Forums > Social Chat > i may be full of shit... :)

Posted: 27th Mar 2001
Have you ever spun to "Duality" by Lisa Gerrard? You'd probably dig that one if you haven't heard it.I really get into the grace aspect of fire dancing. But for me it's more like martial grace when I'm dancing tops. I start ducking and weaving around as though I am moving across a battlefield and there are a thousand spears and swords and pointy sticks I am trying to avoid. There's sort of a violence within beauty thing going on, something like traditional Chinese Opera.It all seems very natural when I get into that headspace. It is though my DNA is singing with the blood of all my Celtic and Asian ancestors all at once. So is this a "guy" thing? I don't know. Some of the greatest warriors in history were women after all. I think there might be some broader theme of violence I'm playing with, maybe the whole death and rebirth thing. The fire and the phoenix rising from the flame. Anyway, interesting question!Skye

AnonymousPLATINUM Member

Posted: 27th Mar 2001
Once, when I was jumping around with my staff, a friend told me I looked like a fucked up cheerleader. I thought that was funny, and somehow?, I think it connects with what you are saying. Fire = staunch yet sexy...

Posted: 27th Mar 2001
wow, skye, that's beautiful!yeah, though...i mean, like that!i'm so glad i'm not the only one thinking this way!it's just like that, though - about all the warriors through history. it's like a connection with The Feminine or something. like all the women who cared for husbands and gardens and children and homes, who were teachers or who worked terrible jobs to protect their families, or who were pioneers and all of them woman-strong...like every one of their characteristics channeled in broad scope. it's too bad you live so far away. any chance you can get a plane ticket for the east coast spin party? ( lynley, you're making me laugh! )

Posted: 27th Mar 2001
i prefer to twirl to Drum'n'bass, i love the beat and you can work with it, i love it........and jazzy d'n'b is always good as well.....well they're my preferences............i can let loose to that music, its great.

Posted: 27th Mar 2001
You know,I am not a female, but I relate to what you wrote. Except for myself, I believe that it trancends the concept of sexual beings completely. When I get taken in rhythm, whether Im dancing, twirling, skating, whatever. Its about getting out of this ego driven materialistic world, and existing in my spirit where there is only room for growth, and love of all things. To be honest with you, I can relate, because I reject much of what was intrinsically passed down to me growing up as a male in America. It makes me sad, yet I am happy that I recognize this and have the ability do something about it, unlike so many that will never know that there is a world outside what was given to us. Im just a newbie to spinning, but I prefer drum n bass for spinning, preferably LTJ Bukem, but if you like jazzy d n b KT, try out James Hardway: A Positive Sweat. The bomb. Sorry krew if I got a little off the fem kick. But I believe the spirit has all facets of primal male and female, and any of us can tap into whatever we want. Whatever makes us strong, but not separate, know what I mean? The whole, everthing is one thing kind of kick. Maybe Im full of shit. Please let me know!------------------~I dont care if they eat me alive, Ive got better things to do than survive. ~Ani

Wow

Posted: 27th Mar 2001
ykaterina, I'd love to go to this east coast spin party, oh yeah. Unfortunately, Idaho is one of the most expensive places in the states to fly in and out of, being in the Outback and all.I'm in a band that's hopefully going to be touring a lot in the next few years, complete with a fireshow as an opening, so hopefully I will be able to be spinning with people in other parts of the country soon.It's lonely out here, let me tell you. (Sniffle)How many people come out to play at an east coast spin party anyway?Skye

Posted: 27th Mar 2001
shibaki, yay go LTJ Bukem! wikid, nice to twirl to, and moving shadow if you've heard of it, thats all good 2, the dark nasty stuff is good it has a nice beat......ie. ed rush & optical and kemistry & storm stlye. (the UK sounds) i luff it all!!!!! yay someone else who enjoys my beats to twirl to....sweetttt...

AnonymousPLATINUM Member

Posted: 28th Mar 2001
Interesting perspective that.From the ppl I have seen twirl I guess I could draw these conclusions;-More males than females adopt a fighting stance while twirling.-More females by far than men actually *dance*-A small minority of both groups can do both.I've got the fighting stance stuff down pat, and now I'm concentrating on the dance aspects...I tend to think dancing with fire asexually is a bit of an oxymoron Its denying the sensual aspects of it...Josh

Posted: 27th Mar 2001
I feel spinning, especialy with fire is very sensual, very primal..whether in maiden, mother, warrior or crone mode...and I have all four, let me reassure you. I know when I am spinning (non-routined spins) I feel more free, more alive, more at peace, more vibrant, more assertive/borderline aggressive and more sexy. When I am done spinning I am left feeling fulfilled, as if I finally owned up to every aspect of me, the male and the female, the yin and yang, ya know? I think that spinning, for me, is a melding between the heart, the body and the mind. I think that the release is violent and sensual all at once.I agree yKat that music plays a large roll in it, though I love to wage my personal war to such harsh sounds as Godsmack and Nine Inch Nails, as it is almost a balance, the violent sounding male songs and my spinning is the answer to them, ya know? Now reading back over this I feel I am crazy...thanks for confirming my suspicions! Spinning for me is everything...the perfect mesh of those traits I never knew were in me but somehow get brought out by these little spinning balls ------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...[This message has been edited by Pele (edited 29 March 2001).]

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

Posted: 28th Mar 2001
whee! i love you guys!skye, if you get anywhere near the east coast, holler, and we'll throw another party for you as for how many people are coming, so far 20 are rsvp'd, but it's still a month away. it's looking to be an annual thing, though - yay!i see what you mean (pele, shibatki, et al) about the ying/yang parts...i guess you're right, really. maybe it's that in life i'm setting aside the masculine parts of me that i'd adopted extra-stong as protection and learning how to be womanly? or something...either way i think i'll try a little NIN tonight and see what happens! [This message has been edited by ykaterina (edited 29 March 2001).]

Posted: 28th Mar 2001

quote:

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I feel spinning, especialy with fire is very sensual, very primal..whether in maiden, mother, warrior or crone mode...and I have all three, let me reassure you.

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can you go deeper into what you said Pele? i get a release out of spinning, but i still feel tense while i am doing it, sort of like i am attacking it. Would this go under the "warrior" mode? I guess after you do it long enough it becomes yoga-like? Like meditation?Just curious...Super'------------------"Only the warrior that hears the call will know when to leave, Where to go" -unknown

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear--not absence of fear.


- Mark Twain

Posted: 28th Mar 2001
Okay Super...how deep do you want me to go? I know people think I am wordy so I have been trying to cut back.I would definately look at the way you described spinning, being tense and attacking it as warrior mode. That is the strong, driving nature of it. Let me first explain in my "world" (derived from my spirituality) there are aspects to women..maiden (soft,sensative,curious), mother (protective,sexual,authoritative), warrior (agressive, forceful,strong) and crone (confident, wise). For the male aspects the names are rover, guardian, hunter, guide but it's the same aspects. I think spinning mixed with my moods and what music I choose brings these out in me. One day I am feeling more provactaive so I'll swing to something I view as sexy, or that allows me to *feel* sexy when I swing.There are days when I swing for fun, to be upbeat and experimental, my maiden days and I swing to stupid bubblegum type music. My Warrior modes get that driving beat that alters your heartbeat you know? Just pounding through my body and out my hands.Crone moments are those *rare* times when I feel everything is right and flowing and I pull some new stuff from places I didn't know exsisted and it's very zen and needs no music.All in all I think we are all creatures of moods and that those moods reflect in what music we choose and how we spin, for me it even goes as far as what clothes I choose to wear to spin in and what toys I use (Single chain to me is far more sexy while Staff is aggressive).Anyway I look at it though, these things are inherent in me, though I may not always recognise the presence of the warrior or crone since I am a mother to most of my friends and I try to give in to my curiousities as much as possible. Spinning is a way for me to express everything and anything, a way for it to surface and not be held back.I think the yoga meditative aspect kicks in when you need it an isn't necessarily a progression, a step in developement. There are days when I *need* to disappear from the world. I close my eyes, I spin and I am gone.When I open my eyes again the webs are cleared and things look differently. In a way it's magical to me. It's why when I started our show I named it PRYOMORPH, because spinning fire has definately changed me.Does this answer it or make me sound like some daisy toting freak? ------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...

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

Posted: 28th Mar 2001
Wow, Pele. That was fucking beautifulSkye

Posted: 28th Mar 2001
By the way, I'm not being sarcastic. There have been a lot of elequent responses on this post, especially for one titled I may be full of shit.Skye

Posted: 28th Mar 2001
superman,you said you felt like you were in 'warrior' mode the whole time - this means fast and aggressive?Have you tried slowing it right down to the point where you are only twirling just enough to keep the flames going round and staying centrifugal? I find that using the smallest amount of energy, just on the edge from the flames falling down on top of you can be just as awesome as going at it hard and fast. Slow swooshing sounds are great. (especially when you've had a really long day)

The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.- B.B.King

Posted: 28th Mar 2001
oh yeah.. and has anyone else seen the film clip for that new 'what it is to be a girl' song from madonna?it was apparently too controversial for them to play it in its unedited version in the US.umm... probably cause its got madonna saying its cool to drive a car the way she was. unfortunately when I heard it I couldn't help but think of young teenage girls just soaking madonna's whole richkidfastcar message in. in my honest opinion i think the song sucks both musically and message-wise (no offense intended to anyone, music means different things for different people of course!) I guess I like thinking of it as a combination of all aspects of the female self, the crone, the mother and the maiden all combined in one. e.g. adventurous, comforting and filled with zen all at once. (obviously not in the respective order). and twirling music does need a funky beat regardless - which is what drummers are good for =) (I guess another reason I didn't like Madonna's song was cause it reminded me of girls too much. I was stuffed through highschool in two private girls schools and they both sucked arse. And it was having girls (my best friend at the time actually) constantly comparing themselves with me that encouraged me on the road to eating disorders. And I find that while their are definitely exceptions (thank GOD and all those funky girls out there), a lot of girls I know (only at face value) have problems with me I think relates to some kind of stupid jealousy. Which pisses me off cause I really am friendly and don't wanna hurt a fly.)

The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.- B.B.King

Posted: 28th Mar 2001
I'll second what Splat said about trying it slow. In fact, I am increasingly working on my technique so as to get the most output from the least input. I mean, go fast when you want to, but be able to go slow too.But I'll take issue with the funky beat part--I've tried twirling to some unlikely music--classical, jazz, etc, and found that it went really well. I twirled to some slow classical music, and that was the most emotionally intense burn I've had. I've twirled to Dave Brubeck's jazz standard Take 5, which has a very erratic beat, and that's really interesting to twirl to.

Laugh while you can, monkey-boy

Posted: 28th Mar 2001
I agree, slow is just as amazing as fast. Personally I find wraps to be very sensual as well.As for madonna's video, they showed it once in it's entirety on mtv late one night and yes we saw it. I was unimpressed. she was hitting kids playing basketball with the car, tasing people for no reason, etc...it was just one big mafia mess in my eyes, another publicity ploy.i don't mind the song though.swinging to la fortuna, habanera or other such classics is really amazing adam. have you given a go to the likes of kenny wayne shepard or susan tedesci? the new jazz/blues?it's nice.------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...

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

Posted: 30th Mar 2001
I listen to acid bathhere are some good song to spin too. (and yes jumping aroun when twrilling may seem cool i do it to BUT if you friend doen't have the slightest sense. drunk cheerleader rock ( in the back seat of a car that is hahah) 1) cheap Vodka2) Cassie eats cockroaches3) paegan love song4)what is the colour of death5)jezebel6)13 fingerssee yagive me Agive me Fgive me ugive me cgive me CASHhahahahhahahahahahahahahahaha

Fireboy

<<SINister miNISister>>
remeber kids jesus slaves

Posted: 30th Mar 2001
wow...i'm so totally exhausted that i can't write something good - but you guys are so cool...you're making me think a lot and i have lots to say, but it's going to have to wait cause brain-to-keyboard-link isn't functioning so well.

AnonymousPLATINUM Member

Posted: 1st Apr 2001
Strange, Hmmm, nopw this is different. I dont like music to spin, i prefer is quiet. I use comet poi, and the noise from a correct rhtym is very satisfying, epescially when i can tell its perfect. I actually prefer elcetronic music to any other. Im way into aphex twin, and uk beat beat is good with FatBoy Slim. Ive really gotten into french djs lately though. Air: Moon Safari is the most lifting jazzy house ive ever heard. Daft punk is amazing. And I live in Grand Rapids, MICHIGAN. 3 hours from Detroit, where techno gets its roots, and 3 and half hours from Chicago, Houses Mecca. I really have gotten to enjoying electronic music, and thats what got me into poi, but for poi. Just my breathing and grunts are all i wanted. And i like doing it alone a lot more, when people watch I try harder and therefore leave out some things that look great but arent that cool. Lessening my originality because i use the same moves more._Edmund_