Forums > Expressive movement / costumes and props > What makes poi beautiful?
Login/Join to ParticipateGOLD Member
I can´t think therefore I´m not
291 posts
Location: In my backpack, United Kingdom
I can´t think therefore I´m not
291 posts
Location: In my backpack, United Kingdom
Posted:
Hi there.
What makes poi beautiful when spinning?
This is just me being curious so no special reason I´m asking this question.
If you are a person that don´t like poi and can´t see what´s beautiful with it I would be very happy to hear what you think is missing to make it beautiful or just why it isn´t.
I haven´t got an answer yet but In will post an answer after giving it a serious thought.
//Thomas
Hi there.
What makes poi beautiful when spinning?
This is just me being curious so no special reason I´m asking this question.
If you are a person that don´t like poi and can´t see what´s beautiful with it I would be very happy to hear what you think is missing to make it beautiful or just why it isn´t.
I haven´t got an answer yet but In will post an answer after giving it a serious thought.
//Thomas
"I don´t like shoes, definitely not spinning with shoes, they make my feet feel flat, my feet are not flat...."
BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)
Posted:
Yep
And I think any ordinary audience can see this beauty too, which is what makes poi a fantastic spectacle.
Yep
And I think any ordinary audience can see this beauty too, which is what makes poi a fantastic spectacle.
Getting to the other side
geek, level 1
5,300 posts
Location: everywhere
5,300 posts
Location: everywhere
Posted:
I think megs line says it all i could write for ages in a rambly way, but the only thing i really have to add is that it would also be nice to consider a different perspective, as so far everyone has treated 'what makes poi beautiful' as an audience based question.
what makes poi beautiful for me, is that i can completely lose myself in it/them. and i can make people happy by doing it.
a bit off topic-y (sorry)
i don't think my other thread is contradictory in any way to this one its about working out what makes poi what it is. (although you could argue that 'beuaty' and presentation' are so different as to need two topics 
) just cause i *started* with something negative to create discussion doesn't mean the outcome i was looking for was also negative.... 
anyway.
beautiful thoughts abound in this thread
I think megs line says it all
i could write for ages in a rambly way, but the only thing i really have to add is that it would also be nice to consider a different perspective, as so far everyone has treated 'what makes poi beautiful' as an audience based question.what makes poi beautiful for me, is that i can completely lose myself in it/them. and i can make people happy by doing it.
a bit off topic-y (sorry)
i don't think my other thread is contradictory in any way to this one
its about working out what makes poi what it is. (although you could argue that 'beuaty' and presentation' are so different as to need two topics ) just cause i *started* with something negative to create discussion doesn't mean the outcome i was looking for was also negative.... anyway.
beautiful thoughts abound in this thread
Holistic Spinner (I hope)
SILVER Member
water based
5,125 posts
Location: melbourne, Australia
water based
5,125 posts
Location: melbourne, Australia
Posted:
i think part of the beauty may stem from the fact that its all just circles.. call me a physics geek, but seems to be entirely circles interacting with more and more circles..
this layering of such a base shape, i feel, enables so much free movement, room to play, and natural understanding
maybe this is just me being a hippy though
i think part of the beauty may stem from the fact that its all just circles.. call me a physics geek, but seems to be entirely circles interacting with more and more circles..
this layering of such a base shape, i feel, enables so much free movement, room to play, and natural understanding
maybe this is just me being a hippy though
"you know there are no trophys for doing silly things in real life yeah pete?" said ant "you wont get a 'listened to ride of the valkyries all the way to vietnam' trophy"
*proud owner of the very cute fire_spinning_angel, birgit and neon shaolin*
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:
Well, lines are only infinitely large circles, so you even include stalls and linear isos and such....
Well, lines are only infinitely large circles, so you even include stalls and linear isos and such....
'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
PLATINUM Member
Flying Water Muppet
5,276 posts
Location: Edin-borrow., United Kingdom
Flying Water Muppet
5,276 posts
Location: Edin-borrow., United Kingdom
Posted:
In regards to petey... that made me think, that compound circles are just fractals... shapes that are self similar at multiple layers of magnification... as it were.
And the self similarity property is what makes a lot of nature beautiful, ferns, trees, errrr.... other things... maybe that's what contributes to making poi beautiful too...
ramble ramble ramble...
In regards to petey... that made me think, that compound circles are just fractals... shapes that are self similar at multiple layers of magnification... as it were.
And the self similarity property is what makes a lot of nature beautiful, ferns, trees, errrr.... other things... maybe that's what contributes to making poi beautiful too...
ramble ramble ramble...
"the now legendary" - Kaskade
"the still legendary" - Kaskade
I spunked in my friend's aquarium and the fish ate it. I love all fish. Especially the pink ones. They are my bitches. - Anon.
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 may be the closest we will get to a definitive answer....
Maybe.
That may be the closest we will get to a definitive answer....
Maybe.
'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
SILVER Member
stranger
14 posts
Location: USA
stranger
14 posts
Location: USA
Posted:
There's plenty of different aspects that contribute to poi being beautiful. For me there's several.
I enjoy the technicality and flow of things, but a lot of times, it can be more simple.
I have a friend who can't spin at all, and when I lend her a pair of my sock poi, she swings the two on her sides, ineffectively doing a two beat weave, BUT it's beautiful becasue of how happy she is..
There's plenty of different aspects that contribute to poi being beautiful. For me there's several.
I enjoy the technicality and flow of things, but a lot of times, it can be more simple.
I have a friend who can't spin at all, and when I lend her a pair of my sock poi, she swings the two on her sides, ineffectively doing a two beat weave, BUT it's beautiful becasue of how happy she is..
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:
Which comes back to people enjoying themselves and letting that out when they spin. It seems to be a big part of it for most people.
Which comes back to people enjoying themselves and letting that out when they spin. It seems to be a big part of it for most people.
'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
SILVER Member
stranger
14 posts
Location: USA
stranger
14 posts
Location: USA
Posted:
So I finally found the time to read through the other responses to this (my last reply was only off of the original post)
and I agree with beauty in shapes. I'm not at all sure why it fascinates me, because I'm not into math or geometry at all, except when it comes to poi. I'm constantly thinking of different obscure geometric shapes now that I can try it.
Not only just thinking of it in terms of circles, it goes further into things such as a circle being made up of an infinite amount of triangles, and all we have to do, is pick the paths we want to take. The poi may be moving in a circle, but by simply moving it's center of rotation - our hands - along any path creating the unit circle, and we suddenly have more amazing shapes being created. Somehow, it's beautiful.
To each their own is probably the only answer to this question, but for me, this and my last post are why I enjoy spinning. Plus, it's damn good stress relief. Perfect for centering myself.
So I finally found the time to read through the other responses to this (my last reply was only off of the original post)
and I agree with beauty in shapes. I'm not at all sure why it fascinates me, because I'm not into math or geometry at all, except when it comes to poi. I'm constantly thinking of different obscure geometric shapes now that I can try it.
Not only just thinking of it in terms of circles, it goes further into things such as a circle being made up of an infinite amount of triangles, and all we have to do, is pick the paths we want to take. The poi may be moving in a circle, but by simply moving it's center of rotation - our hands - along any path creating the unit circle, and we suddenly have more amazing shapes being created. Somehow, it's beautiful.
To each their own is probably the only answer to this question, but for me, this and my last post are why I enjoy spinning. Plus, it's damn good stress relief. Perfect for centering myself.
GOLD Member
enthusiast
290 posts
Location: Everywhere, USA
enthusiast
290 posts
Location: Everywhere, USA
Posted:
Random thoughts:
Yay Dan!!!
Nassim Haramein - Crossing the Event Horizon!!!
Random thoughts:
Yay Dan!!!
Nassim Haramein - Crossing the Event Horizon!!!
+Alien Jon
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 have seen a few mentions to Dan lately.
Any chance of seeing a vid or two? Or is his style more a case of you have to be there?
I have seen a few mentions to Dan lately.
Any chance of seeing a vid or two? Or is his style more a case of you have to be there?
'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
GOLD Member
I can´t think therefore I´m not
291 posts
Location: In my backpack, United Kingdom
I can´t think therefore I´m not
291 posts
Location: In my backpack, United Kingdom
Posted:
Presence makes poi beautiful.....
Presence makes poi beautiful.....
"I don´t like shoes, definitely not spinning with shoes, they make my feet feel flat, my feet are not flat...."
GOLD Member
stranger
18 posts
Location: hollywood, ca, USA
stranger
18 posts
Location: hollywood, ca, USA
Posted:
Oh wow -- thank you Andrea. That's going on my CV as one of my favorite things anybody's written about me. thank you.
Thank you Meg -- I appreciate so much that you appreciate that.
Originally Posted By: astonI have seen a few mentions to Dan lately.
Any chance of seeing a vid or two? Or is his style more a case of you have to be there?
Here's a vid of me that I like:
I agree with both Meg and Andrea about effortless, and my often-not-effortless way of going about it. I am, generally, on the verge of collapse when I'm done. but it's also effortless in that I'm not usually doing such complicated things that I need to concentrate on it. that's everybody, right? thinking about it too much hoses your flow?
as near as I can tell, it's that the overall dance I'm doing is a big big effort. it's about the amount of energy I'm putting into it. I think that amount of energy is clearly visible to whoever's watching. I think that's what makes it compelling. everybody can identify with what it's like to put out every last bit of energy that you've got.
in that sense, you kinda have to be there. well... not have to. but it's a lot more powerful.
but I think that's a different kind of effort than meg was talking about when she said effortless.
EDITED_BY: burning dan (1231793051)
EDIT_REASON: changed to embedded video
Oh wow -- thank you Andrea. That's going on my CV as one of my favorite things anybody's written about me. thank you.
Thank you Meg -- I appreciate so much that you appreciate that.
Originally Posted By: astonI have seen a few mentions to Dan lately.
Any chance of seeing a vid or two? Or is his style more a case of you have to be there?
Here's a vid of me that I like:
I agree with both Meg and Andrea about effortless, and my often-not-effortless way of going about it. I am, generally, on the verge of collapse when I'm done. but it's also effortless in that I'm not usually doing such complicated things that I need to concentrate on it. that's everybody, right? thinking about it too much hoses your flow?
as near as I can tell, it's that the overall dance I'm doing is a big big effort. it's about the amount of energy I'm putting into it. I think that amount of energy is clearly visible to whoever's watching. I think that's what makes it compelling. everybody can identify with what it's like to put out every last bit of energy that you've got.
in that sense, you kinda have to be there. well... not have to. but it's a lot more powerful.
but I think that's a different kind of effort than meg was talking about when she said effortless.
EDITED_BY: burning dan (1231793051)
EDIT_REASON: changed to embedded video
WYLSTBFYN?
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:
Thanks. I will watch it when I get off dial-up and back to uni.
Thanks. I will watch it when I get off dial-up and back to uni.
'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
GOLD Member
stranger
18 posts
Location: hollywood, ca, USA
stranger
18 posts
Location: hollywood, ca, USA
Posted:
here's a good example from this weekend.
a friend saw it and asked how I keep from passing out.
the answer is that I sometimes do. and those are the best ones
EDITED_BY: burning dan (1231792983)
here's a good example from this weekend.
a friend saw it and asked how I keep from passing out.
the answer is that I sometimes do. and those are the best ones
EDITED_BY: burning dan (1231792983)
WYLSTBFYN?
SILVER Member
Are we there yet?
1,897 posts
Location: australia
Are we there yet?
1,897 posts
Location: australia
Posted:
Originally Posted By: Nevisoul
What makes poi beautiful when spinning?
another perspective...
for me its anyone who is prepared to have a go, very simple
Inner beauty shines through when someone is prepared to have a go at anything regardless of what others think (of course within the general bounds of safety)- that's where the beauty is for me
I'm an old punk, and I beleive the DIY approach will always be more beautiful to me than the polished show
Originally Posted By: Nevisoul
What makes poi beautiful when spinning?
another perspective...
for me its anyone who is prepared to have a go, very simple
Inner beauty shines through when someone is prepared to have a go at anything regardless of what others think (of course within the general bounds of safety)- that's where the beauty is for me
I'm an old punk, and I beleive the DIY approach will always be more beautiful to me than the polished show
ancient oachkatzlschwoaf
248 posts
Location: germany
248 posts
Location: germany
Posted:
Originally Posted By: Ade
I'm an old punk, and I beleive the DIY approach will always be more beautiful to me than the polished show
I don't get your point entirely (of course I do I am just being a smart ass right now).. but polished shows are as much DIY as courageous freestyle spinning, aren't they?
Originally Posted By: Ade
I'm an old punk, and I beleive the DIY approach will always be more beautiful to me than the polished show
I don't get your point entirely (of course I do I am just being a smart ass right now).. but polished shows are as much DIY as courageous freestyle spinning, aren't they?
SILVER Member
Are we there yet?
1,897 posts
Location: australia
Are we there yet?
1,897 posts
Location: australia
Posted:
Originally Posted By: duvanOriginally Posted By: Ade
I'm an old punk, and I beleive the DIY approach will always be more beautiful to me than the polished show
I don't get your point entirely (of course I do I am just being a smart ass right now).. but polished shows are as much DIY as courageous freestyle spinning, aren't they?
yes, nice point indeed
Originally Posted By: duvanOriginally Posted By: Ade
I'm an old punk, and I beleive the DIY approach will always be more beautiful to me than the polished show
I don't get your point entirely (of course I do I am just being a smart ass right now).. but polished shows are as much DIY as courageous freestyle spinning, aren't they?
yes, nice point indeed
GOLD Member
journeyman
84 posts
Location: Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
journeyman
84 posts
Location: Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Posted:
While there have been some beautiful insights into the nature of poi's beauty here (*bows down to mcp's zen-ness*), this topic begs the question of the nature of beauty itself; any response will reflect a prior individual aesthetic. Myself as an example: my mind craves order and expressiveness, so it makes sense why performers like Nick do it for me and why my own style feels lacking (I can't seem to get the order thing down).
A woman recently expressed her appreciation for my own style and was able to verbalize why she thought it beautiful: what she perceived was the free, unrestricted play of my emotions. So, even though my intellectual idea of beauty does not align with my manifestation of it, it is apparently still beautiful.. to someone. Heck, it's even beautiful to me if I don't look at it!
The point: your poi is beautiful simply because it is.
EDITED_BY: Pali (1232342528)
While there have been some beautiful insights into the nature of poi's beauty here (*bows down to mcp's zen-ness*), this topic begs the question of the nature of beauty itself; any response will reflect a prior individual aesthetic. Myself as an example: my mind craves order and expressiveness, so it makes sense why performers like Nick do it for me and why my own style feels lacking (I can't seem to get the order thing down).
A woman recently expressed her appreciation for my own style and was able to verbalize why she thought it beautiful: what she perceived was the free, unrestricted play of my emotions. So, even though my intellectual idea of beauty does not align with my manifestation of it, it is apparently still beautiful.. to someone. Heck, it's even beautiful to me if I don't look at it!
The point: your poi is beautiful simply because it is.
EDITED_BY: Pali (1232342528)
Genuineness only thrives in the dark -- like celery.
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