Gatherings: Why Not Go??

I have been going to my local weekly fire gathering for months now and have taken it upon myself to keep it posted on the internet to get more people to come. Currently we get about 30-40 people every week and sometimes more. Not all twirlers as there are drummers and friends as well. I find it's better to have more people around (within reason) as it's more fun, people learn and share more as there is a diversity of styles and it's just great to watch twirling as well as do, right?But my issue here today is that I actually have problems convincing people to come along and twirl. Some who are quite good. Now I know that sometimes a twirler may not be in the mood to twirl with other people. But I ask, why never twirl in front of more a few people? I understand that some people are sensitive to the public gaze and suffer stage fright. But our meeting for one involves more just getting up and twirling in a HUGE space sometimes many at a time and with plenty of twirlers to help with learning new stuff. If someone is new and thinks they're "shit" it's the perfect place to get better as the more experienced have been there and know the feeling. A fire gathering is the most supportive crowd to "come out" in front of.Not to mention the vast possibilities of picking up new ideas/moves, progressing styles, getting advice on materials and the best website wink

Surely these people must realise that getting together with like-mindeds is going to be better than smacking yourself in the head in the privacy of your own coccoon. These reluctant people are missing out on their best resource because of a little shyness (I guess?). If you've ever performed in front of a large vocal non-twirler crowd you may know what a bad or indifferent response can feel like (in no way exclusive to fire performance) but a fire gathering is a very different environment to be in.On a good day this reluctant attitude saddens me a little. On a grumpy day if someone says they don't want to twirl in front of people who know what they're doing, it makes me feel crap about my own twirling.I think that this reluctance is a stage that some people go through that they may eventually get over. A part of life in general. But practically everyone who comes to gatherings say (sometimes with surprise) how great it was and how much better they feel about their twirling through the progress they've made.So why is it so hard to convince some people? I note that in the current survey, a fair proportion of voters say that they have never twirled in front of others or prefer to be solo. Can these people shed some light as to why otherwise confident rational people won't meet me in the park at night?------------------Your parents were wrongFire is good Play with fire

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