Forums > Other Toys > Fire Breathing
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517 posts
Location: Sheffield, England
517 posts
Location: Sheffield, England
Posted:
Ok, so I used to breath fire all the time and even condone and encourage it. I thought it was damn impressive and made people laugh and cheer, even though it was really easy compared to other sources of entertainment I was less able at. Kind of a 'party trick' I thought.
Recently though (through the teachings, and experiences of the fire spinning community) I've realized I was wrong and that it is not at all 'cool' or 'clever' to do unless in a very safe manner
I think this is the single most important thing I've ever learned on these boards, and it is a lesson I will try never to forget, no matter how much I am baited into breathing fire for a performance.
I feel the most vital lesson I've learned -within- these teachings, is that if you breath a fire ball it can seem safe but if the 'crowd' is all the way around you (as is most often the case if it is a good sized crowd), maybe from some angles it can be all good and safe, but just a small slip of the toungue or gust of wind can misplace the fire causing it to drift into somebody's face (usualy the performer's, but often others too).
After learning these truly valuable lessons I really wouldn't recommend the activity to anyone - even if you believe you are amongst like minded people who think it's cool - it most definitely is not.
Jo.
Ok, so I used to breath fire all the time and even condone and encourage it. I thought it was damn impressive and made people laugh and cheer, even though it was really easy compared to other sources of entertainment I was less able at. Kind of a 'party trick' I thought.
Recently though (through the teachings, and experiences of the fire spinning community) I've realized I was wrong and that it is not at all 'cool' or 'clever' to do unless in a very safe manner
I think this is the single most important thing I've ever learned on these boards, and it is a lesson I will try never to forget, no matter how much I am baited into breathing fire for a performance.
I feel the most vital lesson I've learned -within- these teachings, is that if you breath a fire ball it can seem safe but if the 'crowd' is all the way around you (as is most often the case if it is a good sized crowd), maybe from some angles it can be all good and safe, but just a small slip of the toungue or gust of wind can misplace the fire causing it to drift into somebody's face (usualy the performer's, but often others too).
After learning these truly valuable lessons I really wouldn't recommend the activity to anyone - even if you believe you are amongst like minded people who think it's cool - it most definitely is not.
Jo.
Educate yourself in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
NYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA
Posted:
Welcome to 3 years ago dude.
Welcome to 3 years ago dude.
Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]
BRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
Posted:
NYC!
Jo, thanks for sharing that. May I ask what prompted the post? Was it a specific incedent or just a culmination of experiences?
In the end it is still a personal choice, but I am all for educating as many people to make a more researched choice.
Cheers to you my friend!
Pele
NYC!
Jo, thanks for sharing that. May I ask what prompted the post? Was it a specific incedent or just a culmination of experiences?
In the end it is still a personal choice, but I am all for educating as many people to make a more researched choice.
Cheers to you my friend!
Pele
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
517 posts
Location: Sheffield, England
517 posts
Location: Sheffield, England
Posted:
NYC, sorry about that - I'll search next time. Been offline for ages, but anyway, this is such an important issue that I don't think it'll harm to repeat the topic
Pele, a bit of both really. I've seen and heard of some very harsh individual incidents of course, but it is a viewpoint I've slowly developed from multiple life experiences.
I agree it is a personal choice, but it should never be chosen simply due to the 'cool factor' or for an easy cheer.
I don't have good verbal/acting 'entertaining' skills and it took me a while to get confident enough with my poi and staff skills to perform. I think firebreathing was sort of easy way to overcome these problems. Not as much coordination is required for firebreathing (so no need to worry about my poi/staff style or being funny/entertaining to the crowd) and the cheers I could get from doing it felt really good in an addictive way.
Also, I've realised that even if a firebreathing performance seems to have gone real well, you never know if some of the vicious elements of the fuel have sunk in to your body through the toungue causing lifelong damage.
cheers to you too
Jo.
NYC, sorry about that - I'll search next time. Been offline for ages, but anyway, this is such an important issue that I don't think it'll harm to repeat the topic
Pele, a bit of both really. I've seen and heard of some very harsh individual incidents of course, but it is a viewpoint I've slowly developed from multiple life experiences.
I agree it is a personal choice, but it should never be chosen simply due to the 'cool factor' or for an easy cheer.
I don't have good verbal/acting 'entertaining' skills and it took me a while to get confident enough with my poi and staff skills to perform. I think firebreathing was sort of easy way to overcome these problems. Not as much coordination is required for firebreathing (so no need to worry about my poi/staff style or being funny/entertaining to the crowd) and the cheers I could get from doing it felt really good in an addictive way.
Also, I've realised that even if a firebreathing performance seems to have gone real well, you never know if some of the vicious elements of the fuel have sunk in to your body through the toungue causing lifelong damage.
cheers to you too
Jo.
Educate yourself in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
member
65 posts
Location: Santa Cruz, California
65 posts
Location: Santa Cruz, California
Posted:
Jo,
I distinctly remember your wonderful web video where you were spinning poi, catching the flame and fire breathing in mid-poi-air. Never seen anything quite like that. So, to say, your talent will be missed, but your health and brains win in the end, eh? I think your warning is important because I recently attend a beach party (firedrums) in northern California where a guy was very reckless and must have assumed that the closer he got the flame to the crowd, the cooler he was… quite the opposite. People kept moving back to get away from him out of fear rather than awe!
Jo,
I distinctly remember your wonderful web video where you were spinning poi, catching the flame and fire breathing in mid-poi-air. Never seen anything quite like that. So, to say, your talent will be missed, but your health and brains win in the end, eh? I think your warning is important because I recently attend a beach party (firedrums) in northern California where a guy was very reckless and must have assumed that the closer he got the flame to the crowd, the cooler he was… quite the opposite. People kept moving back to get away from him out of fear rather than awe!
The experience of learning is living.
BRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA
Posted:
Mtn. Girl
That is a sad thing to hear. I have seen it as well, or people who decide to to fancy turns, lose track of where they are and breathe straight at the audience (me) and coat us in non-ignited fuel.
I, for one, was unhappy.
It is a wretched thing because it gives everyone a bad name.
It is a personal choice, but if people choose to do it, then they should at least do it responsibly. Sheesh!
Mtn. Girl
That is a sad thing to hear. I have seen it as well, or people who decide to to fancy turns, lose track of where they are and breathe straight at the audience (me) and coat us in non-ignited fuel.
I, for one, was unhappy.
It is a wretched thing because it gives everyone a bad name.
It is a personal choice, but if people choose to do it, then they should at least do it responsibly. Sheesh!
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
517 posts
Location: Sheffield, England
517 posts
Location: Sheffield, England
Posted:
I've even seen people breathing from a small platform above people's heads in a crowded nightclub... it does indeed give us all a bad reprutation if doen irresponsibly (and increases the risk to the performers health too).
Mtn. Girl,
I'm glad you like the video (is it the Firedance promo? I breath a flame in that).
If I had edited that video though I wouldn't have included the fire blow because if you look closely the fire is right next to my face (ie it wasn't a 'good' one - dangerous) but, more importantly, there was no warning about it on the video, so it could have inadvertantly 'encouraged' the activity.
Jo.
I've even seen people breathing from a small platform above people's heads in a crowded nightclub... it does indeed give us all a bad reprutation if doen irresponsibly (and increases the risk to the performers health too).
Mtn. Girl,
I'm glad you like the video (is it the Firedance promo? I breath a flame in that).
If I had edited that video though I wouldn't have included the fire blow because if you look closely the fire is right next to my face (ie it wasn't a 'good' one - dangerous) but, more importantly, there was no warning about it on the video, so it could have inadvertantly 'encouraged' the activity.
Jo.
Educate yourself in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!
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