Pacifistmember
28 posts
Location: Taipei, Taiwan


Posted:
Does anybody here ever do any fire fighting?

What I've got in mind is staff against poi. Rope poi work better than chain poi because the chains scratch up the staff on contact.

Basically, what I have in mind is contact fighting, with the contct being achieved by wrapping the poi around the staff and then pulling it off.

I've done this a few times, and it's a lot of fun. One time my friend threw his staff at me and I caught it in the air just with the rope poi. I spun it around my head once and then gave it back. The whole thing was totally accidental (he didn't even mean to launch his staff) but it looked like it was a planned thing to the audience.

The hardest part for the contact is timing. It's really easy to miss each other when you're trying to hit each other, especially since you don't want to hit the other person's body at all, and so you're always pulling back.

I was thinking an alternative to long poi would be a long kevlar rope. That would look almost like a sword against a staff.

Does anybody else do this sort of thing?


Not so pacific Pacifist

Bzzzzz Blurb, Bzzzzzz Blurb, Fop pzzzzz, Fop Pazazzzz,


soldaribusy-tofu!
133 posts
Location: montreal: bagel capital


Posted:
I've done fire-sword against fire-staff *which was quite stunning*, and poi against sword, but no fire. The later was just too easy, but wasn't meant as a choreography, or even for show... just a little fight to match and mix.

I don't think I'd ever want to have an improvised fire-fight with poi though. The simple fact that it wraps so easily makes it somewhat unpredictable. If you're going to do that sort of stuff, practice with your partner and get a choreography. I'm not saying this eliminates the risks, it simply reduces the odds of having incredibly stupid accidents: "you did what?!"

Secondly, fire-swordfigthing isn't any safer/smarter. I'm just more comfortable with it seeing as it was with someone I usually swordfight with and that I've been swordfighting for a while.

So be safe, and make sure you master your stuff. Other than that, I wish you much fun.

there is no better way to say I love you than with the gift of a spatula!


NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
And your screen name is 'the pacifist'?

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
This sounds to me like a perfectly good way to stuff up your fire-gear, make it dangerous and likely to come apart, and injure yourself seriously in the process.

Firestaff/firesword fights, with the toys not actually srappign around each other can be performed well, look just as good, without adding huge amounts of stress and fatigue onto the fire toys.

Sorry to sound so harsh, but anything that potentially weakens the design of your firepoi makes it more likely the head will fly off and hit someone/burn down a bulding/cause death destruction and bring criminal charges down on your head.

Treat any fire toys with the respect they deserve, please

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Pacifistmember
28 posts
Location: Taipei, Taiwan


Posted:
Thanks for the replies.

The rope poi are not nearly as damaging to staffs or swords as regular chain poi. I could see chain poi getting weak and breaking, but don't think it's likely, especially with the heavy duty chains we use.

I feel it's fairly safe especially because I wrap these same poi around my legs, arms, and body at high speeds all the time. So far, I've only broken one, but it had a really flimsy connection to the chain, I found out afterwards.

In fact, the only problem I see now is finding somebody with a staff who's willing to practice this with me. Nobody wants their staffs to get scuffed up. I guess I'll just have to buy one myself.

Pacifist

Bzzzzz Blurb, Bzzzzzz Blurb, Fop pzzzzz, Fop Pazazzzz,


CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
Oh...ok fair enough

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Pacifistmember
28 posts
Location: Taipei, Taiwan


Posted:
Actually, come to think of it, I've broken two poi in the past. One was when I wrapped it around my leg. The head came off because of a flimsy connection to the chain.

The other, though, was a perfect example of what you were referring to, Charles. I wrapped it around my friend's staff while he was holding it steady, and the chain snapped right in the middle. It was a HOP-ordered chain, one of those ones made up of little swivelling balls.

I don't think those chains are good for fighting or too much leg wrapping. They're just not strong enough.

Pacifist

Bzzzzz Blurb, Bzzzzzz Blurb, Fop pzzzzz, Fop Pazazzzz,


CharlesBRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand


Posted:
When you wrap a chain around something thin like a staff (as opposed to something wide like a thigh) it speeds up enormously as the length of free chain decreases.

The kinetic energy of the swing doesn't decrease as fast as the length, so it just goes faster instead, and then hits the end with the maximum pressure possible.

This exerts a lot more pressure on the final bit of chain and the poi head attachment than other actions.

Can i ask if it was the stainless steel Ballchain or was it the NPS?

HoP Posting Guidelines
* Is it the Truth?
* Is it Fair to all concerned?
* Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
* Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?


Djnnmember
79 posts
Location: flames of the netherlands


Posted:
i studied sword play as a fighting style as well as art for and i have to hand it to you for trying to find someone who will scratch up their staff but best of luck get or make your own and find someone to play around with there are so many great combos between staffing and poi
be safe and don't burn down the house.
-djinn

Pacifistmember
28 posts
Location: Taipei, Taiwan


Posted:
The chain I used that broke was a ballbearing style one that was ordered from HOP. The connections are internal, I think. They don't seem to be as able to take heavy hits as the other, regular petshop-bought dog chains.

I plan on making my own staff out of thick aluminum,then scuffing up the aluminum to create grip. I want to try to make it possible to keep the temperature of the staff down, so I won't have to put added grip onto it. Hence, extra thick aluminum. Without tearable, meltable grip, I'll be able to wrap poi around it in any location, not just near the staff's wicks.

That kinetic energy/staff thickness idea is interesting. So that would make it more likely that the connection between the head and the chain would break first. I need to reinforce that, somehow.

Pacifist

Bzzzzz Blurb, Bzzzzzz Blurb, Fop pzzzzz, Fop Pazazzzz,


for_my_name_is_shanemember
21 posts

Posted:
Hay man u mean like fire duling with swords. yer thats sweet but i dont no about poi but i had an idea. you have fire sword but im thinking fire hammer like with a sledghammer with the end wraped in wick. you would have to b strong to us it but it would look good and in a fire dule u have the end of the sledghammer and it has alot of wick on it like a spung of wick and u drench that in fule. then some were in the dule u have to miss them and hit the ground and a big ball of fire will come up.

You're just jealous becouse the voices are talking to me.


Shibakienthusiast
309 posts
Location: Tampa, Fl


Posted:
hey there

i have done "Fire" fights a number of times with various people. they are very enjoyable actually. they are an opportunity to develop a real routine, either choreographed or impromptu, and you can incorporate any number of elements.

we've done fights with contacting eachother which is ok. nothing real choreographed, just kind of random, and that is ok. some of it was more daring and i admit to nearly being whacked in the face, but that didnt deter me.

my favorite though is just drama fights. they were my most memorable, and the ones i remember now and i just smile when i think about because they are fun. circling eachother, putting on an act, playing a role... each person a character, interacting with their fire, their weapon. the dancing and movement styles of each person contribute to the act.

so much you can do with this, and you never need touch the other person. of course, you can still. definitely do your equipment check before and after each time, and plan your moves out, etc

Wow


AdeSILVER Member
Are we there yet?
1,897 posts
Location: australia


Posted:
I've been involved in a couple of shows that have involved highly choreographed fight scenes - staff against staff. I think they work well - especially if you combine fight moves and dancing moves. how will I explain this.... sort of move in to attack, and twirl away, then move into attack, and make contact, then spin away. I've had to'die' in a performance from being stabbed with a fire staff (if choreographed, this can be done quite safely), it can be quite dramatic - imagine a dramatic death scene with a fire staff , the overacting possibilities are endless

I agree with soldari - choreography is critical - however loose


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