Sandbox Shuffle

Other Tutorials:

Roma76811 (video)

     The Sandbox Shuffle is a pattern established by Michael Karas which combines exaggerated arm motions with quick vertical passes to create a very interesting and creative trick. Due to the uniqueness of the pattern, the Sandbox Shuffle does not have any foundational prerequisites, and as such can be learned at any point in one's juggling career.

    To learn the Sandbox Shuffle, start with two balls in your dominant hand and one ball in your non-dominant. Cross your non-dominant hand over your dominant hand, and then throw one of the balls in your dominant hand straight up. As that ball is coming back down, make a vertical throw from your non-dominant hand (this hand should be facing downward when you make this throw, which may take some practice) and then bring it up and around toward the non-dominant side of your body. Simultaneously, make a vertical pass from your dominant hand to your non-dominant hand at the center of your body, catching the first ball with your dominant hand. Finally, catch the second ball with your dominant hand.
    Practice this step extensively on both sides, since it forms the foundation of the Sandbox Shuffle. Once you have it mastered, you are ready to add in the final throw. First, do the same throws that were in the previous step, but instead of simply catching the last ball, you are going to make a third vertical throw in the center of your body with your dominant hand, and then use that now empty hand to catch the third ball. After catching the third ball, you are going to bring your dominant hand up and over your non-dominant hand, which itself is going to cross your body and make a vertical throw, catching the fourth throw afterwards. This fifth throw is identical to the first throw of the previous step, therefore it marks the beginning of a second cycle, at which point the pattern simply repeats.
    As shown practice this on both sides. To run the full Sandbox Shuffle, just make another vertical throw from your top hand coupled with a pass from your bottom hand and keep repeating the cycle on each side. The Sandbox Shuffle is not a particularly easy trick, but the pattern's unique look and feel make the effort well worth it.