Forums > Social Chat > I cannot be a raver...

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Sister ElevenGOLD Member
owner of the group property
1,277 posts
Location: Seattle, WA, USA


Posted:
My sweetie says I'm getting good with poi, but that my poi skill would be better displayed if I danced as well, and she suggests taking dance lessons or something.

But she doesn't understand... Besides my love of grindcore and industrial metal (<3 Godflesh), not dancing is all that distinguishes me from the ravers! I regularly spin while electronic music is playing, I am easily fascinated by glowing things, I love mushrooms, and I hardly sleep! If I throw dancing into this mix it will start a subcultural chain reaction, and I may start to lose my Metal status altogether...

...a fate worse than death.

(No offense to my raver friends.)

p|.q|r:|::s|.s|s:|:.s|q.|:p|s.|.p|s


FireTomStargazer
6,650 posts

Posted:
laugh3 that must have been one of THE sweetest posts here on HoP that I had the lucky chum to come across in a very very long time laugh3

Thank you hug2 ...

peace no need to dance, just go for the tech side of spinning
EDITED_BY: FireTom (1253946504)
EDIT_REASON: ;)

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink


natasqiaddict
489 posts
Location: Perth


Posted:
You don't need to learn to dance, just learn to turn and move your feet a bit.. I think a lot of the time, dancing can replace technical stuff. i.e. someone who dances and moves a lot can look just as good (if not better) than someone who knows a lot more than them but stays in one spot.

I think the medium road is just as good, learn all you can with poi (including whirls and full turns) so that your feet aren't glued to the floor.

astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
Yeah. A few moves done nicely can get a better reaction than a complete tech-poi performance. But if you can drop some tech into something that flows, well, so much the better. smile

Just learn to move with poi. You need not learn to dance. A number of people use various martial arts as a basis for movement.

'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


FireTomStargazer
6,650 posts

Posted:
it's not how you look - it's how you feel wink

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink


DurbsBRONZE Member
Classically British
5,689 posts
Location: Epsom, Surrey, England


Posted:
Actually you'll be fine.

All ravers do is really fast 2-beat weaves with glowsticks, occasionally mixing it up with really fast butterflies and shoddy, out of plane, really fast corkscrews

wink

Burner of Toast
Spinner of poi
Slacker of enormous magnitude


DaGGOLD Member
Golf buggie driving instructor
156 posts
Location: Brisvegas, Australia


Posted:
I beg to differ Durbs!

It isn't about 2 beats! Anyone who has ever seen a Techno Turtles video knows that its all about the wrarps.
Especially if they are going so fast that it looks like you are just thwacking yourself in the face with glowsticks.

Seriously. Conscious movement is what will make what you are already doing look more like a dance. Know where your feet are and why and know what positions/ postures look good.

and Tom, feeling great does not mean looking great... well... it depends if the people watching are wasted too grin




Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
Originally Posted By: DurbsActually you'll be fine.

All ravers do is really fast 2-beat weaves with glowsticks, occasionally mixing it up with really fast butterflies and shoddy, out of plane, really fast corkscrews wink

well yes, but they do it with love and passion wink

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


DurbsBRONZE Member
Classically British
5,689 posts
Location: Epsom, Surrey, England


Posted:
wink

Techno Turtles weren't ravers - they were glowstickers.
They're like ravers, only with skill, and *slightly* fewer drugs.

Burner of Toast
Spinner of poi
Slacker of enormous magnitude


astonSILVER Member
Unofficial Chairperson of Squirrel Defense League
4,061 posts
Location: South Africa


Posted:
lol....

Splitting hairs Durbs. Or is that hares...?

Rabbit pie anyone?

'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


zildjinboyBRONZE Member
newbie
30 posts
Location: Colorado, USA


Posted:
Originally Posted By: Durbswink

Techno Turtles weren't ravers - they were glowstickers.
They're like ravers, only with skill, and *slightly* fewer drugs.
or in some cases no drugs i started spinning in a more rave based way and more glowsticking based but i've found that what people look for to be good and what is said to be challenging is all wrap combo's and lil stuff like that and i don't find that fun. the way i look at it is you can still be a poist who spins at raves thats how i look at myself but i don't focus myself on the same things as my glowsticker friends.

the_mods_stole_my_nameSILVER Member
travelling without moving
1,286 posts
Location: Maghull, Liverpool, United Kingdom


Posted:
Aren't glowstickers/glowstringers them idiots that always want to have some sort of battle with eachother to prove who is better? I've had experience of them a few times whilst out clubbing, they generally arent very good spinners(though neither am i). Although i was impressed by one guys slight of hand, when he had different coloured glowsticks at either end of his strings and swapped between them effortlessly, made for a very good visual effect.

Heilige Scheiße, Batman kommt!

Reality is just a state of mind which occurs through a lack of lsd

XxX owned by devilsarmy XxX

O.B.E.S.E.


JayKittyGOLD Member
Mission: Ignition
534 posts
Location: Central New Jersey, USA


Posted:
There are the people who see who can wave a glowstick around in the air better and then there are some butthead stringers and then there are poi-ish transplants. They love the rave scene more than the fire scene and have adapted to techno and small spaces.

Don't mind me, just passing through.


EpitomeOfNoviceGOLD Member
Putting the "FUN" in fundamental since 1981
787 posts
Location: Dover, Delaware USA


Posted:
*has been hit in the head with more rogue glowsticks attached to string than I care to talk about*

I dunno what's with all the anti-rave banter (I love raves, I also love a lot of other things in general too), but most ravers I see who string stand still and are entirely trick oriented. I'm a poi beginner and most of my focus is on being able to move around freely/rhythmically and use as much of my range of motion/flexibility as possible while not bonking myself. I do not want to look like a statue that can flail glowing things. LOL

I'd like to be a more well rounded performer in time, but I assure you simply moving and dancing will not make you look like a raver. There are so many awesome dance styles that can be incorporated with EDM, all the fun is in find your flow.

~Rock on!~

"As the pattern gets more intricate and subtle, being swept along is no longer enough"-Waking Life

(All you RLers this is epitome_of_lame *waves hello*)


Sister ElevenGOLD Member
owner of the group property
1,277 posts
Location: Seattle, WA, USA


Posted:
In all seriousness, movement is an issue I would like to work on, along with doing more with the moves I know already. There was someone at our spin jam today who had an extremely interesting but simple style (nothing but butterflies, weaves, corkscrews, and hip reels), and it's yet another example of the importance of movement. Myself, I don't dance, ever, and have not a drip of style or presence when I spin. I'm not really sure what to do about this.

p|.q|r:|::s|.s|s:|:.s|q.|:p|s.|.p|s


EpitomeOfNoviceGOLD Member
Putting the "FUN" in fundamental since 1981
787 posts
Location: Dover, Delaware USA


Posted:
Have you tried just walking in time to the music or turning on a certain count? It's good to start dance and interpretive movement simple. I started dance classes when I was about 3 and dance to this day in many styles, but they all have certain timing aspects and simple body movements (walking, skipping, turning, jumping) in common. It's how you work with those building blocks to the time of music that will help you a ton.

I like to use modern dance/contemporary style when I'm spinning due to the flow and pace of it and make my own interpretive movement, but it all starts with just moving to music in sync with the beat. Definitely experiment with it:)

~Rock on!~

"As the pattern gets more intricate and subtle, being swept along is no longer enough"-Waking Life

(All you RLers this is epitome_of_lame *waves hello*)


FireTomStargazer
6,650 posts

Posted:
movement is not issue, apart from the occasional half or full turn just to go from one direction to the other smile

if you want to dance though it is more like caring for fluffy toys that don't hurt too much when hitting - and spinning as sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas pooooooooooooooooooooooossibleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 9to have more time for the movements) wink

the best smiles are the ones you lead to wink


Sister ElevenGOLD Member
owner of the group property
1,277 posts
Location: Seattle, WA, USA


Posted:
I think there are more ways to move while spinning than turning around. I've seen it first hand, even tongue2 If turning around was all it took to add interesting movement, then I would be fun to watch; but point is, I ain't.

p|.q|r:|::s|.s|s:|:.s|q.|:p|s.|.p|s


LkLjourneyman
79 posts

Posted:
ive seen glowstringers that move around and such, alot of them spin poi to practice and use there glowsticks to practice wraps and such. I practice both, but i practice poi more then glowsticking. i like the movement and i like the wraps, i like the freedom to move around and slow down my poi and go at an even speed doing what ever. as well as i love smacking the censored outta my self while wrapping my sticks around my neck arms legs etc =)
its all fun.
and from my understanding glowsticking.com community promote non battle/ non drug associated culture, just the fun behind the spin.

zildjinboyBRONZE Member
newbie
30 posts
Location: Colorado, USA


Posted:
Originally Posted By: the_mods_stole_my_nameAren't glowstickers/glowstringers them idiots that always want to have some sort of battle with eachother to prove who is better?
Depends some yes but like the people who glowstick from GS.C are the exact opposite they think that "battling" is wrong and that any one who does so is killing their culture and they think anyone who uses it to make money is wrong and competing is wrong.
i notice the difference between more poi style spinning and more glowstringing style but they types of moves poist's are more focused on technical spinning like flowers, fancy weaves, butterfly's, and stuff like that glowstringers are more focused on wraps thats what i've seen mostly.
i started as a glowstringer but found i liked poi better and did more poi style stringing and poist are usually as close minded. i still spin in a glowstringing setting only poi style moves not glowstringing moves.

LyeFate Keeps Telling Me To Stop
270 posts

Posted:
I'm pretty sure that turtles video was good.

Also I think we're just waving our arms and being too narrow minded as to what dance is. "art of movement" any movement you add to your poi spinning is dancing. the spinning is dancing. I am the worlds worst 'conventional' dancer, but I don't think there's anything to be lost from learning more forms of movement... and ravers aren't the only people that dance with poi. My friend dances sort of like you would at a punk/ska show while he spins and it works really well for him.

T-S-ASILVER Member
Magic Monkey Juice
252 posts
Location: Saaf Ingerland Innet, England (UK)


Posted:
Originally Posted By: Sister ElevenMy sweetie says I'm getting good with poi, but that my poi skill would be better displayed if I danced as well, and she suggests taking dance lessons or something.

But she doesn't understand... Besides my love of grindcore and industrial metal (<3 Godflesh), not dancing is all that distinguishes me from the ravers! I regularly spin while electronic music is playing, I am easily fascinated by glowing things, I love mushrooms, and I hardly sleep! If I throw dancing into this mix it will start a subcultural chain reaction, and I may start to lose my Metal status altogether...

...a fate worse than death.

(No offense to my raver friends.) Forget status, do what you want, if you want to dance then dance, if you dont want to then dont.
EDITED_BY: T-S-A (1255493390)

"We were making castles in the sand: Now we swim in the seas that swept them away"


JayKittyGOLD Member
Mission: Ignition
534 posts
Location: Central New Jersey, USA


Posted:
I used to be a closet digimon fan because goth kids can't like happy techno or digimon. I took a look at my life from all angles and realized I had a lot of angles... and that was it. I had a lot of ways to look at myself, I am not a 2D person. Like everyone here is into poi, but that is not the only thing that makes them who they are. Sure this is a fire/poi website, but look how many of the posts and photos have nothing to do with fire and or poi.

Don't mind me, just passing through.


Sister ElevenGOLD Member
owner of the group property
1,277 posts
Location: Seattle, WA, USA


Posted:
Well, let's not confuse metal-ness with what metalheads would approve of. There are metalheads who like Iron Maiden, one of the lamest bands to ever defile an electric guitar. I'm talking about the Deep Essence of Metal.

And I should hope it was clear that my original post was largely tongue-in-cheek. In addition to liking Godflesh, Brujeria, and Ministry, I am also an open fan of Joanna Newsom, Regina Spektor, Mindless Self Indulgence, Jason Webley, Psychic TV, and J.G. Thirlwell.

The grains of truth in my post are the following:

- My sensibility is largely metal, and most of raver culture offends my aesthetic sense. As such, it means that I have failed on an artistic level if I am sorted into the latter. I like what I like, and I don't apologize for or hide a bit of it, but the bulk of things raverly are not things I like.

- Dancing scares me, as does doing anything that might be perceived as dancing. The reasons given in this post are largely an amusing irrelevancy, but what they are a fake reason for is my very real aversion to dance-like situations. (The reason this becomes an issue, instead of a reason to spin while standing still, is that I do care about my presence as a poi performer, and movement issues are at the heart of my performances' present defects.)

I hope this separates the humorous aspects of my original response from the more serious ones.

p|.q|r:|::s|.s|s:|:.s|q.|:p|s.|.p|s


Bam_BamBRONZE Member
Raver X
15 posts
Location: Fort Worth, Tx. Usa


Posted:
There is nothing wrong with being a raver. I use to listen to gangster rap and now i am fine with who i am and what i do. No one i use to know would aprove of me spinning poi or listing to good music. It is up to you to choose who you are and what you do. At night your the one who has to live with yourself! smile

Sister ElevenGOLD Member
owner of the group property
1,277 posts
Location: Seattle, WA, USA


Posted:
Once again, this has nothing to do with peer issues. It has, precisely, to do with what I do and don't like. Hell, I haven't even had friends specifically into metal since high school, and no one I know now would seriously give a censored.

I think it's strange that there's a flood of responses that seem to assume peer pressure is the only reason I don't want to be associated with a particular culture.

p|.q|r:|::s|.s|s:|:.s|q.|:p|s.|.p|s


Bam_BamBRONZE Member
Raver X
15 posts
Location: Fort Worth, Tx. Usa


Posted:
I wasnt really tring to imply that it was friends or any thing else. Just saying you are the one that has to live with yourself and do what makes you happy. Most of what i was saying was my case and/or what i went threw. smile

JayKittyGOLD Member
Mission: Ignition
534 posts
Location: Central New Jersey, USA


Posted:
Also on another side note, I've been to raves where every now and then the DJ will throw a bone to all you metalheads in the audience. And he said let there be lamb of god! And it was good. And then he said let there be in flames... and it was good, and then he transitioned into a lovley mix of industrial/gabber/dub. Lines blur, that's how we get new stuff, let it flow.

Don't mind me, just passing through.



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