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poi dancing and fire spinning
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.
Why Play Poi? (By Nick Woolsey)
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...
History of the Maori People
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...
fire spinning
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...




