Forums > Beginner Poi Moves > How long to get artistic?
Login/Join to ParticipateBRONZE Member
Member
78 posts
Location: Southern California, USA
Member
78 posts
Location: Southern California, USA
Posted:
Apologies if this has been posted before, but I'm curious how long it took those of you who incorporate dance or some form of artistry in your poi spinning to start moving about with the poi. Obviously knowing technique is very important but I've always been more inspired by those who move about and/or use their bodies while spinning than just awe-inspiring talent.
Did you just move around with the poi from the very beginning, learn the moves then try to incorporate them in with basic choreography, etc?
Apologies if this has been posted before, but I'm curious how long it took those of you who incorporate dance or some form of artistry in your poi spinning to start moving about with the poi. Obviously knowing technique is very important but I've always been more inspired by those who move about and/or use their bodies while spinning than just awe-inspiring talent.
Did you just move around with the poi from the very beginning, learn the moves then try to incorporate them in with basic choreography, etc?
BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)
Posted:
One of the loveliest poi dancers I saw only used one move, but she danced with it...
Just start moving and dancing from the very beginning... even with turns, or split-time turns...
Your poi is as individual as you want it to be
x
One of the loveliest poi dancers I saw only used one move, but she danced with it...
Just start moving and dancing from the very beginning... even with turns, or split-time turns...
Your poi is as individual as you want it to be
x
Getting to the other side 
SILVER Member
enthusiast
315 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
enthusiast
315 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
Agree with Clare.
For me however, it was a matter of getting the move first, then learning to dance with it once I was comfortable. I found that should I try and dance with a move that wasn't rock solid, I would usually end up hurting myself.
I also feel that to combine tech and dance is the best, as it will please both parties and each compliments the other in my mind.
If you twirl with music, it's inevitable that you'll start to dance with your poi, for me at least.
Agree with Clare.
For me however, it was a matter of getting the move first, then learning to dance with it once I was comfortable. I found that should I try and dance with a move that wasn't rock solid, I would usually end up hurting myself.
I also feel that to combine tech and dance is the best, as it will please both parties and each compliments the other in my mind.
If you twirl with music, it's inevitable that you'll start to dance with your poi, for me at least.
SILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa
Posted:
I do the same: learn the move then move with it.
Also, some movements come quite naturally out of a move. For example: turning with a corkscrew or moving side to side with a TTN.
Up to you in the end though. I would advise getting the move right before playing with it. Some of my stuff I had to go back and clean up because the movement I was doing lead to me not being able to do it correctly without it.
I do the same: learn the move then move with it.
Also, some movements come quite naturally out of a move. For example: turning with a corkscrew or moving side to side with a TTN.
Up to you in the end though. I would advise getting the move right before playing with it. Some of my stuff I had to go back and clean up because the movement I was doing lead to me not being able to do it correctly without it.
'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland
BRONZE Member
Classically British
5,689 posts
Location: Epsom, Surrey, England
Classically British
5,689 posts
Location: Epsom, Surrey, England
Posted:
I think it's a case of each to their own....
Personally, i've never learnt a move, then specifically tried to do it whilst dancing/moving - i just incorporate it into general spinning when I moving and see how it works.
Having said that, I do do the reverse. i.e. if I'm trying to learn a specfic dance move with a poi move, i'll try the dance move over-and-over with different poi moves to see if it works
This probably reflects the fact I've been spinning far longer than I have dancing (meaning "styled dancing", not just bobbing along to tunes) and am pretty comfortable with my poi, even learning something new. My body however confuses the crap out of me so merits special attention
In answer to the question "how long" - that's impossible to say.
I've seen newbie spinners pick up a 3-beat weave and move amazingly well, I've seen people who've spun for years play for 10 minutes without moving their feet.
I wouldn't set yourself a deadline, or a goal - you'll find naturally that the more you play, especially with music, the dance comes naturally. It's just about being comfortable.
There's also a big side discussion about "performance artistry" - many of my faveourite movers look incredible because they're very audiance aware, i.e. plane control, timing, posture, facing the right way. It always looks natural, but there's always an underlying aspect of "performing" (not neccessarily to anyone, just generally)
I think it's a case of each to their own....
Personally, i've never learnt a move, then specifically tried to do it whilst dancing/moving - i just incorporate it into general spinning when I moving and see how it works.
Having said that, I do do the reverse. i.e. if I'm trying to learn a specfic dance move with a poi move, i'll try the dance move over-and-over with different poi moves to see if it works
This probably reflects the fact I've been spinning far longer than I have dancing (meaning "styled dancing", not just bobbing along to tunes) and am pretty comfortable with my poi, even learning something new. My body however confuses the crap out of me so merits special attention
In answer to the question "how long" - that's impossible to say.
I've seen newbie spinners pick up a 3-beat weave and move amazingly well, I've seen people who've spun for years play for 10 minutes without moving their feet.
I wouldn't set yourself a deadline, or a goal - you'll find naturally that the more you play, especially with music, the dance comes naturally. It's just about being comfortable.
There's also a big side discussion about "performance artistry" - many of my faveourite movers look incredible because they're very audiance aware, i.e. plane control, timing, posture, facing the right way. It always looks natural, but there's always an underlying aspect of "performing" (not neccessarily to anyone, just generally)
Burner of Toast
Spinner of poi
Slacker of enormous magnitude
SILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa
Posted:
That is a well good point. And probably what I was trying to say but put more eloquently.
Well, in my case, "dance" probably is just moving around, rather than actually dancing.
Written by :Durbs
Personally, i've never learnt a move, then specifically tried to do it whilst dancing/moving - i just incorporate it into general spinning when I moving and see how it works.
That is a well good point. And probably what I was trying to say but put more eloquently.
Well, in my case, "dance" probably is just moving around, rather than actually dancing.
'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland
addict
489 posts
Location: Perth
489 posts
Location: Perth
Posted:
I think that after you can quite a few things.. weaves -->butterfly, windmills, waterfalls (whatever people call things) .. just so you're not thinking "Oh GOD! where's my hand suppose to go next?"
As soon as you are comfortable with spinning and don't hit yourself, i find you can start moving your feet a little, just side stepping, then turn 180, and start making moves bigger and smaller... and doing it at arms length, shoulders or at your hips.
Time wise, it depends how long it takes you to get comfortable with poi. Since I never really studied poi intensively as many do now, I started dancing with poi after a year... and would say now, three-ish years later, or is that four... any way, I'd say it would be now that I'd have an individual style or am 100% comfortable dancing to any music or song with poi.
Sometimes you have to pretend you're doing 'expressive dance' with poi, so get some classical music and start doing lots of slow moves and stalls...
Hope you find your 'groove'
I think that after you can quite a few things.. weaves -->butterfly, windmills, waterfalls (whatever people call things) .. just so you're not thinking "Oh GOD! where's my hand suppose to go next?"
As soon as you are comfortable with spinning and don't hit yourself, i find you can start moving your feet a little, just side stepping, then turn 180, and start making moves bigger and smaller... and doing it at arms length, shoulders or at your hips.
Time wise, it depends how long it takes you to get comfortable with poi. Since I never really studied poi intensively as many do now, I started dancing with poi after a year... and would say now, three-ish years later, or is that four... any way, I'd say it would be now that I'd have an individual style or am 100% comfortable dancing to any music or song with poi.
Sometimes you have to pretend you're doing 'expressive dance' with poi, so get some classical music and start doing lots of slow moves and stalls...
Hope you find your 'groove'
miss beelzeboss
41 posts
Location: Zagreb , Croatia =)
41 posts
Location: Zagreb , Croatia =)
Posted:
one little tip : dance on whatever you can relax most..whether it's jazz rock reagge ... if you're not 100 % comfortable with the music on which you spin..you wont get relaxed while spinning im just saying that cause i saw once a fresh spinner ( i was pretty much a newbie that he was ..but the difference is that he tried to spin on some rly ..how can i say it ..tough music.. and he was completley stucked up..like someone was forcing him to spin XD ) ..
one little tip : dance on whatever you can relax most..whether it's jazz rock reagge ... if you're not 100 % comfortable with the music on which you spin..you wont get relaxed while spinning
im just saying that cause i saw once a fresh spinner ( i was pretty much a newbie that he was ..but the difference is that he tried to spin on some rly ..how can i say it ..tough music.. and he was completley stucked up..like someone was forcing him to spin XD ) .. You make my heart sing..you make everything..GROOVEY .. yeah =) xD
BRONZE Member
Member
78 posts
Location: Southern California, USA
Member
78 posts
Location: Southern California, USA
Posted:
So far I'm doing a lot of turns while spinning and getting surprisingly good at not hitting myself, but it would be nice to have a mirror. I've also found out that I really need to learn more moves; the 3- and 5-beat weaves only get you so far as do butterflies and flowers.
So far I'm doing a lot of turns while spinning and getting surprisingly good at not hitting myself, but it would be nice to have a mirror.
I've also found out that I really need to learn more moves; the 3- and 5-beat weaves only get you so far as do butterflies and flowers. GOLD Member
addict
694 posts
Location: Leeds, United Kingdom
addict
694 posts
Location: Leeds, United Kingdom
Posted:
Your next step is to learn crosses and behind the back stuff.
I move, or used to move like a robot but i think i am gradually getting better.
Zan's Encyclo-poi-dia DVD
"if you stand in one place and never move your feet, you are boring to watch. None poi people would rather see dancing with simple weaves, than see a really technical set of moves"
Then goes on to show a sequence of moves without dance then the same with dance.
This is very true, especially of glowstringers. The waistwraps, 7beat weaves etc look good to me but get boring to watch after they have been done 100 times. My mates have watched stringers and get bored after a minute or 2. Then watch poi people like ronin, nick, yuta, zan etc etc and are amazed and watch all the way through a performance.
Personally i think i need to learn the basics of tai chi or other form of dance
Written by :Sarah_P
So far I'm doing a lot of turns while spinning and getting surprisingly good at not hitting myself, but it would be nice to have a mirror.
Your next step is to learn crosses and behind the back stuff.
I move, or used to move like a robot but i think i am gradually getting better.
Zan's Encyclo-poi-dia DVD
"if you stand in one place and never move your feet, you are boring to watch. None poi people would rather see dancing with simple weaves, than see a really technical set of moves"
Then goes on to show a sequence of moves without dance then the same with dance.
This is very true, especially of glowstringers. The waistwraps, 7beat weaves etc look good to me but get boring to watch after they have been done 100 times. My mates have watched stringers and get bored after a minute or 2. Then watch poi people like ronin, nick, yuta, zan etc etc and are amazed and watch all the way through a performance.
Personally i think i need to learn the basics of tai chi or other form of dance
SILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa
Posted:
Still can not do crossers. :\
I agree with the dancey stuff. Non-spinners prefer it, tech appeals mostly to spinners, who can also appreciate the difficulty.
Or that is how I see it....
Still can not do crossers. :\
I agree with the dancey stuff. Non-spinners prefer it, tech appeals mostly to spinners, who can also appreciate the difficulty.
Or that is how I see it....
'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland
newbie
13 posts
Location: NY
13 posts
Location: NY
Posted:
Thanks for the good replies everyone. I'm not even the poster of this thread but it helped. ^_^
Thanks for the good replies everyone. I'm not even the poster of this thread but it helped. ^_^
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SILVER Member
Member
3 posts
Location: North London, United Kingdom
Member
3 posts
Location: North London, United Kingdom
Posted:
Its a tough question to answer as everyone is different....
I would say to be honest that as soon as you have say 2-3 basic moves nailed you can let the dancing and movement begin. To be able to dance with your poi you have to be totally comfortable with them, even if that just means going from forward to backward weave with a bit of variation in between.
A lot of moves themselves lend themselves to moving around to. Split time thread the needles can be nicely trippy and moving them around in front and behind you needs a bit of movement and flexibility from your side (not muscular flexibility!) and I've always found you NEED to move with it if its not going to look really awkward.
Anyway not sure what my point is... make sure you're comfortable with a few moves then wack on some music, toke on the green stuff if you're that way inclined and oooooo wander freeeeeeeeeee
Its easy if you're a lady you can make poi look well sexy!
Oh and also the more that you spin, the more that your mind figures out how to break down moves and how to move between things and do all those crazy things that you used to watch people doing and think OOOMMMMGGGGGG so in that sense you learn to be more artistic in how you put together sequences and how things actually fit together rather than in early days when you just try and shove weave and butterfly together when they DO NOT FIT
So patience is a virtue.
Its a tough question to answer as everyone is different....
I would say to be honest that as soon as you have say 2-3 basic moves nailed you can let the dancing and movement begin. To be able to dance with your poi you have to be totally comfortable with them, even if that just means going from forward to backward weave with a bit of variation in between.
A lot of moves themselves lend themselves to moving around to. Split time thread the needles can be nicely trippy and moving them around in front and behind you needs a bit of movement and flexibility from your side (not muscular flexibility!) and I've always found you NEED to move with it if its not going to look really awkward.
Anyway not sure what my point is... make sure you're comfortable with a few moves then wack on some music, toke on the green stuff if you're that way inclined and oooooo wander freeeeeeeeeee
Its easy if you're a lady you can make poi look well sexy!
Oh and also the more that you spin, the more that your mind figures out how to break down moves and how to move between things and do all those crazy things that you used to watch people doing and think OOOMMMMGGGGGG so in that sense you learn to be more artistic in how you put together sequences and how things actually fit together rather than in early days when you just try and shove weave and butterfly together when they DO NOT FIT
So patience is a virtue.
newbie
11 posts
Location: Tahmoor NSW
11 posts
Location: Tahmoor NSW
Posted:
Well I am only a newbie to Poi but have been dancing( cant really name my style,expressive trance is the best I can come up with) for years now.
I have started learning Poi to add an extra element into my style of dance so when i learn a move(havent learnt many but am enjoying it) i start experimenting with dance moves as soon as I can to find what works and what doesnt.
As dance and Poi are very individual it all comes down to the spinner as to how they incorparate the two.
Well I am only a newbie to Poi but have been dancing( cant really name my style,expressive trance is the best I can come up with) for years now.
I have started learning Poi to add an extra element into my style of dance so when i learn a move(havent learnt many but am enjoying it) i start experimenting with dance moves as soon as I can to find what works and what doesnt.
As dance and Poi are very individual it all comes down to the spinner as to how they incorparate the two.
"Dancing is not simply moving to the music,it is becoming one with the music and letting the music move you"
Peace.Love.Unity.Respect.
NYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
Posted:
I'll let you know when I get there...
Written by :Sarah_P
Apologies if this has been posted before, but I'm curious how long it took those of you who incorporate dance or some form of artistry in your poi spinning to start moving about with the poi.
I'll let you know when I get there...
Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]
SILVER Member
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!
Posted:
On one hand you've got "dancey" movements and then you've got speed variation, varying the speed may come naturally, it may not, but its something I've seen lots of people ignore and if you're trying to look dancy then you surely should be varying the speed also...
Seems like everyones already answered the question anyway, but I felt a need to hurl that chunk in there anyway.
mangomaz, are you referring to a weave and a butterfly quite literally being thrust together, without any sort of intermediate? I see no issue if theres a transition with a wrap or a stall... but I assume thats not what you're talking about.
On one hand you've got "dancey" movements and then you've got speed variation, varying the speed may come naturally, it may not, but its something I've seen lots of people ignore and if you're trying to look dancy then you surely should be varying the speed also...
Seems like everyones already answered the question anyway, but I felt a need to hurl that chunk in there anyway.
mangomaz, are you referring to a weave and a butterfly quite literally being thrust together, without any sort of intermediate? I see no issue if theres a transition with a wrap or a stall... but I assume thats not what you're talking about.
PLATINUM Member
lovely flamer
6 posts
Location: sweet ohio, USA
lovely flamer
6 posts
Location: sweet ohio, USA
Posted:
I think it's important to move the body - dance -- when spinning for a crowd. The spirit really shines through. It can be either a transformative experience watching someone spin or it can be a downer because their body / facial expression is tense / insecure.
Moreover, I have come to get bored of the techies (the people with all the advanced moves), and would prefer a truly inspirational dancer that can play in front of a crowd.
I think it's important to move the body - dance -- when spinning for a crowd. The spirit really shines through. It can be either a transformative experience watching someone spin or it can be a downer because their body / facial expression is tense / insecure.
Moreover, I have come to get bored of the techies (the people with all the advanced moves), and would prefer a truly inspirational dancer that can play in front of a crowd.
Good Goddess, I'm such a flamer!
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