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FiReSpRiTemember
23 posts
Location: Hudson, FL, US


Posted:
hey all! yay! i just registered! im so excited. grin i was the one going by Just Me in the past few posts. anyways, allow me to introduce myself.. my names traci. im 18 years old, and im a newbie to the poi world. so, far im loving it. cant wait till im "good". anyways, thats kindda what my question is about. just curious, and i know this will varie a lot, but how long did it take you before you considered yourself good? my deffinition of good is being able to go through a whole song smoothly and using enough moves where it isnt boring. ive been practicing like crazy, and i think im catching on fairly quickly... i cant wait to actaully have enough skill to "preform". just wondering how long thats going to be.happy spinning!ps oh and i just wanted to say that this is an awesome site, without which i would be totally lost and prolly would have done given up. smile------------------What we call human nature, is actually human habit.

Its hard not to play when theres so many toys.


PeleBRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA


Posted:
I've been at this for a bit now, perform and everything with it but still only concider myself adequate. I think the minute i think i am good i will end up laxing off and i don't want to, but that's just me.------------------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


Phyzeriummember
38 posts
Location: mt morris, michigan, u.s.


Posted:
Im a pretty new to it to, but, im able to perform in front of people and feel like im doing good. Just try to keep a good flow, and switch up between a few moves, and your good to go. I remember the first time i saw people twirling, i was in amazement when they did a simple cross over. Most of the people watching arent going to be experienced with moves at all, and they will be amazed. When your performing, just dont worry about everything else around you, just go with the flow, and let the music do the rest. At least thats what i do. :-)

Pain is pleasure.


Shibakienthusiast
309 posts
Location: Tampa, Fl


Posted:
Hey there SpRiTe!I dont consider myself good at all. I doubt I will ever consider myself 'good'. Too much of a perfectionist. Ive learned a whole bunch of moves and and am working on getting my transitions down now. I havent been completely faithful to my Poi though. I play like sometimes an hour a day, but I know I could push myself a little harder and really accomplish something. Give yourself a couple of weeks. Just stick with it. If you love it, it will show. Now where is Hudson... Ive heard of that before.------------------~I dont care if they eat me alive, Ive got better things to do than survive. ~Ani

Wow


EyeStormmember
54 posts
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada


Posted:
Welcome to the Newbie club smile I've been at it about a week with my homemade tennis ball poi.

((m/)) --==EyeStorm==--


Shibakienthusiast
309 posts
Location: Tampa, Fl


Posted:
Eye, I am going to make a set of Poi for my friend and am going to use tennis balls too. I was just curious as to what you used to pierce the tennis ball to get it to hold. grin Thanx!Hey Sprite, I found out where Hudson is. Thats pretty close actually. We should get together sometime. ------------------~I dont care if they eat me alive, Ive got better things to do than survive. ~Ani[This message has been edited by Shibaki (edited 07 May 2001).]

Wow


N8member
336 posts
Location: NY, USA


Posted:
well first of welcome traci,as for your Q, I think maybe a few months of daily practice should make you pretty "good" grinbest of luck,N8.------------------Care of other people's approval and you become their prisoner.Live fully, Rave wholly.Fluid are the movements of my strings...

Care of other people's approval and you become their prisoner.Live fully, Rave wholly.Fluid are the movements of my strings...


Shouden-CrDSILVER Member
Veteran Member
495 posts
Location: Tampa, FL, USA


Posted:
Wow! Three people from Florida!(Two from Tampa..) Yeah, where is Hudson??? I, as well, made a set of poi for my best friend..we both practice together regularly to critique each other. I think it helps on presentation.I, definately from an "experienced poi" person's stance, am not "good" yet. =) I think it'll be awhile. As everyone else says, when you twirl/swirl publically, seems as if everyone thinks your good if you can swing them without hitting yourself. hehe smile------------------ [PLUR]-=Crazy Raver Dude=-

-=ÇrazyRaverÐude=-


FiReSpRiTemember
23 posts
Location: Hudson, FL, US


Posted:
yeah.. three peeps from florida. thats pretty cool. Hudson is a really small crapy city right above new port richey. its only about an hour and a half away from tampa.::sigh:: i wish i lived in a big, or atleast semi big city.i was just telling Shibaki about this music festival/rave that another hop member (PureEnergy) was telling me about. i was thinking it would be cool if we all met up there. its called rise, and theres more info on it at raves.comit would be an honor to meet you guys. im sure you guys could help me out a lot. i dont have any friends around my area that are into poi... which is kindda good because i like to be different and theres less ( i mean no) competition, but it sucks because i have no one to practice with and i dont know if im learning at a good pace or not.::shrugs::anyways, happy spinning to yas!------------------What we call human nature, is actually human habit.

Its hard not to play when theres so many toys.


AnonymousPLATINUM Member


Posted:
Welcome Sprite, I'm still waiting to be good. Granted my main focus is eating/transfers and torches. There's a different sort of learning curve with that. I first performed maybe four months after I first learned. In retrospect, that was really early. I probably would laugh at myself if I was unlucky enough to see a video of that show. That's actually not a bad idea though. Video yourself. You've got good criteria. See how you measure up to your own expectations. That's how you'll know when you're ready.Best of luck, Diana

Shouden-CrDSILVER Member
Veteran Member
495 posts
Location: Tampa, FL, USA


Posted:
Just checked out the "Rise"...look worthy of going to. =) I'll pull out my calendar tomorrow and see if I can fit a two day event into my schedule somewhere...ehehWould be awesome to meet up and exchange poi moves. smile------------------ [PLUR]-=Crazy Raver Dude=-

-=ÇrazyRaverÐude=-


nomadBRONZE Member
retired
356 posts
Location: Paris, France


Posted:
Welcome Traci!I've been spinning for about 9 months now. The first 2 months, i was practising a looot because days were long and warm. Then winter came and it got harder. I'd say i started to be "skilled" and get some flow going after 3 months.... which is when i tried fire for the first time. I think it's very hard to define being "good". I mean, most people who see you spin for the first time think it's cool yet probably not that hard. Until they pick it up and realize you need some coordination to even do a simple crossover. Then my friends who tried it at some point think i'm very good at it. Then I think i'm okay and still have a world of things to learn, especially in terms of transitions and performing skills. So it's not easy to state when you become "good"!Best of luck. This site will help you A LOT.nomad

EyeStormmember
54 posts
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada


Posted:
Shibaki: Hehe. It wasn't easy. I used my pocket knife, a cheap swiss army keychain thing I custom sharpened to a razor edge on a whetstone. Those balls are tough, though they're hollow so it wasn't that hard. The first time you cut in is the most difficult.Have fun! smile

((m/)) --==EyeStorm==--


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
I actually learned how to spin in all of ten seconds, but I kind of cheated. In the Goa rave scene, there's something called "flag dancing" where you make flags out of curtain-weight lead cord and chiffon sheets that glow in blacklight. You spin these flags a lot like poi, but you can never go in a circle, you HAVE to figure-8 all the time, so you can't do a butterfly. The most basic move is a corkscrew. Well, I was already really good at these when I picked up my first set of glowsticks on strings and it took me all of ten seconds to figure it out.I realized that I could now spin pois, so I ordered myself a pair, they got here a week ago, and I danced with them lit for the first time last night. I didn't think of myself as particularly good, either...except someone videotaped it. You may think that you don't look good, but that's because you're inside of it. Trust me, from the outside, even the clumsiest, jerkiest maneuver or transition looks cool. Do it on video sometime, it's a huge ego boost. :-)-------------------MikeCertified Mad Doctor (in training)

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
One other thing, chiefly for the guys:NOBODY ever learns how to do a butterfly or butterfly-related move without wacking himself really hard in the cojones several times. Invest in an athletic supporter with a cup for practicing. Your sperm will thank you for it.-------------------MikeCertified Mad Doctor (in training)

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


Plazmamember
73 posts
Location: The Land of Tokomak


Posted:
sup traci! yah i'm a newbie too! i've only been doin' this about 4 months now and i'd say at the end of the third month i was pretty GOOD by yor standards i guess! however to other more experienced spinners, i'm probally not the greatest, but i'm only 16 so i know i have A LOT of time to master it!!! that's why i don't consider myself that good either, i'm a lienient perfectionist. i can get through a couple whole songs in a row (2-3 depending on what sort of day i'm having) without messing up and before it gets boring. This is like my all time hobby/past-time now and i'm luvn' tarin' up the dance floors at raves with it!! Plurr!------------------My World is a world of one, and in being one they Rave! My World is a Godly World and I am its master!

My World is a world of one, and in being one they Rave! My World is a Godly World and I am its master!


kmactanemember
97 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Actually, I've whacked myself in the balls a lot more while working on the weave than I ever did with the butterfly.One theory I'm working on now is that learning poi has the wonderful side effect of raising your pain tolerance. Screw-ups that would have caused me to go "OWWW! with Zuni a few months ago now hardly faze me when I do them with my unlit fire poi. (Groin strikes are the major exception, of course -- I don't really see any immunity building up there.)

Tsumimember
32 posts
Location: SF CA USA


Posted:
While you're practicing, bust out at a few friendly gatherings if you feel up to it. You don't have to be a professional, just have enough practice down so you don't feel bad about yourself or anything. The first time will be exhilarating. smile Happy spinning

BEZERKERenthusiast
237 posts

Posted:
It's all been said above FiReSpRiTe,enjoy, it's some of the best stuff you can get into. I definately agree with Mikeginny, don't be to concerned with 'how good' you are. people always have said it looks good but I know in myself I've vastly improved. Cut sick and go hard, anyone around to see will enjoy!! grin

tkerbymember
30 posts
Location: Edinburgh, UK


Posted:
I class good as when you can learn new moves without having to break them down into components or single hands and you become one with the flow of the poi. You know where they are going and where you want them and you don't even think of the moves or the transitions. It becomes totally freeform to a point with the stuff you know and I pick up new moves and variations all the time.On the other hand, some of the more technical stuff is still hard, I cant do behind the back weave or the 5 beat weave yet and my waist wraps are pretty crap.My advice for when you are performing is keep it simple and use what you know. Fluidity and smooth movement of the body is in my opinion the most stunning to the lay person. Yes, I'm impressed when someone does technical moves, for instance threading the needle but would any observer think it looks different from butterfly (above the head is the exception, just learnt it and that is way cool!).Don't try anything new when performing to people until you know it really well, there is nothing more embarassing then being bent double when trying a 5 beat weave that you've just picked up and hitting yourself in the groin (for a man) or getting your chains tangled together.Good luck!

Plazmamember
73 posts
Location: The Land of Tokomak


Posted:
perfectly said tkerby grin i aggree with you completely smile------------------My World is a world of one, and in being one they Rave! My World is a Godly World and I am its master!

My World is a world of one, and in being one they Rave! My World is a Godly World and I am its master!


EyeStormmember
54 posts
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada


Posted:
Yes, well said.I'm doing much better than when I posted my last message in this thread. I've actually got some glowstick experience, to music too! I can do the weave, foreward and backward, turn, corkscrew, butterfly, thread the needle, and transition between all of these.I think I'm doing pretty well. grin

((m/)) --==EyeStorm==--


evenstarmember
36 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
I've been learning poi now for only three months, and although I've mastered quite a bit, there is always going to be new moves to learn... even more advanced users of poi in my circus society have learnt stuff from me! So, I think that being 'good' is too ambiguous a term. Improving moves, on the other hand, is another matter. I believe that I can do many moves with better execution, which is why practice is handy... I wish you all the best at their practicing =)

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring.
TOLKIEN


Stressed Ericmember
15 posts
Location: stround(ish) cotswolds uk


Posted:
lo FiReSpRiTeive been twirling for 'bout 3 weeks now and im getting better, the best thing to do to start seems to be to follow the "poi lessons" link at the top of the page and practice as much as possible.Shibakii used a long thin pair of sissors to pop my tennis balls and the inside of a ball point pen (metal type) to push the string(shoe lace in my case) throu.i also agree with stuffing some thing down the front of yer trousers if ya have senisitve bits to guard , i've also found the weave to be the biggest risk here. catching yer self in the ear wid glowsticks comes a close second thouEric


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