Meteor

A skill toy of Asian origin, the meteor consists of a rope, usually between 5 and 8 feet long, with weights attached to either end. Tricks are performed by swinging, wrapping and throwing the meteor about the body.

The meteor is based on the Chinese meteor hammer, a bolo-like weapon made from stones and rope. Approximately 1500 years ago, this hunting weapon began its transition into a performing art. The Chinese circus tradition has featured meteors with brightly colored balls, glass bowls filled with colored water, or pans of flaming oil in place of the stone weights.

In Shaolin schools, the water meteor made a useful training aid once a student had gained a certain level of skill. These water meteors consisted of a length of chain with two inward facing bowls for heads. These bowls were then filled with water (or occasionally, sand), in order to train a smooth technique and gain control over the weapon. When the meteor was spinning fast enough, the water would be held in the bowls, with the intention being not to spill any. In China where this technique was originally developed, once a student had practiced for several years and gained mastery of the meteor, then they could progress to fire meteors. Cirque du Soleil's Varekai features water meteors as an act.