Posted: 3rd Apr 2004
Welcome!!

San Francisco has a huge fire spinning community. You might try looking at the meet others section of the community drop down.

As far as a make-shift staff, I'd go to the local hardware store and buy a dowel rod or broomstick...something an inch to an inch thick and a length you like (mine is 4ft). Then, I'd wrap old t-shirts or socks around the ends to add a little bit of weight to it. Pretty simple really.

Good luck and enjoy!!

Posted: 3rd Apr 2004
my first staff was a good broom-stick in the edges i put 2 tennis balls. if you want it more heavy you can put inside the tennis balls cotton or something.It could save your solks... oh!Dont wear glasses while you play... I broke mine in the same way...

The only thing constant in life is change...

Posted: 3rd Apr 2004
what Spritie said.



In addition, I wanted to add that spinning in the center circle, and in fact burning your poi or staff at burningman at all (but particularlyly all the BS you have to put up with to do the center circle thing before the man burns - and it really is a lot of BS in my opinion), is not that great of a thing. I love burningman, and I love doing fire poi, but for me they are not a good combination. Perhaps you'll see what I mean when you get there, perhaps not. I just wanted to say that so you don't get so worked up over it that you wind up being dissapointed.



Sorry to be negative about your desire, which is a good one in theory, but the practice winds up a bit different. The system set up for getting into it is not terribly great, and basically you either have to know someone associated with it to get in, or put a ridiculous amount of your time aside at Burningman aside for auditions that are horribly organized and only accept perhaps the best 30 or so independant performers out of 100s. And they will basically yawn at someone who just does a relatively normal poi or staff routine, even if it is fairly good. And the commitment to being in the center circle essentially ruins the night of the burn for you (or at least for me it would) as well. For some people it is great, but to get in, you are going to have to start seriously schmoozing someone now. And if you do get in, no one will really notice you, even if you are damned good. Better to just go to burningman and enjoy it without adding that kind of hassle to it I think. Sure you get to be inside the perimeter, but this is only an advantage for perhaps 30 minutes, and you'll put in hours and hours of hassle, inconvenience, and being bossed around by people short on patience for that short and not so spectacular priveledge.



But that is just my view after 4 years of poi and being to a couple burningmans and several regional burns. if you read this and still want to do it, then by all means try. And I think you'll enjoy the experience more having read this view since you'll know that it isn't all fun, games, and glamour and will have a more realistic idea of what you are getting yourself into.

-v-

Wiederstand ist Zwecklos!

Posted: 3rd Apr 2004
Oh yeah... Greetings Earthling Palinor!

-v-

Wiederstand ist Zwecklos!

Posted: 5th Apr 2004
Palinar Welcome. Keep up the practicing and I have a little Burningman story for you that will hopefully put things in perspective. I've been in the center circle every year since 2000. My first year I got into the center circle by default. I was a fire spinner, and I had controll. There were.. oh 250 fire spinners at burningman that year and we all got into the center circle if we wanted to. Now last year 2003 there were about 2,500 fire spinners at burningman and they all wanted into the center circle. There can only be about 600 spinners in the center circle just due to size and safety. So pretend your Crimson Rose head of the fire conclave. (she runs the SF fire conclave you should try to talk with her) Who do you choose to put in the circle? In 2002 she held the auditions to see who she wanted to give her extra 25 or so passes to. 300 people tried out. Last year she decided to do it the smart/safe way. She restricted the center circle to established groups she trusted only. That way she only had to deal with the group leaders or "shin's" as they were called. They don't neccessairaly want the best spinners in the circle,they want the safest. Now remember you can spin just about anywhere at anytime you want to at burningman except the center circle without a pass.

This center circle issue has pissed off alot of people, I think because they don't see the whole picture. I've heard of spinners planning to rush the blackrock rangers just to spin fire in the circle. Those people have completely lost any burningman ideology they may have had. It's just a show, a very dangerous show.

But like I said get in touch with the SF fire conclave and If you can talk to Crimson Rose. Keep in mind you are one of probrably 4,000 spinners now who have talked to her about this. and by all means have fun spinning on the playa.

Good Luck

Cody Canon
Controlled Burn, Reno Nevada

Posted: 5th Apr 2004
'ello! welcome!

I was always scared with my mother's obsession with the good scissors. It made me wonder if there were evil scissors lurking in the house somewhere.

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

**giggles**