Moving Group Patterns

Movement adds interesting variations and challenges to group passing patterns. We mostly discuss patterns that are symmetric in that all passers cycle through all positions during the pattern. The following patterns are roughly sorted by increasing difficulty.

Notation and Relabeling

To notate the pattern, we rely usually on a sequence of diagrams of passer positions from above that illustrate the positions and movement. In the notation, we underline the beats were movement happens.

In most patterns, it takes a while until all passers cycle through all positions, to get back to the original start. However, conceptually, the pattern is usually composed of smaller repeating steps, similarly to how siteswaps repeat over an over again even if we write the most compact version showing only the first half of the pattern. With walking and takeout patterns, it is common to write down only one transition of the pattern and then describe how it repeats.

For illustration, here is the full notation for the rotating feed in two-count vs four-count (described in more detail below). It is 18 beats long to get back to the start where passer A feeds (though the orientation in the room will have changed). However, the first six beats already describe all that is happening in the pattern. After those six beats, a different passer (who started as C before) will now feed; after another six beats the third passer will be the feeder.

Relabeling. The standard approach to notate those patterns compactly is to describe only one transition, but then explain how the roles change. That is, the same passer (identified with a colored circle in the diagram) will go through all three roles -- in this pattern, first A, then B, then C. The role changes (how passers are relabeled) are indicated as arrows at the end of each line in the notation. While relabeling approach makes patterns much more compact to notate, it can require some practice to read to notation and follow how roles change for each passer during the pattern.

Changing starts: Turning back. While learning longer patterns, it is good idea to change the start when the first beats of the pattern work well, but the group rarely gets to later beats to practice them. The best way to change the start is to go backward in the pattern by one segment. This way, everybody can learn the new segment and then gets to a point that they already know (whereas turning forward, everybody gets to more unknown parts of the pattern and never practices previous parts again until getting around).

For most walking patterns, it is obvious how to turn back. However, when not obvious, this step-by-step process always works: Look at role changes in the notation. Identify which role gets relabeled to your current role, that's the role in the previous start -- for example, in the rotating feed above, the passer with role A has role C in the previous start (because C turns into A). When everybody has identified their role, simply move to the starting positions for each role. For teaching more complicated patterns, after turning back, the passer who previously held a role can typically explain well what to do to the new passer in that role.

Rotating Y (4 passers)

A good beginner pattern with easy movement is the Rotating Y. The Y is a formation of two passers next to each other facing two passers behind each other (a feed with an extra passer behind the feeder). The rightmost passer throws a long pass to the passer in the back, who throws a long pass to the passer on the left, who throws a much shorter pass to the feeder in the middle, who then throws another short pass to the rightmost passer. For movement, consider that the two passers standing next to each other are on the left and right of a circle, whereas the other two passers are in the front and back of another circle; for each movement each passer moves a quarter position counter-clockwise on their circle (all walking at the same time), yielding another Y. Note that after movement, everybody still passes to the same passer (now in a different location, possibly with a different distance) and receives from the same passer.

The rotating Y is commonly juggled in four-count with movement after every other pass or after every pass. To learn the pattern, it is common to try every position without moving during the pattern, and move to the new positions between attempts when resetting. When moving during the pattern, only fairly little movement is needed, typically only a step or two without turning, making this a good beginner pattern.

Rotating Feeds (3 passers)

The rotating feed is a good introduction to walking and turning on a four-count (usually), which is an important foundation for many other walking and takeout patterns. So even if the rotating feed on two-count vs four-count can be rather boring, it is an important milestone.

In all these patterns, one feedee (usually the left one) is walking across the pattern while turning to a position beside the previous feeder. The other feedee becomes the new feeder, feeding the passer who just walked and the previous feeder.

Two-count vs. four-count. The standard pattern, shown already in the notation section above, is a two-count feed with feedees on four-count. This pattern is the foundation for many four-person manipulator patterns.

To begin, the left feedee can walk across the pattern after any pass with or without announcing it. There is enough time for both the previous feeder and the new feeder to adjust patterns; the previous feeder will simply do a self where they would have passed to the feedee who just walked, resulting in a switch to four-count; the third passer will throw a pass to the passer who just walked instead of a self, thus switching to a two-count feed.

The most common pattern is for the left feedee to walk every six beats, which passer is currently in the left feedee position will change. The feeder typically counts the two-count passes as 1 - 2 - 3 and the left feeder would start walking after the pass on 3. After this, the right feedee takes over counting (and feeding) 1 - 2 - 3 after that, which is when the next passer (the first feeder) will start walking, and so forth.

Walking and turning while juggling can initially be somewhat challenging. Usually the passer walking will walk immediately after their pass and catch the incoming pass somewhat along the way (ask the feeder to throw it shorter if necessary). It is possible to practice walking and turning while juggling alone, simply walking around while maintaining a 3-club cascade. Less confident passers can also collect all clubs and walk across the pattern holding all three clubs to then restart with a pass on the other side.

Pass-pass-self feeds. The following pattern is a nice approximation of a pass-pass-self feed (technically pass-pass-self-pass-pass-self-pass-self), which still allows walking on a right-handed four count. That is, the pattern is ambidextrous and slightly more challenging, but the walking is the same as in the two-count vs. four-count version.

A pure pass-pass-self feed is also possible, but substantially harder. It requires walking on a three-count and alternates between walking on a right-handed three-count and a left-handed three-count. Walking after a left-handed pass is harder for most people, because it is easier to turn with the angle of the incoming pass.

Four-handed siteswap feeds. Rotating feeds on four-handed siteswaps are not common and usually very challenging since it requires changing between straight and crossing passes and account for the half-beat timing difference between the two sides. To make this work, the common trick is that the feeder throws straight single passes to feedee B (who will walk next) and crossing single passes to feedee C, and feedee B responds with crossing single passes and feedee C with straight single passes. When walking passer B throws an extra fast self (where there is technically only half a beat) and maintains the crossing passes with the previous feeder, but starts throwing straight passes to the other feedee. [TODO: finalize and example]

Other feeds. Generally any feed can be turned into a rotating feed if there are enough selfs to walk across. It is also possible that multiple passers walk before the pattern repeats (as ain the rotating pure pass-pass-self feed above). Here is an example of a very short pattern (the base pattern for MiniEd), with a lot of walking on right-handed three-counts:

Extra Club Rotating Feed (3 passers)

The two-count vs. four-count feed with 10 clubs (see Feeds) can also be turned into a walking rotating pattern, similar to other feeds. In this pattern, on all double passes, the feeder throws one more pass to their right feedee before switching to four-count and the walk happens on a five-count (resulting locally in the sequence pass left, pass right, pass left, pass right, pass right).

To maintain the usual approach to throw all double passes straight instead of crossing, the feedees start left-handed or one beat late (see 7-club two-count and adding clubs to synchronous feeds). Since the walking technically changes from the left-handed to the right-handed side of the pattern, there can only be three selfs in the five-count and passer walking needs to take one of these options: (a) juggle a four-count very slowly to match the speed of a five-count, (b) throw one of the three selfs of a four-count as a double self followed by a wait to gain an extra beat of time, or (c) walk on a normal four-count and throw an early triple pass followed by a wait. In either case, timing is right if, after walking, the first pass responds to an incoming pass with the offset timing common for 7-club two count.

TODO: switch left and righthand start

With a bit of galloping, this pattern can also be juggled on single passes (see 7-club two-count on singles).

Bruno's Nightmare (3 passers)

The conceptual idea behind all "Bruno's" patterns is that the passers move as if they were balls thrown by a giant. In the basic Bruno's nightmare pattern the passers move in a simple cascade pattern being "thrown" to one side of the room and then "falling" back down to the other (see the diagram below). Many other patterns, including passing patterns, are possible beyond a simple three-ball cascade. While the passers are moving in the shape of a juggling pattern, they exchange clubs.

In the basic Bruno's nightmare pattern, the passers start in a V shape and one feedee walking walks through the middle of the pattern to arrive at the opposite side of the former feeder to where they would have walked in a rotating feed; during that time the other feedee "falls down" to take the place of the feedee who just walked from where they will feed next. The initial feeder first throws to the feedee walking, then to the other feedee, and then once more to the feedee walking while they are in the middle of the pattern. From here the pattern repeats with the previous feeder now walking through the pattern, the previous "falling" feedee now feeding, and the juggler who previously walked falling down.

The standard way to juggle this pattern is on three-count vs. six-count, which is giving passers a lot of time to walk and turn.

The pattern can also be juggled on many other baseline beats. Feeding two-count vs. four count is fairly common too, but since the pattern requires turning both clockwise and counter-clockwise, one of those turns is usually more challenging. A much slower version has five instead of three passes before it repeats, where the walking juggler passes twice while walking through the middle of the pattern. Less conventional base patterns are pass-pass-self or pass-pass-self-pass-self feeds. See the appendix for illustrations of these.

Beyond the cascade. The idea of a giant juggling passers can be conceptually extended to other base patterns. Walking can follow any solo pattern as a base pattern, such as 423, 441, 33441, and the box for three jugglers, or 534 and 531 for four jugglers (see the appendix for an example). There is no principled way to decide when to pass and to whom to pass (that I am aware off), so it is easy to create lots of different patters by first picking a pattern for the walking and then fitting passes in there.

This is an easy pattern based on the five-ball cascade:

Beyond solo patterns, Bruno's patterns can also be extended to passing patterns, when imagining two giants facing each other passing with each other. The most common of these (known as Magermix when juggled in one-count, see below) is is a six-person pattern where the passers move as if they were passed in two-count:

Turbo. Turbo is a Bruno's variation (same walking paths) where the walking juggler turns around to pass back to the passer who started next to them when walking through the pattern, after which they back up to their target position. While it looks like a feed setup at the start, the passer "in the air" (in the Bruno's analogy of juggling people) starts as feeder one pass into the pattern. Again, Turbo can be juggled on different baseline patterns, but two-count vs. four-count is the most common.

Bruno's one count. A particularly challenging variation of Bruno's nightmare is Bruno's nightmare on one-count vs. two-count, usually known as Bruno's one count. This pattern requires usually very lofty passes and lofty selfs, fast turns under a single self, and fairly precise passes.

This pattern is very difficult to learn from scratch. By far the best way to learn this pattern is with two passers who can run it. Here are a couple of hints: Juggle very lofty and slow; count out loud to synchronize. After the first pass of the feed, the walking passer should take a step forward to give the "falling" passer space, but should not yet move sideways. The second pass of the feed needs to be long to avoid collisions with the short pass after; for the passer walking through the pattern this is the first pass on the other side after turning (likely the most difficult pass of the pattern); collisions are most commonly caused by the walking passer's pass being too short here. The third pass of the feed needs to be lofty but very short; usually the feeder is leading the walking passer quite a bit; the outgoing and incoming passes usually cross, the walking passer should aim to the nose or even the wrong hand of the feeder. For the feeder, the second and third pass are usually roughly in the same direction, the third pass is just much shorter. The walking passer has a single self to turn all the way around; usually they already turn a lot after throwing their short pass before catching the incoming short pass, so that they need to turn much less under the self.

Bruno's one-count is possible on all the other variations, like Magermix for six passers moving as if they were thrown in two-count (see above) and various three-ball siteswaps like 441 and 33441 (known as Babymix). See the appendix for illustrations of these.

Extra club Bruno's. Similar to the rotating feed, it is possible to add a club and juggle the entire pattern on doubles. The feeder has an extra pass at the end of their sequence, and there is an extra beat while walking (7-count instead of 6-count). Since this is technically a feed on a four-handed siteswap (966 feeding 966666), it requires changes to whether passes are straight or crossing: The feeder always throws crossing passes to the feedee walking and straight passes to the other one; the first pass after walking is always crossing, and the passes while walking are always straight. Technically the walk is 7.5 beats long, but the half beat is barely noticeable and it can be juggled as a normal seven-count.

(Technically the approach also works for 10-club Bruno's one-count by leaving out the extra selfs.)

El Niño (4 passers)

El Niño is a version of a rotating feed for 4 passers, based on the feeder passing one-count to three feedees in three-count. The feeder feeds the feedees in the following order: middle feedee, left feedee, right feedee, and middle feedee. First the left feedee walks in three-count after their pass, and then the middle feedee after their second pass, turning the right feedee into the new feeder. The pattern is usually started left-handed so that all walking happens after right-hand passes.

And a much faster version of the same idea (requires walking both on left and right-handed passes):

Shooting Star (4 passers)

The shooting star describes a family of patterns in which one passer is missing from a standard 5-person star pattern. Since one passer is missing, one passer will not receive clubs and one passer would pass into a hole. In the standard four-count version, the passer who would pass into the hole starts with two clubs and skips the first pass, whereas the passer who does not receive clubs walks immediately after their first pass through the middle of the pattern to the hole while holding two clubs; they receive the next pass there when they arrive. On the next beat, another passer does not receive a club and walks to the hole, and so forth.

Note: The passer with role C starts with 2 clubs.

Variation: It is possible to remove clubs and walk with one club or no clubs to slow down the pattern. Removing one more club, the passer facing the hole starts with 1 club instead and the passer not receiving clubs passes until they are down to a single club for walking. Alternatively, the passer facing the hole starts without clubs and the passer not receiving clubs walks without any clubs after throwing their last pass. This slows down the pattern and results in walking only every other or every third pass. Alternatively,

Two-count shooting star. In the two-count version of the shooting star, the person moving stops in the middle to let passes go by before making it to the hole. Typically they walk when they have one club, but they can also walk to the middle with two and pass a last one from the middle.

Other Classic Patterns (4 passers)

The Madison Area Jugglers Pattern Book has a huge number of walking patterns, including Turbo and El Niño discussed above. Here are two more common patterns from that collection that are also the basis for many other variations.

3-leaf clover. In this pattern, all passers continuously walk in an out of the middle of the pattern, through three loops (see diagram below). Essentially, a feeder throws two-count to three feedees in six-count. The Madison book has many more variations, including ambidextrous ones.

The weave. In the weave, three passers walk in a figure of 8 on six-count all while facing a feeder outside the pattern who feeds them in two-count. This pattern does not cycle through all positions, since the feeder stays fixed, but it is intuitive and easy to learn and there are many variations (including ambidextrous ones) in the Madison book.