Poi is a form of dance, where weights on the ends of tethers are swung through rhythmical patterns. It is rooted in the culture of the Maori people of Aotearoa (aka New Zealand), who dance with poi in traditional ceremonies (watch .mov video).

Poi was popularized throughout the world largely by fire spinning, spawned when traditional poi met modern day dance parties. In time, poi enthusiasts turned to flag poi, LED poi, and other tools that express the beauty of poi without the health and environmental risks of fire.

All petroleum fuels are toxic to plant and animal life. This includes Kerosene, lamp oil, naphtha, Coleman Camp Fuel, etc. If it's flammable enough to be worth dipping your wicks into, it's toxic. One tablespoon of fuel can contaminate a small frog pond! Here are some tips for minimizing fuel spillage:

1) Use a large, sturdy dipping can, such as a restaurant sized coffee can. Always put the lid back on when you're finished dipping. For convenience, use the can as a carrying case for your poi. Don't use small, unsteady containers, such as plastic bottles with the tops cut off. They will eventually get knocked over. It's also a good idea to buy a large, sturdy bin for transporting and storing fuel and tools.

2) Place the dipping can on a pan or tarp (not shown: we knew we'd forgotten something).

The story of Playpoi begins with the adventures of wayward visionary Nick Woolsey, who was introduced  to dance, theatre, and martial arts at an early age. His experience with these arts helped him through some difficult times, and he became interested in the relationship between personal growth and body arts. He sought out teachers whenever his life of traveling allowed, believing that the right practice could be a vehicle for delving into the mysteries of energy and consciousness.

Have you ever wanted to improve your coordination, balance, and over-all physical ability? If you have, poi might be just the tool for you. Essentially, poi are weights on the ends of strings or chains. By attaching one to each hand...

There is much debate about the dates and circumstances of the arrival of the Maori people on the island they call Aotearoa (aka New Zealand). Legend says the Maori arrived from the mythical homeland of Hawaiiki, and was discovered by the mythical figure Toi. Many scholars believe that the Maori began to show up from the eastern Pacific about 1,000 years ago, give or take several hundred years...

We think fire spinning is a beautiful art, but we want to be clear: this is a poi site, not a fire spinning site. It's like juggling. You can juggle fire, yes. It can be a great performance, yes. But it's not the only reason people juggle...

Here's a video demonstrating my own fire-poi. Note that the split rings I use are EXTREMELY HEAVY DUTY! They are from a deep sea fishing supplier. Don't ever use split-rings unless they are designed to take SEVERAL HUNDRED POUNDS. I hope this answers everybody's questions :) Music by Taal Fiza

The fire heads are Isis fire-poi from salza.se. They give you very big beautiful flames and are surprisingly light for their size. If you order a pair, please write "PLAYPOI SENT ME" in the comments field, and then I get a little percentage of the sale. :)

When we were in Aotearoa (aka New Zealand) in March 2006, we learned some traditional Maori short-poi with Migoto. Remember that the Maori always did poi dancing as part of ritual dances, which also included songs, steps, and a variety of actions (movements) which would tell stories symbolically.