Aspiring fire twirler introduction

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Name: Andrew

Country: USA

Hometown: Tampa Fl

DOB: August '84

Age: 22

Sex: M

Occupation(s): Mech Engineering

Favorite Food(s): Iced tea

Favorite Color(s): Red

Toys: my computer

Hobbies other than the obvious: writing, sailing, bone carving

Education: studied Mech Engineering at USF

Favorite Book(s): the Black Jewels Trilogy by Anne Bishop

Favorite Music Artists/Composers: Scooter, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw

Favorie ice cream flavor(s): Strawberry

Marmite/Vegemite/Nutella? : I definitely prefer Nutella, but I've been known to eat some Vegemite on my toast now and again (when I can find it here in Florida). Marmite is not the same and should stop pretending.

My introduction to Poi twirling is completely backwards from what it should have been. My grandmother was a Maori (the lovely folk who invented Poi), and since I was a kid I've loved their art. One of my hobbies is to do bone carvings for jewelry in traditional Maori designs. I also learned about rugby just to watch the All Blacks do the Haka (war dance before a match). Given this, one would expect that I came into Poi and fire twirling from a traditional standpoint, appreciating the art and culture behind it.

I didn't.

No, I got involved because I keep my keys on the end of a 30" long chain and when I get bored, I start them spinning. I didn't know this was an artform. I didn't know there were people all over the world doing this for fun. I was thinking "physics 101, angular motion" and playing with my keys. A complete accident.

Then a friend linked me to a video on youtube. My mind was blown. Here at last I saw my bored stress reliever become an art, and it involved my favorite thing in the world, FIRE!

So now I'm trying to "do it right" and work my way up to doing fire twirling eventually. I'm good with either hand (seems to be a prerequisite), but my coordination seems a bit off when I'm working two balls at once.

My first time out doing two at once I was using baseballs in the end of a tube sock (laugh if you want, but they seem about right to me), I started them spinning and did a few basic maneuvers. I don't know what it's called but I started them spinning in a figure eight motion out in front of me (something I've been doing with my keys for so long I don't even pay attention), one going the opposite direction of the other and slightly off sync so they didn't tangle when they went through the middle a split second apart, when I turned away just for a sec and got a baseball to either temple. That's a good reminder, I haven't made that mistake since let me tell you.

Anyway there's my basic info, my intro to the hobby, and my first painful mistake (well aside from all the time my keys sliced me open while I was still learning).

One of these days (after I stop hitting myself with baseballs) I'll move up to fire balls and post some pictures or vids for everyone. Untill then, bruises are an excellent learning incentive.

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