Forums > Beginner Poi Moves > pirouettes. and my total inability to do them

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originalsmitSILVER Member
addict
469 posts
Location: nottingham, england. cornwall wales denmark or pra...


Posted:
okay this is something i have had trouble with for a long time now and i just did a search and actually found nothing. eek which is a first

pirouettes (vertical ones)

i cannot get them to work



ways i have tried

going into a vertical pirouette from a forwards weave and at the piont of swapping from the left hand side to the right hand sidebringing your hands out really big and taking the right arm over in a big arcto behind your back on the other side. this either seems to have me fighting my muscle memory which wants me to spin round into a behind the back weave, or waving my arms around not pirrouetting beautifully



the other method i tried was going from a 5 beat upwards weave and at the piont of turning i found my arms naturally wanted to reach out and do something i hope was but was not actually a pirouette.



method 3 was late one night in simians flat where i can touch the ceiling with my outstretched arm anyways and even with invisible poi it was still a challenge.



the horizontal one i can do no problem just 4bt corkscrew then out.



this ones tricky. and ive bin stumped on it for ages .help smit.

ubbrollsmile



edited for terrible spelling the sort of spelling that comes with notes like

2/10 see me

EDITED_BY: originalsmit (1084881539)

my original signature was tooo long.
this one is shorter


DeepSoulSheepGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,617 posts
Location: Berlin, Ireland


Posted:
I haven't tried them in wheel plane before but this might help.



Can you can do this.



If so can you do it both directions and turn into either direction. If so turn and then immediately turn again......difficult to explain cause it was just one of those that popped in one day.



I think it makes pirrouetting easier cause it slows everything down with the long radius. The same idea works for same time same direction. I think it's in a video meenik did, can't remember which one.



This also works for the opposite direction version of the straight arm move but my planes go ape on it at the moment. I'm sure it can be done cleanly though.



The more difficult pirouette I know is wall plane same direction anti-clock like a waist-wrap. when completed circles on right hand side of waist move straight up into circles at right shouldar position as if doing a fountain. As you move your right hand upwards just spin. It feels like your hands (and maybe they do) jst stay stillthrough the move and their momentum keeps them in plane (-ish) as you spin underneath it. I'd have to look at it closer myself to explain it better than that because it's still quite new to me.



If you can to a 1 beat pirouette with doubles (where the hands stay still at the shoulders) it's exact same idea. I don't think my planes stay exactly straight with this move at the moment but it's a bit disorientating anyway. confused
EDITED_BY: DeepSoulSheep (1084882823)

I live in a world of infinite possibilities.


colemanSILVER Member
big and good and broken
7,330 posts
Location: lunn dunn, yoo kay, United Kingdom


Posted:
i got some advice on pirouettes at the bjc earlier this year:

"spin around real fast."

rubbish, i know rolleyes

juggle

[serious advice is watch 'dervishly yers' by meenik - there's pirouettes all over it - the one at 1:35 is beautiful and the long arm spinny on one leg thing @ 1:40 is what you're looking for i think]

"i see you at 'dis cafe.
i come to 'dis cafe quite a lot myself.
they do porridge."
- tim westwood


duballstarSILVER Member
slack rating - 9.5
2,216 posts
Location: Suburbiton, Yoo-Kay, United Kingdom


Posted:
we'll sort this out on thurs... wink

It is our fantasies that make us real. Without our fantasies we're just a blank monkey' - Terry Pratchett


LazyAngelGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK


Posted:
does anyone have any advice for pirouette footwork?

Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant

Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.

'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi


_Aime_SILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
4,172 posts
Location: Hastings, United Kingdom


Posted:
I found it helps going into them from windmill, split time pirrys anyhoo..

Some tips you might find useful..

As either hand swoops down infront of you turn your head and torso to the left, so the poi are moving in the weave plane, much easier and keep them cleaner I find,
Go 180 and go up one, two, with the poi, 180 again and down, one, two back into windmill..
Crap at expalining things arn't I..


Will try and get a little video for you hug

colemanSILVER Member
big and good and broken
7,330 posts
Location: lunn dunn, yoo kay, United Kingdom


Posted:
Written by: coleman


watch 'dervishly yers' by meenik - there's pirouettes all over it - the one at 1:35 is beautiful and the long arm spinny on one leg thing @ 1:40 is what you're looking for i think




the above shows footwork pretty nicely i reckon smile


cole. x

"i see you at 'dis cafe.
i come to 'dis cafe quite a lot myself.
they do porridge."
- tim westwood


bluecatgeek, level 1
5,300 posts
Location: everywhere


Posted:
um.

from the rest of this thread, i take it you don't mean juggling pirouettes?

R

Holistic Spinner (I hope)


simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
ramblings of an ungraceful munky:



i'd say one step for each 180degree turn of your body works quite nicely. You'll need to pivot on the standing foot a little bit.



stepping backward means your feet end up pointing apart during the turn, and stepping forward makes them point together.



i think meenik takes a step for each 90degree turn, tho i may be miktasken.



i think Juggler's pirouettes are total pivots on one foot, pushing with the other one (like you're on a skateboard). But jugglers are ugly tongue



Alternatively you could do wierd stuff like:

Keeping your feet still, and going from legs twisted up one way, to legs twisted up the other way. Or just jump in the air and spin round.



Spotting is good. Try it. While turning, keep your eyes pointed at one reference point, until you reach the point where you're neck doesn't stretch that far and you whip you head round till you're looking at the same reference point.

So while your body from shoulders down is turning at a constant rate, your head is staying still, then quickly doing a full rotation, then staying still.

It really helps with dizziness, and does good stuff to the momentum and feel of the turn.



Centre of gravity is really important to the feel of the pirouette. You can keep yourself centred on it, or turn your whole body in a circle around it, or turn the centre of gravity around your body. Try standing with your feet a shoulder width apart. Keep your centre of gravity in the middle of your body (directly under your head) as you pivot on one foot. The centre of gravity (and your body) will rotate around that foot.



i reckon the most important thing about getting a pirouette to look good is stopping the movement in a way that looks smooth, deliberate and accurate. Think about stalling your pirouettes in a similar way to stalling poi, and you won't go too far wrong.

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


bluecatgeek, level 1
5,300 posts
Location: everywhere


Posted:
um,

i meant that there doesn't appear to be any releasing being talked about.

now [censored] off, non-juggler wink

Holistic Spinner (I hope)


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
Written by: the ungraceful monkey

Spotting is good. Try it. While turning, keep your eyes pointed at one reference point, until you reach the point where you're neck doesn't stretch that far and you whip you head round till you're looking at the same reference point.
So while your body from shoulders down is turning at a constant rate, your head is staying still, then quickly doing a full rotation, then staying still.
It really helps with dizziness, and does good stuff to the momentum and feel of the turn.




Bang! smile

simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
Did you just smack your head on the cupboard door again, Jon?

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
No.. I fell over trying to do them that way.
I overspan.

*wanders off thinking about antispin pirouettes*

simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
The whirling dervishes are masters of the antispin pireoutte.



seriously.

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
Proof?

confused

simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
i have none smile

But try turning clockwise, while using your footwork to move yourself in a largeish anticlockwise circle.

So as you begin:
Take a step diagonally in front of you and left. As your doing this, turn to your right.
Repeat (for hours and hours and hours if you're a dervish).

You should reach your starting point again after turning round once. Erm, that could be read in two ways, but both readings are right.

It feels quite lovely, and seems to reduce dizziness somewhat too.

Still finding it hard with a hula hoop though frown
i keep needing little extra hip circles after each 90degree turn.

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
oh...those are easy..i know them smile

Whats a whirling dervish anyway?

biggrin

simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
they are badass


Non-Https Image Link


go ogle a durbs tongue

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


Suibomaddict
577 posts
Location: Oregon, USA


Posted:
I'd be suprised if you haven't seen it yet, but this vid might be useful:

[Old link]

Definition of poi- A Hawaiian food made from the tuber of the taro that is cooked, pounded to a paste, and fermented.

Ahnold discussing poi - "It is naht a toober!"


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
Does it have whirling dervishes in it? umm

LazyAngelGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK


Posted:
wow, that was a lot of quick replies! Thanks simian, I'll have to go practise spinning myself round in circles!
*wanders off to go prancing and getting dizzy about in the local park*

Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant

Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.

'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi



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