so i thought i was pretty decent with the clubs, why not try out the torches? shouldnt be much different, i thought. without practicing with them, i went in my backyard in front of a crowd of friends and lit em up. used citronella oil, took a minute to light, but once they were lit they were roaring. it didnt take me too long to realize that this is a whole different thing then when they arent lit. for starters, the only part illuminated was the only part i couldnt touch! you would think this is common sense, and it sort of is, but i didnt realize until i was tossing the things, or trying to, exactly how challenging it is when you cant see the fucking handles. needless to say, the crowd wasnt too impressed with my juggling skills, so i just started hucking them up as high as i could and try to catch them, which was fun, but it got old. plus, one got caught in a tree and nearly set it ablaze. so, how do i get as good with the torches as i am with the clubs?
try it when it's still light, so you can get used to juggling with flames and you needn't worry about not seeing the handles yet... for the rest it's just practice....
start by dipping the ends of your clubs in paint or mud, and learn to grab them where they arent wet before tryin to learn to grab them were they arent HOT. We used to do a three man juggling bit using tennis balls soaked in gasoline, they dont burn as hot and give a chance to catch and toss even while flaming. We also tried to make sure we had a fire extinguisher onhand, never needed it, but always good to have. Bactine and aloe was handy at times too. good luck, and be safe.
and dont be scared to catch the lit ends. they wont burn you unless you keep hold of them! torches weigh slightly different to clubs so practice with them undipped until you are used to the weight difference. daisy x
