We have searched and searched for the history of the "rola bola" and can find nothing. In case you are not a circus afficianado, rola bola consists of a board, with stops beneath, on a cylinder, on which one balances (or falls). It is an excellent exercise for the back, for improving balance, and for having fun. No dictionary or word compendium of any sort, so far, has provided any official information. Can any of you? Or can you site a source? Thanks very much. BJS

This seems exactly one among the exercises Anu - and some of us - would enjoy to try!
Can you describe it better? Is is possible to build it (or to buy it)?
I didn't get the meaning of "board" and "stops" in this context.
Ciao
Emanuela

I've seen a rola bola--and even played on one--but never knew the name.
emanuela:
it is a board-- a plank of wood, about 1 meter long, and a foot -(-20 to30 milimeters?) wide.
(such planks can be bought at lumber building supply stores-- or scavenged from a building site) )
on one (underside) side there are small piece of wood at each about 10 x10 centimeters--and as long as the board is wide. each piece is about 10 to 15 millimeters for the end-
(I'd call then cleats-- the same word used for the metal pegs on "football" or golf shoes)
(i tried to do a diagram with characters-- but it kept messing up..)
the board is balanced on a large metal cylinder-- almost like a small see-saw (teeter-totter)
To use it, you stand on the board, and balance.. as you get good, you can roll back and forth.

the wood on the underside keeps you from rolling off the cylinder. the cylinder could be made of old cans-- the smaller the cylinder, the easier it is.. a good size is about 10--15 millimeters/diameter.

you could make the cylinder from recycled food cans.. Two large tomato cans (.75 kilo size) over wrapped with a sheet of tin, or just taped together with the all purpose american tool--duct tape
(I hope i got the measurements right--i still think in inches, and ounces--i mean the 28 oz. cans of tomatoes.

My work issued ruler is in inches only--at home i have both-- but the exact size is not too important-- about half a body lenght long, and wide enough to be able to stand on.. the cleats positioned so when resting, the edge of the board touches the ground..)

Kids made them themselves...

anyone can do it...

http://www.aurorascarnival.freeserve.co.uk/circus page4.htm

Welcome, BJS!

Tsuwm, how on earth do you find things like that?

I'm trying to remember the song "Rola bola something, penny a punch" - nearly as good as the "Latin" we all tried to decipher once!

jo, is this what you had in mind?
I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts
Every ball you throw will make me rich.
There stands me wife,
the idol of me life,
Singin' roll or bowl a ball a penny a pitch.
Singin' roll or bowl a ball a penny a pitch,
Singin' roll or bowl a ball a penny a pitch!
Roll or bowl a ball.
Roll or bowl a ball,
Singin' roll or bowl a ball a penny a pitch.

>jo, is this what you had in mind?

Spot on!
Looks like a bit of a Mondegreen!

I know the first line well (don't we all) but hadn't realised that I was thinking about the same song! Not a song one often hears these days. Another "Two Ronnies" favourite.

LOL, I was thinking of that exact song! I was surprised to see what the actual song lyrics were. Sounds like an English Dancehall number, yes?

Zactly! My father used to sing it to us all when we were kids. Yes, it was music hall. I used to know who well, someone who recorded it, but my memory's hard drive is a couple of bad clusters shy of the manufacturer's specs ...

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts

Words and music by Fred Heatherton (1944).

Recorded by Freddy Martin and his Orchestra (1949).

Thanks Padre. Dad used to have it on a 78 and yes, it was Freddy Martin.

Cheers!

Ahhhh, was going to say the song was very popular in USA immediately after WWII ... but you tipped it of by mentioning Freddy Martin, an American Big Band.
I think it was so popular here because of its ebullience ...It was sung in a sort of mock-Cockney accent...and it seemed to be so typical if the indomitable English spirit when war ended. We used to pile into my uncle's convertable and off we'd go singing at the top of our lungs!
I've gota lov-a-leeeeee bun-chaaaa co-ca-nuts
wow

Cap K comments: my memory's hard drive is a couple of bad clusters shy of the manufacturer's specs ...

Are you suggesting that you have fewer bad clusters than the manufacturer's design calls for?

Are you suggesting that you have fewer bad clusters than the manufacturer's design calls for?

Ha! That too, of course.

Humph. There's nothing wrong with MY ...

Oh, heck, I better quit before Jackie sees me :)

Humph. There's nothing wrong with MY ...

Oh, heck, I better quit before Jackie sees me :)

I spy, with my little eye...

Oh no, Jackie, let the man boast!

Oh no, Jackie, let the man boast!

Shoot, all the great stories and wordplays he comes up with?
The man can boast all he likes! You too, for that matter,
Sweetie.
Creche test dummies...[shaking head icon]