We started this project because we couldn’t find a practical way to write down the tricks we were doing with three diabolos. We needed a tool to help us understand what’s really happening when we play.
When we say we juggle five balls, we often think of the cascade (5). But there are also other options: a shower (91), a half-shower (73)… and all of them have different structures, even if they use the same number of balls.
The same thing happens with the diabolo. When someone says they do 3 diabolos on the string, everyone knows what they mean, but there are many different ways to do it. If you start to look at it in detail and write it down, you’ll see that the possibilities are much broader than you thought.
The patterns we share here are just some of the options we’ve explored. They’re not fixed lists or formulas. They’re starting points. There’s a practically infinite number of possible patterns, and this project is one way to start documenting them.
Want to know more about this project?
The site diabolositeswap.com presents an adaptation of the classic siteswap system applied specifically to the world of diabolo. This means we don’t just write patterns with numbers, but we add relevant information for practicing with two or three diabolos: how each hand moves, what role each diabolo plays, and what options there are for transitions and combinations.
If you’ve tried patterns like 531, 42, or 522 and asked yourself what else can be done or how they could be explained clearly, this space is made for you.
You’ll find visual examples, a step-by-step explanation of the most common patterns, and an open notation proposal so you can write your own tricks.
We decided to dedicate an entire website to this LAB so the information can be better organized.
In motion
Siteswap applied to diabolo
Write to understand and play
What we aim to achieve with Diabolo Siteswap
Common language
Share a language to connect the diabolo community with other juggling arts.
New doors
Open new ways to document and expand the limits of diabolo tricks.
Describe the complexity
Develop a notation that reflects the true complexity of modern diabolo play.
