Mills Mess Frame By Frame

A side-by-side comparison of the normal cascade, MillsMess, and the reverse cascade. The animations are synchronised so you can see that the timing is identical. Dwell ratio has been set to 50% so one hand throws exactly as the other hand catches. Throw/catch pairs are in frames 00, 08 and 16.

I hope this shows that MillsMess is just the standard cascade done with the throws and catches in different places, as indeed is the reverse cascade.

We start with a trace of the patterns. This shows the shape made by each pattern, and the relative placements of the balls along the path. You can see that in each case the path is a figure of eight, but in the MillsMess pattern the balls are closer together.

Trace

Here's an animation of each pattern.

Animation

And now frame by frame.

In frame 00 the red is exactly now being caught, the green is exactly now being thrown. The balls are exactly level with each other

00

In frame 01 the green ball has only just left the hand, but it is no longer being held. The hand shows a slight follow-through, maintaining close proximity. It has, however, been thrown.

01

In frame 02 the separation is now clear.

02 03

Frame four is exactly halfway between throws and catches.

04 05 06

Frame 07 - the blue is close to the hand but not yet caught.

07

Frame 08 shows the instant of the blue catch, and the instant of the red throw. Note that the red throw is exactly centered in the cascade, and the blue catch is exactly centered in the mess and reverse cascade.

08

Frame 09 - the red ball has left the hand although the separation is not yet significant.

09

etc.

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