Forums > Social Chat > When you finally saw the light!
Login/Join to ParticipateGOLD Member
Pooh-Bah
2,109 posts
Location: Philadelphia, PA - USA
Pooh-Bah
2,109 posts
Location: Philadelphia, PA - USA
Posted:
So next month will be my one year anniversary for being a member of these boards which means its also my one year anniversary for spinning poi. It got me thinking about when I first started. Here is my story and I encourage everyone to post their stories as well.
A year ago I was slightly into the club scene. I was far from being a raver kid but I had a few DJ friends and went to lots of rave type parties at my friend's house. For a long time, I just danced around and did liquid with glowsticks. Occasionally I would see some people with sticks on strings and it was cool but I never got into it. I tried my hand at it a couple times but couldnt do more than 2 beat weaves and butterflies poorly.
One day, I happened to do a search on Yahoo, probably looking for videos of glowstringers, and came across this lovely site. Was just browsing around and checked out the lessons. I got to the 3 beat weave page and was confused because until that point, I only knew of 2 beats. I watched the animated GIF for a while and finally understood how it worked and was amazed. I had some dead glowsticks lying around so I took them and tied them to some shoe laces and tried it out. About an hour later, I had it down and found myself going back to the site to learn it backwards. From that point on, I was hooked and have been a faithful member of the poi community. Now, why do I spin fire instead of glowsticks? Well, probably a few reasons. I didnt want to be looked at as a raver kid as I was 20 years old. Also glowsticks are kinda main stream which was another deterrant. Then there is the huge fire influence here on the boards. Overall, Im glad I made these choices.
I wanna thank Malcolm and everyone at HoP who have changed my life over the past 11 months.
So next month will be my one year anniversary for being a member of these boards which means its also my one year anniversary for spinning poi. It got me thinking about when I first started. Here is my story and I encourage everyone to post their stories as well.
A year ago I was slightly into the club scene. I was far from being a raver kid but I had a few DJ friends and went to lots of rave type parties at my friend's house. For a long time, I just danced around and did liquid with glowsticks. Occasionally I would see some people with sticks on strings and it was cool but I never got into it. I tried my hand at it a couple times but couldnt do more than 2 beat weaves and butterflies poorly.
One day, I happened to do a search on Yahoo, probably looking for videos of glowstringers, and came across this lovely site. Was just browsing around and checked out the lessons. I got to the 3 beat weave page and was confused because until that point, I only knew of 2 beats. I watched the animated GIF for a while and finally understood how it worked and was amazed. I had some dead glowsticks lying around so I took them and tied them to some shoe laces and tried it out. About an hour later, I had it down and found myself going back to the site to learn it backwards. From that point on, I was hooked and have been a faithful member of the poi community. Now, why do I spin fire instead of glowsticks? Well, probably a few reasons. I didnt want to be looked at as a raver kid as I was 20 years old. Also glowsticks are kinda main stream which was another deterrant. Then there is the huge fire influence here on the boards. Overall, Im glad I made these choices.
I wanna thank Malcolm and everyone at HoP who have changed my life over the past 11 months.
Let's turn those old bridges we crossed into ashes.
We'll blaze a new trail,
and torch the rough patches.
-Me
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:
Oh it was ages ago now I got into staff spinning.
It must be about a year and a half... So about the end of my first year of uni, Tef drags me along to Jugglin' society, and I learn to juggle three balls (badly) attempt unicycling with lots of falling... Then I decide, well I'm never going to be as good as say Ian at club juggling, so I'll find something slightly less common and practise that till I can be really good. So I see Rob this one time.... And Staff isn't done by many people.. so staff it was I decided one day. I practised with Alex's (defender of spudkinds) a lot, until it broke, and on my 21st birthday, my parents bought me one from windthings. I used to practise in their garden, for ages. But still really crap back then.
Then came my exams, and it was sunny! In scotland!
So like a true scot, I didn't revise for my exams, practised staff a lot, and tryed to get comedy tan lines. (result!)
I was alright by then, but studying quick glimpses of moves on small videos off the internut made it hard to learn new tricks. So I made a few videos of the tricks I could do and put them up.
Then I felt like I could post on HoP.
I think I might be trapped now.
The best thing about spinning fire? Getting stubbly fore arm hairs, then people lookin' at you funny when you're in a public place and smiling while stroking your arm.... Ah good times. I don't burn myself enough anymore.
Oh it was ages ago now I got into staff spinning.
It must be about a year and a half... So about the end of my first year of uni, Tef drags me along to Jugglin' society, and I learn to juggle three balls (badly) attempt unicycling with lots of falling... Then I decide, well I'm never going to be as good as say Ian at club juggling, so I'll find something slightly less common and practise that till I can be really good. So I see Rob this one time.... And Staff isn't done by many people.. so staff it was I decided one day. I practised with Alex's (defender of spudkinds) a lot, until it broke, and on my 21st birthday, my parents bought me one from windthings. I used to practise in their garden, for ages. But still really crap back then.
Then came my exams, and it was sunny! In scotland!
So like a true scot, I didn't revise for my exams, practised staff a lot, and tryed to get comedy tan lines. (result!)
I was alright by then, but studying quick glimpses of moves on small videos off the internut made it hard to learn new tricks. So I made a few videos of the tricks I could do and put them up.
Then I felt like I could post on HoP.
I think I might be trapped now.
The best thing about spinning fire? Getting stubbly fore arm hairs, then people lookin' at you funny when you're in a public place and smiling while stroking your arm.... Ah good times. I don't burn myself enough anymore.
"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.
Pooh-Bah
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol
1,662 posts
Location: Bristol
Posted:
4 years ago, just left school and i was at a fesival helping my mum out in the summer (she's a musician). I saw some woman who had a juggling stall doing poi, and i just had to learn, so, even though i had no intention of buying any i stayed and made her teach me ALL DAY! by the time i left i had just about mastered the 3beat weave.
then i went home, and cos i didn't even know what it was called i just practiced on my own for a couple of years, wirking out tricks and moving pretty slow cos i had no one to teach. Eventaully i met another girl about the same standard as me (i'd started fire by then) and gradually started to see more people doing it. I discovered the lovely HoP about a year and a half ago and that's it!
Starting out on your own is pretty hard, as there's noone to show you tricks, most of the tricks i know i worked out for myself in my own back garden and the i discovered that everyone else does them too! I'm soooo glad there's a whole bunch of us!
4 years ago, just left school and i was at a fesival helping my mum out in the summer (she's a musician). I saw some woman who had a juggling stall doing poi, and i just had to learn, so, even though i had no intention of buying any i stayed and made her teach me ALL DAY! by the time i left i had just about mastered the 3beat weave.
then i went home, and cos i didn't even know what it was called i just practiced on my own for a couple of years, wirking out tricks and moving pretty slow cos i had no one to teach. Eventaully i met another girl about the same standard as me (i'd started fire by then) and gradually started to see more people doing it. I discovered the lovely HoP about a year and a half ago and that's it!
Starting out on your own is pretty hard, as there's noone to show you tricks, most of the tricks i know i worked out for myself in my own back garden and the i discovered that everyone else does them too! I'm soooo glad there's a whole bunch of us!
I had a dream that my friend had a
strong-bad pop up book,
it was the book of my dreams.
GOLD Member
playing the days away
7,263 posts
Location: The Middle lands, United Kingdom
playing the days away
7,263 posts
Location: The Middle lands, United Kingdom
Posted:
OK mine was Glastonbury 2003,
Thursday morning at about 4am, just touching the first rays of dawn and in the Stone Circle. We'd been out and about all night and were quite mashed really and very happy. I'd never really seen much poi before, except the fire spinners I'd seen that night and some guy spun his poi full of iron filings...know what I mean? It looked absolutely fantastic in the dawn light, it looked like the morning sun coming up right in front of us, and then from over the tree tops came the sound of someone perfectly singing morning prayer, (Is that Muslim? Or perhaps Seek? I don't really know.....) It sounded beautiful and I lay back on the grass with my girlfriend and enjoyed a few moments of pure tranquility and bliss
A time I'll never forget and the next day I bought my first poi, (I paid 12 blinkin pounds for them!!....oh the inexperience of youth!!!) and learnt how to spin that weekend, never looking back.
I think the best part about learning then was that me and a friend learnt at the same time, so we really helped to push each other further almost every day after for the next 3-4 months!
oh happy times
OK mine was Glastonbury 2003,
Thursday morning at about 4am, just touching the first rays of dawn and in the Stone Circle. We'd been out and about all night and were quite mashed really and very happy. I'd never really seen much poi before, except the fire spinners I'd seen that night and some guy spun his poi full of iron filings...know what I mean? It looked absolutely fantastic in the dawn light, it looked like the morning sun coming up right in front of us, and then from over the tree tops came the sound of someone perfectly singing morning prayer, (Is that Muslim? Or perhaps Seek? I don't really know.....) It sounded beautiful and I lay back on the grass with my girlfriend and enjoyed a few moments of pure tranquility and bliss
A time I'll never forget and the next day I bought my first poi, (I paid 12 blinkin pounds for them!!....oh the inexperience of youth!!!) and learnt how to spin that weekend, never looking back.
I think the best part about learning then was that me and a friend learnt at the same time, so we really helped to push each other further almost every day after for the next 3-4 months!
oh happy times
Let's relight this forum 
SILVER Member
addict
469 posts
Location: nottingham, england. cornwall wales denmark or pra...
addict
469 posts
Location: nottingham, england. cornwall wales denmark or pra...
Posted:
house party. nottingham august second 2003
my mate chez comes over with his juggling clubs and poi, does a little burn and i think, wow that was really pretty, id like to try, so i borrowed his firepoi and started to practice.
thats right for the first two weeks i had only fire poi to practice with, no balls or flags or soft things at all, it really hurt, since then ive never looked back, i bought some soft poi and wrecked them through overuse in about 1 month.
ive made loads of new freinds become fitter, more confident and i still spin for about 1 hour a day.
I have hand in a website and (hopefully) part of a fledgling poi manufaturing company, a local cinema is keen for us to make short films which they are willing to show.
life is good.
Thanks poi. and thank you chez
oh and custom bug the chant would have been the muzzein, its a muslim call to prayer
house party. nottingham august second 2003
my mate chez comes over with his juggling clubs and poi, does a little burn and i think, wow that was really pretty, id like to try, so i borrowed his firepoi and started to practice.
thats right for the first two weeks i had only fire poi to practice with, no balls or flags or soft things at all, it really hurt, since then ive never looked back, i bought some soft poi and wrecked them through overuse in about 1 month.
ive made loads of new freinds become fitter, more confident and i still spin for about 1 hour a day.
I have hand in a website and (hopefully) part of a fledgling poi manufaturing company, a local cinema is keen for us to make short films which they are willing to show.
life is good.
Thanks poi. and thank you chez
oh and custom bug the chant would have been the muzzein, its a muslim call to prayer
my original signature was tooo long.
this one is shorter
© 1998 - 2024 Home of Poi
All prices converted to United States dollars using XE.com