and feature a 75-90% bounce return. They are made of silicone or a synthetic rubber compound. Silicone balls are a type of bouncing ball most commonly used during bounce juggling and stage performances. These balls are made of silicone and have the same clean appearance as stage balls, a surface which is easy to grip and catch, and have a consistent, high bounce. Silicone balls are also easier to clean than stage balls, which can often scuff permanently. Unfortunately, these balls often cost 5-7 times more than beanbags or stage balls, which often limits the use of these balls to performers and serious hobbyists. Many jugglers choose to use non-silicone bouncing balls instead, due to their far cheaper price and similar performance. Russian balls share some of the advantages of stage balls (rigidity, visibility) and some advantages of beanbags (dead drop). They have a thin shell, and most of the weight is provided by a filling of granular material (most commonly sand or salt). This gives them slightly unusual flight characteristics, but the low centre of mass makes them well suited for catches using other parts of the body than hands. Russian balls are sometimes home-made since the materials needed are cheap. This makes them well-suited for experimentation regarding different sizes and weights, with the main limitation being the availability of the shells. Play, from Italy, makes similar balls with a soft and slightly thicker shell, partially filled with liquid silicone or fine sand. Use Juggling balls are usually the first props that beginners attempt to juggle with, due to their simplicity (compared to other juggling props such as clubs) and availability. Additionally, many common types of balls can function as juggling balls for a beginning juggler (such as tennis balls or baseballs). Most novice jugglers often spend much time learning how to juggle three balls before moving on to other juggling props. However, some jugglers prefer to focus on only one juggling prop in order to achieve "mastery" of one art. For the more advanced juggler, juggling balls are often used to demonstrate basic patterns such as the cascade, fountain, shower and half-shower, and can be used to form more creative juggling patterns as well, such as patterns involving throws around the body, blind throws or catches, and throwing or catching with parts of the body other than the hands. Many advanced jugglers can juggle seven or more balls