Poi Workshops

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated Yule with some friends. Part of our festivities included fire twirling:

What better skill for our freakshow of unschooled children to learn?! Art that burns! Anyway, we asked Loz (our firey friend who organises local twirling get togethers) how to get started and she suggested putting tennis balls in the ends of knee high socks to create home made poi.

First we practiced at home:

It is a lot of fun, whether you're 3 years old or 28. But, you need more room than a lounge room can provide. Next we headed to the beach with Sarah Jane and her girls:

Sarah Jane about 2 seconds before she hit herself in the head

And of course, we practiced outdoors at home:

Using poi for elephant trunks is also a big hit

After practicing at home with our socks and balls, we joined the local fireies and had a go at glowstring poi, the fire staff, twirling glow sticks and we watched in awe at friends with fire poi:

5 of our fire twirling friends at play

Sarah Patrticia with poi

Loz dancing

Harri with glow sticks, Sarah Patricia with glowstring poi

Harri with the fire staff

Sarah Patricia with poi

Harri dancing to her friend's poi-ing

Bubby loved watching the fire

Harri twirling glow sticks, Mumma with poi

Friend with the glowstring poi

Someone also brought their drums along, Harri had a great time thumping out her own beats.

Our friends are hoping to get together one night every month for a fire twirling/poi/drum night, so we've decided a set of our own poi would be a wise investment. And maybe down the track some fire twirling gear too.