Author Topic: Need a Hobby? How About Poi!  (Read 10289 times)



LADIES AND GENTLEMANS
BOYS AND GIRLS
FORUMERS OF ALL AGES
GATHER AND SEE!

posted on August 25th, 2015               



Hello forum, it's been a while. In my absence from the forums, I've taken up some hobbies, but one stands out from all the rest in how distinct and bizarre it is. Today, I'd like to share my new hobby with you guys: poi! Most people, when I tell them I do poi, have a very puzzled expression and ask "what's that?"

I still don't have a good answer.

What I can tell you is, is that it's a lot of fun, and it's a lot cooler to see it, than it is to hear or read about it. Without too many details (which are provided in this topic if you continue to read...) poi is a form of dancing, a performance art, a light show, exercise (as all dance goes), a therapeutic past-time, and in a way it can be kinda like yoga. 1,000 years ago poi was used by tribal men to strengthen their bodies for war, then women turned it into something that could be choreographed. Now, it has evolved into something so much more.






WHAT IS POI?
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Definition
Quote
Define: Poi
Poi is a Hawaiian dish made from the fermented root of the taro, which has been baked and...
Hold up, wrong poi. Let's try that again.

Quote
Define: Poi
Poi refers to both a style of performing art and the equipment used for engaging in poi performance. As a performance art, poi involves swinging tethered weights through a variety of rhythmical and geometric patterns. Poi artists may also sing or dance while swinging their poi. Poi can be made from various materials with different handles, weights, and effects (such as fire).

   

History
Poi originated from New Zealand, and although there is no clear indication of how old it is, it has been estimated that the art of poi has been around for close to 1,000 years. The Maori of New Zealand would use poi for a variety of different purposes: Men would use them to build upper body strength in preparation for war, and women would use them for wrist exercises, which eventually developed into dancing for entertainment purposes. In the past 100 years, tourism dramatically increased to New Zealand, and as a result the Maori peoples had an opportunity to earn some income for the art that they had been practicing on their own. People were enchanted by the simple art, and took it back to their own countries, thus the spread of poi began.

Modern Poi Now
Modern poi has taken on a life of it's own in comparison to the Maori people's poi. Now there are plenty of different variations of poi, ranging from flags, to LEDs, to fire. There is also a large difference in price, as well, depending upon the complexity of the poi. For example, the simplest of all, sock poi, can cost anywhere from $5 to $10, and the most advanced poi on the market, pixel poi, can range from $500 to $1000+! Poi has largely become popular at dubstep concerts, Burning Man, clubs, and is progressively spreading (Now it's on the forum!)

One thing I am going to steal from the wikipedia webpage without any form of regret is the following statement-
Quote
Unlike many physical arts, learning poi does not usually involve formal education. Most spinners learn from each other or teach themselves using DVDs or online resources. A strong sense of community and self-teaching are key elements of modern poi.


WHERE DO I START?
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Glad you asked! If you are interested in starting poi, watch this video first. The guy hitting himself in the background is Nick Woolsey, a very talented poi spinner, whom I hope to one day be half as talented as. If, at this point, you are serious about poi, subscribe to Playpoi on youtube, and bookmark http://www.playpoi.com/. Right now.

Once you've done all that, you're going to want to check out Playpoi's beginner series. It goes over lots of the details that you need to know, in order to actually USE poi. At this point, if you are 100% set on the idea that you would like to take up poi as a hobby, you are ready to acquire your own poi! There are multiple sites that sell poi, but I have three personal favorites, which I will list at the end of this section.

! IMPORTANT !
For new poi spinners, I HIGHLY recommend starting with sock poi! They are soft, light-weight, and less likely to hurt than fire poi or an LED poi with a clear PVC case! (They're also dirt cheap!)


Adin's Favorite Poi Sites!
http://www.homeofpoi.com/us/  -  message me for a discount code, 10% off
http://www.flowtoys.com/
http://www.emazinglights.com/flow-arts/poi


If an advanced poi section is requested, then I will put in more details for stuff like customizing your sock poi with LEDs, flag poi, tailed, fire, all that good stuff.


GALLERY
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top: pixel poi, it's a collection of 60-100 smart LEDs that can be programmed to form any pattern, in synch with music or timed to a dance. EXTREMELY expensive. top row left: close-up of some LED poi. top row right: Sparky poi! They use steel wool in a metal cage, and as they spin they produce LOTS of sparks! bottom row left: fire poi! bottom row right: bottom: Ninja V4 poi, the LED poi I use. Bottom: LED sock poi.

Videos!

Adin's favorites!

      

2nd                                       1st                                          3rd

      

      

note: the top left video isn't actually poi, it's glow-sticking! It's very similar, but at it's core it's just a glow-stick tied off to some string. Used in the same fashion, just a different name is all.

RESOURCES
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poi_(performance_art)
http://stitchthedamned.hubpages.com/hub/Poi-The-Art-of-Fire-Spinning
http://www.homeofpoi.com/us/lessons_all/teach/History-of-Maori-POI-in-New-Zealand-34_293_1947
http://www.playpoi.com/
http://www.homeofpoi.com/us/


Back to the top!
If you have any questions or you would like some one-on-one guidance, feel free to message me and I'll try and get back to you as soon as I can! I am by no means an expert, but I'll try to help to the best of my ability.

P.S. I might post a video of myself doing poi soon
« Last Edit: August 25, 2015, 10:42:22 AM by AdinX »

This is a hobby? lol gay

The art of partying way too loving hard

One of my friend does this.
Its ridiculously handicapped. who the forget would just spin stuff around
like, if you want to spin around a stick, chop off your richard and spin off a cliff

good to be back on the forums guys, real nice

this is p cool
like imagine doing a light painting of one of these
One of my friend does this.
Its ridiculously handicapped. who the forget would just spin stuff around
like, if you want to spin around a stick, chop off your richard and spin off a cliff
you could say that about anything
"One of my friend does this.
Its ridiculously handicapped. who the forget would just sit and fish all day
like, if you want to eat some fish, go out and buy some"

funny you posted this cause ive been practicing this for when it gets colder!!

theres a sick tunnel under a train bridge i know of thats down town. i want to go there and do this with steel wool cus the sparks would probably look dope as hell. im gonna see if i can get a camera today for long exposure shots

change your damn code tag it's stretching my page to oblivion

change your damn code tag it's stretching my page to oblivion
looked fine on my monitor but changing to quote now
edit: done

page stretch is real, and im on a 1980x1080 monitor



do it with your richard

this is p cool
like imagine doing a light painting of one of these



pssst the picture is a link to a huge gallery of long exposure shots



pssst the picture is a link to a huge gallery of long exposure shots

Eating this stuff tastes terrible.

Poi is so beautiful, guys. It may look kind of silly when you're just watching someone practice, but when you're at an event, in the dark, and you see someone doing it you can't help but be drawn to them - even the beginners. I completely vouch for the fact that it is an art form and I am definitely that girl at raves who is staring at the poi people for too long. Plus, add in any kind of recreational drug (like post ravegoers participate in) and you have a whole new experience. Those really cool long exposure shots? That's what it actually looks like. Really, really, really amazing stuff.