Dance lessons for spinners

*ew. bellydancing? what do you consider "modern?"*
Well, it's not what I consider "modern": for what I know, classical dance is the one until 18th century; modern dance is the one until (broadly) Isadora Duncan, and then there is contemporary dance (so, contact impro is a form of contemporary).
Then there are all kinds of folk dances, ethnical dances, and whatever; and all the pop dances.
It's not my distinction, I have been explained it like this; I actually have problems thinking that "modern" is older than "contemporary"; and maybe now there is postmodern dance, who know.


*i'd seriously go with "raver", aka "gliding", aka "heel/toe". hands down winner for me. you get turns whenever you want them and can possibly move into more "lock and pop" gliding which gives huge contrast between the body motions and smooth poi spinning. *

Yep, I have looked into them. I actually use them (even if my gliding is NOT that good) while dancing, sometime; but not while spinning.
(Really: fluid AND spinning? I did fluid AND contact, I mean contact ball, but not spinning; I'll think about it)

I'm downloading the video just now, anyway.

*also, some general jungle jump-up movement works if you've got the energy. i don't know what the jungle/DnB scene is like in italy, but i can link some more vids when i get home. *

I guess it's not so strong, I don't have ny clue about what is it.
Well, I'll be in Berlin in 3 weeks, I'll look about it.
But: if _jumpup_ is about jumping, is not for me. I gave up jumping in capoeira, too, and my joints BEGGED me to stop trying aerials and mortals; so. No jumping, if I can avoid it.

*boys bellydancing. pfft. don't make me link to dantana's bellydancing vid for contrast to the heel/toe. (this is ... well, mostly.. in jest. bellydance if you want to. just don't complain to me if you get laughed at for your efforts.)*
Dunno: if a man bellydancing has the same effect on women of a woman bellydancing has on me, I DEFINITELY want to go for it. Now that I know I won't be just thrown out with screams of "what are you doing here, you pervert".
And if they do, I'll point them to Arashi and mcp.

*Ever since I first picked up a pair of poi I've been after the answer to this question and after talking to quite a few dancers, I've come to the conclusion that there is no real definitive answer. Most people seem to promote the style of dance they're into, even if it's not really applicable to poi ( like tango ) however I don't see this as a bad thing.*

I don't think there is a DEFINITE aswer to anything (expept 42, that's a definitve answer, of course); but there are a lot of personal answer, and all of the make sense.
And: I mixed tango and poi, there are a couple of moves I worked on for THAT reason, and I love to use gotan project for music.

*Speaking as a fellow "non dancer" I do believe that there is a secret to movement and eventually I hope to tap into it, but one thing's for sure at this point in time, I need my toys in order to feel comfortable with this whole dance thing. I did manage a little freehand glowsticking last month*

Yep, for ages I NEEDED my toys to be confortable.
Actually, I did some performance without toys last summer, just dancing. People seemed to like it; that's why I want to delve deeper and learn more about dancing, the naked one.

*It might help to examine your own motivations for posing this question, I did and found I had a few.*

Ok: my motivations are "easy".
I never danced. Poi (and staff) taught me to dance, and a form of Wu-Wei (the principle of tao and taiji quan: action without action, of not forcing). And I realized I loved.
So: now I want to became a better dancer without toys.
But, still, I'd like to stay in the path, I don't want to go to the dark side. I'd like to keep the toys and the dance.

*The first was to get a grip on the whole "being a performer" thing, which was something I'd had zero experience with so I just swallowed my nervousness and joined a professional group with lots of work. We're still working, New Years eve, I'll be the guy painted gold, wearing white, and spinning in some sort of Shakespearean procession. Did this make me a better dancer? I don't think so but it definitely affected my spinning style and taught me to feel more confident with cheezy TA DA......type moves. I learned to embrace my inner poser.*

That's great, actually.
This summer I was with a troup in Sicily, and I volunteered to be Adam in a just dancing part, SINCE they told me we had to be naked (come on, what would have been my OTHER chance to dance naked in a public square, in Sicily?). But then, they changed their mind and we had to PRETEND to be naked, but dressed (I mean, dance pants). So in the end I was using my sock poi, with black light.
Who knew Adam was created by a God on stilts, and had poi from the first day?

*Another motivation I found I had was balance. Sometimes I found I got so lost in the spinning moment I was tripping over my own feet, and I still do sometimes. I think the secret to sorting this out lies in tai chi, but I have yet to study it. For performance based spinning I'm learning to move between a series of stable stances. I'm not moving as quickly as I'd like, but at least I haven't embarassed myself yet.*

I don't like it quick.
For the balance, and the transitions, and the stances, I think taiji quan is perfect.


*I was also concerned about positioning my upper body, I sort of had this picture in my head that I looked like a hunchback when I was spinning ( the antithesis of Yuta ) and I found that after bouncing this idea off several dancres, that maybe I was being a little to self critical. Most dancers agreed that studying any form of dance would help with this, this being the whole "up" thing. Still working on it.........but "giant" moves come in handy here.*

Ok, I worked on my upper body for years, and just when i thought I pinned it down and was OK, my dancing friends told me I was forgetting about the legs. I (from waist up) was dancing, they (the legs) were walking and getting in the way.
So. Time for REAL trainig. I guess.

*Good luck with your quest, and if you find THE answer, please, let me know*

I don't think there is THE answer, there must be many different answers, and all are THE asnwer.
(ok, ok, too much Zen recently).

argh I haven't been online and this has turned into a really nice discussion.

Going back to the top - main posture/strength stuff comes primarily from horseriding and free-party stomping - the 'dance' route is yet unfollowed *sigh*

I don't like the bolt-on dancing. But I do think different dances will teach you to utilise your body and it's ability to move in new ways that will integrate with your spinning. That's why Arashi looks so smooth and confident in the way he moves.
My main reason for wanting to learn some sort of dance was just to challenge myself in ways I found less natural, and therefore achieve deliberate movement/shapes while i spin rather than what you see on my vids which is just what comes naturally. (incidentally I'm well pleased with the christmas release that features some semi-moonwalking quite outta the blue lol!)

I did a bellydancing workshop this summer and i sucked. Though the isolation of different parts of the body seems not unlike the isolation necessary in a lot of modern 'liquid' styles and would definately be something I'd like to persue if i find the oppertunity. Similialry the hand/arm movements could translate into poi really nicely.

I think BellyDancing is your winner!

I don't dance as i spin, i kinda just dodge the flaming poi while exclaiming...

"nooo not the hair!"

Tai chi jian might help, as it's tai chi with the added "jian" straight sword. So it teaches movement with a prop automatically.

I also know nick focuses on yoga and (yuta does too?) his advice on movement was "dropping circles down the spine".

Of course, when I tried that I ended up moving in slow uhm... clowny style like dervishly yers.

I said you LOOK smooth..........

I agree with arashi though. I found that, you can work on moves, but when it comes right down to it, you don't really work on flowing them, and may rarely use them when you just have a fun unconcious spin. I like his ladder analogy and find it very helpful.

That being said, having been a skater, and thus having some dance training, I found that its applicable to spinning, and since you've blended dance styles already, you have your own unique form of movement. But then again, I did favor choreography and footwork over jumping when I just did interpretive (sp?).

Hey, I do tango! I've yet to do a goncho with me'poi...it'd hurt too much

and I must say, Ros is my flow idol

and a mate of mine is a fantastic dancer, not only with poi, but also with other toys, and I know she has a background in gothdancing...so its more down to the person than anything else I'd guess

Someone can give you lessons, show you steps, but its your creativity and ease with them that makes the dance look smooth

arashi u looked like a kid of the universe dancing with the stars when i saw u playing around in slowenia that night

since that time i am looking for a teacher in dance but hm u left
to be honest we found a girl she is practising belly dancing since 8 years now and she is willing to teach us
so when u will be back we are ready for better understanding and feeling

weeellllll i had many many juggling, fire spinning, drop-dead gorgeous goddesses to impress in slovenia... so the credit for my dancing goes to them

well since we've brainwashed you all into belly dancing there's some good info sprinkled in this thread. although i gotta say i wish i had taken some wushu lessons from the start, if only i had the spine to do it. almost there...

stay away from adrenaline rush activities, kids!

"belly dancers" thread

Ros please don't learn to belly dance. My capricious heart couldn't take the strain.

Please kick up the life-jugglin skills there, arashi, and post a vid
I love poi as a meditative form of dance, the movements and intermovements of everything, but I'm not much of a dancer. As such, I'd love to see more dance related poi vids to see what's out there, since most of the ones I see are more techi "looky what I can do" type of stuff.

Lookin forward to the vid

You have to read that thread- if only to fall off your chair giggling at this quote:

Arashi: "without looking like a dorky white guy at a nasty boody rubbin R&B concert trying to get some... convulsin an gyratin and people callin da ambulance..."

*shimmies off to practice hip-liftin-patterns and find a teacher.....*

i'm doomed!! DOOOOOMMMMMED!!!

you guys i have a friend in london who teaches tribal style belly dance. she makes me melt. interested? "tribe.net" me and i'll hook you up.

london too far *sigh*

Though this might be a blessing in disguise for your nerves

wondering when you were going to enter the convo Drew!
Dance Badly...

This thread makes me want to everyone involved.

Or was that

Is there a difference, Kael?

popping while doing poi is possibly the hardest thing I have yet learnt in terms of poi.

Oh, oh!! go see the movie Rize, and try krumping!! ( Seriously, do see it. I really want to head to south central LA and give those dancers some poi,see what happens!It is amazing.)

We could have roaming hip hop clown gangs doing the stippers dance while swinging poi... WOW

Yeah... I read an article on that... What a weird dance form... And I haven't seen it yet...