Forums > Social Chat > How were you introduced to poi?

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tracethefaceBRONZE Member
angry turtle
101 posts
Location: Another haunted factory., USA


Posted:
Just curious to see how other people first met with spinning culture and started spinning. What got you hooked?

The first time I saw somebody using poi was when I was seventeen, at a concert in Salt Lake City. It was a smaller, indoor venue and this guy was hired as a walkabout between sets. I remember thinking the guy was not too bright, and in retrospect, knowing more about spinning and fire, I was right (or, he was at least very negligent or ignorant of some very basic safety issues).

He basically pushed some people out of the way to make a small space, and then just started spinning a few meters away from me in the middle of the crowd and let people notice and start giving him more room. After he had most people's attention, he lit up and spent a few minutes doing (what I now know as) three beat weaves with the occasional big swing between his legs. When he stopped spinning, people clapped and he basically held the poi up and told people to move so he could carry them (still burning, mind you) somewhere near the bathrooms, or perhaps to the bathrooms themselves.

At the time the whole thing just seemed off. We were in a small indoor venue, packed pretty tightly with a big crowd. His performance space was just an unmarked circle in the middle of the crowd that people had formed around him, and it was small enough that anyone on the edge could have easily grabbed the poi if they made a step or two in. The way he handled the poi and fire in general just made me distrust the guy.

The whole experience left a pretty bad impression of spinning, for me. Not only was the whole affair irresponsible and dangerous, but truth be told, it was boring. For this reason, I never bothered investigating it further until I wanted some variety from juggling and yo-yo last year. I stumbled onto HoP looking for juggling materials and remembered where I'd seen it before. I likewise found all you wonderful people and saw the kind of potential poi can have. Thanks for that!

Anyway, just thought I'd share my story and see if anyone else wanted to share how they got into spinning. Also thought I'd mention this as a friendly reminder that we're ambassadors for spinning when we perform, so give a good impression!

Fluidity.


Trybal WolfSILVER Member
Wolf Furry
517 posts
Location: Earth, USA


Posted:
I love poi because it fills the empty, otherwise meaningless moments in my life with something uplifting and self improving. Poi is addicting, and a great tool to use to really know yourself. It shows you who you are, who you can be, and who you could become. Poi increases your patience, self control, and ability to learn, just to name a few things.

I started spinning staff about 11 years ago. It was my gate tool. Staff however was, for me, somewhat limited. I needed a tool that I would never have to stop learning. That I could never stop learning. Poi is that tool. It will never be obsolete, as new combinations of moves will always be created.

I found poi while searching for a way to make the staff more interesting. At first sight I was captivated. I saw two videos. First one of Burning Dan spinning, and then Nick Woolsey's "When circles dream remix". Both videos impacted me tremendously.

I was never a coordinated person, and, in hand with that, always felt as though I had no natural grace. Poi completely changed that. My self esteem had been greatly increased as a result.

Now I can't say I acted even remotely intelligent when I started. I spun fire on day 2, and had spun wire wool by the end of the first week. (Now please, those of you who are new to this, do NOT do as I did. I was lucky. The worst injury I've had so far was molten iron from burning wire wool stuck in my skin. It was very painful to remove, but it could have been much, much worse. I could have been permanently injured or disfigured! Please be safe!)

Poi fits in perfectly with the rest of my life, making the ordinary, extraordinary. I hope to use poi to bring awareness to the evil in this world, and to encourage people to try to join and find the solutions to this day's problems.

I am saddened by the immorality that I see in the flow arts community, and long to be a light in it for Jesus Christ. I want to see spinners turn to God from their sin, and find true happiness in Him. I cannot bear to think of to think of my lost brothers spending eternity in punishment, and wish to do all that I can to change their fates.

My local flow arts community is virtually nonexistant. Sadly, there is no spinning community in my area. I hope to see that change however, and am striving towards that end.

I hope to see a vibrant spinning community in my area within a few years. One In which spinning is the common bond that hold the members together. I long to see a community of Christian spinners held together by God and by their love of the art of poi.

I have also played around with double staff, contact staff, contact juggling, juggling, hoop, meteor, nunchuku, puppyhammer, rope dart, staff, and wand. I find that having other tools to toy around with often helps in learning your main tool, as well as diversifying your flow experience.

I'd rather die on paws, than live on feet.


ABOBer92SILVER Member
ABOB - Pois'n'us
178 posts
Location: Northern Ireland


Posted:
i met a guy on st paddys day at a bar and over a long drinking session (about a week) found out he was into circusy stuff and we became good friends. he mostly did/does fire poi and about 2months after i met him he started learning fire breathing and needed someone (me) to help out in case anything went wrong and when learning to firebreath off a buzzsaw he asked me to hold them and to spin them so my hands didnt get burnt. the sound mixed with their heat just made me want to learn how to do it after that and after 3months of constant practicing+saving up i bought my first set, since then ive been addicted (...though if asked im merely making sure i have good equipment for shows tongue2 )

I dont want to be called 'the greatest' or 'one of the greats'; let other guys claim to be the best. I just want to be known as a clown, to me thats the height of my profession. It means you can do everything-sing, dance, and above all, make people laugh


synndarellaDIAMOND Member
member
61 posts
Location: Somerset, United Kingdom


Posted:
I went to a festival and a friend of a friend had all this circus equipment. I'd never met him before. All the girls were playing with poi and I thought.. omg that is so me.

It wasn't till then that I realized I had seen them before many times, but they were on fire! Because I have a reputation for accidently setting fire to each and every place I've ever lived, that's probably why I didn't take it in before smile

When I got home and googled Poi lessons I couldn't believe how much you could do with them. I spent the first 2 years spinning rain and shine, I was near on obsessed with them.

I was that kid who made everyone sit down and watch my dance routines that I'd copied off TV. I never really grew out of it I just grew aware that it's kinda odd when you become an adult to still do that grin I can get away with it with a pair of poi in my hands!

I don't spin as much as the first two years now. And I'm no longer striving to do more and more moves, I'm happy with what I can do because I can move freely. It was always a combo of poi and dancing for me. I can't imagine I'll ever give them up. smile

Sometimes youre ahead, sometimes youre behind. The race is long and in the end, its only with yourself~


beaniebobGOLD Member
casually noob tech poi spinrar
155 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
Originally Posted By: synndarellaAll the girls were playing with poi...

Really? I would like to visit this magical land where all the girls play with poi, because that's not how it seems to work here in Sydney. XD

First time I saw poi was when a friend of mine started glowstringing at a school dance. Thought it looked cool, so I started learning haha. Met an awesome tech spinner when I started uni, and from there I've met and found out about so many great peeps in the world of object manipulation that I really wouldn't be the me I am now without poi.

"If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error."


synndarellaDIAMOND Member
member
61 posts
Location: Somerset, United Kingdom


Posted:
Originally Posted By: beaniebobI would like to visit this magical land where all the girls play with poi

The magical land is Sidmouth festival in the UK. If you start rowing now you'll make it just in time. And you'll be able to carry the tent because those arms will be pretty strong by the time you get here, its' only fair.

Sometimes youre ahead, sometimes youre behind. The race is long and in the end, its only with yourself~


rsteve388BRONZE Member
member
7 posts
Location: Baltimore MD , USA


Posted:
I have been juggling since i was five, it was apart of my school education. Because i took lessons in the performing arts such as Acting and singing and dance, My Acting teacher also taught juggling. We learned juggling from K till about 5th grade, all under the same instructor. So i went from Scarves to Balls.

Fast forward to when i was 17 my last year of high school, my acting teacher changed and became the teacher that i had worked with previously and who had taught me how to juggle. So for my last year i returned to juggling again Fast forward to when i was 24, and decided that i wanted to pick up juggling again cause i missed it being apart of my daily routine. So for my birthday i decided to buy juggling balls and was looking up balls at Dube.com and started looking into all of the various other juggling arts and learned about poi, i saw some youtube videos and decided i wanted to learn.

I bought my first set of poi and researched various websites including play poi.com(??) where the first thing i learned about poi, was to simply play, as a beginner, you have no inhibitions about what is right and wrong and so playing is a way to experiment and i enjoyed hearing that this was a style that had lessons but could also be a exploration of self discovery in regards to moves and how your body moved with the poi.

I love poi, i am looking forward to continuing the journey that poi is for me.

Thanks for reading smile

People still use Instant Messenging??


RaineStormNerevarine, Dohvakiin, Browncoat
177 posts
Location: Torvvun (AKA alpha centauri)


Posted:
I was actually introduced by my best friend. we were at a party (if you can call a social gathering after a funeral a party), and he said, "come outside, I want to show you something." so I followed him, he grabs something out of his bag, and then we stepped out into the yard. next thing I knew I was treated to the most spectacular light show I had ever seen. needless to say, everything started looking up from there.

Someone call the doctor cuz this Beat is Sick-


Trybal WolfSILVER Member
Wolf Furry
517 posts
Location: Earth, USA


Posted:
Touching. Downright touching.

It was quite a "party".

I'd rather die on paws, than live on feet.


RaineStormNerevarine, Dohvakiin, Browncoat
177 posts
Location: Torvvun (AKA alpha centauri)


Posted:
Crystal poi, as I recall.

Someone call the doctor cuz this Beat is Sick-


Trybal WolfSILVER Member
Wolf Furry
517 posts
Location: Earth, USA


Posted:
That they were. My very first Flowtoys.

I'd rather die on paws, than live on feet.


msgSILVER Member
member
8 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
the first time i saw LED poi was at a house party, I was partying with the same community of people in the desert a few weeks later and started going to the desert often at that point, when i saw people doing fire with hoops and swords and poi and really big poi, and other LED variations, then one night i took my shoe laces off and put some glowsticks on them, and it was game ever since then. I'm now the proud owner of flow lights, RGB poi, snake fireheads, cathedral fireheads, and some other sock / glowstick poi
EDITED_BY: msg (1376171519)

LivePoiLoveLife3member
1 post

Posted:
I went to a rave with a few friends in Seattle for my first time at 17. I didn't know what to do or how to dance..even if I did I was extremely self conscious. So I stood back (by the speakers) and observed everyone.

I noticed the majority of people were playing with nova lights..except for 3, whom were glow-sticking. I went up to the best one and asked for a light show. OMG was is phenomenal! Went from long string to short, liquid in the hands then back to long. The love, fluidity and passion he expressed. When he finished, I told him,"I want to know everything you know!"

It took me a full year to learn the 3beat weave. Didn't help that his lessons were scientifically explained as well as being discouraged whenever they got tangled. I gave up every time. We were traveling the coast of California when I finally got the 3beat down. During that time we were in a tough spot. Between being homeless and addicted to drugs.. poi was the only thing that kept us sane.

We started searching poi lessons on YouTube, and wanted to find someone who made learning fun and intriguing. Took us a little while searching through videos, but we came across Nick/Meenik. We were set free. Ever since, we have been spreading the word of HomeOfPoi and Nick's awesome lessons.

Poi in itself has changed my life and has helped shape who I am today. It's so addicting that I'm known around my town as the twirler girl.. since I'm the only one in my town who carries and spins them every where I go. I Love Poi because it has [font:Comic Sans MS]SO MANY BENEFITS[/font]!! I not only gained more self esteem, I gained the ability to talk and perform in front of people, gained friends, got clean and turned my life to God. It's really good exercise as well as [font:Comic Sans MS]much[/font] more! I'm aiming to open up shop here in my own area. I've been trying to teach and get a lot of people into it..especially the younger generation and the homeless.

[font:Comic Sans MS]TO BEGINNERS:[/font] [font:Comic Sans MS]WHENEVER[/font] you learn [font:Comic Sans MS]ANYTHING [/font]new, always remember..the [font:Comic Sans MS]slower [/font]you go, the [font:Comic Sans MS]faster [/font]you learn! Good Luck and HAVE FUN! P.L.U.R. FOR LIFE!!! XD

Trybal WolfSILVER Member
Wolf Furry
517 posts
Location: Earth, USA


Posted:
Poi is great.

I'd rather die on paws, than live on feet.


RaineStormNerevarine, Dohvakiin, Browncoat
177 posts
Location: Torvvun (AKA alpha centauri)


Posted:
Captain obvious.

Someone call the doctor cuz this Beat is Sick-


Trybal WolfSILVER Member
Wolf Furry
517 posts
Location: Earth, USA


Posted:
The obvious is often the most understated.

I'd rather die on paws, than live on feet.


Daye__JohnsonGOLD Member
member
4 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
I believe the first time I saw fire-dancing was when I was 14-15 and on TV. I thought it was so sexy in a ritualistic way to work with a, possibly dangerous, tool such as fire. For a couple years I had really wanted to learn it but didn't know where to start in such a small city, so I left it for awhile. It was right before I travelled to Vancouver did I decide to learn it out there. I had one professional lesson and then would meet up with, my now new friends, and practice and learn from them.
I've loved every minute of it and am now teaching my partner Ariel.
EDITED_BY: Daye__Johnson (1380460979)

Isaiah_Hobbs79BRONZE Member
member
10 posts
Location: Wilmington NC, USA


Posted:
Well one of my friends took me to this place called the Juggling Gypsy. They do small little comedy acts, and sell cheap liquor. At first I thought it was just a bunch of hippies, until he took me to the back yard of this place. It was gigantic. There were people spinning staff, poi, and fire breathing. It really go me excited. I talked to a man spinning poi.
After he got done of course. We talked and he told me what poi was, recommend this site and basic stuff about spinning. When I told him I was very interested in the hobby, he gave me a pair of sock poi! I have gone almost every Thursday after that, and him and I have become very good friends.

Sometimes you have to ask yourself why, not why not.
Women, booze, and cars are cool. Oh and don't forget about cats, cats are cool too!


PeaceLoveUFOsSILVER Member
member
1 post
Location: Orlando, Florida, USA


Posted:
I literally said to my mom one day ' I want to do something neat with fire' then I did some research and TADA I started poi :)


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