Devil stick (also Devil Stick, devilstick, devil-stick, Rhythm Stick, etc., or plural forms) manipulation is a form of gyroscopic juggling and is generally considered to be one of the 'circus arts'. Sometimes called "devil-sticking" other terms often used are: "twirling", "sticking" and "stick juggling". A set of devil sticks consists of one baton—usually about 60-120 cm (2-4 feet) long—and two control sticks—generally about 1 cm (0.4 inch) thick and 30-50 cm (12-20 inches) long—which are used to manipulate the baton. The baton (often called "the center stick" or simply "the stick") is in some instances tapered from the end to the center, typically about 3 cm (1.2 inch) in diameter at the ends and 1.5 cm (0.6 inch) in the middle. Designs and measurements vary quite widely, in the extreme case the center stick may be as short as 1 foot or so, ranging to the extreme length of slightly more than twice that of the juggler's height. Most commonly, though, control sticks will be about as long as the combined length of the juggler's hand and forearm, the baton being slightly longer than the width of the juggler's upper body.
A devil stick baton is lifted/struck/stroked alternately by the two control sticks ('handsticks', or 'sidesticks'). The handsticks, and sometimes the baton as well, are often covered with a material to provide good 'grip' or friction when in contact with the devil stick, often this material consists of silicon or rubber, but homemade sets may utilize materials such as various tapes, skateboard grip, sandpaper with a sticky back, or cloth. However, some sets are made of slippery polished, bare hardwood. In one basic stick maneuver, known as the Pendulum or the Idle, the center stick is lifted alternately with the left and right handsticks touching the baton at a point about halfway between the center of gravity and each end, causing the ends to swing to either side while the center of the baton remains at a somewhat constant height.
