The contortion (or the contortionist) is a juggling trick invented by Morris Cronin, where you juggle with one or both arms wrapped around your back.
A half contortion is a pattern done with one arm wrapped around the back, and reaching forward between the other arm and the torso. If the right hand is wrapped behind the back, it's still positioned to the right of the left hand, in between the left arm and the left side. All the throws and catches done by that hand are made in this position.
In the full contortion, both arms are wrapped around the back and the pattern is still juggled in front. This restricts the movement of the arms so that the throws have to be made accurately using the wrists.
- Video: 3 ball full contortion by Luke Burrage
- VIdeo: 3 club full contortion by Ameron Rosvall
- Video: 4 ball full contortion by Mariia Martin
A body wrap or armpit throw is a front-to-back contortion throw: Instead of reaching across behind your back and sticking your hand between your arm and torso to throw in front, you reach across in front of your body and stick your hand between your arm and torso to throw behind your back, and the object comes forward over the shoulder on the same side as the hand it was thrown from.
- Video: 423 with body wraps by Daniela Paličková
3 ball backcross pirouette into contortion
3 ball backcross 3 up 360 to half contortion by Dave Nager
Four ball pirouette into around back
4 ball 4 up 360 to half contortion by Dave Nager