GOLD Member
Should I be spinning around my poi, or should my poi be spinning around me???
42 posts
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
Should I be spinning around my poi, or should my poi be spinning around me???
42 posts
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
Posted:
Hello all,
I'm interested in everyone's fire poi experiences in front of an audience, I've noticed that very complicated movements quite often go unappreciated by the average audience, while simple movements quite often get the "ooohs and aaaahs".
What kind of moves do you perform to get the "wow factor" from the audience? I do understand there is more to a performance than standing there rifling off trick, after trick, after trick, and that movement/transition play a major part in the fire poi performance, but I am very interested in your perspective.
Thanks
EDITED_BY: bentforkx (1242404669)
Hello all,
I'm interested in everyone's fire poi experiences in front of an audience, I've noticed that very complicated movements quite often go unappreciated by the average audience, while simple movements quite often get the "ooohs and aaaahs".
What kind of moves do you perform to get the "wow factor" from the audience? I do understand there is more to a performance than standing there rifling off trick, after trick, after trick, and that movement/transition play a major part in the fire poi performance, but I am very interested in your perspective.
Thanks
EDITED_BY: bentforkx (1242404669)
Spinning makes the world go round
SILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa
Posted:
I have noticed that moves that I dislike often get a fair amount of applause.
Stuff like lying down and doing a buzzsaw. Things in that general vein. (Do that behind you, stand p and carry on with grace and I will be impressed though. :P)
Otherwise. Um.... Lots of wraps. Isolated buzzsaws. Butterflied Antispin Extension Hybrids (triquetras or whatever they are otherwise called). Probably Ollies....
I have noticed that moves that I dislike often get a fair amount of applause.
Stuff like lying down and doing a buzzsaw. Things in that general vein. (Do that behind you, stand p and carry on with grace and I will be impressed though. :P)
Otherwise. Um.... Lots of wraps. Isolated buzzsaws. Butterflied Antispin Extension Hybrids (triquetras or whatever they are otherwise called). Probably Ollies....
'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland
SILVER Member
Elusive and Bearded
3,597 posts
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Elusive and Bearded
3,597 posts
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Posted:
Staff wise.....
the Helix burn off ALWAYS gets the "WOW!"
duck outs while on the ground, like rolling into them....if that makes sence
and hands in the pockets halos bouncing back and forth...as well as hands in the pockets jesus'
Staff wise.....
the Helix burn off ALWAYS gets the "WOW!"
duck outs while on the ground, like rolling into them....if that makes sence
and hands in the pockets halos bouncing back and forth...as well as hands in the pockets jesus'
O.B.E.S.E.
Owned by Mynci!
ancient oachkatzlschwoaf
248 posts
Location: germany
248 posts
Location: germany
Posted:
poi wise:
- jumps & 3-4 pirouettes in a row give you quite a few "oh's" and "ah's"
- orbitals
- throws
- wraps!!!!!zomg!
- doing a between the legs behind the back spiral wrap whilst farting
staff wise:
- between the leg
- lying down/ standing up whilst spinning
- throws
- double staffs crossed like an + headspin
poi wise:
- jumps & 3-4 pirouettes in a row give you quite a few "oh's" and "ah's"
- orbitals
- throws
- wraps!!!!!zomg!
- doing a between the legs behind the back spiral wrap whilst farting
staff wise:
- between the leg
- lying down/ standing up whilst spinning
- throws
- double staffs crossed like an + headspin
SILVER Member
person who like to spin all gears
62 posts
Location: Germany - Düsseldorf
person who like to spin all gears
62 posts
Location: Germany - Düsseldorf
Posted:
î think for poi it is also the Buzzsaw, and of course the Antispin Flower
and for staff it is maybe an isolation, when you have got one big flame which is coming nearly your face
î think for poi it is also the Buzzsaw, and of course the Antispin Flower
and for staff it is maybe an isolation, when you have got one big flame which is coming nearly your face
SILVER Member
Funky Blessings Daily
215 posts
Location: USA
Funky Blessings Daily
215 posts
Location: USA
Posted:
any burst of flame, anytime you are on fire, anytime fire is close to genitals or face, contact with the wick, and huge swings with a rope dart.
It's unfortunate that EASY and often unsatisfying tricks are the things that they enjoy heartily.
However it's still just good stuff to incorporate.
any burst of flame, anytime you are on fire, anytime fire is close to genitals or face, contact with the wick, and huge swings with a rope dart.
It's unfortunate that EASY and often unsatisfying tricks are the things that they enjoy heartily.
However it's still just good stuff to incorporate.
SILVER Member
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!
Posted:
For me most of the 'wow' factor tends to come from combinations.
Something followed by a movement in which the audience cannot see the poi heads brings their attention to me before I bring the poi back in front of me to form some kind of interesting pattern. Horizontal line isolation has been something I use a bit because I can see over the pattern and maintain eye contact with the audience.
For me most of the 'wow' factor tends to come from combinations.
Something followed by a movement in which the audience cannot see the poi heads brings their attention to me before I bring the poi back in front of me to form some kind of interesting pattern. Horizontal line isolation has been something I use a bit because I can see over the pattern and maintain eye contact with the audience.
GOLD Member
Total Randomness'
12 posts
Location: S.E Melbourne, Australia
Total Randomness'
12 posts
Location: S.E Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
The thing that gets the best reaction for me is using Double Sraff's, & adding a summersalt & a fire breath. Crowds seem to love it.
The thing that gets the best reaction for me is using Double Sraff's, & adding a summersalt & a fire breath. Crowds seem to love it.
Fire is Life
stranger
6 posts
Location: Colorado
6 posts
Location: Colorado
Posted:
The reason that the simple tricks get the attention is purely because you make them look a lot smoother and easier. I have a friend that started at the same time as me and we know the same things the fact that i can flow better when i do them gets all the crowds attention.
my favorite crowd pleaser is to go from the 3 beat into the weave crossers doing an extention into waistwraps to a full body meltdown.
The reason that the simple tricks get the attention is purely because you make them look a lot smoother and easier. I have a friend that started at the same time as me and we know the same things the fact that i can flow better when i do them gets all the crowds attention.
my favorite crowd pleaser is to go from the 3 beat into the weave crossers doing an extention into waistwraps to a full body meltdown.
Stargazer
6,650 posts
6,650 posts
Posted:
hmmm that's always been a matter of debate... for one is:
the (non-expert) audience has no destinction between "easy" and "complicated" moves - it all is on what it looks like...
as eatsumskittles said: easy moves look smooth, complicated moves look - well "complicated"... and strenious.
I found that smiling generally improves the response of the audience, no matter whether I just whacked myself really hard or not
hmmm that's always been a matter of debate... for one is:
the (non-expert) audience has no destinction between "easy" and "complicated" moves - it all is on what it looks like...
as eatsumskittles said: easy moves look smooth, complicated moves look - well "complicated"... and strenious.
I found that smiling generally improves the response of the audience, no matter whether I just whacked myself really hard or not
the best smiles are the ones you lead to
BRONZE Member
nut.
756 posts
Location: Bouncing off the walls., England (UK)
nut.
756 posts
Location: Bouncing off the walls., England (UK)
Posted:
It's largely in how much you play it up, how much crowd reaction you get..
If you make something look *too* easy, and show no reaction yourself to what you're doing, the audience will probably not react, almost regardless of how technically good the trick is- different for a crowd who knows how hard what it is you're doing, yes, but for a mixed group people subconciously rely on the performer (and others around them) to tell them what's worth being impressed by...
So.. what gives a 'wow' factor in my view is mainly the performer, not the move
That said, large amounts of fire do tend to make people go 'Oooh'..
It's largely in how much you play it up, how much crowd reaction you get..
If you make something look *too* easy, and show no reaction yourself to what you're doing, the audience will probably not react, almost regardless of how technically good the trick is- different for a crowd who knows how hard what it is you're doing, yes, but for a mixed group people subconciously rely on the performer (and others around them) to tell them what's worth being impressed by...
So.. what gives a 'wow' factor in my view is mainly the performer, not the move
That said, large amounts of fire do tend to make people go 'Oooh'..
THE MEEK WILL INHERIT THE EARTH!
If that's okay with you?
stranger
7 posts
7 posts
Posted:
doing 5 or 3 beats while spinning maybe jumping wraps and also going into almost hand wraps to shorten the changes and going into short chain poi besides that difrent props like fire snakes and im about to make a pair of poi that will have flames the size of soccer balls and spinning in front of small children like my 2 year old nephew helps too
doing 5 or 3 beats while spinning maybe jumping wraps and also going into almost hand wraps to shorten the changes and going into short chain poi besides that difrent props like fire snakes and im about to make a pair of poi that will have flames the size of soccer balls and spinning in front of small children like my 2 year old nephew helps too
GOLD Member
Mission: Ignition
534 posts
Location: Central New Jersey, USA
Mission: Ignition
534 posts
Location: Central New Jersey, USA
Posted:
I did a fire poi spin for some mates who have never seen poi before. I broke it all out... Waistwraps, bounces, even caught the poi and did a breath off of it. Did btb and between the legs, flowers and stalls. At the end of it I was out of breath but I thought it was a great run. And then they came up to me and each of them told me that they really liked the part where they were short and spinning in a cirlce close to my face...
I think I died a bit inside that day.
I did a fire poi spin for some mates who have never seen poi before. I broke it all out... Waistwraps, bounces, even caught the poi and did a breath off of it. Did btb and between the legs, flowers and stalls. At the end of it I was out of breath but I thought it was a great run. And then they came up to me and each of them told me that they really liked the part where they were short and spinning in a cirlce close to my face...
I think I died a bit inside that day.
Don't mind me, just passing through.
BRONZE Member
Classically British
5,689 posts
Location: Epsom, Surrey, England
Classically British
5,689 posts
Location: Epsom, Surrey, England
Posted:
Ahhhh, yes - been there, done that.
Ahhhh, yes - been there, done that. Burner of Toast
Spinner of poi
Slacker of enormous magnitude
SILVER Member
Tosser
1,712 posts
Location: Bristol,UK
Tosser
1,712 posts
Location: Bristol,UK
Posted:
Jay Kitty: Yep... good shout UGH!
Jay Kitty: Yep... good shout
UGH! newbie
33 posts
Location: Go
33 posts
Location: Go
Posted:
3 beat weave, do it fast
...seriously
3 beat weave, do it fast
...seriously
Life is a box full of chocolates. Its full of the gross coconut ones.
SILVER Member
Elusive and Bearded
3,597 posts
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Elusive and Bearded
3,597 posts
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Posted:
i'm still surprised how little reaction an angel roll gets...
i'm still surprised how little reaction an angel roll gets...
O.B.E.S.E.
Owned by Mynci!
GOLD Member
Pyromancer extraordinair
88 posts
Location: Netherlands
Pyromancer extraordinair
88 posts
Location: Netherlands
Posted:
I think the weaves, spirals and buzzsaws have the most wow factor. And the flowers do well, when they take pictures. But they mostly see these afterwards...
I think the weaves, spirals and buzzsaws have the most wow factor. And the flowers do well, when they take pictures. But they mostly see these afterwards...
What is life, without a little risk!
PLATINUM Member
bastard child of satan
1,113 posts
Location: Raanana, Israel
bastard child of satan
1,113 posts
Location: Raanana, Israel
Posted:
Originally Posted By: Pojei'm still surprised how little reaction an angel roll gets...
so sad, yet so true =\
with staff I find that people love duckouts, especially any groundwork.
prayer steves get a good reaction as well.
with poi I'd have to say uberloops, isolations, and fast flowers tend to get a really good reaction.
Originally Posted By: Pojei'm still surprised how little reaction an angel roll gets...
so sad, yet so true =\
with staff I find that people love duckouts, especially any groundwork.
prayer steves get a good reaction as well.
with poi I'd have to say uberloops, isolations, and fast flowers tend to get a really good reaction.
GOLD Member
Mission: Ignition
534 posts
Location: Central New Jersey, USA
Mission: Ignition
534 posts
Location: Central New Jersey, USA
Posted:
I'm shocked how little people like contact staff, I had to explain to someone how amazing it was that the spinner had been spinning for about a minute without actually TOUCHING the staff. I recently did some spinning on the beach with my glorious new flow toys and by far people love uberloops the best. I think spiral wraps got a good reaction too looking at your avatar poi boy.
I'm shocked how little people like contact staff, I had to explain to someone how amazing it was that the spinner had been spinning for about a minute without actually TOUCHING the staff. I recently did some spinning on the beach with my glorious new flow toys and by far people love uberloops the best. I think spiral wraps got a good reaction too looking at your avatar poi boy.
Don't mind me, just passing through.
PLATINUM Member
bastard child of satan
1,113 posts
Location: Raanana, Israel
bastard child of satan
1,113 posts
Location: Raanana, Israel
Posted:
thanks JayKitty but that's a wall plane flower variation (the one where you cross and uncross your arms), I just got lucky with the photo's timing
thanks JayKitty but that's a wall plane flower variation (the one where you cross and uncross your arms), I just got lucky with the photo's timing
GOLD Member
Golf buggie driving instructor
156 posts
Location: Brisvegas, Australia
Golf buggie driving instructor
156 posts
Location: Brisvegas, Australia
Posted:
Its really interesting that contact staff doesnt get a great response from crowds. I think its because it's really low energy. There is this thing rolling aroung you , but the movements of the person doing it are usually smooth and controlled, possibly tai chi like, but what we see with many of these WOW moves is people respond to speed and energy.
I think thats why feicha can be used well in performance, because the sound that it creates adds to the energy of the performance and puts excitment into the prop... because its loud.
hmmm... weird ... really simple. maybe i'll put symbols on my staff.
Its really interesting that contact staff doesnt get a great response from crowds. I think its because it's really low energy. There is this thing rolling aroung you , but the movements of the person doing it are usually smooth and controlled, possibly tai chi like, but what we see with many of these WOW moves is people respond to speed and energy.
I think thats why feicha can be used well in performance, because the sound that it creates adds to the energy of the performance and puts excitment into the prop... because its loud.
hmmm... weird ... really simple. maybe i'll put symbols on my staff.
GOLD Member
Pyromancer extraordinair
88 posts
Location: Netherlands
Pyromancer extraordinair
88 posts
Location: Netherlands
Posted:
Okay, for a wow factor, I'd say that the fans are actually my WoW-iest toy.
I lit them up last weekend and people were in awe the moment I had five burning wicks on my fan. I kept them together for lighting and after a few spins I split them one to each hand, people again WoW-ed when they saw me with two fans instead of one.
Then the spinning and dancing act, combined with a few martial arts jumps/kicks and stances made it a definite winner of the evening.
The poi and staff were a close second. Staff mostly because I used it to do some fire breathing aswell. But indeed the contact moves didn't get the wow I expected.
Okay, for a wow factor, I'd say that the fans are actually my WoW-iest toy.
I lit them up last weekend and people were in awe the moment I had five burning wicks on my fan. I kept them together for lighting and after a few spins I split them one to each hand, people again WoW-ed when they saw me with two fans instead of one.
Then the spinning and dancing act, combined with a few martial arts jumps/kicks and stances made it a definite winner of the evening.
The poi and staff were a close second. Staff mostly because I used it to do some fire breathing aswell. But indeed the contact moves didn't get the wow I expected.
What is life, without a little risk!
SILVER Member
newbie
33 posts
Location: Springfield, MO in the county of Greene!!!, USA
newbie
33 posts
Location: Springfield, MO in the county of Greene!!!, USA
Posted:
Well I think people who aren't WOWed by contact staff are dumb and can't appreciate the time and skill it takes to do a simple matrix, or fishtail! I've had people come up to me after a performance(with fire), and say that,"that's easy and that they could do that!" STUPID! My drunk poi buddy just ended up getting into this guys face and kept trying to hand the man her sock poi...dude wouldn't even take them! She just called him a stupid p*ssy in front of everyone! Made him look real cool! LOL!
Well I think people who aren't WOWed by contact staff are dumb and can't appreciate the time and skill it takes to do a simple matrix, or fishtail! I've had people come up to me after a performance(with fire), and say that,"that's easy and that they could do that!" STUPID! My drunk poi buddy just ended up getting into this guys face and kept trying to hand the man her sock poi...dude wouldn't even take them! She just called him a stupid p*ssy in front of everyone! Made him look real cool! LOL!
SILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa
Posted:
It is not that they are dumb. They are ignorant. Which is a big difference.
That difference lies in how things look to a lay person. Contact is slow, done well it is done with a lot of control. That sort of thing is generally viewed as easy by someone who has never tried.
It is very similar to something like ballet: a *lot* of effort goes into looking effortless. Which does not always come across.
What a muggle will react to is something that looks dangerous (whether it is or not) and something that looks hard. Whether it looks hard because it is hard or whether it looks hard because that is how it looks (for example, I find hand tracers with my right hand tracing hard. That does not mean that it looks hard). The other thing, especially with fire, is that it is viewed as dangerous. Even though most people are fairly low risk.
It is actually very similar to climbing, now that I have thought about it a bit more. It is safe, but looks really cool because it looks so not-safe. *shrug*
Only education will help on that front.
It is not that they are dumb. They are ignorant. Which is a big difference.
That difference lies in how things look to a lay person. Contact is slow, done well it is done with a lot of control. That sort of thing is generally viewed as easy by someone who has never tried.
It is very similar to something like ballet: a *lot* of effort goes into looking effortless. Which does not always come across.
What a muggle will react to is something that looks dangerous (whether it is or not) and something that looks hard. Whether it looks hard because it is hard or whether it looks hard because that is how it looks (for example, I find hand tracers with my right hand tracing hard. That does not mean that it looks hard). The other thing, especially with fire, is that it is viewed as dangerous. Even though most people are fairly low risk.
It is actually very similar to climbing, now that I have thought about it a bit more. It is safe, but looks really cool because it looks so not-safe. *shrug*
Only education will help on that front.
'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland
SILVER Member
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!
Rampant whirler.
2,418 posts
Location: Geelong, Victoria, Australia!
Posted:
I've practiced in front of muggles while having a chat before, so this usually means a lot of techy stuff, because that means I don't have to move around a whole lot, I can stay facing one direction. I can stand there doing stuff that would get a pretty good reaction out of you guys, but it was a very simple pirouette that got the reaction from the muggles.
I've practiced in front of muggles while having a chat before, so this usually means a lot of techy stuff, because that means I don't have to move around a whole lot, I can stay facing one direction. I can stand there doing stuff that would get a pretty good reaction out of you guys, but it was a very simple pirouette that got the reaction from the muggles.
PLATINUM Member
bastard child of satan
1,113 posts
Location: Raanana, Israel
bastard child of satan
1,113 posts
Location: Raanana, Israel
Posted:
Originally Posted By: aston
What a muggle will react to is something that looks dangerous (whether it is or not) and something that looks hard.
That's the weird thing, they tend to react to anything that looks dangerous, that mostly being fire close to your body, and yet moves where the staff actually touches your body get little to no reaction.
EDITED_BY: _Poiboy_ (1251275197)
Originally Posted By: aston
What a muggle will react to is something that looks dangerous (whether it is or not) and something that looks hard.
That's the weird thing, they tend to react to anything that looks dangerous, that mostly being fire close to your body, and yet moves where the staff actually touches your body get little to no reaction.
EDITED_BY: _Poiboy_ (1251275197)
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