Anti-Spin and Isolation with Double Staff
Sat, May 10th: 5:00 - 6:20 PM
Level: Beg / Int
Instructor: Meg a.k.a. MCP

Teaching anti-spin doubles patterns and isolation
patterns, how to move between patterns in each family
and how to move between families. You should be familiar with anti-spin with one staff and do one or so anti-spin patterns with doubles. This workshop will move from beginner patterns to advanced ones, hopefully showcasing a lot of concepts to allow you to discover lots of patterns for yourself.

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Contact Staff
Sun, May 11th: 2:30 - 3:50 PM
Level: Int / Adv
Instructor: Meg a.k.a. MCP

All the difficult contact you never thought you'd be able to learn, broken down and taught to you in the easiest way I have yet managed. Does the words spoon feeding mean anything to you? Also, you'll get some tough discipline taught to you, so that it doesn't all seem too easy. Teaching angel roll variations, matrix variations, steve variations, luceros and all the hard and cool stuff.

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Contact Poi & Tricks
Mon, May 12th: 9:00 - 10:20 PM
Level: Int / Adv
Instructor: Chris a.k.a Rovo

Have you ever dreamt of spinning poi with your mouth? Are you bored of always holding onto your handles? Finger loops got you down? Do you by any chance know what wibbling is? If you answered either yes or no to any of those questions you just might want to consider taking this workshop. In it I will be discussing some of the less conventional methods of manipulating your poi, along with learning some of the sillier moves in Chris Bailey's repertoire. Throws, wibbles, multibeat utl patterns, mouth tricks, hand rolls, snags, two handed one handed moves, and traps are just a sampling of the topics we'll be covering in this workshop. If you want to add some flair, (and most definitely a little comedy) to your spinning come on out and take this workshop! Counterweighted poi are a requirement for this class.

What are counterweighted poi?
Counterweighted poi are a set of poi that have a weight added to the handle to give the prop a better rotation when thrown and to keep the poi from going flaccid while doing contact moves. Anything can be used as a counterweight, small bags of rice, bouncy balls, wooden balls, mini tennis balls, etc. all work, although I happen to prefer bouncy balls in my design. Be sure to keep in mind that the weight of the handle should be between 1/3 to no more then 2/3 the weight of the head (I shoot for a 3:1 head to handle weight ratio). You also want the weight to be easy to hold onto.

To counterweight a set of sock poi untie the knot at the handle end and drop in the weight of your choice, retie the knot, move the weight back to the handle end and you're ready to go! I usually rubber band a piece of fabric over the knot and counterweight as well, to keep it in the handle end of the poi, though that is not necessary. That's pretty much all there is to it. If you have any questions feel free to email me.

We will have counterweighted poi available to borrow and buy at this workshop.

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Things Every Poi Spinner Should Know
Sun, May 11th: 2:30 - 3:50 PM
Level: All
Instructor: Arashi

Focus is on learning specific training techniques for
integrating choreography and spinning. Some time will
be spent on integrating dance with spinning, teaching body mechanics relevant to spinning, and working with various postures useful for the weapons spinner. For beginners, intermediate and advanced spinners who are interested in dance, body movement, or martial arts, and want to learn more about how these arts can be integrated into their spinning style. Students will learn exercises intended to increase control and sensitivity, ways that weapons and music can interact, as well as troubleshooting techniques necessary to train themselves in creating new styles.

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Big Circles with Poi
Sat, May 10th: 2:00 - 3:20 PM
Level: Beg / Int
Instructor: Yuta

Big Circle Exercise ~
The basic theories of body moves. Inspiring brain and
body.

* I will teach some other things, like Poi Rhythm Exercise, Plane Exercise. I'll make more fun, but the main theme is Big Circle Exercise. That idea can help any level, even for the advanced spinner.

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16 Poi Stalls
Sat, May 10th: 3:30 - 4:50 PM
Level: Int / Adv
Instructors: Yuta

16 stalls and 4 ways out ~
The basic ideas of stalls and stall combinations. Some of 16 stalls are for advanced but it is a pretty simple idea that everybody can see and understand. 4 ways out makes your poi free, 3 dimensional. These are basic ideas for intermediate and advanced spinners

This class will warm-up with the Big Circle Exercise. It is recommended that you take Yuta's Beg / Int Poi for a complete understanding.

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Dance & Movement w/ Single Staff
Sat, May 10th 3:30 - 4:50 PM
Level: Beg / Int
Instructor: Sage

Going over basic single staff moves, with emphasis
on warm up, turns, contact, body movements, level
changes, and transitions.

Bring: a staff, drinking water, pen and notepad
Staves will also be available for purchase at workshop

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You must reserve your spot in these workshops by making a payment through
paypal. If you do not have a paypal account and would like to make other
payment arrangements, please contact us here or call 323-793-2812.

Referral Bonus:
We are giving referral bonuses of 15% of the workshop total so please let us know
how you heard about this and spread the word to your friends! You can redeem you
bonus in cash or towards any Fire Groove products or classes!

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The All-Stars

Meg a.k.a. MCP
Scotland
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Meghan is a well known face around the Scottish and UK juggling scene and her fluid contact staff routines are always well received by jugglers and the public alike. From fast spins to graceful body rolls there's a bit of something for everyone. It is rare to see this uncommon skill executed quite so artistically. As long as she has been spinning, she has been teaching and says that 'it's the nature of the spinning community to share your knowledge with others'. Through extensive experience in teaching at conventions and festivals she has become very skilled at teaching many people in a structured fashion. If you are into staff and staff manipulation, make sure not to miss her workshops!

Yuta
Japan
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Yuta the POI NINJA from Japan. He has been Exploring Poi art and popularizing Poi in Japan, but has never been to US. He believes that poi can make people happy, and can be a real dance art. So he made a website "POI COMMUNITY" for sharing the idea and skills with poi friends. (Unfortunately its only written Japanese so far, but you can see navigation in English) He has been sharing poi art with all spinners via the internet, so you can see his style and idea at www.poicommunity.com

Sage
Austin, Texas
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Sage continually pushes the boundaries of fire, light, spinning and fusion dance performance with innovative tools such as, glow props, veils, fans, flags, Egyptian wings, fire-wings, fire-fans, fire-fingers, fire-crowns, fire-hoops, fire-bowls, palm torches, fire-staffs, fire orb and poi. In an effort to continually expand her repertoire Sage has also studied Hip Hop, West African, Middle Eastern, and Salsa. A founder of performance art troupe, Sangré Del Sol, Sage has been intrinsic to the overall creative process of the group for the last ten years, applying her skills in directing, producing, choreographing routines, and costume design in all of their shows. Traveling throughout Asia, Central, South and North America; and the South Pacific, Sage performs, produces and choreographs shows. She also teaches dance workshops showing spinning and different movement techniques. She is currently working on a new instructional video, soon to be released. In this video Sage breaks down basic poi moves for simple learning, with an emphasis on techniques, dance, transitions and stretches. She also provides fire and glow poi spinning performances to inspire creativity in others. If you'd like to know more about Sage and her relationship with fire check out the Home of Poi website (www.homeofpoi.com) for the video, Sage, Behind the Flames. To contact Sage or see videos and photos go to www.sagefire.info or www.sangredelsol.info.

Arashi
Austin, Texas
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Arashi has been a student of poi for over a decade. He has been very honored to have been asked to teach and perform in many countries all around the world. As a teacher his intention is to have an expansive and inspirational teaching style which will give the student several years worth of work in one class. He has studied tribal belly dance, martial arts, yoga and physical therapy, and seeks to integrate all of them in his teachings.

Chris "Rovo" Bailey
Albany, NY
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Hailing from the backwoods of upstate NY, Chris first started spinning poi in the summer of 2003. Due to his lack of contact with other poi spinners in the early years of his spinning, Chris considers himself a product of the online poi community. After gaining some level of notoriety in the poi world for his unique and slightly quirky style Chris has since taught workshops up and down the East coast. Teaching poi is one of Chris' favorite things to do and loves the time he has spent working with others to improve theirs and his own spinning skills, however his true passion as a poi-ist is the performing, especially improve work to live music. "Nothing is as fulfilling for me as getting up in front of a huge crowd and just letting loose to a live jam. Once you establish that connection between musician, audience, and performer all your cares, your worries, your strife, all of it, just seems to melt away." Chris also had the pleasure of competing in the first ever Fire Idol competition at BM 2007 where he ended up taking home the trophy of the metal man spinning poi. In the future Chris, along with his troupe mates in Shilly-Shally Fire Arts, hope to fill the niche as the go to fire troupe in the jam scene.


Andy House
Germany
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Andy was first infected with the spinning virus more than 5 years ago in Thailand and since then has never lost his fascination with it. Teaching, spinning and getting to know the different fire communities around the world has been Andy's life since then. One of his major interests are the harmonious mathematical principles that underlie Spinning Movement. Over the last years his focus has more and more shifted towards Meteors which are IMO so far a too rarely seen prop within the fire community.


Imakokode
France
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As a Paris based Staff, Double Staff, Contact Ball & Fire Artist, Imakokode has traveled the world in his quest for adventure, new spinning techniques and music. He is very well known in France and regularly travels abroad for performances. Beside spinning he has a real artistic eye and has a passion for photography & video editing, especially with the juggler as the main focus. He also designs fire props and often passes on his Staff Manipulation skills by teaching classes and workshops.


Anah a.k.a. Hoopalicious
Los Angeles
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Anah a.k.a Hoopalicious is widely regarded as one of the leading Hoop Dance performance artists in the world and the originator of hooping as we know it on the west coast. Incorporating all over body, athletic hooping, outstanding hoop tricks, mesmerizing dance forms and heart-wrenching emotional presence Hoopalicious will blow your mind! Hoopalicious' passion and innovative artistry have carried her to audiences in eight countries around the world and hundreds of venues. Her credits include: live performances for Cirque du Soleil premier events, Sobe, Nike, Warner Bros, Nickelodeon, Sting's birthday bash; Video for: the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards, commercials for Coke, K-Swiss and Cingular, and Sting's 2004 World Tour; and featured spots in Publications such as BPM, LA Times, Dance Spirit (on the cover) and SPIN.


Grimm
Cincinnati, OH
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Grimm, a native of Cincinnati OH, began toying with poi spinning in 99', by an accidental swing of a string of beads. After two years of aimless experimentation, he discovered the art of poi in Chaleston SC, and in 2001 was handed a set of fueled chains, never to recover from the addiction.
Upon returning to the Midwest and realizing the lack of fire in his region, he began teaching out of sheer loneliness. In 05' he founded Incendium Arts, (www.incendiumarts.com) and with his newly trained crew of 3 began building and exploring new tools which now include hoop, staff, breathing/eating, transfer work, flow-wand, tuned fire drums and the beloved fans. Today, he continues to teach and inspire others, host Cincinnati gatherings, and leads the conclave for the Ohio regional burn Scorched Nuts.