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_1. The Switch._
This is an act which is easily performed and affords much amusement for
spectators. Stand in an erect position with hands hanging at sides,
spring up a foot-and-a-half from the ground and give a quick jerk or
switch with the body and come down facing in the opposite direction. Do
not jump around. The turn is made by a twist of the body, not with the
feet or legs.
[Illustration: No. 2. THE SITDOWN.]
_2. The Sit Down._
Stand with the feet about one foot apart, bend over, keeping the legs
perfectly straight, until the finger tips nearly touch the toes, then
fall back to a sitting position on the floor. Do not bend the knees. If
performed correctly this can be done on a very hard floor without
hurting the performer in the least. (See illustration.)
_3. The Back Roll._
Performed the same as No. 2, only instead of stopping at the sitting
position the performer rolls back on the shoulders and head, and with
the use of the hands comes to a standing position on feet.
[Illustration: No. 4. THE FISH FLOP.]
_4. The Fish Flop._
Lie on stomach, feet close together with the toes touching the floor.
Place hands on sides, near ribs, flop over onto back with help of hands
and feet, keeping the body perfectly rigid. (See illustration.)
_5. The Front Roll._
Stand with heels close together, toes turned out. Bend over, place hands
on floor about one foot apart and about a foot-and-a-half in front of
feet, bend head in toward body and touch the back of head on floor
between hands and, with a push from the feet, roll over on back and up
onto feet again. “Curl up” in doing this act. Bring feet well under
body.
_6. The Cart Wheel._
Stand erect, throw left hand hard down on the floor, about two feet from
the left foot, follow with the right hand, two feet from the left hand,
then the right foot down about two feet from the right hand, and so on.
The feet and hands should be placed as nearly on a straight line as
possible. Arms and legs moving like the spokes in a wheel, hence the
name.
_7. The Round-off._
This may be done with either running or standing start. Strike hands on
ground in front of feet, letting the left strike a little before the
right, as in the cart-wheel. Place them about ten inches apart, at the
same time swing the body over and around, so as to land in a sitting
position directly opposite the one in starting.
_8. The Handspring._
Possibly the most common acrobatic feat. May be done from running or
standing start; strike hands hard on the ground, turn head under and in,
throw feet over head and as they begin to come down give a hard spring
or push up with the hands, curling feet down and back under body and
coming to standing position, facing the same way as when starting.
_9. The One-hand Handspring._
Same as No. 8, except that but one hand is used. The weight of the body
should be brought well over the hand used.
[Illustration: No. 10. THE HEADSPRING.]
_10. The Headspring._
Instructions same as for No. 8, only the spring is made from the head
instead of the hands. (See illustration.)
[Illustration: No. 11. THE SNAP UP.]
_11. The Snap Up._
Lie on back, carry feet up and back over head so that the toes nearly
touch the ground, bearing the weight on the back of head, neck and
shoulders. The hands should be placed on the ground near shoulders and
neck. Give a quick hard whip with the feet and legs over toward first
position and a hard snap or push up with the neck, shoulders and hands.
With a little practice it can be done without the aid of the hands. It
is a pretty act and a good “finish” to every act ending with a fall on
the back. (See illustration.)
_12. The Elephant Walk._
A comical contortion act. Place hands on floor in front of feet as near
to toes as possible. Do not bend the knees. Walk.
_13. The Long Dive or Lion’s Leap._
This is a long dive made on the mats or some soft place, much as one
dives into the water. Take a short run, strike both feet at the same
time on a spot about five feet from the mat, make a dive toward the
centre of the mat striking first the hands, then the head (which should
be well turned down and under), allowing the force of the dive to be
about equally divided between the hands, neck, head and shoulders. Curl
up well as in No. 5.
_14. The Hop Over Hand and Foot._
Grasp left foot with right hand, with thumb of right hand under great
toe joint; fingers of right hand over top of toes with backs of fingers
up. Jump over hand and foot with right foot. The point to be observed in
performing this trick is to keep the right hand and left foot perfectly
still while jumping with the right. If moved, they are apt to trip the
foot when jumping. This is excellent practice in developing quickness in
handling the feet, which is an important factor in tumbling.
_15. The Hop Back._
Jump back to original position from finish of No. 14. Try the same trick
with both feet over and back.
_16. The Jump Over Stick in Hands._
Practice this with a cane or rattan that can be bent down while jumping
over. Grasp stick with ordinary grasp, hands placed as far apart as the
width of shoulders. Jump over stick between hands, keeping stick in
hands. Jump back.
_17. The Jump Over Hat._
Same as No. 16, except jump is made over hat held in hands.
_18. The Jump Over Razor-Blade._
This should never be practiced until the performer can successfully jump
over short lead pencil held in hands. It is a “stage trick” that takes
well and usually makes a hit. It should be done with a razor-blade so
dull that if struck with the feet it would do no harm. Hold the blade of
the razor in the hands so loosely that if tripped upon by toes it would
easily slip from hands without injury.
[Illustration: No. 19. THE JUMP OVER HANDS.]
_19. The Jump Over Hands._
This is one of the prettiest and most difficult acts that is performed.
Entwine the fingers together and jump through the arms and over the
hands. It may take months of practice to get this feat, but, when once
learned, the legs will be so supple and quick that nearly all other
acrobatic feats will come easier in consequence. (See illustration.)
_20. The Twist Handspring._
Performed the same as No. 8, only, after touching the hands, the body
gives a quick turn or twist to the right or left so as to finish the act
facing in position used in starting.
_21. The Twist Snap-Up._
Same as No. 11, only the body gives a quick turn or twist to the right
or left after the shoulders leave the ground so that the finish is made
opposite the position taken in starting.
_22. The Cradle._
First do the snap-up, No. 11, and immediately after landing fall back
onto the shoulders, neck, head and hands as in the snap-up, then snap
back to feet and continue to rock back and forth.
_23. The Kicking Jackass._
Stand with heels close together, jump onto hands, with the feet carried
well back and the back arched. Then spring (not fall) back to the feet
from the hands and continue the movement. Be sure that the feet leave
and strike the ground together, also the hands. Do not “crow-hop,” that
is, don’t strike first one foot and then the other, a sort of
“ker-flap,” “pit-pat” sound.
[Illustration: No. 24. THE CURL.]
_24. The Curl._
Stand erect, fall slowly forward on the hands, keeping the body
perfectly straight. Break the force of the fall by letting the arms bend
slightly, but straighten them immediately. Curl up, bringing the knees
well up toward the chin and carry the feet through between the hands,
not letting them touch the floor; extend legs in front of arms, curl up
again, carry feet back through hands and straighten into the
“handstand.” This is a difficult feat, but it may be practiced with
perfect safety. It is excellent practice for developing the muscles of
the stomach and abdomen. (See illustration.)
[Illustration: No. 25. RUNNING FORWARD SOMERSAULT.]
_25. Running Forward Somersault._
Take a quick run of about twenty yards, strike both feet together on the
mat or floor. Jump well into the air, duck the head down and in, and try
to describe a half circle through the air, with the feet landing in a
position, the same direction as when starting. It is well to practice
this over a very soft place, having a board or some hard object to turn
from and land into hay, shavings, soft sand, sawdust or tan-bark. When
one has a soft place on which to practice he should go at it boldly; he
will then be less apt to jar himself. A quick hard run is the important
thing, and a leap of about five feet should be made before striking the
take-off. (See illustration.)
_26. The Back Somersault._
This is done from a standing position. Get two men to hold you up
while trying. The “lungers” that are generally used in the
gymnasium—“coward-strap” they are called—may be used with perfect
safety. However, I think the best kind of strap is a long strong
towel.
Stand firmly with the heels about four inches apart, spring up as high
as possible, throw the head back and down and try to describe a half
circle with the feet landing in a position facing the same way as when
starting. This should be performed with a “cut,” that is when the feet
get well over the head catch the legs back of the knees and pull them
down under the body. The way of using the hands in performing the back
somersault will gradually come to the performer with practice.
_27. The Flip._
Sometimes called “Back Handspring.” Should be practiced over a
moderately soft place. Stand with the back to the mat. Sink down so that
knees come within a foot of the floor in front of feet. Throw the hands
and head back. Strike hands on floor, about six inches apart, in a
position such as is held while walking on hands. Do not let the head
touch the ground. Then throw the feet up over the head and hands,
describing a half circle, finishing facing the same way as when
starting. Use the stomach and abdomen muscles when performing this act.
Do not let the feet leave the ground until the hands are firmly placed.
_28. The Twister._
This is No. 26, the back somersault, with a half turn to the right or
left, so that the finish is made facing in an opposite position from the
position in starting. It is well in practising this act to try and turn
just a little at first, then an inch further, and so on until the
complete half turn is made.
_29. The Twist Flip._
Same as No. 27, the “flip,” only a half turn is made from the hands so
as to finish facing in an opposite direction from that taken when
starting.
_30. The Spotter._
This is the back somersault turned in such a way as to finish with the
feet in the same spot they were when starting. It is best acquired by
trying to make each finish nearer and nearer to the starting position.
_31. The Gainer._
Same as No. 30, except that the finish is made with the feet striking in
front of the starting position.
_32. The Tuck-up._
This is a high back somersault performed without the “cut.” It is
usually done as a finish to a succession of “flips.”
_33. The Standing Forward._
This is the forward somersault performed without a run. To do this one
must jump high into the air, turning as he would in the running forward
and “cut” by catching the legs in front, just above the ankles, and
drawing them under the ankles. It is a difficult act.
_34. The Half Forward._
The first part of this act is performed as in No. 25, only, instead of
having the feet describe a circle over the head, they stop in the air
above head, and the landing is made on the hands. It is, in fact, a sort
of jump or dive on the hands and stand there.
[Illustration: No. 35. THE HALF BACK.]
_35. The Half Back._
Like No. 26, only the finish is made onto the hands and the body
balanced there. Instead of turning all the way around, jump back onto
the hands and stand there. (See illustration.)
This concludes the article on “single acts.” In the next chapter I will
describe how the acts can be suitably combined. A clever performer can
make combinations other than these. In fact, there are an endless
variety of combinations that can be made with the acts here described.
Space will not allow of a longer or more thorough description.