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I personally became addicted to poi as a dance form at a summer art festival several years ago. A group of grungy free-spirits pulled me into their private circle and left my jaw agape as I beheld the dangerous and sensual circles of fire they spun in intricate patterns around their muscular bodies. Immediately I began practicing the technique of spinning poi and as a professional dancer, noticed right away a new power in my body's core and a noteworthy definition of my deltoids and upper back. To my delight, the act of spinning weighted circles around oneself not only creates a space in which, while the body is fully engaged, the mind is lulled into meditative trans, but also is just so much genuine fun, I don't even realize I've "worked out".
Tonya Spins Fire
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Poi spinning originated in New Zealand where the Maori Tribe warriors spun rocks tied to rope for strength training before battle and the Maori Tribe women spun poi to increase dexterity and coordination in their fingers for weaving. Though poi's roots are certainly documented in New Zealand, the Western amalgamation seen at beaches, bonfires, drum circles, warehouses and rooftops across the globe today, likely draws also from the Argentinean self-defense using bolederas as well as the Polynesian food preparation where the taro root is tied in leaves and dashed against rocks until it reaches the paste-like consistency of the finger food we know as "poi".
Ironically, a hobby/workout that I literally taught myself by spinning a consistent 15 mintues a day for several year, is now what friends make a big deal out of me doing at parties and what audiences pay me to do professionally. I've spun fire poi in Vancouver Canada, on the Turks and Caicos Islands, at Hollywood's Paramount Studios and on national television. And I feel so strongly as an artist and an athlete about this exercise, that I have produced a top quality instructional dvd titled How To Spin Poi With Tonya Kay (http://kayosmarket.com) to help others find the core strength, self-expression and stimulation in spinning poi as well.
Athletes need an active meditation. Dancers need new inspiration. Healthy bodies need exercise they actually look forward to doing. Once you pick them up, you may never put down your poi again ...
TONYA KAY is a raw food athlete, professional dancer, cast-member of the Off-Broadway phenomenon STOMP, waste vegetable oil driver and full-time gypsy. Her DVD, How To Spin Poi With Tonya Kay is available at http://kayosmarket.com, teaching the techniques used in fire spinning -- a fantastic way to tone the core and upper body, center for meditation, and explore movement as artistic self-expression. For her current performance, teaching and lecture schedule, visit http://tonyakay.com.
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