{"id":36,"date":"2015-06-24T15:41:28","date_gmt":"2015-06-24T13:41:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/company\/?post_type=labs&#038;p=36"},"modified":"2026-08-13T19:03:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T17:03:14","slug":"diabolo-siteswap","status":"publish","type":"labs","link":"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/en\/labs\/diabolo-siteswap\/","title":{"rendered":"Diabolo Siteswap"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I say <strong>Diabolo Siteswap<\/strong>, I start from siteswap as the shared language of juggling: a transpositional notation that sets how long an object takes to come back to be thrown again. A sequence describes a structure in time, and from there you can build different physical readings of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What interests me in this lab is widening that frame, because the diabolo, the way I play it, does not stop at crossing throws. In some notations (Diabology&#8217;s, for one) the values 2, 4, 6, 8 are read straight away as crossing throws. That shifts the problem too far for me: it simplifies the language at the cost of losing <strong>parallel throws<\/strong> and patterns where a diabolo can <strong>go out and come back to the same hand<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What I propose takes <strong>both hands<\/strong> into account explicitly and brings <strong>string time<\/strong> into the writing. The string comes in as a controlled surface (hold, drive, return), and that makes it possible to describe two-channel patterns, parallel ones, and combinations where hand roles and returns are not left to be assumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;galleryId&quot;:&quot;6a8fdb87d0277&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/gallery\" class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-4 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a8fdb87d5de6&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a8fdb87d5de6\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"450\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"19403\" src=\"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/531-5231223F222-custom.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19403\" title=\"\"><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">[52]3122[3F2]22<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a8fdb87d6bdb&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a8fdb87d6bdb\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"450\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"19400\" src=\"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/3-Diabolo-3F53F1-Diabolo-Siteswap-troposfera.xyz_.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19400\" title=\"\"><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">53F13F \u2248 42 in Diabology<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a8fdb87d7c07&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a8fdb87d7c07\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"450\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"20714\" src=\"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/3-Diabolo-State-Transitions-from-the-cards_comp.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-20714\" title=\"\"><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">3 diabolo stairs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a8fdb87d8a9d&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a8fdb87d8a9d\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"450\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-id=\"19399\" src=\"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/4-Diabolo-Passing-troposfera.xyz_.gif\" alt=\"4 Diabolos Passing\" class=\"wp-image-19399\" title=\"\"><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Passing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In practice I keep siteswap as the structure in time and add a layer on top to mark hand roles and returns through the string. I use <strong>F<\/strong> for those returns (along the lines of the <em>forced bounce<\/em>), which lets me tell apart the kinds of <em>dwell<\/em> on the string.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On that base I can write patterns more faithfully, compare variants and build progressions towards more complex material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are already applications of siteswap to the diabolo built on the &#8220;one-handed juggling&#8221; model: one throw per beat, a regular rhythm, and the numbers as flight time or height. It is a useful base for describing aerial carousels and plenty of combinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group video-section is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-794e3cfa wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-bottom is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<p class=\"heading-tagline wp-block-paragraph\">In motion<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Siteswap applied to the diabolo<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Una recerca sobre Siteswap per a di\u00e0bolo, de @didacgilabert_jugglingclips\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TZOlFWajids?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group objectives-section is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"heading-tagline wp-block-paragraph\">Objectives<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 data-wp-context---core-fit-text=\"core\/fit-text::{&quot;fontSize&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-wp-init---core-fit-text=\"core\/fit-text::callbacks.init\" data-wp-interactive data-wp-style--font-size=\"core\/fit-text::context.fontSize\" class=\"wp-block-heading alignfull has-fit-text\">Getting the diabolo down on paper<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group narrow-left is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Being able to write down what we do<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I got into this because there is no way of writing down most of what I do. I would like to reach the point where whatever turns up in a training session is down in black and white the same day, without having to make up half a notation every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">So that someone else can read it and make sense of it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A pattern that only travels by word of mouth goes with whoever can do it. Every symbol has to be something a person who was not in the room can pick up, and if that person spins it, the symbol holds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Keeping it all gathered in one place<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I keep the research at diabolositeswap.com so it can be followed from top to bottom and added to as things come up. Anyone who wants to have their say from the outside should find the door open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building progressions towards the hard material<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With the patterns written down you can see straight away which one leads to which, and that is where the progressions I use in workshops come from, the ones that get you where you cannot get head-on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">So that we all write it the same way<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">None of this is final. A notation is worth something as long as everyone writes the same thing with it, and the day a symbol will not hold a new pattern, it gets changed and the documentation gets updated. If everyone goes their own way, before long we will not understand one another.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-image-fill-element\" style=\"grid-template-columns:40% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Working-on-the-diabolo-transitions-cards-Blog-troposfera.xyz_.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8005 size-full\" style=\"object-position:50% 50%\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Working-on-the-diabolo-transitions-cards-Blog-troposfera.xyz_.webp 1920w, https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Working-on-the-diabolo-transitions-cards-Blog-troposfera.xyz_-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Working-on-the-diabolo-transitions-cards-Blog-troposfera.xyz_-1200x675.webp 1200w, https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Working-on-the-diabolo-transitions-cards-Blog-troposfera.xyz_-320x180.webp 320w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"heading-tagline wp-block-paragraph\">Full research and documentation<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Want to go deeper?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At <strong>diabolositeswap.com<\/strong> I keep the whole research behind this adaptation: the notation (asynchronous and synchronous), how to define the string (<code>_F<\/code>) and examples for 1, 2, 3 and 4 diabolos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You will also find a section on <strong>1 diabolo<\/strong> where the naming takes <strong>the sticks<\/strong> into account: what each hand does and how the string enters the writing when the pattern goes through it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On top of that there are <strong>transition tables<\/strong>, a <strong>passing<\/strong> section and a guide for setting up <strong>Juggling Lab<\/strong> so that it renders diabolo patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I decided to put it on a separate site so the documentation stays in order, is easy to follow and can be <strong>updated<\/strong> with <strong>new material<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you would rather work on it in person, I teach it in <strong>workshops<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--block-gap);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--block-gap)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50 is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/en\/contact\/\">Diabolo Siteswap workshop<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50 is-style-outline is-style-outline--2\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/labs.troposfera.xyz\/diabolositeswap\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Diabolo Siteswap Papers<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We adapted siteswap juggling notation for diabolo! Now, you can use this advanced notation system to describe from basic to complex diabolo tricks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":13607,"template":"","landing_loop":[],"location":[],"workshop-focus":[131],"workshop-level":[51,52],"class_list":["post-36","labs","type-labs","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","workshop-focus-theory","workshop-level-geek","workshop-level-pro"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/labs\/36","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/labs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/labs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"landing_loop","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/landing_loop?post=36"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=36"},{"taxonomy":"workshop-focus","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/workshop-focus?post=36"},{"taxonomy":"workshop-level","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/troposfera.xyz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/workshop-level?post=36"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}