Poi tricks

As with many subculture sports and pastimes, poi spinners often spend hours mastering their tricks, gaining respect from their peers for managing more impressive stunts.

Some popular poi tricks include: reels, weaves, fountains, crossovers and windmills.

The more skilled the spinner, the more complex and subtle tricks they can pull. Some more advanced tricks involve body wraps, which involve wrapping a poi string around an arm or leg, then pulling it to swing the poi back in the opposite direction. Split time and split direction moves are possible, and some of the more difficult moves, such as the 'five beat weave', isolations or hyperloop require a considerable amount of manual dexterity, coordination and fine timing to accomplish. Manual strength is not a factor, as power and control come from good timing.

There are several basic classes of trick. The two poi are usually spun in parallel planes, and can be spun in the same direction (weaves) or opposite directions (butterflies). Moves such as stalls and wraps can change direction of one poi to change between these two classes.

Weaves

Weaves are a class of trick based around the "basic weave".

The basic (3 beat) weave

Considered by many poi swingers to be one of the staple moves, this is often one of the first few tricks learned by new poi swingers. The poi are swung 180 degrees out of phase with each other, in a forward rotation. As one of the poi reaches its highest point it is swung down across the front of the body. When the poi that was swung across the body reaches its lowest point, the second poi is at its highest point on the same side of the body. The second poi is then swung across the body in a similar fashion to the way the first one was, although obviously in the opposite direction. Meanwhile the first poi is swung round to its highest point without changing sides. The swinger's arms are now crossed in front of their body. The first poi is swung down across the front of the body so that it is on its original side whilst the second poi is swung to its highest point. The first poi is then swung round to its highest point and the second to its lowest point "without" crossing sides. The first poi is then swung over the top of the opposite arm and down across the front of the body, whilst the second poi is swung back up to its highest point. The poi are now in the mirror position from when the arms were first crossed. From this point the same sequence from when the arms were first crossed is used, only in mirror image.The sequence can then be repeated for as long as the swinger wants.

The basic weave is called "three-beat" because each poi spins three times in a cycle: once on the same side of the body (eg left hand poi on left side) and twice on the opposite side. Backwards weaves, behind the back weaves, and 2-beat, 4-beat, 5-beat, and other weaves are also possible. 7-beat is considered an extremely hard trick.

Butterflies

Butterflies are a class of trick based around the "basic butterfly". The hands are held close together in front of the spinner and the poi spin in opposite directions flat to the spinner so that the poi cross at the top and bottom of their circles. This move can be done behind the head, behind the back and extended to any number of moves; there are as many variations on the butterfly possible as there are for the weave. These tricks are so named as when viewed from the front, the poi appear to be flapping horizontally like a butterfly's wings.

The Basic Butterfly

The poi are swung in a forwards direction in phase with each other. The hands are then both moved in front of the swinger so that the poi traverse a circle in front of the spinner, the left poi spinning clockwise, the right poi anti-clockwise. One hand will be above the other one (typically the spinner's better hand) and their angles "very" slightly offset to prevent the poi from colliding as they cross at the top and bottom of their respective circles.

The Overhead Butterfly

This is a variation on the basic butterfly where as the poi swing upwards from their lowest position the hands are moved to a position above the head. As the poi swing back downwards from their highest point the hands are moved down the opposite side of the head to complete the butterfly "flap". The hands are moved from the front to the back of the head alternately with each "flap" so that the poi flap alternately once in front of the head then once behind.

Highly skilled performers perform butterflies with 4 poi (two in each hand) to execute a double butterfly. In each hand, one is held out of each end of a fist. The most expert practitioners do this with 6 poi so that a third one-footed butterfly can be performed with the other foot. However, impressive though this last one certainly is, the majority of poi performers consider such things to have no real use, as it is highly difficult to transition from the one-handed butterfly back into two -handed moves. It isn't impossible, however, as it is the trademark move of one of the members of the Springfield, Missouri poi performance crew.

Wraps

Wraps are a class of trick in which the poi are wrapped around something, most typically part of the body, to change the path or direction of spin. There are two types of wrap - basic or recoil wraps wrap around the target and then bounce off so that the poi ends up spinning in the opposite direction to which it started from, and thru-wraps which wrap around a moving body part so that the direction stays the same but the poi changes the path it is travelling along. Typical targets for a wrap are the arms and legs, although any body part is suitable - one of the more dangerous places to perform wraps is around the neck. These are among the most dangerous fire poi tricks as the poi can come into contact with the body or become entangled round the body; double neck thru-wraps are perhaps the most dangerous move that can be done with fire poi due to the risk of the poi tangling.

The Leg Wrap

The leg is outstretched to the side whilst the poi are being swung to the sides of the body. The poi string or chain makes contact with the outstretched leg, causing the lower portion of the string or chain to be wound round the leg. Provided the poi had enough speed when contact with the leg was made, it will wind completely around the leg, with the head impacting the leg. The head will then rebound. Pulling upon the string/chain at this point will mean that, again provided there was enough initial speed, the poi completely unwinds from the leg and swings freely in the opposite direction to the one it did initially. At this point the swinger can proceed with another trick.

The Ankle Wrap

This is a variation upon the leg wrap where instead of outstretching the leg, it is bent to 90 degrees at the knee, with the lower portion of the leg turned out to the side. The string/chain then contacts with and winds round the ankle instead of the leg. The ankle wrap is usually not carried out on both legs at once as this requires jumping, which is exceptionally difficult to carry out at the required height and speed to complete the move before requiring to land.

Flowers

Flowers are a class of trick based on compound circles, where the hands are moved in large, slow circles, and the poi rotate several times for each arm rotation, creating further circles around the perimeter. These moves create beautiful, symmetrical traces when performed cleanly.

Regular Flowers

The arms are moved in the same direction as the poi. If the poi are spinning in the same direction as each other the arms remain 180 degrees apart. If the poi are spinning in opposite directions the arms coincide twice per rotation.

Antispin Flowers

The arms are moved counter to the poi, e.g. if both poi are spinning forwards, both arms will do backwards circles. Much more difficult to master than regular flowers.

Goofy Flowers

One arm is moved as in a regular flower while the other arm is antispun. A goofy flower with same-direction poi has the same arm movements as a regular flower with opposite-direction poi, and vice versa.

Contact Poi

Contact poi is a class of moves where one or both poi are released from the hand and manipulated with other parts of the body. These moves are generally derived from staff and devilstick moves, and require poi with counter-weighted handles.

uicides

The poi is thrown against a part of the body (generally the leg or opposite arm), rotates around it, flies off, and is caught again.

Propellers

The poi is released, and kept spinning in place by spinning the hand in a small circle, with the wrist pressing against the chain close to the weighted handle.

Wibbles

The poi is thrown, then its direction is repeatedly changed by rebounding it from the hand or wrist. The poi is caught close to the handle, but not grasped. If done cleanly the poi will be stalled for only a fraction of a second before recoiling.

Further Moves

Isolations refer to a class of moves where the poi handle is also spun in a circle, 180 degrees apart from the poi head. 'Perfect' isolation occurs when the poi handle and poi are moving in the same circle, and can usually create incredibly beautiful synchronized moves (eg cranks). Hyperloops are where the poi ropes becomes entangled (twisted up) and then untangled, keeping the ends spinning the entire time. Advanced spinners are even able to spin their moves in places such as behind the back and between the legs.

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