Forums > Technical Discussion > Need fire eating/transfer tricks!
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6 posts
Location: San Francisco Area, CA, USA
6 posts
Location: San Francisco Area, CA, USA
Posted:
Erm. So I was supposed to do a brief fire-eating/trail/transfer set for a performance with a local circus (Technomania Circ.) tomorrow night. Only I was supposed to have someone else doing it with me, but I think he flaked on me. Thus, I am left with the responsibility of entertaining a crowd all by myself. ARGH. And I only know so many tricks. Can someone suggest ones that I haven't thought of? I can do fire trails, eat fire, do dragon's breath, fire transfers on any part of my body, put gas on my hand and light that on fire, etc...is there anything else I can do with gas, fire-eating torches, and my body that I have not thought of???Any and all suggestions, even really stupid or obvious ones, are very appreciated. Thank you!RaeIncension, SFhttps://www.incension.org/
Erm. So I was supposed to do a brief fire-eating/trail/transfer set for a performance with a local circus (Technomania Circ.) tomorrow night. Only I was supposed to have someone else doing it with me, but I think he flaked on me. Thus, I am left with the responsibility of entertaining a crowd all by myself. ARGH. And I only know so many tricks. Can someone suggest ones that I haven't thought of? I can do fire trails, eat fire, do dragon's breath, fire transfers on any part of my body, put gas on my hand and light that on fire, etc...is there anything else I can do with gas, fire-eating torches, and my body that I have not thought of???Any and all suggestions, even really stupid or obvious ones, are very appreciated. Thank you!RaeIncension, SFhttps://www.incension.org/
BRONZE Member
member
72 posts
Location: london, uk
member
72 posts
Location: london, uk
Posted:
while we're on the subject, how do u do anything other than the simple good old fire breathing trick? that dragons breath thingy jigg u mentioned sounded kinda cool. and whats a fire trail? oh, all these fun things to do with fireany information for my education will recieve apreciation. god im bored.
while we're on the subject, how do u do anything other than the simple good old fire breathing trick? that dragons breath thingy jigg u mentioned sounded kinda cool. and whats a fire trail? oh, all these fun things to do with fireany information for my education will recieve apreciation. god im bored.
May your staff spin fast and your poi always miss your balls.
NYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
Posted:
Sounds like a pretty complete inventory to me. You've got tounge stuff and painting too right? And the trick where you paint with an ulit wick down an arm or body part and then light the trail and therefore the ulit wick. Transferring from bodypart to body part is always nice too.I found that most good fire transfer/eaters do the same old tricks just in a new or graceful way.I think that's one of the differences between poi/staff performances and eating/trailing performances. With poi, you can do a series of tough tricks and that IS the performance (granted not a great one, but a decent one) whereas when eating/trailing/breathing it's really the presentation that makes the performance.Am I going to get flamed if I suggest that eating/breathing/trailing is TECHNICALLY less difficult than poi or staff? It's all in the delivery.
Sounds like a pretty complete inventory to me. You've got tounge stuff and painting too right? And the trick where you paint with an ulit wick down an arm or body part and then light the trail and therefore the ulit wick. Transferring from bodypart to body part is always nice too.I found that most good fire transfer/eaters do the same old tricks just in a new or graceful way.I think that's one of the differences between poi/staff performances and eating/trailing performances. With poi, you can do a series of tough tricks and that IS the performance (granted not a great one, but a decent one) whereas when eating/trailing/breathing it's really the presentation that makes the performance.Am I going to get flamed if I suggest that eating/breathing/trailing is TECHNICALLY less difficult than poi or staff? It's all in the delivery.
Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]
member
397 posts
Location: Brunswick, Ohio
397 posts
Location: Brunswick, Ohio
Posted:
bite the wick. let go..
bite the wick. let go..
We are all in the cosmic movie. That means the day you die you watch your whole life repeating for eternity. So you'd better have some good things happen in there and have a fitting climax. --Jim MorrisonIt's going to come from a direction you didn't predict at a moment of chaos which you didn't see coming. -- NYC
SILVER Member
Tantamount to fatuity
15,966 posts
Location: Down the road, United Kingdom
Tantamount to fatuity
15,966 posts
Location: Down the road, United Kingdom
Posted:
It's such a shame Pele isn't here. She always gives such wonderfully comprehensive answers to questions like this.
It's such a shame Pele isn't here. She always gives such wonderfully comprehensive answers to questions like this.
Meh
member
6 posts
Location: San Francisco Area, CA, USA
6 posts
Location: San Francisco Area, CA, USA
Posted:
beard: Er...normally I would tell you how to do the tricks I'm describing, only I don't believe that fire eating can be safely taught without visual aids- especially since there is no way to practice *unlit*, as you can do with poi. The best thing to do is get someone in your area to teach you; or second best, get a book with lotsa pictures and very stern safety warnings. This one is great: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0...9785840-3047916
Don't get me wrong: I trust myself to teach people...but only in person, where I can see and correct any mistakes they're making. That is the best way to really learn fire-eating; learning from a book only gives you half of the necessary instruction.NYC: No, I agree; there's a lot more emphasis on presentation. We do it in different ways; I've seen some dancers add great body movement; we have a routine where the presentation is sort of a BDSM performance; and last night we did stand-up comedy to cover up how unrehearsed we were.
RaeIncension, SF, CAhttps://www.incension.org/
beard: Er...normally I would tell you how to do the tricks I'm describing, only I don't believe that fire eating can be safely taught without visual aids- especially since there is no way to practice *unlit*, as you can do with poi. The best thing to do is get someone in your area to teach you; or second best, get a book with lotsa pictures and very stern safety warnings. This one is great: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0...9785840-3047916
Don't get me wrong: I trust myself to teach people...but only in person, where I can see and correct any mistakes they're making. That is the best way to really learn fire-eating; learning from a book only gives you half of the necessary instruction.NYC: No, I agree; there's a lot more emphasis on presentation. We do it in different ways; I've seen some dancers add great body movement; we have a routine where the presentation is sort of a BDSM performance; and last night we did stand-up comedy to cover up how unrehearsed we were.
RaeIncension, SF, CAhttps://www.incension.org/ BRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
Posted:
Okay, being more matter of fact because I don't have tonnes of time to respond as I would like...(thank you Cantus!)First of all, that book really is not so wonderful. It is unsafe and what is in it is not comprhensive in any way. I, unfortunately, own it. Close Proximity Fire happen to be the things I have researched and am asked to perform the most, and also are where my greatest fire passion lies.2. Practicing unlit CPF really is a necessity. It helps in angles and presentation, knowing what is too much and what is not enough. It helps in consistency and making things really flow. If you practice unlit you are more apt to put on a clean presentation. I completely encourage unlit practices with clean torches set aside just for practice.3. NYC, I have seen children spin poi and staff...some not so badly. The only time I have seen a child aspirate is when they are told something funny with drink in their mouth, and I have seen some try. CPF takes more courage and more technical precision than any other fire art, therefore making it more difficult to master. Swinging arts tend to have technical moves but anyone can be fluid in the basics in an hour with effort.4. Have you tried exploring options with fire and food? I had an entire 20 minute routine based on setting food on fire. Other props...cigarettes, magic tricks dealing with fire (Chinese Fire Eating, Candle Through the Arm, Fire Flower), flash cotton or flash paper, depending on the surface of the ground, ground effects, multiple wicks, the list goes on and on.... It is really hard to answer when we are not aware of what specific fire eating tricks you have, though I am assuming you know all of them in the Ben "Garth" Mack book.Please do a search on this site for more ideas and reference points, as the topic comes up here frequently.Regards and luck, ------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...https://www.pyromorph.com
Okay, being more matter of fact because I don't have tonnes of time to respond as I would like...(thank you Cantus!
)First of all, that book really is not so wonderful. It is unsafe and what is in it is not comprhensive in any way. I, unfortunately, own it. Close Proximity Fire happen to be the things I have researched and am asked to perform the most, and also are where my greatest fire passion lies.2. Practicing unlit CPF really is a necessity. It helps in angles and presentation, knowing what is too much and what is not enough. It helps in consistency and making things really flow. If you practice unlit you are more apt to put on a clean presentation. I completely encourage unlit practices with clean torches set aside just for practice.3. NYC, I have seen children spin poi and staff...some not so badly. The only time I have seen a child aspirate is when they are told something funny with drink in their mouth, and I have seen some try. CPF takes more courage and more technical precision than any other fire art, therefore making it more difficult to master. Swinging arts tend to have technical moves but anyone can be fluid in the basics in an hour with effort.4. Have you tried exploring options with fire and food? I had an entire 20 minute routine based on setting food on fire. Other props...cigarettes, magic tricks dealing with fire (Chinese Fire Eating, Candle Through the Arm, Fire Flower), flash cotton or flash paper, depending on the surface of the ground, ground effects, multiple wicks, the list goes on and on.... It is really hard to answer when we are not aware of what specific fire eating tricks you have, though I am assuming you know all of them in the Ben "Garth" Mack book.Please do a search on this site for more ideas and reference points, as the topic comes up here frequently.Regards and luck, ------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...https://www.pyromorph.com Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK
member
6 posts
Location: San Francisco Area, CA, USA
6 posts
Location: San Francisco Area, CA, USA
Posted:
Ooh, neat. Ok, here goes:1. Can you recommend a better book or video? That's the only one I know of. Well, I've -seen- others, but I can't find 'em.2. Yes, I do this too for routines; but what I meant was that you really can't learn a trick (say, dragon's breath) without fire. With poi you can learn how to do a trick in its entirety unlit; with CPF (nice term, yo) you can only really go through the motions unlit. You can't see how your breath will affect the flame, how long you can wait before exhaling or how hard you should exhale, etc.3. Hmm...good point.4. FOOD? Huh, that's creative. Cool. And one of our members is a magician, and could probably teach me some magic tricks.Oh, and thanks for clearing that up about Ben Garth/Mack. I -thought- they were the same book...-Rae
Ooh, neat. Ok, here goes:1. Can you recommend a better book or video? That's the only one I know of. Well, I've -seen- others, but I can't find 'em.2. Yes, I do this too for routines; but what I meant was that you really can't learn a trick (say, dragon's breath) without fire. With poi you can learn how to do a trick in its entirety unlit; with CPF (nice term, yo) you can only really go through the motions unlit. You can't see how your breath will affect the flame, how long you can wait before exhaling or how hard you should exhale, etc.3. Hmm...good point.4. FOOD? Huh, that's creative. Cool. And one of our members is a magician, and could probably teach me some magic tricks.Oh, and thanks for clearing that up about Ben Garth/Mack. I -thought- they were the same book...-Rae
BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,009 posts
Location: Bristol, UK
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,009 posts
Location: Bristol, UK
Posted:
Maybe you could put together an act or routine that will space out what you can do. You can walk on stage, swallow a couple of flames, do some trailing, etc... and only take 2 minutes. Or you can choreograph to a song, tell a narrative, whatever. That way you do a show as opposed to just performing some tricks.I have the idea in head as on the weekend I saw a show where a lass turned a handful of fire tricks into an intimate performance piece.
Maybe you could put together an act or routine that will space out what you can do. You can walk on stage, swallow a couple of flames, do some trailing, etc... and only take 2 minutes. Or you can choreograph to a song, tell a narrative, whatever. That way you do a show as opposed to just performing some tricks.I have the idea in head as on the weekend I saw a show where a lass turned a handful of fire tricks into an intimate performance piece.
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:
Padding out the tricks is great, even explaining simple moves in complicated ways is fun, the audience gets into it and it makes the show last longer.as an example for BTL staff moves"Right, now I'm going to do a between the legs transfer from my right hand to my left hand, between the left and right legs, starting from a forwards figure 8. Are you ready...?"The short version is "here's a between the legs move..."
Keeps em entertained too, coz then the odd haggler can come out and the banter that ensues can also help to pad out the show.padd the show padd the show padd the show...------------------Charles (AKA INFERNO)newdolbel@hotmail.comhttps://juggle.co.nz/fire/fire.html
Padding out the tricks is great, even explaining simple moves in complicated ways is fun, the audience gets into it and it makes the show last longer.as an example for BTL staff moves"Right, now I'm going to do a between the legs transfer from my right hand to my left hand, between the left and right legs, starting from a forwards figure 8. Are you ready...?"The short version is "here's a between the legs move..."
Keeps em entertained too, coz then the odd haggler can come out and the banter that ensues can also help to pad out the show.padd the show padd the show padd the show...------------------Charles (AKA INFERNO)newdolbel@hotmail.comhttps://juggle.co.nz/fire/fire.html HoP Posting Guidelines
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member
10 posts
Location: Seattle,Wa usa
10 posts
Location: Seattle,Wa usa
Posted:
hey im kinda new to this internet thing.. ive been spinning and eating fire for about a year and i really want to learn how to trail. i hear its better to use rubbing alcohol opposed to naptha and ive also heard there's some wax type lotion you can use to avoid fuel absorbing into skin does any one know if there's anything to do to avoid the burnt hair affect without shaving?? all i know is what i hear and i dont really have or see any literature or anything to back it up!
hey im kinda new to this internet thing.. ive been spinning and eating fire for about a year and i really want to learn how to trail. i hear its better to use rubbing alcohol opposed to naptha and ive also heard there's some wax type lotion you can use to avoid fuel absorbing into skin does any one know if there's anything to do to avoid the burnt hair affect without shaving?? all i know is what i hear and i dont really have or see any literature or anything to back it up!
BE LIKE THE FIRE,SHINE WITHOUT FORM.
BRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
Posted:
Queen V, please use the search function located just under the post reply/new topic buttons in little words. Enter in fire trailing and you should come up with plenty. It is a topic discussed here several times, including answers to your fuel questions.Thanks.------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...https://www.pyromorph.com
Queen V, please use the search function located just under the post reply/new topic buttons in little words. Enter in fire trailing and you should come up with plenty. It is a topic discussed here several times, including answers to your fuel questions.Thanks.------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...https://www.pyromorph.com
Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK
member
1,591 posts
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
1,591 posts
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada.
Posted:
Pele what is Chinese Fire Eating, Candle Through the Arm and fire flower?
Pele what is Chinese Fire Eating, Candle Through the Arm and fire flower?
member
406 posts
Location: Charlotte, NC, USA
406 posts
Location: Charlotte, NC, USA
Posted:
Try this page.
I know the timing is waaaaaaaay off, but it might help to anyone who happens upon this thread.
Try this page.
I know the timing is waaaaaaaay off, but it might help to anyone who happens upon this thread.
FREE TIBET!!! (with the purchase of a 44 oz. drink)What do you want to be when you grow up?I want to be a kid again!I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.~~~J~~~
BRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
Posted:
Glowshow, he and Ben Mack are about on par really. They both are alright for entry level and beyond that it really is up to imagination.
Astar, Chinese Fire Eating is an illusion where you put cotton in your mouth, and keep it smouldering so that you are actually breathing out smoke and eating in fire, so to speak. It is alot of timing and not a very graceful act but done well (which is not me! ) it is very funny and intriguing.
Candle through the arm is a magic trick where you put a tube over your arm and pass a candle through it, seemingly passing it through your arm.
The Flower is a rose that burns and when it is done it turns into a long silk scarf. Very lovely and perfect for a dancer.
Really the sky is the limit with a bit of imagination.
While this is too late for Rae I thought I'd explain....
I suggest to practice trailing/painting/CPF and such unlit, or with water, so that you can understand where the trails will go and the time it takes. Too quickly and it loses the initmate effect. Too slowly and the fuel evaporates. Too much fuel (water) and it gets all drippy, not good. Too little fuel and you get no trail at all.
It really is an exact science!
Good luck all!
Glowshow, he and Ben Mack are about on par really. They both are alright for entry level and beyond that it really is up to imagination.
Astar, Chinese Fire Eating is an illusion where you put cotton in your mouth, and keep it smouldering so that you are actually breathing out smoke and eating in fire, so to speak. It is alot of timing and not a very graceful act but done well (which is not me! ) it is very funny and intriguing.
Candle through the arm is a magic trick where you put a tube over your arm and pass a candle through it, seemingly passing it through your arm.
The Flower is a rose that burns and when it is done it turns into a long silk scarf. Very lovely and perfect for a dancer.
Really the sky is the limit with a bit of imagination.
While this is too late for Rae I thought I'd explain....
I suggest to practice trailing/painting/CPF and such unlit, or with water, so that you can understand where the trails will go and the time it takes. Too quickly and it loses the initmate effect. Too slowly and the fuel evaporates. Too much fuel (water) and it gets all drippy, not good. Too little fuel and you get no trail at all.
It really is an exact science!
Good luck all!
Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK
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