsticks, and sometimes the baton as well, are often covered with a material to provide good 'grip' or friction when in contact with the devil stick. Often this material consists of silicon or rubber, but homemade sets may utilize materials such as various tapes, skateboard grip, sandpaper with a sticky back, or cloth. However, some sets are made of slippery polished, bare hardwood. In one basic stick maneuver, known as the Pendulum, the Idle or Tick-tock the center stick is lifted alternately with the left and right handsticks touching the baton at a point about halfway between the center of gravity and each end, causing the ends to swing to either side while the center of the baton remains at a somewhat constant height
The pendulum is an important move to learn, because to a great extent, every other trick is a variation on it.
The 'helicopter' spin is a variation in which a horizontal rotational force is applied as the baton 'pendulums' in the vertical plane, causing a continuous rotation in a nearly horizontal plane. Advanced twirlers can twirl the stick with one stick only (called the propellor), with an arm, knee or other limb and are able to manipulate the baton in any plane above below or in front of or behind the performer's body while walking, unicycling or tightrope balancing. Some can even twirl two batons simultaneously.
There are an infinite number of tricks available to the devilsticker:
- Any trick done with one hand can be learned with the alternate hand.
- Rotations can be reversed, such as helicopter or propeller spins.
- It is possible to cross ones arms as the devilstick is tick-tocked, this can lead to what appears to be a devilstick version of a three-ball juggling trick called 'Mills Mess'.
- The devilstick may be placed vertically on ones nose, chin, elbow, foot, etc and balanced by moving the bottom of the stick in the same direction that the top is beginning to fall towards.
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