Long hair and fire poi?

What do you do with your hair when you're spinning fire poi?
I've got long, almost waist length hair, and DO NOT want to chop it off in some short "trendy" do. I had my hair really short once and hated it.

So what's a long haired aspiring fire poi dancer to do?

my friend has loonng hair and when she spins she either puts it up in little buns or wraps it short and wears a bandana over it

Braids, pig tails, buns, hats, bandanas, etc. Anything. But no matter what, its always best to wet your hair before a spin just in case.

Hat.

2 reeeelly tight french plaits. but i can never usually be bother to do it - hair grows dosnt it?!

i have waist length braids and i usually just put them in a pony tail and its fine. I look silly in hats and bandanas so i just tie it up.

When i'm teaching people with long hair i generally get them to put it in a ponytail, tuck it down the back of their shirt and also wear a hat. Never had anyone lose any hair at all.

I used to have braids upto my waist.... singed a little bit off the very first time I spun. Have worn a beanie since then...

I usually also go for the beanie look, or tie it all back out of the way and hope for the best. I'll also, during summer at least when its not too cold, wash my hair before, or wet it down, it won't singe as much while its still wet.

But worst case, it gets burnt, it grows back, i'm not too fussed about it really anymore, its just another thing that you risk that you run while playing with fire.

I found out how to make a turban, and it works really well! It covers all my hair, keeps it tight to my head and doesn't fall off if it's done right. People have liked it too....

With such long hair you should encorporate it into your show...like attach a poi on the end of one long plait and swing it around

i'm a big fan of my "cool poi spinning beanie".. i've been wearing it ever since i singed a small clump on the side. Hair protection AND looking ULTRA COOL -- what more could you want?

I look really pathetic wearing a hat or beanie too (though that doesn't stop my boyfriend trying to force one on my head when I spin) so my remedy was to tuck it in my collar when it gets long enough or tie it in a pony tail (don't know if this will make sense but I fold the pony tail in half over and over in the hair band till it is really short and looks like a funny looking bun)

If my hair is shorter I just poi with my hair down I don't really care any more if it singes.

I know what you mean with the hair- I was thinking maybe a funky topknot..Or I also have an old metal army helmet- WWI or WWII, not sure. It's not a priceless relic or anything, not worth any more than the $30 I paid for it. I was thinking of polishing it up, so the metal shines. It might work with the look I've got planned- I want to get a leather tunic,kind of a fantasy medieval type thing. I've heard leather's good for wearing when fire spinning. Maybe the helmet might be good for stuffing hair under.

i wet my hair then put it down the back of my shirt this will keep your hair safe

i have long hair and i plait it and tuck it into my (famous ) rainbow hat!

You could paint flames onto your helmet - that would be fitting...but I still stand by my fist suggestion

good ideas:
- wet all of your hair (less fire danger and its heavier)
- wear turban/bandana. could wet that too
- wear swimming cap (major loss in style points though)
- wear rasta hat
- gelling hair down onto body > sexy mermaid look and no worry for t-shirt

bad ideas
- afros
- wearing viking helmets
- wetting hair with kerosene

hair up in buns is a good way forward, but not when the poi try to do bun-wraps

happily only so far a problem with sock poi but as such, quite untrainable

buns seem to be a necessity for contact staff though. much tangleage otherwise.

I don't think my hair will stay down the back of my shirt, that's the thing..I move around alot when poi dancing, and with my luck, they hair would all fall out..and my helmet won't have any horns or other poi-catchers...nice and smooth. I was thinking wetting it would be a good idea..with water of course:)

I have long hair and look stupid in hats too... but I wear one anyway, rather than set fire to my head I only have to look silly for the short time the things are lit, anyway.

If you put it in a ponytail or plait, you can tuck it up into the hat (more comfy than down t-shirt... and stops that small area of hair being exposed)... clip it to the top of your head if it doesn't like staying there.

I pretty much look stupid all the time so wearing a hat doesn't make much difference.

A word of warning; if you do go the headgear route make sure it's not likely to catch and melt to your head. Wool is great, viscose-based chiffon and fleecy stuff not so.

Another bad idea is filling your hair with flamable products such as hairsprays and such before hand

Ho hoo, been there, done that, not pretty (actually it was moderately spectacular just not from my viewpoint)

I have a black and red flamed skull cap that I use. Wet the hair down, put it in a high pony tail and stuff it all under the skull cap. I think I look weird in it, but it has saved my hair a couple of times.

I usually have my hair back in a bun which I'll usually wet before hand.

"I thought koo was going to do poi for us?"
"Me too, but she's got her head in the sink..."

I used to wear a hat every time I did poi to keep the rents at ease, but know I don't.
I've singed my hair a few times but it doesn't particularly bother me... the smell only lasts a few days..bleh...

and while being on the subject of bad ideas....

don't wrap your hair in wet cloth!!!!:fire and water make steam, steam is baaaaad...

please read this post by Pele telling about some fire spinner wetting his clothes... auch!!!!!

tie your hair up and wear a trendy hat....

i have longish hair, i occasionally singe it. when it's summer you can douse your hair in water, it reduces singyness.

has anyone seen my shark mafia? i left it somewhere over here and now they've gone, it's only a mini mafia! but it's mine! they don't have hair problems...there all sharks