The way I see it, poi (or any related prop dance) can be a partner dance just like any traditional partner dance. With that assumption I began to think, how do we interact? We have synchronization (which is easy if we have a sense of rhythm and timing), leading and following, superimposing (like Yuta and Ronan's flowers), mirroring, sparring, whatever.
The main aspects of traditional partner dancing I've noticed so far which make it work are that there is a leader which gives cues and there are a specific set of moves which both partners know.
I haven't worked out exactly how to give the same kind of singles with poi since we do not really touch but I have started writing out set of moves. I have noticed a few distinct categories of poi interactions but I haven't thought of good names for them yet so I'll just write out the list I have so far. This is how I refer to the moves and more then likely will not make sense to everyone. So I am happy to give further descriptions.
(each partner does one side/hand of a move)
- wall plane weave at each side,
- arm wraps from wall plane weave at sides,
- wall plane thread the needle at each side,
- spiral wraps (perpendicular with hands pointing towards each other or at sides with hands pointing same direction),
- air wraps,
- hyperloops,
(poi move around each other)
- butterfly reels,
- butterfly (facing same direction or each other),
- partner crossers (hug),
- shoulder-hip reels (same direction) to spin 180 around each other,
- corkscrew matrix,
(poi stall around each other)
- vertical stalls into butterfly hug,
- skip and stall,
- opposite/same direction stalls over-under arms (side planes):
- inside 5 beat weave,
- back to back weave in side planes,
- back to back weave (180 in wall plane),
- face to face behind the back weave
- face to face behind the back waistwrap (180 weave)
- buzzsaw back bend,
- thread the needle back bend,
- back to back horizontal buzzsaw rotating,
- superimposed flower patterns,
- rising/falling buzzsaw column,
- tossing,
- partner balancing,
- pass poi from weave (one set),
and some inspiration:
Barefoot Fire: Fire Poi Duet (w/ Marina)
youtube.com/watch?v=BL5qFBmvqBcBarefoot Fire: 05/06 Poi- Staff- Swords
youtube.com/watch?v=WTLbvIm45g4Nick and Yuta #2: (Fire) Poi Story
youtube.com/watch?v=PEjxaSldL0ECamb Burn Yourself Battlefinale 2006
youtube.com/watch?v=3kLWpqJ10iYYuta & Ronan - Poi Interactions
youtube.com/watch?v=FaOFQLQ6Tug