Beginner Poi Dancing Lesson: The First Thing You Should Do With Your Poi

[BigJay604]

If you have the chance I'd recommend to shoot some video of your spinning for own amusement/learning :)

I look horrible few months back. Now I feel again that I've improved! :D -YEY...! MORE MOTIVATION! -u also might see something you missed on your spinning.

The "Yey" -factor pretty much goes after you train some more..haha :D If I manage to keep the motivation,going to make after2months & after2years spinning clips,just for fun.Remember that's it's good to laugh to your mistakes sometimes!

[PurpleKittenOfDoom]

I wish I would've been given that advice. My first time I was just swinging them around wildly, but then I had a friend suggest 1 or 2 basic things, and now everything I've figured out has been built off of that. It's only been in the last few weeks that I started trying to break away from those things and experiment more.

[rainspicegraffitinet]

i made my first poi yesterday, wing nuts, bolts, tennis ball kind, with ribbon tails, it was a great free experience of "beginner's mind"

[ilywizzer]

so helpful! going to make my own and start practicing :)

[jacetbiddle]

fisheye :P

[ChiiKatsune]

damn i wish i would have done this when i first started. lol i didnt think of it that way, i was just ready to learn some tricks, but if you do this, im guessing flowing different movements when you learn tricks would click faster because it would already feel natural

[mysjyc]

great energy. spread the love, knowledge and good spirits! good karma ~

[LeecyLane]

Oh baby! I love me some Burning Dan! RIP my friend! Nick is my inspration! Love the advice!

[BlackShadowWolf34]

yeah i was just randomly spinning them like you said hit my face and nuts at the same time K.O i'm down! love poi though!

[ShithawkJoeShow]

cute.

[katastrophy6665]

omg that deck <333 i fell inlove!

[thetoobnoob]

I tell people to do this every time they want to start poi, it's such a good thing to do. I think Dan had it just right. At PLAY 2011, we had the Burning Dan fire show, and it was a great tribute to him. Awesome guy

[schmeephilis]

Thank you for this! I just started playing with poi last night (I decided to stop for the night when I nailed myself in the eye) and was starting to get a little discouraged when I kept hitting myself. It's definitely proving to be a great deal of fun so far though :D

[godzero1232004]

thank just thank for this very correct view on poi spinning, its play and its just that simple

[KraftyUk]

iv had many brusies and some hard knocks in the meat & two veg, there must be some funny poi accidents on here somewhere lol

[77Titan77]

I can't wait to lose my poiginity =D

[tonycanfixit]

Thank you for this advise. I'm not shure if I want to start glowsticking or poi.but it's absolutly true that once you lern somthing it's hard to forget.I picked up the guitar 6 or so years ago, and I messed around with it. I self learned. I had to put it down for 2years and I learned from a friend. So the point is just screw around. Pretend your retarded and swing the poi , or in my case that was oposit ,lern with a friend. But lern only alittle so if you are doin it wrong you can for get.

[TheKarenveg]

Truth =)

Come back to Costa Rica soon!

[TheKarenveg]

Come back to Costa Rica =)

[Cs82Hun]

Vnice lil lesson guys,i so agree :)

Big up&cheers from lil o' Hungary

Plur ^^

[XDiablosXBaltroseX]

Thanks for the info lol

I'm not sure as to y I needed to watch this tho I did the same thing with my bo staff for the first two months before I started learning new things I had already had my own way of doing a lot of things but that was a long time ago thank you for reminding me

[McMilesB]

If you have furniture... haha

[juggaloSeba]

when you first start poi... buy a cup so you protect your balls x)

[orty69]

RIP Dan

[klusterus]

hey. ive seen some ppl playing poi. I also wanted to start playing poi since 4 mothns. 1 hour ago i saw your video "how to make sock poi". after that i saw this. you said i just need to play. so i took two socks, put tennis balls in it and went out. it is/was dark. and full moon. i went to my old school and on the gras football court i started to play. i ve listend to my music. it was so mind blowing. thank you. THANK YOU "wehn you do that, you re doing something you can never do again" THANK U

[unoriginal345]

@klusterus

I wish I could've done that.

[hardstylebunny036]

best, advice, EVARR!! :D :D



[evrstray]

This is amazing amazing advice XD. Although I do like the tip to hit yourself to get over the fear of messing up, Personally, found that the pain resulting from messing up actually made me strive harder NOT to mess up.

[jeffteuf]

I did it...Just because I had no one that could help me for a long long time...RIP Dan...

[punkweazel]

@angeloveproject Burning Dan was too awesome for the universe to handle.

[HeatherHawthorn]

@punkweazel Was?? x

[punkweazel]

@HeatherHawthorn Yeh. Was. He departed this plane of existence early October 2010. Google him.

[HeatherHawthorn]

@punkweazel omg!!! this guy and teafaerie, inspired me to pick up a pair of stripey socks and start spinning them round my head in a frantic manor! friends thought i was a loonatik till i got good at it lol. i havnt been on youtube for over a year now...how upsetting too come back and find this out!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =*(

[HeatherHawthorn]

@punkweazel omg!! i havnt been on youtube in over a year! dan (and teafaerie) really inspired me to pick up a pair of old stripey socks and start spinning them round my head in a frantic way lol, friends thought i was mad till i got good at it =D. how upsetting to come back and find this out =*(

[oldreliable]

And this video was right on time ;)

[oldreliable]

Thank you for a wonderful message :) I tried poi for the first time today, and thi

[punkweazel]

lolz. That's a really fun video.

RIP Burning Dan

[Doradanis1]

what the....?

a POI fight in the end ? xD

lol

[MartinWeller]

In best memory.

We never forget Burning Dan..

[MrWebon]

How is called that type of music? (at the beggining)

Cool voice :D

[ITANAGAR12345]

thats the coolest place to learn poi, up on the tree branches.. beautiful place...

[mrsbadmouth]

So I did the hitting myself thing, the poi bounced off of a chair and smacked me in the face. I'm learning! Woo!

[TouNiiti]

"if you are using poi that are hard and heavy".... MAKE YOU SOME REAL POIS!!!! not these balloons filled up with rice! because thats exactly what they are "BALLOONS FILLED WITH RICE"!!

[InLoveWithHardcore]

i love that dudes voice.

[jollybobismyname]

really dudes, you should just learn to swing the poi so you won't hit your self!

[BeeeAitchPeee]

..there is no spoon

[corb654]

It might be bad wen you hit yourself in the balls with poi... OWW!!! FUCK!!!!

[LeeEzekiel]

@corb654

That actually isn't uncommon, from what I've heard (and experienced). I've only been spinning for a little over a month, and I've lost track of the number of times I've been hit in the family jewels.

[PhilipandOwen]

@LeeEzekiel ive been spinning for a year or so, and i swear, if i ever want a family. it aint going to happen....

[estyron27858]

dudes, thank you so much. advice will be taken. by the way I'm lovin the chakra tank.

[pickles0pickles]

I really like the message of this video.

[Kaegri]

hitting myself... I did that a lot anyway :D

It is an interesting observation from two guys really experienced in poi, but I think it's quite true. Okay, I'll try!

"It's actually really good for telling teachers you haven't done your homework" lol

[BobJrDobbs]

I wish I had watched this sooner, then I would not have gotten as frustrated when i couldn't do anything right. As a beginner you really helped more than anything else I have seen, Thank you!

[TipityClap]

yup..first time with poi was two pairs of old sucks with tennis balls...ouch!!!

[CalicoFeathers]

So... This was my poi virginity? D;

Too bad I did the same thing as you guys; first time I picked poi up I was told what move was good for beginners.

[TheNewShaman]

haha hey I started my happy being happy plan today ^^

thanks to you guys!

I got myself my first set of sock pois hehe and its lots of fun actually i made a video of my very first spin practice that I would like to share as video responce haha

have a great day :)

[LiveLoveLinger]

I laughed until I cried at this video. It was fabulous to see someone having so much fun. Can't wait to get some sock poi made and start noodling around!

[IggyZadr]

And, I just learned my first actual lesson!.. Sleeves are detrimental. The poi keep getting caught up in my t-shirt sleeves and it's quite frustrating.. I'm getting a wife beater!

[IggyZadr]

So my girlfriend just bought me a set of poi for xmas. My first set of cloth poi =) I started to mess around with em and I had a pretty good flow going until my mind tweaked, my left arm went one way and my right arm went the other way, that tennis balls in the poi twisted together and swung right into my jingles (xmas pun!)

But I'm having fun so far..

Btw accept my friend invite! =p

[manx1324]

the other thing i found beneficial was to get a cup. After hitting my self in the balls for the milionth time, i decided to getone and it help a lot becasue i can practice harder moves without fear of breaking the family jewels (if you know what i mean) ;)

[duncs394]

i wish id seen this video before i started. first show i burnt myself because i was afraid of getting hit

[izzalozzabob]

something I can't get at the moment are pendulums, anyone know any tutorials for pendulums and their variations?

[rocking4time]

okay plllleeeaaaasssee answer or tell me if people alreaddy do this cuz im swinging the poi around and usually i atleast once hit my self in the balls with it and making me cringe so i think im gonna use a jock strap next time, what are your ideas?

[stillhuman]

i've been spinning for 4 years now and i still hit myself in the balls every once in a while! its an occupational hazard. use a jock strap if you want. especially if it makes you feel more comfortable swinging freely.

[nicotinelolipop]

I wonder if anyone ever fell off of that deck :/

[jollybobismyname]

why not just learn the poi so you won't hit your self mooohwaaahahahaha

[teartaye]

"it's really fun to tie it around their neck"

...

One of my teacher's seems to like that idea. He keeps trying to get me to do neck wraps...

[dropbeetsnotbombs]

awesome video haha cant tell you how many times i have hit myself with my poi/glowsticks/flowlights/fire­/whatever has been strung. but honestly i dont regret not doing anything when i first started i have enjoyed every second of spinning any form of poi you are an inspiration to all nick !

[Drahregssor]

LOL too late. I'm no longer a clean slate either. XD

[panglej]

I wish I had seen this video two years ago when I first started poi -- I am no longer a clean slate. :P

[IggyZadr]

Oooh Ooh! Wear a cup.. at least when first starting out!..

[theempathogen]

I found this a year too late. Drat.

[lellums]

lol i was so waiting for nick to fall off the deck...

[Furriesaremine]

Dan has a pretty good body.

[festivalfaery]

Can I hit you with my poi Nick?

[poiislifelifeispoi]

ha i love nick!

[wirbelfeuer]

jawohl,

einfach drauflos.

ohne regel,

ohne muß, soll, sod

just go on and surprise yourself

;o)

lulu lolkram

[killadajoka]

embrace the poi hitting you in the face. =)

[theempathogen]

Not when it gives you a splintered vitreous humour. Which is what happened to me a month ago. And why I'm on retinal detachment watch until the end of the year.

[KsstheStrs]

that is some great advise. im still a beginner but when i barely started i was so afraid of hitting myself that it would take me longer to learn a move than my fearless friends. lol.

i know there are a gazillion types of poi but which would you recommend for an absolute beginner?

[nettida]

i kept hitting myself when i was first-started it any way, is that count?

[KsstheStrs]

lol. i guess what he meant is by hitting yourself purposely you get used to being hit and not afraid of it happening. your mind will be more at ease when trying a new trick. therefore, it will be easier and quicker for you to learn it. :]

[killacoheed]

yeah i totally disregarded this entire thing before i started..i remember the first time i really got down with my first set i racked myself like 5 times in 30 min.

[toninhopavan2]

nice ... loved it

[rivesrhllfdr]

I am starting a poi workshop soon, and will absolutely make this part of my beginners class. :)

i wish i would have done this a little more when i started, but then again, every new step you take in poi is one that you can only take forward, so enjoy ever place your feet rest along the journey, and know that each is unique. :)

[tmblweed72157]

haha! great video! that was actually my first lesson when i joined the barrie fyre junkies!

[sephiroth87932]

you guys r lucky to have not known anything when you started i acctidently learned the 3 beat weave because i was always interested in the rope dart and then when i started poi i was like i know this but thanks alot for posting and awesome video

[Tinkpaars]

Whaha Nick on the brandground hitting himself like an idiot, very funny to watch! :D

[crycan1985]

I've been doing poi for a couple of years now and I still stand if im talking to someone and hit myself randomly. Its kinda soothing in a wierd poi massage way lol :D

But one Thing i love is teaching newbies poi and I do get them to just have some fun and spin them the first few times and it is really funny to watch cuase they have the wide flaily arm thing going on. But its good... and i've tried a few ideas as a result ^_^

xx Crycan

[FireHeartless]

Great Method!!

[baschmir]

this is really wise! I wish I would have done this at the beginning of playing poi

[maankindj]

i missed you!!

thanks for posting, this is a great video!!!

never stop being in motion!

thanks

[Maraeni]

LOVE IT! :)

[rhcp484]

very cool vid....thanks guys, ive just recently started and thats actually kinda what i been doin just checkin it out, and getting comfortable with the feel. you guys are amazing and i wish soooooo bad i could come to bali for the rereat :( wont be able to because of school and money, but one of these days i will make it to one :)

[ruespieler]

Yay dan! Loving you and missing you, Nick.

[jinobetti]

I think I already told you that but it's such a pleasure for me to listen to you ! I can understand every single word you say (which is absolutely not the case in general) and what the both of you just said is exactly what I think : people are always afraid of poi, telling it's dangerous and all that stuff and they call me a masochist when I tell them that you just get used to getting hit, and that it's the good way to learn not to fear the pois.

great video, thank you

[d3dreaper]

whoa.... people have called you a masochist???? they usually just say i'm crazy for loving to play with fire lol and that is one thing i learned very quickly was to deal with gettin hit especially in the head because it's inevitable... and it will hurt but you just gotta get over it and keep on goin lol

[ChinChinni]

That's awesome :D Shame I already do poi for some time :P I'll tell this to every single person I meet who wants to learn how to do poi ^^

[Indianinthemachine]

enjoyable, thanks guys...

check out these two poi gods in my youtube video "Dance Of The Fire Gods".

Keep on spinning,

Dieter

[SilersSpin]

i wish i had heard that thing about the poi not being hard. because i hd a pair made of condenced fire wire, electrical tape, and shoelace/(cringe) soo many bruises

[Merovingian22176]

Great advice! i wish i heard this 2 months ago :(

[rccrazer]

thats kinda how i started, unforunatly i was absessed with butterflys and i killed my own moment. i still remember purosely hitting myself. great fun!

[GlowingGenetLoki]

I love you, xD Thanks for this. :)

[TonyC911]

the pink tape on black stripes, especially the shoulder stripes. then the ends of his hair.

too distracting.

[BlindParasite]

could had this bout a year ago

[sailormesha]

haha I actually like spinning poi rather than doing my homework shhhh....dont tell anyone!! Although I wonder how my professors would react to "I wasn't doing my homework or studying because I was playing with my poi exploring new things" lol that would be interesting

[dragade101]

omg i hate you guys.

couldnt you have made this video like a year ago :(

damn this does suck.

but thank you for posting this for every new person who will learn the 'right' way.

[sephiroth87932]

ho,y crap hi dan

[shmoofoobean44]

I like everyone else, wish i had known this beforehand...I started off with golf balls, and it has made me Fear doing it 'wrong'

I might just go crazy one day with them just to get over my fear...and film it! haha maybe i'll invent something cool

[bebenine]

a mind that is stretched to a new idea can never return to its original dimension... Glad to see a new post yall! Love love

[swimrunlive]

i love how nick is just jumping around in the background hahaha

[deadkennedys909]

Thats pretty much what I did... but I started off with 1 poi because i failed with 2.. then after a week or 2 i finnaly picked up another one and just swung it around. I watched your spinning videos but not your how to videos till i learned them on my own. I started in march/april and now im spinning fire (; your videos are fun now that i know how to do most of the moves haha.

[TheDudelbert]

why do you tell this so late ;-) now its to late for me

[18lilpyro]

your back!! hehe. good to see ya!

[marshallek]

Nick came back! ^^ Good to see You again. Another fantastic and positive video. Hope You'll post some new video with advanced tutorial or fireshow video =)

[DieMirimaus]

xD crazy, but its a good idea!!! =D

[Essver]

The playing around thing was a lot of fun when I started it. I didn't know it at the time, but I figured out of the butterfly, 2 beat weave, and 3 beat weave just by messing around :D

[Kwizii]

Haha first thing I did was to go hit other people with it :D

[izzalozzabob]

FIRST COMMENT!!

Love Nick going crazy in the background