Hat manipulation
Encyclopedia
Hat manipulation is a form of juggling
in which the manipulator performs feats of skill and dexterity using a brimmed hat such as a bowler hat
or a top hat
. Tricks can range from rolling a hat up and down the various parts of the body
to throwing and catching the hat in amusing ways. Hat manipulation is often comedic in nature, and can be very entertaining. Part of the appeal of the art is in the necessary equipment; all that is needed is a good, heavy, brimmed hat, which can be found at many juggling stores. Famous manufacturers of manipulation specific hats are Nils Poll and Dubé. Hat manipulation is also frequently combined with traditional forms of juggling in order to create more varied acts.
Technically, hat manipulation is a form of object manipulation
where the hat is the skill toy
.
Juggling
Juggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...
in which the manipulator performs feats of skill and dexterity using a brimmed hat such as a bowler hat
Bowler hat
The bowler hat, also known as a coke hat, derby , billycock or bombin, is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown originally created in 1849 for the English soldier and politician Edward Coke, the younger brother of the 2nd Earl of Leicester...
or a top hat
Top hat
A top hat, beaver hat, high hat silk hat, cylinder hat, chimney pot hat or stove pipe hat is a tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat, predominantly worn from the latter part of the 18th to the middle of the 20th century...
. Tricks can range from rolling a hat up and down the various parts of the body
Body
With regard to living things, a body is the physical body of an individual. "Body" often is used in connection with appearance, health issues and death...
to throwing and catching the hat in amusing ways. Hat manipulation is often comedic in nature, and can be very entertaining. Part of the appeal of the art is in the necessary equipment; all that is needed is a good, heavy, brimmed hat, which can be found at many juggling stores. Famous manufacturers of manipulation specific hats are Nils Poll and Dubé. Hat manipulation is also frequently combined with traditional forms of juggling in order to create more varied acts.
Technically, hat manipulation is a form of object manipulation
Object manipulation
Object manipulation is a form of dexterity play or performance in which one or more artists physically interact with one or more objects. These can be special props made for the purpose of the manipulation itself - such as balls, clubs, hoops, rings, poi, staff, devil sticks, etc. - or any other...
where the hat is the skill toy
Skill toy
Skill Toy is a generic term for the specific prop used for dexterity play or in an object manipulation routine or performance.A skill toy can be any static or inanimate object with which person dances, manipulates, spins, tosses, or simply plays...
.
Types of tricks
The types of tricks performed during hat manipulation fall into seven major categories. These are:- Tumbles: Tricks where the hat rotates end over end (possibly over the body).
- Twiddles: Tricks in which a hat rotates quickly through the fingers.
- Spins: Tricks where the hat spins around its central axis, much like showing off with a basketball.
- Rolls: Tricks involving the hat spinning on its brim like a wheel.
- Throws: Tricks where a hat is thrown into the air.
- Comedy: Gags with the hat intended to make the audience laugh.
- Multi-hat juggling: Juggling 3 or more hats along the lines of normal juggling.