Mills' Mess "The pattern received its name from fellow jugglers at the 1976 International Juggling Convention in Los Angeles, California. Steve Mills did not know how to "teach" this pattern and while trying different methods of teaching this pattern with many proficient jugglers, they shouted 'this is a mess.'" Mills did not know this was being called "Mills Mess" around the world for several years. Mills Mess can be combined with chops, claws, or other juggling maneuvers or flourishes to create a pattern that is moderately more difficult than the traditional three-ball cascade. Though most commonly performed with balls, bean-bags or similar
Mills' Mess uncrossing arm movement, which is independent of the siteswap being performed. Any siteswap with any number of objects can, in theory, be done in Mills Mess. It is merely a distortion of the pattern's shape. The standard Mills Mess has the siteswap 3, but Mills Messes of 441, 531 (tower), 534 (four props) and many others have also been performed. The three ball 51 (the shower), , 414 (half box), 315, and 612 (see-saw), as well as the four prop 4 (columns or fountain), 534, 552, and the five prop cascade, 5, may have the Mills Mess shape distortion imposed