Contact staff vs. Regular staff: What should a beginner choose? 04/15/2025
Flow arts is a world of movement, improvisation, and self-expression through various objects. One of the most popular tools in this world is the staff. But before buying your first prop, it’s important to understand the difference between a contact staff and a regular spinning staff.
Let’s break down the key differences, benefits, and characteristics of each, so you can make the right choice.
A staff is a spinning prop similar to a juggling stick or baton. It's used to create visual patterns, tricks, and dance-like movement. There are many types of staffs, but they generally fall into two main categories:
- » Regular Spinning Staff / The weight is usually in the range of ~350–800g (12–28 oz)
- » Contact Staff / The weight is usually in the range of ~850g–1.1kg (30–40 oz)
Main Features:
- » Controlled mainly with your hands
- » Uses spins, isolations, anti-spins, and dance elements
- » Often draws from martial arts and baton twirling
- » Focus on speed, symmetry, and precision
Pros:
- » More intuitive for beginners
- » Easier to learn basic tricks
- » Less demanding in terms of size and weight
- » Ideal for those who want dynamic, fast-paced control
- » Some techniques that require flexibility and hand coordination can be learned faster than with contact staff.
Cons:
- » Limited in body contact based movement
Main Features:
- » Staff rolls over your body (shoulders, arms, back, neck, etc.) without being held
- » Relies on balance, gravity, and momentum
- » Movements look fluid and mesmerizing, as if the staff moves on its own
Special Characteristics:
- » Usually heavier and longer than a regular staff
- » Center of balance is exactly in the middle
- » Often wrapped with silicone or grippy rubber for better contact
Pros:
- » Highly visual and smooth movements
- » Deep connection with body awareness and flow
- » Allows for unique tricks that can’t be done with hand spinning
Cons:
- » Harder to learn at first — requires patience and sensitivity.
- » Even a one single trick can be difficult to learn and may require hours of practice and hundreds of attempts. Special tutorials with tips highly recommended
- » Needs more physical space for practice
- » May be difficult to grasp the mechanics initially
It depends on your goals and personal style:
| If you want to... | Recommended Option |
|---|---|
| Learn fast and controlled hand spins | Regular Spinning Staff |
| Explore body balance and contact flow | Contact Staff |
| Start with simple tricks and progress quickly | Regular Spinning Staff |
| Develop a meditative, fluid movement style | Contact Staff |
| Eventually learn both styles | Start with regular staff, then move to contact |
A good starting point for most beginners is to choose a staff that is approximately 20 cm (about 8 inches) shorter than your height. This provides a balanced feel for both control and flow. For light-weight spinning staffs, especially when focusing on fast or tech-style spinning, a shorter option — around 30 cm (12 inches) less than your height — can also be suitable.
A deviation of ±5 cm (2 inches) from these guidelines is generally acceptable and won’t significantly affect learning or comfort. Keep in mind that personal preference plays a big role — some artists intentionally choose staffs outside standard sizes to match their unique style, movement, or aesthetics.
There’s no “better” or “worse” choice — just different paths in flow arts. If you enjoy fast-paced, precise spinning, start with a regular staff. If you’re drawn to fluidity, balance, and body movement, go with a contact staff.
Or maybe you'll fall in love with both styles — and that’s totally fine too! The most important thing is to enjoy the journey, keep practicing, and find your unique expression in the flow.
