Thread: poi classes through the MOB

hey there folks ...

i will be announcing poi workshops to be held through the MOB shortly.
please join the myspace.com/poiacademy for updates.

please show your interest here as we will need numbers before we start.

these workshops will be london based to start with.

here is the news :



Workshop Info

This series of workshops is designed to teach the principle techniques of contemporary poi swinging and how to incorporate them into a routine.
The workshops will be held over a 6 week period for 2 hours per week london. (or over a two day intensive weekend if away.)
There will be a warm up before each class, a 10 minute break midway, and at the end of each session you will be given techniques to practice at home.
At the end of the course you will have a good understanding of the art and will be able to incorporate it into an act. You will learn to perform a basic synchronised routine. And have help choreographing moves into your acts.

The art of Poi swinging takes practice, practice, practice
expect your arms to ache !!!

you will need to wear comfortable clothing - no skirts, dresses or heels, at least not until lessons 5 and 6 when we will incorporate character and costume.
equipment will be provided for the class and poi will be available for you to buy.


RedSarah's top tip !!
you can make your own poi to practice with by getting some long socks ( the more colourful the better) and two tennis balls. Put a ball in each sock and heh presto!!
your very own practice poi - I call these sock Poi, they are much easier to use than tail pois as there aren't any ribbons to get tangled or flick you in the eyes !!


Series of 6 lesson plans

1st lesson :
how to hold the pois
forward and backward swing
turns - from forwards to backwards
split time swinging
half weaves forwards and backwards

2nd lesson
full weave forwards
low turns - 180 degrees both directions
high turns - 180 degrees both directions
flat spins and weaves

3rd lesson
weave above the head
full backwards weave
full weave turn - 360 degrees

4th lesson
opposite directions
turning in opposites
split butterflies both directions
Buzzsaw

5th lesson
putting moves together
moving whilst swinging
learning a routine

6th lesson
creating a routine
adding character to skills
using other objects and flags
how to invent moves
examples of advanced moves

About Your Teacher RedSarah.

Award winning performer Redsarah has been teaching poi to people of all ages for over 8 years.she has taught the children of the Ministry of Defence, homeless teenagers in Africa, taught privately to dancers and corporate clients and inspired a book all about the art .
She has been described as "Queen Poi" by her circus contemporaries and is the leading lady in incorporating circus skills into burlesque.

History of Poi

POI" is the Maori word for "ball" on a cord

The POI was used, many years ago, by the indigenous Maori people of New Zealand to increase their flexibility and strength in their hands and arms as well as improving coordination.

Wahine (female) dancers perform the Maori POI, a dance performed with balls attached to flax strings, swung rhythmically.

The POI dance was originally used by the Maori women for keeping their hands flexible for weaving and by the men for strength and coordination required during battle. POI are also used as a training aid for other ancient weapons.

WARNING

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I would absolutely love to attend! Do you have any idea what day of the week the lessons would be?

For anyone who has never seen Sarah's poi work - it is absolutely AMAZING! I was totally hypnotised by her fire poi at Whit Mischeif!!!!

i am hoping to run classes on a monday !!

no more monday blues - definately something to look forward to.

x x x

Ooh very intriguing! I live away so the 2 day intensive weekend sounds good

I'd be interested! I'd love to learn poi! But like Miss Freya, I'm quite far away so an intensive weekend might be better for me (if my arms can stand it!)

lol, i learned that stuff in primary school in New Zealand. (i'm half Maori)
If anyone's curious how to make them, they can pm me
All i can say is um, watch your head :P they hit suprisingly hard, i bet redsarah would agree!

I'd love to learn more, but only really need lessons 5 and 6. I've taught myself and get a little stuck learning news moves, and how to use it when performing. I just don't feel I'm good enough to hire myself out for anything, like there'd always be someone there who could do it better and would laugh (inferiority complex, moi?). hmmm I'll be front of queue for the intermediate course after this one ;-)

Ive done poi for quite a while and got to the stage where im stuck for wanting to learn more moves. The class sounds really interesting as Ive always wanting to learn how to move more while spinning and put it into a performance instead of just doing it in the park with friends. Im such a slow learner though. Id like a weekly lesson so I could practisse in between ech one.

Thanks for showing your interest.

i would say you are more likely to learn better if doing a weekly class
as you get to go home and practice 2/3 new moves every week, instead of doing the whole course in 2 days and having to remember 26 moves !!!!

the weekend course is probably ideal for those like midnight who are at an intermediate level.

keep posting your interest lovelies.

x x

Red

I've just been looking online for some information on Poi. It looks really good and I cant wait to get home and practise with some socks!! Would love it if you would do a class up north.