Forums > Beginner Poi Moves > Nice looking.....
Login/Join to Participatemember
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
Posted:
Some questions:
-How can I learn to dance with the poi more?
-Is it better to be able to dance with the poi or to do more tricky moves?
I know someone who can make the easiest moves look brilliant and in the Col 2 video, the people who caught my eye were the dancing around people. Does everyone here dance alot with it or do they just do the moves with some hip swinging? On the video the guys danced with it more and the girls seemed to hip swing more, which is better? I really need some help here!!! Thanx!
Luv 2 Ya All
Fwirl:P
Some questions:
-How can I learn to dance with the poi more?
-Is it better to be able to dance with the poi or to do more tricky moves?
I know someone who can make the easiest moves look brilliant and in the Col 2 video, the people who caught my eye were the dancing around people. Does everyone here dance alot with it or do they just do the moves with some hip swinging? On the video the guys danced with it more and the girls seemed to hip swing more, which is better? I really need some help here!!! Thanx!
Luv 2 Ya All
Fwirl:P
Neo:Wow, that sounds like a really good deal, but I have a better one. How about I give you the finger and you give me my phone call?
member
263 posts
Location: Holiday, FL, USA
263 posts
Location: Holiday, FL, USA
Posted:
maybe the guys think they have to dance to put on a good show, while the girls know they can just stand there and wiggle?
/not complaining about said wiggling
i dunno, i can't dance.. and i can't do any real tricky moves either. but i have fun spinning.
maybe the guys think they have to dance to put on a good show, while the girls know they can just stand there and wiggle?
/not complaining about said wiggling
i dunno, i can't dance.. and i can't do any real tricky moves either. but i have fun spinning.
GOLD Member
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
good firedancing (and for that matter good twirling in general) can be inspired by yer best accompanying boogie woogie music.
may i suggest the ever so pimpin' Jungle Boogie track by Kool something o rather from the Pulp Fiction Soundtrack. There's always the 'favourite track to spin to' threads to get ideas off....
Too many beats not enough rraaagghh ,
favourite songs,
what music,
music,
with enough inspiration, you won't be able to twirl to chilled choonz without a decent boogey in your step.
good firedancing (and for that matter good twirling in general) can be inspired by yer best accompanying boogie woogie music.
may i suggest the ever so pimpin' Jungle Boogie track by Kool something o rather from the Pulp Fiction Soundtrack. There's always the 'favourite track to spin to' threads to get ideas off....
Too many beats not enough rraaagghh ,
favourite songs,
what music,
music,
with enough inspiration, you won't be able to twirl to chilled choonz without a decent boogey in your step.
Laugh Often, Smile Much, Post lolcats Always
member
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
Posted:
One other thing:
-When you are performing moves, should you do all your butterfly moves together, all your weave moves together etc.? Or should you mix them all into each other?
Luv 2 Ya All
Fwirl
One other thing:
-When you are performing moves, should you do all your butterfly moves together, all your weave moves together etc.? Or should you mix them all into each other?
Luv 2 Ya All
Fwirl
Neo:Wow, that sounds like a really good deal, but I have a better one. How about I give you the finger and you give me my phone call?
BRONZE Member
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Corporate Circus Arts Entertainer
3,989 posts
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted:
Despite actually wanting to help, there may be a small amount of misunderstanding about the "proper" way to do poi (or any twirling).
There is no proper way, and, ultimately, everyone has their own style. Perhaps looking to further develop your own style will give you more progress than asking others what is 'better', or what 'should' be done.
Experiment as much as you can, watch all the Circles of Light video's. Tape yourself, and watch it with a critical eye.
Bender's comment about playing different music tracks is a great suggestion. Play tracks that make you want to dance.
It's all about experimenting with you, and how you fit in with the poi.
Try things like exaggerating the body movements, when doing a weave, bend further from the waist than needed and twist your shoulders forward and back following the moves. Or keeping your feet moving in time to the beats constantly, crouch and stand tall at different times, shake your head around, do anything you can think of with the poi.
Try everything and anything (that's not dangerous) and you will find things that you like, and that others say look good. There will also be really silly looking things that you may want to steer clear of in the future (or keep with, for a laugh).
Best of luck...
Despite actually wanting to help, there may be a small amount of misunderstanding about the "proper" way to do poi (or any twirling).
There is no proper way, and, ultimately, everyone has their own style. Perhaps looking to further develop your own style will give you more progress than asking others what is 'better', or what 'should' be done.
Experiment as much as you can, watch all the Circles of Light video's. Tape yourself, and watch it with a critical eye.
Bender's comment about playing different music tracks is a great suggestion. Play tracks that make you want to dance.
It's all about experimenting with you, and how you fit in with the poi.
Try things like exaggerating the body movements, when doing a weave, bend further from the waist than needed and twist your shoulders forward and back following the moves. Or keeping your feet moving in time to the beats constantly, crouch and stand tall at different times, shake your head around, do anything you can think of with the poi.
Try everything and anything (that's not dangerous) and you will find things that you like, and that others say look good. There will also be really silly looking things that you may want to steer clear of in the future (or keep with, for a laugh).
Best of luck...
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?
member
234 posts
Location: Oceanside, California USA
234 posts
Location: Oceanside, California USA
Posted:
I agree with Charles on this one. It's all about doing what you feel like doing more tahn asking what is better. I personally can't do poi without dancing. I have trouble listening to music without dancing. I think dancing helps my performance alot because even on the first night I used fire, I got some compliments on my dancing with the poi... At that point, I couldn't even do a lot of moves, and I think that dancing the poi moves into place helped me look a lot better. When I don't have music to spin with, I usually set my brain radio to Infected Mushroom's Bust a Move and move to the music inside my head. That keeps me moving with rhythm and definately enhances my performance and my enjoyment of the whole experience
I agree with Charles on this one. It's all about doing what you feel like doing more tahn asking what is better. I personally can't do poi without dancing. I have trouble listening to music without dancing. I think dancing helps my performance alot because even on the first night I used fire, I got some compliments on my dancing with the poi... At that point, I couldn't even do a lot of moves, and I think that dancing the poi moves into place helped me look a lot better. When I don't have music to spin with, I usually set my brain radio to Infected Mushroom's Bust a Move and move to the music inside my head. That keeps me moving with rhythm and definately enhances my performance and my enjoyment of the whole experience
GOLD Member
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
hey i missed one more music speil:
practice music thread.
And before i provide more persuasion on the joys of music, might i mention that silence is probably my favourite song - it allows me to hear the naked roar of wacky wick on fire. Sure music doesn't bugger my twirling any, but personally, it cannot replace the surround sound spectacular of whoooooosh whooooosh whoooosh *BUMP*! bleed! whoooosh! whoooosh! of a twirl. close your eyes and ignore the purveyors and ya know wot i mean.
/reverts to more propaganda about the advantages of musical inspiration....
hey i missed one more music speil:
practice music thread.
And before i provide more persuasion on the joys of music, might i mention that silence is probably my favourite song - it allows me to hear the naked roar of wacky wick on fire. Sure music doesn't bugger my twirling any, but personally, it cannot replace the surround sound spectacular of whoooooosh whooooosh whoooosh *BUMP*! bleed! whoooosh! whoooosh! of a twirl. close your eyes and ignore the purveyors and ya know wot i mean.
/reverts to more propaganda about the advantages of musical inspiration....
Laugh Often, Smile Much, Post lolcats Always
member
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
Posted:
Sweet as, thank you guys! STill wondering if you should put all the butterfly moves together etc or is that a no no answer as well?
Thanx again!!! Yay for everyone on this site!
Luv 2 Ya All
Fwirl
Sweet as, thank you guys! STill wondering if you should put all the butterfly moves together etc or is that a no no answer as well?
Thanx again!!! Yay for everyone on this site!
Luv 2 Ya All
Fwirl
Neo:Wow, that sounds like a really good deal, but I have a better one. How about I give you the finger and you give me my phone call?
Froggie ... Ribbit !!!
4,224 posts
Location: Back in Paris... for now !
4,224 posts
Location: Back in Paris... for now !
Posted:
::ignoring rex' post about us wiggling anything::
dance ... dance ... dance ...
In general I love to watch people whose style flows and who adnce... but some technical spinners are also amazing .. as a matter of fact, I guess what matters is how much fun *you* have ...
some people told me how they had never danced and then discovered poi and started actually dancing ... poi frees the body maybe
As for the moves... I personnaly tend to do a bit of butterfly-ish moves session for a few seconds then switch into weave-ish, then up, then to the knees the slow, then fast ... I like the variety (even if that word does not exist in englis ...) I like the change and the endless combinations...
TRansitions however is what I find to be most difficult and interesting too... you might want to think about those too to not get "trapped" in just one set of moves because you don't really know how to flow form one to the other
Above all ... Enjoy yourself...
shine on
Cassandra
::ignoring rex' post about us wiggling anything::
dance ... dance ... dance ...
In general I love to watch people whose style flows and who adnce... but some technical spinners are also amazing .. as a matter of fact, I guess what matters is how much fun *you* have ...
some people told me how they had never danced and then discovered poi and started actually dancing ... poi frees the body maybe
As for the moves... I personnaly tend to do a bit of butterfly-ish moves session for a few seconds then switch into weave-ish, then up, then to the knees the slow, then fast ... I like the variety (even if that word does not exist in englis ...) I like the change and the endless combinations...
TRansitions however is what I find to be most difficult and interesting too... you might want to think about those too to not get "trapped" in just one set of moves because you don't really know how to flow form one to the other
Above all ... Enjoy yourself...
shine on
Cassandra
"I want brown bread... no, that is diesel oil..."
"So I was raised in Europe, where History comes from ..."
"NON !!! La Plume de mon oncle n est pas Bingibangibungi !!!"
HoP Lurker
272 posts
Location: Medway, Kent, UK
272 posts
Location: Medway, Kent, UK
Posted:
I'm still all kinda new to poi but I just move around.
these days I tend to use weave(still only 3 beat) varients, chasing sun, windmill, tight corkscrew forwards and reverse weaves, and just spin and try not to hit myself, which I'm pretty good at now *oops bad sentance* that's just 3 beat forwards/reverse weaves. *grr still a bad sentance* the rest is just standard stuff
really need to get some nice flowing butterfly moves sorted.
I wouldn't call what I do dancing, people watching me might I really couldn't say. It's more like walking around and leaning.
[ 18 July 2002, 02:14: Message edited by: sub ]
I'm still all kinda new to poi but I just move around.
these days I tend to use weave(still only 3 beat) varients, chasing sun, windmill, tight corkscrew forwards and reverse weaves, and just spin and try not to hit myself, which I'm pretty good at now *oops bad sentance* that's just 3 beat forwards/reverse weaves. *grr still a bad sentance* the rest is just standard stuff
really need to get some nice flowing butterfly moves sorted.
I wouldn't call what I do dancing, people watching me might I really couldn't say. It's more like walking around and leaning.
[ 18 July 2002, 02:14: Message edited by: sub ]
*Oh, just for a minute,* my bed said.
"Don't lie to me," I grumbled.
*But you're so tired...*
member
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
Posted:
Yayyy! Thanks! esp. Cassandra-nice comments! Is that you on the Col 2 vid?
I guess, I want to dance with it more (I already do 2 types of dancing) but just haven't been able to quite yet, but I'm thinking that its only early days and I will relax into it over time!
Sweet as.
Love 2 U All
Fwirl:P
Yayyy! Thanks! esp. Cassandra-nice comments! Is that you on the Col 2 vid?
I guess, I want to dance with it more (I already do 2 types of dancing) but just haven't been able to quite yet, but I'm thinking that its only early days and I will relax into it over time!
Sweet as.
Love 2 U All
Fwirl:P
Neo:Wow, that sounds like a really good deal, but I have a better one. How about I give you the finger and you give me my phone call?
Froggie ... Ribbit !!!
4,224 posts
Location: Back in Paris... for now !
4,224 posts
Location: Back in Paris... for now !
Posted:
Lydia, yep, that'd be me on COL2
Happy you feel like dancing and when I am in NZ next year I hope we can fire DANCE together
shine on
Cassandra
Lydia, yep, that'd be me on COL2
Happy you feel like dancing and when I am in NZ next year I hope we can fire DANCE together
shine on
Cassandra
"I want brown bread... no, that is diesel oil..."
"So I was raised in Europe, where History comes from ..."
"NON !!! La Plume de mon oncle n est pas Bingibangibungi !!!"
member
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
Posted:
Yayyy Cassandra! U look brilliant in the video! Styly..
Yayyy Cassandra! U look brilliant in the video! Styly..
Neo:Wow, that sounds like a really good deal, but I have a better one. How about I give you the finger and you give me my phone call?
member
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
Posted:
Yayyy Cassandra! U look brilliant in the video! Styly..
Yayyy Cassandra! U look brilliant in the video! Styly..
Neo:Wow, that sounds like a really good deal, but I have a better one. How about I give you the finger and you give me my phone call?
member
368 posts
Location: panama
368 posts
Location: panama
Posted:
Buwhaaa i wanna see cassandra and i have no money to buy video
Buwhaaa i wanna see cassandra and i have no money to buy video
Dance like if noone were watching you
member
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
76 posts
Location: Wellington, NZ
Posted:
I didn't even buy the video I borrowed it!
I didn't even buy the video I borrowed it!
Neo:Wow, that sounds like a really good deal, but I have a better one. How about I give you the finger and you give me my phone call?
veteran
1,325 posts
Location: San Diego, California, USA
1,325 posts
Location: San Diego, California, USA
Posted:
You're a sneaky one.
You're a sneaky one.
member
56 posts
Location: United States, WA
56 posts
Location: United States, WA
Posted:
Fwirl, Mix it up. The dancing part is easy, put on some good music preferably Progressive House (the best kind) and just flow, if you know the moves and transitions when the beats come it will just flow, notice how the poi lessons call it a 5 BEAT weave, it's all in how fast you move to the music and transitions when the music changes, just look at the videos watch what people do, and throw your own style into it, dancing is the easiest part!
Fwirl, Mix it up. The dancing part is easy, put on some good music preferably Progressive House (the best kind) and just flow, if you know the moves and transitions when the beats come it will just flow, notice how the poi lessons call it a 5 BEAT weave, it's all in how fast you move to the music and transitions when the music changes, just look at the videos watch what people do, and throw your own style into it, dancing is the easiest part!
member
184 posts
Location: London
184 posts
Location: London
Posted:
*lol*
As to the butterflies and weaves and mixing them, of course you can! That was what Cass was referring to when talking about the transitions being quite difficult.
*lol*
As to the butterflies and weaves and mixing them, of course you can! That was what Cass was referring to when talking about the transitions being quite difficult.
member
42 posts
Location: Germany
42 posts
Location: Germany
Posted:
Hey,
one of the girls who showed me Poi said that you should always move your full body, better you shoul move your hara (don't know if this is spelled right). This is the source of your life energy and it's about 3 fingers below your navel (as she said). So if you are moving to the right or left you should try to move you full body as well to the side. Don't know if this will help you, quite difficult to describe it with words. What i think is a nice combination is putting a few turns like e.g. high turn, low turn, high turn, tuck turn in a row. So you can dance and jump around, makes fun!
Loola
hopefully that doesn't sound to silly
Hey,
one of the girls who showed me Poi said that you should always move your full body, better you shoul move your hara (don't know if this is spelled right). This is the source of your life energy and it's about 3 fingers below your navel (as she said). So if you are moving to the right or left you should try to move you full body as well to the side. Don't know if this will help you, quite difficult to describe it with words. What i think is a nice combination is putting a few turns like e.g. high turn, low turn, high turn, tuck turn in a row. So you can dance and jump around, makes fun!
Loola
hopefully that doesn't sound to silly
The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only one page...
SILVER Member
Do my poi look too small in this?
394 posts
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Do my poi look too small in this?
394 posts
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posted:
strongly agree with Cassandra's comments about transitions. The moves are steps between the transitions, and once you're super comfortable enough with your poi-moves, you can become more and more expressive with your body.. If u want to.
I've found that if you are trying to be a "performer" though, and you want to *wow* the audience, especially as a girl, there are certain moves that will always grab the audience... Like those buzz-saws with an arched back, or catching the fire in your hands. That butterfly between the legs w/ summersault.
Those moves, IMO, are more about the stunt or the trick than dancing..
strongly agree with Cassandra's comments about transitions. The moves are steps between the transitions, and once you're super comfortable enough with your poi-moves, you can become more and more expressive with your body.. If u want to.
I've found that if you are trying to be a "performer" though, and you want to *wow* the audience, especially as a girl, there are certain moves that will always grab the audience... Like those buzz-saws with an arched back, or catching the fire in your hands. That butterfly between the legs w/ summersault.
Those moves, IMO, are more about the stunt or the trick than dancing..
enthusiast
385 posts
Location: NorCal
385 posts
Location: NorCal
Posted:
For some reason when i go into butterfly moves the rest of my body stops moving I'll be going along good between weaves and corkscrews, chases and stuff and then i go into a butterfly and just sorta stand there doing all the different butterflies....how do i get outa that and move?
For some reason when i go into butterfly moves the rest of my body stops moving I'll be going along good between weaves and corkscrews, chases and stuff and then i go into a butterfly and just sorta stand there doing all the different butterflies....how do i get outa that and move?
"Dancing can reveal all the mystery that music conceals"
~Charles Baudelaire
BRONZE Member
Sporadically Prodigal
2,758 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Sporadically Prodigal
2,758 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Posted:
ummm, FWIW (as I'm pretty bad at poi) when I do the butterfly I find the beat of the music, or if no music, then the rhythm of the fire and start gently nodding my head in time and once I've relaxed into the beat, the rest of my body follows. Sounds daggy, but try marching on the spot or something, just to get your body used to moving in synchro with your poi.... It will come as you feel more comfortable and relaxed with what you're doing.
Or, you could just indulge in some heavy psychadelics and then you'll have to *try* to stop moving!
Disclaimer: heavy psychadelics are not for everyone.
ummm, FWIW (as I'm pretty bad at poi) when I do the butterfly I find the beat of the music, or if no music, then the rhythm of the fire and start gently nodding my head in time and once I've relaxed into the beat, the rest of my body follows. Sounds daggy, but try marching on the spot or something, just to get your body used to moving in synchro with your poi.... It will come as you feel more comfortable and relaxed with what you're doing.
Or, you could just indulge in some heavy psychadelics and then you'll have to *try* to stop moving!
Disclaimer: heavy psychadelics are not for everyone.
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?
If you can answer YES to these 4 questions then you may post a reply.
BRONZE Member
old hand
1,031 posts
Location: Bath, England
old hand
1,031 posts
Location: Bath, England
Posted:
Nice thread, I agree with what has been said by most people really, for me poi is about enjoying the movement and that normally involves quite a lot of dancing during my set.
Dancing is something that becomes fairly easy once you have practiced the moves a lot. I find that even if I am trying to show someone a fairly difficult move and a song that I really like comes on I end up dancing for a while! A good way to start I think is with music that varies in speed a lot because this teaches you to vary the speed of the moves and then it is a natural progression to dancing
Look for one of the threads on transitions and these should help with moves inbetween butterfly and weave, I have not practiced enough of the butterfly moves so tend to do more with the weave but I quite often start in weave moves and then arm wrap into a butterfly set for a little while and then arm wrap back into the weave.
Basically I think the main thing that makes a performance look good is you enjoying yourself - so just go out there and have some fun
Aslo try and find some people that spin locally and go out with them, I have found I have learnt one hell of a lot just by watching others perform and most people are willing to try and help you if you are having difficulty with a certain move/transition
Happy Spinning
Mark P
Nice thread, I agree with what has been said by most people really, for me poi is about enjoying the movement and that normally involves quite a lot of dancing during my set.
Dancing is something that becomes fairly easy once you have practiced the moves a lot. I find that even if I am trying to show someone a fairly difficult move and a song that I really like comes on I end up dancing for a while! A good way to start I think is with music that varies in speed a lot because this teaches you to vary the speed of the moves and then it is a natural progression to dancing
Look for one of the threads on transitions and these should help with moves inbetween butterfly and weave, I have not practiced enough of the butterfly moves so tend to do more with the weave but I quite often start in weave moves and then arm wrap into a butterfly set for a little while and then arm wrap back into the weave.
Basically I think the main thing that makes a performance look good is you enjoying yourself - so just go out there and have some fun
Aslo try and find some people that spin locally and go out with them, I have found I have learnt one hell of a lot just by watching others perform and most people are willing to try and help you if you are having difficulty with a certain move/transition
Happy Spinning
Mark P
Similar Topics
Using the keywords [nice looking] we found the following existing topics.
- Forums > New FireCards at the IFR - Pyrosutra [3 replies]
- Forums > some e-mail adresses would be nice! [2 replies]
- Forums > Commitment issues... [13 replies]
- Forums > Who was on TV tonght? [32 replies]
- Forums > Little Moments [10 replies]
Show more..
© 1998 - 2025 Home of Poi
All prices converted to United States dollars using XE.com