Forums > Social Chat > How long have you been spinnin? (EVERYONE POST)

Posted: 20th Nov 2002
Me, ummmmmm 23, from UK, started spinning after drunken night watching others spin in the road, i thought, yep i could do that!! (sober anyway)

Within my toy box there is:

Poi - ballchain large heads
Poi - heavy chain double heads
Fire ropes mmmmmmmmm fire ropes!
Electro Glo poi (two tone lighting)
Beamers - ouch ouch ouch!

Been spinning this lot for about 2 years or more

3 section staff (for ease of carrying)
Set of homemade doubles
Two red electro glo staffs
Attachment thingy for the above to make double ended lightsabre staff thingy - much the same as the one made for Mr Cantus.

Been Spinning for about 1 year

Home made double meteors 1.5m in length with tennis balls on the end, almost ready for fire wicks.

Been spinning for about 2months

Box of fountain fireworks, possibly the most dissapointing diplay type firework on the market, however tied to a set of chains make them look sweeeeeet!

Been spinning since Halloween 2002

Big chicken wire cages, two sets of, for craming full of wire wool of coarse.

Been spinning sinces i cound do the chase!

Ummmmmmm, yep i thin k thats about it!

o--- Strugz ---O

"...We don't stop playing because we get old, we get old because we stop playing......."

Posted: 20th Nov 2002
im 18, male and ive been spinning for about 3 months. the first month i was really into it till i learned everything on the lessons page but the behind the back weaves, then for about a month i didnt really spin, but now for the last month or so ive been really into it cuz i started reading this forem and realized that theres so much more to poi and so many variations of moves that can be done. i dont have any one to spin with either, exept at raves but the people there are always supprized about the weave and TTN.

but i love it, its addicting and i cant ge enough.

if practice makes perfect, and no one is perfect, then why practice?

Posted: 20th Nov 2002
Hey Dom,

Everyone here gets insulted if I tell them I suck, cause I'm better than all of them.. So if I tell them I'm the best in the city, they think I'm an egotistical twat..

One of my friends started telling someone that I'm a "poi god" and I rolled my eyes, smacked my fore-head and shook my head.. so she told me I'm a snob!! Go figure! *shrugs*

Liquid Pop,

How far are you from Toronto? If you'd like to come down and visit our clan you're more than welcome to crash on my couch

Otherwise, I'd suggest you make your way to the Om festival this spring (Mid June I think). There'll be loads of us there, I'm making it the Eastern Canadian Poi Convention

There should be at least 50+ people there doing poi.

Posted: 21st Nov 2002
Male, currently 23, Aussie.

Been twirling since around July 01 - that makes it 1yr 4mth.
Got my fire poi which I haven't used for a while, and a set of heavy, long practice poi.

I also have a couple of practice staffs that I get out once in a blue moon. Staff doesn't come as naturally to me.

No longer obsessed with twirling, but I still do it every so often. I enjoy helping other people learn. (I don't teach, I assist in their learning)

Courage is the man who can stop after only one peanut

Posted: 21st Nov 2002
I have been spinning for just over a month so I would definately say I am a beginner! I am 25 and live in Devon, which is in the south west of England. Its fantastic here. Lovely country side, and moorland and clean beaches with golden sand and green seas! I like all sorts of music depinding on my mood, from Eat Static to Royskop (Sp?) to The Smiths to Loopus Infabula to Kylie to The Plump DJ's. I mostly enjoy spending time with my friends and Otter man my bofriend.
Films, I like Lord of The Rings, The Graduate, Requiem for a Dream, Amalie....all different films!
I rarely have a downward mouthshape and I am mostly happy, but sometimes I get SO frustraded with my job which I HATE!! and I am looking for other work at the moment!!

There, thats me a bit about!

Posted: 24th Nov 2002
male, currently 16 yrs old *turning 17 on may 29th 2003*... VANCOUVER CANADA

NOW mostly spin poi... but first fire item was staff... BUT I spin poi, staff, clubs... and use fire fingers.
Years of spinning:
Poi- close to 3 years
Staff- 4 years
Clubs- 2 1/2 years

Fires FUN... i love it, when ever i get a chance for it, i'll spin fire...

hrm... lets burn stuff.... jah!

Posted: 25th Nov 2002
I'm 17 years old and a leo, leo rising
I first became interested in twirling about six years ago when my older sister started to learn staff and devil sticks. I couldn't find any connection with either of them and didn't try to learn.

Then a friend of mine picked up a hitchhiker one day and after he dropped him off and got home he found a post pack on the seat in his car. When he opened it he found four brand new set's of poi.
He advertised in the paper and went to the police to try and find the guy to return them but never found him. He ended up giving me a set and I havn't been able to put them down since.
That was about four and a half years ago now.

From learning poi I then found it alot easier to twirl staff and over the last year I have been learning double staff.

My next thing I'm gonna learn is double staff and poi together. I have a friend who does it with a staff and a poi in each hand. She just looks amazing it's a completely different style all together.

There's my story

Tessa

May the faeries be with you

Posted: 5th Dec 2002
My name is Jonny I live in Texas,I will be 23 on 1/23 I have been spinning for aboot two years now ,I am prolly an extra medium I cant do a lot of fancy ass tricks but the ones I do I do well.
I use glowsticks or my beaming poi, and parachute cord.I also breathe fire ,and dance to cheezy disco.

There are no obstacles only challenges.
Very funny scotty now beam down my pants.
[colour."green"}What would willie do?

AHH theres too many wee leprechauns i cannae squash them all

Posted: 3rd Feb 2003
hi...
just turned 25....well a while ago...
born in denmark...now live in a community in cold and snowie Scotland...but the snow is perfect for fire though....
I've only been spinning firepoi for a few months, and everything I know is selfthought...but whauu I love it.....met a girl, she gave em to me before she went back to NZ...etc.etc.
anyway....this is the best fucking escape from reallity....and I do actually like the smell of parrafine....but...well....just go for it...that's wha it's all 'bout....i hope!
take care and enjoy....."I do!"
cosmicpeace

Posted: 3rd Feb 2003
Heya

im an 18 yr old chickadee from Oz.
Born 3/9/84 which makes me a Virgo!

i have been twirling for like 2 1/2 years now.
I first met a girl in a park twirling a staff while roaming at night at noosa...she let me have a go and the rest is history!

I twriled staff for about 8 months then got onto poi.......my weapon of choice! i love poi
After that i have gotten addicted to breathing and double staff.

Twirling for me is like the perfect way to harness all elements...while experiencing a zen-like meditative state.

I don't really have a level which im at....i feel that i have much to learn yet....and will never stop as long as fire burns!

Deep into the darkness peering, long i stood there wondering, fearing!

Posted: 3rd Feb 2003
also a 18yrold from the southeast opf queensland however not a chickadee last time i checked... 9 months however people shouldnt be concerned with how long or how good they are, twirling is much like all other aspects of life, its a journey and the point of any jounrey does not nessecarily have to be the goal but merely the journey itself, if you can do evry trick in the book, write a few more pages because there is no such thing as "the end" in this sport(if i can call it that) enjoy fire and respect it and remember that true talent is in the eye of the beholder not the mass determination known as community..
anyway thats my speil for the evning happyhunting
mythmitch

regret nothing, learn everything

fire_light_movement

Posted: 3rd Feb 2003
im 15 been twirling for 5months.

Posted: 3rd Feb 2003
American Male
14 years of age
Twirling for year and 3 months.


Poi, staff, flags, flag staffs, rifles, and sabers (The um. dull sabers I'm not crazy lol). And I'm lovin' every bit of it! Just ordered me some meteors, those are gonna be the shit. I just bought meteors. Those are going to be fun.

Peace
Kinudin

//edit How I got into Spinning:

I was curious and asked a raver friend of mine to teach me strings. Had no clue the culture was so massive. I'd never seen fire spinning at all nor even thought of it. So he taught me the half weave, and the butterfly and I think one variation of the waist wrap. (I seriously think that's all he knew...)

[ 04. February 2003, 19:20: Message edited by: Kinudin (Soul Fyre) ]

Posted: 3rd Feb 2003
I'm 21, live in Scotland, been spinning for nearly a whole month now! Currently using comet poi with the tails taped up since they piss me right off, gonna get some fire poi as soon as I can afford it.
Guess spinning is popular in SE Queensland cause that's where I first saw it, a girl I met there who did poi and staff in Caboolture when I was working there for a year.
Anyway if anyone else is here from NE scotland get in touch!

- Honk if you love peace and quiet!

Posted: 4th Feb 2003
Birthdate: 3rd of may 1982 (now 20), got my 1st devil sticks Oct-Nov of when I was 14, You do the math, 1st -last toys taken up, devil sticks, staff, poi, double staff, juggling (balls and clubs #3) contact juggling is my most recent venture which started early-mid last year.

Trying to play the Akashic records,
but my turntables not compatible.

Posted: 4th Feb 2003
its my 24 birthday today.

I have been playing with my devil stick 2 maybe 3 years now. Circus stuf in general since i was about 14 that was mostly unicycles and a bit of diablo which I never got back into. I like the sound of stafs but I don't ever get into them.
i'v got into juggling again lately
juggle juggle juggle juggle
I do it all day long you can do it sat down or standing up

Posted: 4th Feb 2003
So Cal Baby!
Age 27

Been spinning poi about 2 years, and in the last 4 months more serious then ever before. Picked up my first set of poi living in Holland. A friend I worked with over there made poi and sold them for money while she was traveling. Still have them and they are great. They seem to be made a lot like the flag poi they sell here at HoP.

Well after 2 years, the poi my friend made for me are toast (but I still love them) so I ordered the fuzzy poi off this site last week - and I got them yesterday! Spun for 2 hours last night - great session.

So up until recently the only people I knew who spun were in the Netherlands, and they didn't use fire. In the past month I met someone who spins with fire, and am intrigued. To bad that person moved away just after we started to get to know each other... anyone else out there in San Diego that wants to get together and spin fire let me know!!!

So why spin? Why not. Anything to feed the creative monster inside, I guess. Spin, surf, paint, dance.... if only they would pay me for all that I wouldn't have to come to this job everyday. But there could be worse jobs then selling flowering plants to greenhouse growers all over the world, eh?


.....Karen, & Stuart - you out there?!?! Please drop me a line... I have been looking for you.

If anyone who knows this traveling Scottish couple (yes with the two with the sweet dog, Friday, and the red post van) PLEASE send them my way!

Posted: 4th Feb 2003
Male, 25 years old, living in London.

Been spinning for just under a year and a half or so... picked it up with FieryFlow from a friend of ours, but I didn't really get into it for a while and gave up for six months or so because I couldn't get the backwards weave and only started really getting into it last summer when someone showed me how to get it. Now I'm definitely hooked and not too shabby at it

Got myself a 4 1/2 foot fire staff over Christmas, been spinning a bit with that, although it's too cold to spin much right now.

"Moo," said the happy cow.

Posted: 4th Feb 2003
I'm 25 years old

Began learning staff/spear forms about ten years ago, but didn't have anything much to learn off of, so I just made stuff up as I went. Learned a little off kung fu movies. Started nunchucks at about the same time. (Didn't know about chains/poi back then, but the nunchuck stuff happens to be compatible). Did a little double sword work too (three beat weave as it turns out).

about five years ago I started using a large wine bottle in each hand (thought it was a native american thing or tai chi, I guess they ment Indian, as in from India, stupid Columbus will confuse us for all eternity) so I made stuff up as I went, based a little on a tai chi book I flipped through back in high school, it had some basic exercises and I was using it as strength training for double sword work. I simply added to the exercises and flowed with it, and developed some interesting stuff. I discovered much latter that all of those moves translated to poi.

I also was developing some contact staff and spear forms at this time. Again, almost entiely on my own, except what litle I could gain from tv.

I also started using double nunchucks at this time. Didn't progress very much with those, just got some basic hand switches and recoils down.

about two and a half years ago I saw a chinese girl twirling chains (kung fu) and I was instantly hooked. I went and made some chain whips for each hand and started doing that.

long story short?

Poi: about two and a half years, not including all the prelminary stuff that got me used to the idea of making things move in circles.

Staff: about ten years of off and on playing around and about two years of seriouse work.

I also spin about anything I can get my hands on: towels, ropes, pens and pencils, ciggarette lighters, pop cans, plates, rifles, knives, swords, spears, tee shirts, flags, books, need I go on?

experience level? I don't have a clue. How about "I have a lot more to learn"

[ 07. February 2003, 10:32: Message edited by: santanatwo ]

we eat and we drink and we smoke and we try!

Posted: 4th Feb 2003
Me, I'm Steve, 36 from Illinois, I've been twirling for nearly 3 years now.

I first got into POI back in 2000 when I was at a music festival when I watched a fire troupe twirl their POI and I was enthralled.

Well, anyway I became friends with the fire troupe's leader and made my first set of POI and got decent enough to light up to twirl the same week.

And I've been happily twirling ever since...
except a couple of nights ago when I tried to kill the band that I twirl for by twirling in a fog filled room (fog and heat and soot equals NO FUN)

Well, what about you?

Steve C

"Natural Cloned Killa!!"

Nothing is impossible, it's just that some things are so damned hard to do!

Posted: 5th Feb 2003
* Bows head in shame * I think I'm that guy that NYC was refering to.

Male,22 (as in poiaholic22)

I got started on glowsticks in the clubs on the 4th of July weekend last year.I think it was in September that a lovely young lady who calls herself Nyx introduced me to fire on the roof of a parking garage.I was addicted instantly.

I used to think I was pretty good until I met Dom at the DECOM in NY.Now I realize that I am a beginner and have a very long time and a lot of practicing to do before I can even call myself an amateur.

For poi I have cathedral poi,UV poi,beaming poi and I guarantee before summer rolls back around I will have some Aerotech's.

I do mess around with staff and can do most of the basics but I have a LONG way to go.All I have for now is a short twirling fire staff.

I'm also trying to learn how to use devil sticks
Non-Https Image Link
,diabolos
Non-Https Image Link
, and I'm getting better at juggling.I can do a little contact juggling but I need to get myself an acrylic ball.

I'm also trying to start the Jo Derry Superfan Club if you are interested.

Posted: 6th Feb 2003

quote:

---

Originally posted by poiaholic22:
I used to think I was pretty good until I met Dom at the DECOM in NY.Now I realize that I am a beginner and have a very long time and a lot of practicing to do before I can even call myself an amateur.

---

ROFL, I know what you mean

"Moo," said the happy cow.

Posted: 6th Feb 2003
to know your a beginner is the best thing to be.

beginners always have the most enthusaim and the steepest learning curve.

Plus it means you have so much more fun to have learning new moves.

glass

AnonymousPLATINUM Member

Posted: 6th Feb 2003
Erm - what was the question?

From South Oz, and I'm 27 and I'm Male.

Time spinning: I'm not sure - I think I've been doing poi for about 3 years, and staff for a bit longer, but that doesnt include any of the martial arts I was doing before that time with staves.

I've also been a bit on and off with Poi - although the same isnt true for Doubles, which I've been doing about 1.5 years non-stop (no - not even to pee! )

I've owned a pair of poi for more than 6 years, but for the first 3 years I couldnt do anything cept 3-beat weave

I like doubles the best, but clubs is coming up rapidly behind - I just need to get better on them.

Experience level? I'm still learning a lot of stuff - but I think I've also seen a lot of stuff.
I guess like Glass said; when I stop learning I'll probly move onto something else...I'd like to think that my skill level is Reasonably Ok. Or perhaps, Mostly Un-embarrassing

Toys? Uv clubs, UV poi, Uv comet poi, UV short sticks, UV long sticks, Fire poi, Fire Sticks, Fire clubs, juggling balls, contact juggling balls...

I dont really see any correlation between how 'good' someone is and how long they have been twirling. For people learning from local masters, its not such a challenge to get to a 'good' standard quickly...and other people I've met who have been twirling for 5+ years have nothing to offer...Dunno.

There does seem to be an element out there of; look at me, I've been twirling 4 hours everyday for 6 months and I can do all these tricks, but these people generally have almost no flow...and generally give up sooner rather than later to join the bandwagon of the next fad.

Josh

[ 07. February 2003, 07:02: Message edited by: [Josh] ]

Posted: 7th Feb 2003
Yeah I just wish I had some of you UK guru's here to help me out more often.Though that may be a good excuse to take a vacation to the UK.

Posted: 7th Feb 2003
Aussie female... 18 yrs,
lets see now...
been spinning for about a year now. was at the national folk festival last year and saw the phoenix fire tribe and was spellbound! *thanks guys!!*
i do poi mainly and started learning staff about 6 months ago but didint really get into it.
i own 2 pairs of fire poi, one chain and one cable and one pair of comet poi made by a friend of mine. each pair is very different and unique and i love them all just the same
my talent level if i may is probably intermediate. i get friends of mine saying "f*%K youre good" and i see people playing and almost wet my pants. so i dunno, i guess i could say intermediate??
will that do?
bah it doesnt matter. what matters is that wve all come together to share something we're all passionate about!!!

Fire... A bushmans telly

Posted: 7th Feb 2003
I'm a chick from QLD and found twirling through a fire group on a bridge, and of course fell in love and from there my mate made a gave me a beautiful staff which I though was the best thing and I practiced everyday, but since I'm a bit of a wanderer I lost it somewhere, but then moved to Sydney where I found a great mate who made me some toys, like a new staff long and short, chain poi, short and long clubs (big and small knobs) heaven I was in once again... I think I'm much better with my staff, but I'm eager to learn as much as I can with any toy new or old. The thing I like most about twirling is that the person twirling adds their own element to the art, no 2 people could twirl exactly the same (without heaps of practice I spose) I like to 'fire dance' dance being one of my biggest loves/and or addictions
One of my fantasies would have to be semi naked fire twirlers under a full moon (yes both sexes, as the human body is beautiful no matter what the label attached to it..)
love and peaches xxoo

Posted: 7th Feb 2003
recently turned 24,
I did not stumble into firetwirling.
firetwirling stumbled into me! i was a bad juggler, and so 3 decembers ago a mate handed me a lit staff, and i guessed my way into a figure of 8.
i have been neglecting poi and single staff(1.2m) in favour of fired-up exotic weapons and double 1m staves and also cow tipping.
and yes i do think that howmanyyearshaveyoubeentwirling is a misleading stat, kinda like bra cup sizes. I prefer to use morrowind experience points. (i'm a level 59 Mage - yay for cheats!) oh yeah we were talking about firetwirling...

Laugh Often, Smile Much, Post lolcats Always

Posted: 7th Feb 2003
hi bender, long time no see....
me...
14...years old...
been twirlin for nearly 9-10 months now, and i'm still trying to figure out the btb weave...
yeah i suck....
anywhoo,....
I'm okay at it ive gotten nearly all the trix down cept that one and the "leprechaun jump"
So any younger twirlers here?

-LuNcHbOx, Aka. Nathan...Give a man to fish, and that man knows where to come for more fish...Teach a man to fish and you have just destroyed your market base...

Posted: 7th Feb 2003
23 year old Aussie male.

First introduced to fire in Thailand a year and a half ago. I saw two girls from Arlie beach practicing by the beach and started getting tips. Made my own practice poi using tennis balls and shoe laces (which i still have). After a week of practicing with them every afternoon they let me use their fire poi. What an amazing experience. Alas i had to leave and return home. Since then I've been learning from HOP and anyone and everyone I meet. It's a constant learning experience.

I went to Burning Man last year which really blew me away. Learnt sooo much from phenominal fire performers. Got some good compliments myself which was very cool.

Spent last season in Whistler where I performed in the Fire and Ice show every Sunday. Also performed in the Ski and Snowboard festival which was amazing. Might get called back for this seasons festival. I've been involved in a few parties. I'm in Vail, Colorado now and have done a couple of parties and have a Mascarade Ball coming up.

I'll be in South Africa for a few weeks in May, then France for the summer (via London), then back home to Sydney in October - just in time for the Rugby World Cup.

I mainly spin poi but dabble with staff. I made my first pair which have been lost. I bought a double poi, three piece staff and light poi from HOP (double poi I've lost too unfortunately). Now I've made two more poi with the cathedral set up. One wick is about regular size, the other is about double that.

Always love meeting other fire dancers and introducing fire to others. It's such a social thing.



[ 08. February 2003, 11:38: Message edited by: Mogli ]

Live life, don't just exist.