Nick Woolsey began his involvement with movement arts in high school, where he practiced springboard diving and took physical theatre classes. After high school he studied Chen style Taijiquan intensively with master Yau-Sun Tong in Halifax, NS.
A knee injury led to a long period of wayward traveling, during which he maintained an on-again, off-again relationship with movement practices. When he found poi, it was the art he'd been looking for all along. He has been devoting himself to the Playpoi vision ever since, and has taught poi and movement workshops to thousands of people around the world.
Alien Jon came to hang out with Nick in Costa Rica while Nick was there for retreats. We instantly adopted him into the crew. Meet him and you'll understand why.
He's known around the world as a playful, yet thorough, teacher of Flow Arts. Equal parts artist and "movement scientist", he loves innovative ideas and the spark of creativity: in students, himself, and his performance art.
Banyan Gallagher is an international performer with over eight years experience in the fire dancing and performance art field. He has performed all over the world alongside some of the greatest performance troupes and musical acts including Cirque du Soleil.
He's an equally talented and experienced Yoga instructor, and we've been lucky to have him lead us into balance and alignment at some very special International Retreats. See more of him in 2011!
We've also had the opportunity to work with Banyan to film a short series of double staff tutorials.
Marykristn is a longtime friend who's a very talented circus performer, poi artist, and photographer. She brings fun wherever she goes, and we're always happy to have her around!
She's a great partner in the making people happy plan! As member of Spark Circus and in her own projects, she works to bring the power of laughter and play to the people who need it most.
Check out her flickr for some of her awesomely fun photography, her vimeo for videos of her exploits, and watch for her work here at playpoi.com!
This splendid Singaporian has been shooting for us in Bali since 2009. She came to one of our retreats, sent us her video, and tada!
By day, Karen Ng is a videographer who has been behind the camera ever since she was tall enough to reach for one. By night, she's Mezzé Flame, playful entertainer and fire manipulator specializing in levitating wands.
Check out her Bal!Hai video series for behind the scenes retreat fire spinning action!
Jaguar Mary is a hoop dancer, filmmaker, internet artist, healer, Conscious Creator, Shapeshifter, and Earthwalker from Washington, DC. She's worked with us on a number of Playpoi video projects including our second DVD, Adventures in Poi: Moves.
Indeed a possessor of many talents, she has been studying dance and movement for over 25 years, her short films have shown at film venues throughout the world, and she has recently launched a series of global retreats called Sacred Circularities.
Pali came to train with Nick in Bali during the summer of 2008 when he and G were working on the Poi Beginner Series. The dedicated, starry-eyed poi artist she was, she then and there committed to the Playpoi vision and has been helping with Playpoi pursuits ever since.
She helps with a lot of our web and media stuff, now mostly the new website, newsletters, and facebook. Once a training globetrotter bent on developing a performance career, now she's back in the US working on her career as a technical writer and project manager both professionally and in side projects like Flow Arts Network and of course Playpoi.
Major Thom Thumb is a performer, teacher, event organizer, actor, and writer. He's come to play with us at retreats and worked with Alien Jon in teaching partner poi. He's taught movement arts at all kinds of festivals around the world, performed with many amazing artists, and he recently landed a role as a clown in the upcoming motion picture Water For Elephants!
He loves partner play and creating with others. An organizer of the Play Immersion festival, his focus is on poi play as a joyful meditation, and he is on a permanent mission to bring the silly. We welcome him to the team as an ambassador of play!
Burning Dan was a great friend and supporter of Nick and Playpoi. He came to play at the old Poi Studio long ago and went on many adventures with the team.
While he's no longer with us, you'll see him around the site in videos and photo albums, and his spirit will always be a part of us. Check out his legacy at flowtemple and hitrecord!
Alex Grunenfelder has been involoved in the design sciences since he was a small child, where he engineered elaborate schemes to bend and twist the minds of his fellow schoolmates. He has since decided to use his powers for good, not evil, and has founded such organizations as the garudaroom, which conducts research into peaceful enjoyment.
He's our main design guy and has been Nick's best friend since grade 3. He can do the weave and basic turns.
We meet many people as we travel around the world, and we just have to share these beautiful, smiling faces. If you don't see your own face here, it's not because we don't love you, it's just because we failed to get a good picture of you!
G and Nick met during one of Nick's European Poi Tours and quickly became friends. 
This splendid Singaporian has been shooting for us in Bali since 2009. She came to one of our retreats, sent us her video, and tada!
Jaguar Mary is a hoop dancer, filmmaker, internet artist, healer, Conscious Creator, Shapeshifter, and Earthwalker from Washington, DC. She's worked with us on a number of Playpoi video projects including our second DVD, 
Major Thom Thumb is a performer, teacher, event organizer, actor, and writer. He's come to play with us at retreats and worked with 
Burning Dan was a great friend and supporter of Nick and Playpoi. He came to play at the old 
Alex Grunenfelder has been involoved in the design sciences since he was a small child, where he engineered elaborate schemes to bend and twist the minds of his fellow schoolmates. He has since decided to use his powers for good, not evil, and has founded such organizations as the garudaroom, which conducts research into peaceful enjoyment.
We meet many people as we travel around the world, and we just have to share these beautiful, smiling faces. If you don't see your own face here, it's not because we don't love you, it's just because we failed to get a good picture of you!