Dancing with Fire

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A feeling of accomplishment suffuses me, having successfully completed the beautiful, dangerous task relatively unscathed I let out a long, slow breath. Drenched in sweat, the night air sits cool and soothing on my tired body. Savoring the chill, I drop the poi on the ground next to me. Steam coming off the warm Kevlar wicks as they come into contact with the moisture in the air, the chains rattle as they fall. I sit down on the plush grass, stretching out my fatigued muscles. Working from my shoulders all the way down to my legs I move through various yogic poses reveling in the release of so much tension. Finishing my deliberations I sit up straight and take four deep breaths, in, and out. Having centered myself I look down at my hands, now black with soot. I notice a few small burns on my hands and forearms. Badges of honor after a successful fire dance, adrenaline still numbs the pain, if only for a little while longer. As I run my hand up and down my arm the singed hairs crumble away leaving patchy stubble. Counting this a success, I mentally play through the entire event and mark my mistakes, fodder for my next practice session.

Picking up my poi always sends a shiver down my spine, the endless sea of possibilities starts to unfold before me the second I grip the silicone handles. A stunning combination of juggling, dance, meditation, and playing with fire, spinning “poi” is the single most enriching hobby I’ve come across in my twenty-two years of life. There’s really nothing else quite like dancing with fire. Burn after burn, it continues to inspire me to new heights of creativity. Never at a loss for new ways to improve my technique I can always find myself in the shifting planes and patterns. For me, spinning is more than a performance art; it’s a creative and physical outlet with an infinite ceiling of mastery.