Play Juggling Vintage Rolling Hoops

These rolling hoops are replicas of the traditional hickory wood bicycle rim rolling hoop. These classic props are made of unbreakable nylon in the profile and size range of the original wood rim: 15, 20, and 25 inches in diameter.

William Everhart is attributed to be the first performer of rolling hoops 1890-1901. Later, performers including Howard Nicloas, Arthur Ward, Kraton Family, Bob Bramson and many others made hoop rolling a standard juggling act.

The size and uses of the hoops varied by performer. In general the largest size was used for stage rolling, the middle size for three/four ring body rolls and the smallest size for toss juggling. The combination of the three size has high visual impact on stage and could be used as a traditional statue finish prop. The first person thought to juggle 6 rings used a small sized wood bicycle rim.

There is limited historical film footage of hoop rolling acts, so this art form must be re-created in a large part from scratch. The middle size rings seem to have potential as contact rings, similar to contact staffs. Some of the modern techniques developed with contact staffs and isolation hoops might be transferrable to this vintage prop. The weight of the rings give them sufficient stability.

For more help selecting the best juggling ring for you, check out our “Juggling Guide and Tips" section listed in the bottom footer of our website.