A History of the Flow Arts Part 2: Fire spinning and Flow culture

[@laurahawkins374]

I first learnt about it when I was 8 and some Maori people came to my school and taught my class to spin poi and we learnt a traditional children's rhyme that went with it. I've still got that lyrics sheet somewhere. I had some tennis balls in stockings that I'd spin around sometimes, but didn't really encounter it again until I was 14 and performing in a highschool production. It was a small thing, with a limited budget for advertising, and so it was focused on bringing people off the street. I'm deaf, so I wasn't given a role on stage since my speech is very slurred, but the lady in charge planned to do fire and LED poi twirling. She asked if anyone had experience and I told her about the poi and so I brought in my tennis balls and spun them around for her. She said my control was pretty good and I had the basics down, so she taught me a few more tricks and showed me how to use the fire poi. I had a great time, especially since I was the only kid allowed to use the fire; everyone else had LED balls either due to lack of skills or fear of fire. I've been doing it ever since, because I just love that feeling of losing myself in the movement. I'm from Australia, where it's not a big thing, so I never had words for this until I found your channel and learned about the philosophy of the Flow Arts. Thanks for all your videos!

[@justgrowpeaceoff]

I love all the information in these history videos. I first learned of Poi about 14-15yrs ago at a party, actually I didn't even know what it was called, some dude was spinning glow sticks. Later a friend told me it would be great for my arms (which have nerve damage and nasty keyloid scars from a traumatic experience from my early teen years) he told me some people even worked up to spinning fire. Like a dormant seed, the need to spin fire grew all these years and I decided all winter I would prepare to finally do it. I'm self taught thru KZbin and 2 dvds. I've only spun fire once but I'm pleased with how it went and well, I can't describe it other than I feel like it's a miracle. The drs all said I'd never use my arms like normal again. An amazing feeling really. Best wishes! 🌻

[@monalisaderave691]

First introduced to flow arts by my boyfriend 6 years ago, he is a flower stick-flowr. He had spun fire already years, totally self-taught and it inspired me a lot. I started with flower sticks, but soon after saw poi and it became my main prop

[@DamienValentineKoguntetzu]

Where did i first learn flow arts? (For me it started with poi) Well to get a background, i was a homeless youth, frequently suffered with anxiety and bouts of depression from my current situation. I had been traveling across the states for quite some time, when i eventually got to Ashland Oregon. I met another large group of homeless youth that hung out in the town square, banging on the newspaper stands and trashcans in a rhythmic fashion (think "Stomp"). That itself intrigued me because the police were okay with it, and there was an agreed upon time period in which this was allowed. But what caught my attention most was people spinning Poi. They were more than eager to let me learn so i eventually made my first set out of these rolled up tube scarves on strings, fondly named by my peers "Marshmallow Poi because of how they looked and how squishy they felt. The whole process felt very natural, and within about a week, i had at least learned most of the tricks they were teaching me, and when it came time for them to do their fire show that they frequently held, they asked if i wanted to join in, to which i was hesitant at first, but soon agreed to. It was the most exhilarating experience in my life and pulled me out of a very dark place in my life. I owe a lot to the flow arts and the flow art community.

[@sariahyarber3662]

my first flow art was contact juggling, which I learned from a move called labyrinth. I enjoyed watching the guy juggle and wanted to do it myself so I got a fushigi and started learning. soon after I started hearing about more flow arts such as poi, contact staff, s staffs exc... I love them very much and learned a lot from a shop called the ninja pyrits in NYC!!!

[@mikeymccann1144]

first time really being intrigued by the arts was in Nov of 2013 at a cirque de womp showcase in detroit, surprisingly not a single juggler or poi spinner, but it made me look into the arts and found myself the best hobbies ive iver had

[@sterlingfire4357]

I first encountered flow arts from a friend who burned fire poi at a party. He told me about Wildfire Spinning arts retreat and that got me started!

[@DrexFactor]

Yay Wildfire! :D

[@digitaltinker7813]

My first intro to the flow arts was on KZbin with Glowstringing. I don't remember exactly how I found out about it but the electronica music combined with the light trail patterns got me interested and eventually into Poi.

[@lexinichelle689]

I first encountered poi spinning at my first music festival, Summer Camp in IL. I was entranced and amazed watching others spin and decided, "I bet I can do that!"

[@flowtoys]

thank you Drex for this insightful and balanced account! A couple of corrections: - Kurt Sonderegger (founder of SF spinjams and innovator or zuni poi) was not the founder of Infinity Toys. I believe he was the marketing manager. - the first couple of Firedrums didn't have workshops, they were pretty much a free for all, beach fire spinning and drum circle gathering. The workshops and Sky bringing in instructors from all over did come in shortly after, so that account is all good. 3 thumbs up for all your work!

[@DrexFactor]

+flowtoys Ah, balls...I totally misunderstood Prisna's note on that earlier draft of the script, then. Thanks for the correction.

[@celestemarion3191]

ps. Drex I appreciate your tutorials and info videos so so so much. thank you for being the foundation of all I know with flow arts- really!

[@sillau9]

Thank you for mentioning the Samoan fire knife dancer Freddie Letuli @ 00:20 ❤🇦🇸🔥

[@celestemarion3191]

I once stumbled upon a small jam group at my local beach, went back the next week, and the next week just watching. a month later and i was fiddling with my fist pair of poi. the next month my first pair of fire fans and so on!

[@britishogo]

Great video series Drex! Thanks for producing it!

[@chrismiksworld]

I totally thought this went back to the Middle Ages I've seen flow arts here and their but am really starting to take an interest into it so it's cool to hear some History on it But still like to imagine it being done back then reminds me of the fire Juggler in the Book/Movie Ink Heart. the books better btw imo. Deff gonna watch ore vids and maybe start doing it myself.

[@philliplapkovitch311]

😎 thanks for info. started watching on KZbin 2013. it is addictive to watch. Have a few favorites. I'm 60 an think it would be great exercise to keep in shape. let you know how it go's. as long as I don't knock myself out trying👍

[@leospoi]

wooo! i'm featured in the burning man scene :)

[@tomkraushaar4220]

My experience started with the "Wheel-O" toy in 1967ish

[@life_with_movement]

love it! great video drex! up next, glow sticks >…>

[@jutlee6]

Thanks for your channel😀

[@apowellp]

No mention of wildfire? To my knowledge it was the first in the country n the original model for firedrums

[@DrexFactor]

+apowellp As I understand it, it's actually the other way around. Wildfire was started a year or two after Firedrums by people who'd gone to Firedrums and wanted to bring the same type of experience to New England.

[@yeetskideetpi2187]

I mean, I'm late but I first learned on tiktok.

[@steflinden4231]

I learned at CTY, anyone else?