The guy that taught me to juggle with balls and clubs, also had a diabolo. But, although that is where I first tried this toy, I only tried it like… once or twice. But that changed the autumn of 2005 when I got my own diabolo. Since then I have just become more and more hooked on this brilliant toy. Actually to the extent that I almost never use my balls or clubs anymore… Although when I get together with that guy and the rest of our little juggling group, clubs are the most fun to do with others. But anyways, diabolo, I think I have to say, is my favorite solo toy 
First of all, you are probably curious to what diabolo actually means. You would think it had something to do with the devil (in spanish, or was it italian?). People kept asking me, “do you know what diabolo means??” So I decided to figure out what it means. Especially since it does, in fact, sound kind of bad. At least until you know what it actually does mean. Here is a definition from the all-knowing Wikipedia:
The diabolo (commonly misspelled as diablo, formerly also known as “the devil on two sticks”) is a juggling prop consisting of a spool which is whirled and tossed on a string tied to two sticks held one in each hand.” … “The term devil comes from the Greek word diaballo (later diabolo), meaning to throw across. A secondary meaning of diaballo is to slander or to traduce, to talk ill about somebody. Hence the name diabolo has a connection with the Greek name for the devil. The name is the only thing that has a connection to the devil and the diabolo is quite unrelated to any supernatural phenomenon.
So there you go. A short and concise lecture on both what diabolo means, and on why the devil is called the devil.
Here are some handy links for you, if you would like to learn how to use this thing:
- A Smooth interactive tutorial site.
- A not that smooth, but very informative page for beginners.
- And if you were to run out of tricks to do, go here…
- Some videos with the mad French posse.
- And finally, a very good DVD you can buy (I did) with those mad Frenchmen.
