“The noose is carried upward in front of the body- it is not to be jerked, but should be eased gradually into the position seen. When slightly above the head, it is thrown up and then down, around the body. Timing and balance must be perfect or the trick is ruined.

“In spinning, an even, rotary motion must be maintained to keep the loop from closing. Since the rope kinks easily, tricks should be learned in pairs so that the kinks put in by one trick will be removed by the following one.

“Ocean wave- Here you carry a large loop around the body in a vertical position, using a figure-eight motion. The constant dipping gives this trick the characteristic wavy effect from which it gets its name.

This short piece was a sidebar in our 20th anniversary issue in 1997. This volume was packed with excellent articles, endearing letters, and fun conversation pieces like this one. Check it out in our library of back-issues right HERE.