Flip die Hummel
Flip die Hummel (flip the bumblebee) is a beginner friendly 6 club three person juggling club passing pattern combining selfs and zaps.
It features a half-flip, zap like throws - one of them after a self.
Everybody starts with their left hand.
A (1|1) Flip, Pass(B), Give(B) -> C B (1|1) Zap(A), Zap(C) -> A C (1|1) Self, Zap(A) -> B
Patterns to do Before this one
- Zap zap zip (for two jugglers) for practicing zaps
- Tiny Bumblebee (for three jugglers) simpler version of Flip die Hummel
Similar Two Juggler Patterns
Because Flip die Hummel has two points in the pattern where you can stop the pattern (there are 6 clubs and 6 hands), the pattern is quite accessible for learning it slowly, role change by role change with stops in between.
The following patterns also practice the self-zap combo with only two jugglers, but have no such stop points:
Flip die Hummel
Starting position:
The three jugglers stand in a regular triangle, not too far from each other because later, you will have to hand over a club.
Everyone has one club in each hand. The clubs of one person, we call them A, are different from the others. These are the two bumblebees (boss-clubs/ special clubs)!
The bumbleebees:
- As the name of the pattern suggests, a bumblebee gets flipped first! That means, A does a half-flip with their left hand, so now the handle of the club points to B.
- Contrary to some calculations, bumblebees can fly high! That means, the second bumblebee (from A's right hand) is now thrown as a nice, slow pass to B's left hand (so a straight pass).
- Now, A hands over the flipped club to B's right hand.
Now, A becomes C and has to wait a while.
Juggler B
B starts after A's pass by throwing a straight zap underneath it (that's why it's important that the pass is nice and high!). Then, they throw another zap from the other (aka right) hand straight to C (the third juggler). As A is already trying to give B the second bumblebee, they now take it.
So now B has both bumblebees and next they can do what A did before!
Juggler C
C first has to wait for A and B to do stuff. When the second zap from B comes (to the left hand), C throws a self (from left) and then a straight zap to A. This zap goes to the hand where A was or is holding the flipped bumblebee.
Now, C becomes B, so throws another two zaps.
Getting a nice rhythm
There is a break when juggling the pattern, for A after handing over the flipped bumblebee and before throwing "Self, Zap" as C.
Other than that, the throws happen at an even rhythm. It can help to focus on the three consecutive zaps and the following flip.
Starting from the break (so from C), this is the sequence for each juggler: (starts with left hand)
Self, Zap, Zap, Zap, Flip, Pass, Give
Suggested approximate Siteswap suggested by Alex (note that animator handles gives as throws):
https://passist.org/siteswap/7966717566?jugglers=3&hands=Ar-Bl-Cr-Al-Br-Cl
Bonus
- In the mentioned break, you can jump, clap, wave or do a pirouette!
- You can switch directions (switch role of left and right hand), this is even possible to do during the pattern if you announce it.
Poster from a workshop at EJC 2026-08-05:
