Archive for April 24th, 2007

I’ve wanted to learn something special for a very long time.  Poi. To be more specific, I’ve wanted to learn the art of Fire-Dancing.  I’ve been on a class schedule mailing list for the last 18 months for the Portland area and I just haven’t worked up the nerve or the backbone to commit.  Since changing my diet and starting to work out, I’ve developed a lot more energy as well as some new courage these last few months – so yesterday I went and purchased a starter set for beginners. 

No fire, yet.  That won’t come until I learn to spin the poi and dance without braining myself with the weights or igniting any vital body parts.  I went into the back yard where there’s a large flat stretch of paving and practiced for about 40 minutes last night and by the time I finished I was dripping sweat and I thought my arms would fall off. 

I barely managed in that time to keep flat planes and concentric circles.  It was a lot harder to look graceful than I thought.  I bought the video as well and spent the evening admiring the beauty that is fire dancing.  I’ve wanted to do this for years so it’s about damn time that I get started.

For anyone in the Portland area who is interested in Poi, there’s a spin-off at Dante’s on Sunday night and I plan to be there.  It’s one of the most passionate, erotic and energetic forms of dance that I’ve seen. 

I have to admit I can’t wait to get home tonight and take my little beanbag practice Poi out into the yard and break a sweat again. With some serious work and a lot of luck I hope to be playing with fire by the end of summer.