Stromboli Poi Retreat 2024 Fire Poi

Here’s a video of my poi act at Stromboli Retreat’s Show. This stage is a special place for me, I’ve been performing on it almost every year since 2013, when I first came to the island. It has challenged me many times though, it’s the one place where I feel I did the best, but also the very worst performances. This one felt alright. It was great to reconnect with basic poi improvisation. Doing any hardcore tricks was not at all my goal this time, I just wanted to enjoy the dance, on this great song by Hidden Orchestra 🙂

s3ep8 – The First Antispin Flower

This should be your first antispin flower – that means a trick with using antispin with both hands, creating a beautiful, compound circle pattern. This one is the easiest because both hands are doing the same thing, at the same time, but you need to be sure that you’ve practiced the air arm movement before, in this video.

The Sri-kick

It’s a nice and straightforward kick with poi under the leg. I learned from Srikanta Barefoot, a fantastic performer who progressed on stage with Cirque du Soleil. This kick doesn’t require any Cirque du Soleil skills, though! It’s pretty simple.

IV. Fire

And the fourth element; fire. Opposite direction, split time.

III. Water

The third element, split-time, same direction; water.

II. Air

Learn about the second element, air. Same time, opposite direction.

I. Earth

Learn about the first, most fundamental Element, earth!

s3ep7 – Start playing with the antispin

After you’ve practiced the antispin with one hand only, it’s good to use it in the context of timing, before getting into some full-antispin trick. I recommend also getting back to this later on, as the more you progress with poi, the more comfortable this particular move will feel – and you’ll be able to use it in variations with other moves.

What are the Elements?

This is the introduction to theory of elements – also known as the basic modes, in which every spun or manipulated object operates (unless it’s not a circular motion). The understanding of this is crucial to orientate in any poi tricks, and allows you come up with your own trick variations and transitions by yourself! This video explains the fundamentals about the theory. The following 4 videos explore all the 4 elements, one-by-one!

Pinch-backs

Something for 3 poi geeks out there. Even though it’s not the most aesthetic move in the universe, somehow I’m excited about having discovered it because there aren’t many continuous 3 poi moves with pinch-reels – and essentially, contact – out there (yet), and especially not many of those that would be relatively easy to learn, such as this one. I recommend watching the Flat-backs video if you haven’t yet. I still think there is a way to work out the reel itself to make it more fluent.. also, there are indeed ways of reversing directions throughout the move. I found a few ways but these days unfortunately I have no time to play poi so this will have to wait. Enjoy!

More body tracing with 4-petal Antispin

Antispins aren’t only tricks with antispin motion – it’s also a tool to spice up your flow, and the essential element of body tracing. This video explores a few possibilities of body tracing with antispin, which should allow you to unlock new transitions and ways of expression.

Flat-backs (A switchback variation)

A cool and relatively not-so-difficult move with 3 poi that I found! It’s one of those relatively accessible 3-poi tricks that don’t require years of practicing 😉 How to start the Flat-Backs with two poi in one hand: Hold both poi in one hand, one from the pinky and one from the thumb side. Throw the pinkie into the other hand. Or you can do a regular switchback cascade (with full turns) and then throw a flat instead

Turns & Footowork (practice this to gain freedom of movement!)

This class, which I gave at a retreat in Sicily, explores some essential footwork and arm movement that helps us find more freedom in movement with poi or even other props. In my opinion, it is crucial to understand (and teach our limbs) how extensions of our arms work with steps. Once you automate this, you are free to do elegant turns during which you won’t lose your plane and that you can easily combine into sequences.

The Avatar

The Avatar – the move that combines all the elements! Or to be more specific, 4 elements with your arms and 2 with your poi. And, as you will see, it is also a useful way to learn how to change timing with your poi!

Transitions between the elements (with your arms)

Learn how transitions between the elements with your arms work. This is a super helpful coordination exercise, and a necessary knowledge for unlocking more complicated patterns with antispins and inspins, which is for instance explored in this video.

3-poi Weaves

Learn how to do weaves with 3 poi! They’re some of the most visually pleasing moves, and the most easy to learn, as it’s similar to 2 poi weaves.

Antispin Tosses

One of the most significant types of poi tosses.

Wraps

Rastaxel-pendulum inspired wraps: stall-stall-circle patterns, using the body to change the direction

Wrap Releases with Ronan McLoughlin

During the autumn 2020 lockdown, I managed to connect with the legendary poi scientist Ronan McLoughlin and make him share the secrets of wrap releases. So in this video, you can learn how to do the basic wrap release, and then see a huge variety of combinations that Ronan and I discovered.

Under the Legs Walk-throughs

One of my favorite ways to use under-the-legs. It’s a perfect way to move with your poi as well. The walk-throughs are moves in which you seem to be “walking through” your poi. Typically this is done in Air element. Enjoy this tutorial!

Under the Leg Barrel Jump

One of not so many sorts of acrobatic moves that are quite easy with poi! And it can be done with staff too. It’s recommended to watch the “Jumps & Displacement” tutorial before! The combo with the cartwheel that I mention in the video is here.

Body Tracing vs. Antistpins: Triquotra vs. Neck Isolation

One of my favorite ways of combining an antispin with this neck isolation. This is certainly not an easy one – pay attention to what’s happening at the bottom of the antispin. Mind that the hands are in Air mode, poi in Water.

Body Tracing vs. Antispins – 3 beat Antispin Body Tracer

I discovered this poi move years ago and it is one of my favorite body tracers. It’s a great example of how weaves and antispins can be combined in one movement. As in this case, the 4-petal flower and 3-beat side crossing are merged into one move. I believe this move would deserve its own original name! So how should we call it, any ideas? Write it in the comments! 🙂

Triquotra fountain – Body Tracing vs. Antispins

Here’s the double triquotra fountain and an explanation of how the triquotra behind the head works. There are more amazing tracers that you unlock once you get this in your muscle memory! This move can be also done with 3 poi and it’s one of the most visual moves out there. Here is the 3 poi version In this fountain, the arms are in Earth and the poi in Water.

4-petal antispins behind the head – Body tracing vs antispins

Antispins are the ultimate body-tracing weapon, but in order to body-trace them, you have to know how to bring them around different planes. This tutorial explains it, plus shows 2 particular moves that you can do – both in fire/fire mode. Body tracing with 4-petal antispin is the most useful out of all the antispin shapes out there, as it offers the biggest variety of moves since 4-petal antispin is symmetrical in both vertical and horizontal axis.

The Pentagram – Body tracing vs Antispins

A tutorial following up on the Body Tracing vs. Antispins tutorial (Triquotra vs. Neck Isolation)  It’s quite a challenging move.. Requires a lot of thinking. But if you managed the last trick, you will get this too, with patience!

The Twisted Pirouette (Body Tracing)

This is one of my favorite turns and sort of my signature move. This twisted pirouette – and the more simple version, are both such graceful way to use poi with respect to your body and add an element of dance into your spinning. Enjoy this tutorial – the first one shot from the series, back in the day when the pandemic started I got stuck in Bali.

The Giant 3-beat Weaves

In this poi tutorial, I’m showing how the 3-beat weave pattern becomes a much bigger pattern with circles placed in different positions around the body and extended into extensions. This is one thing I love about Poi – all patterns are modifiable and extendable! And each static pattern can be done by involving more body movement.

The Double Cap-Swap Isolated Toss

A quick poi tutorial about this super cool toss which I still suck at. You might have seen Mel (the Russian poi spinner) doing this one, nicer than I, though! This is to show you how this thing works! Enjoy 🙂

Tangle Carry-overs (aka. Weavewraps) – Hyperloops & Tangles

Poi tutorial about how every weave can be a tangle! And some details about how that relates to air-wraps. Excuse the sound quality – my Jabra super-earbuds charging case was stolen (I wish the thief a lot of fun with an empty charging case) so I had to use some cheap, transitory earphones to record the audio.

The Tunneling Basics – 4 elements together | Stromboli Poi Retreat

Here’s some more from Stromboli Poi Retreat: introducing tunneling and demonstrating the basic concept of sharing an element with a partner. Even the most simple things can look amazing if they are done cleanly. This is level one: the arms. You can spin in different elements with your poi, with a wide range of patterns to choose from, as explained in the following video. You can find all the info here if you’re curious about the Stromboli Poi Retreat.

Symmetrical Rastaxel Pendulum Tosses

This symmetrical toss concept is a really useful one as it allows you to practice every toss on both sides and, as shown in this video, there are many interesting pirouette possibilities. Enjoy this poi tutorial! #rastaxelpendulum

More on Rastaxel pendulums – Stromboli Poi Retreat Pendulums pt. II

Another part of the pendulum workshop with Ronan and me from Stromboli Retreat 2021. Following up on the previous video, how do the four types of pendulums work with the Rastaxel Pendulum, and how far can the Rastaxel Pendulum evolve? You can find all the info here if you’re curious about the Stromboli Poi Retreat.

Pendulums – Transitioning between directions and timings – Stromboli Retreat Pendulums pt. III

Last part of our pendulum workshop at Stromboli. Pendulums work as a transition between different elements – particularly between timings. Transitioning between, for example, water and earth (same direction split-time and same direction simultaneously) is often tricky and a bit lame when done just like that. You can find all the info here if you’re curious about the Stromboli Poi Retreat.

The 4 Types of Pendulums – Stromboli Retreat Pendulums pt. I

Static Pendulums, Extendulums, Isolated Pendulums (Isodulums), Anti-dulums. Do you know all these -ulums?  Ronan McLoughlin is the one to learn about pendulums, as he widely explored them and set the framework for the rest of the world.  This video’s chapters are (as marked in the video in the top left corner:) I. Static Pendulums II. Extendulums III. Isodulums tips on alignment types IV. antidulums You can find all the info here if you’re curious about the Stromboli Poi Retreat.

All About Tunneling with Vojta and Ronan – Stromboli Retreat

A tunneling seminar that Ronan and I did at Stromboli! This was the first time (I believe for both of us) to teach and grasp all the geometrical concepts we’ve been playing with. It’s sort of a special language that once you understand, it becomes easier to communicate by circular patterns rather than words. But if you watch this entire video, you will have a good insight into what is there and how all the Elements & Inspins & Antispins & CAPs work, and they can be combined in all the different ways. Make sure you watch the Tunneling Basics video before getting into more complex patterns! You can find all the info here if you’re curious about the Stromboli Poi Retreat.

All the shapes with Ronan and Vojta – Stromboli Retreat

All the shapes in a recap from Stromboli Poi Retreat! Antispin and Inspins patterns and how they can be combined (more in-depth than my previous tutorial about this topic). Ronan is one of the founders of this stuff, so his way of explaining some very complex patterns – such as anti-anti-spins, is very interesting to me, too. It follows up a bit on the previous tunneling basics video and is followed by a complex tunneling seminar. You can find all the info here if you’re curious about the Stromboli Poi Retreat.

2-beats around the body, Symmetrical / Turning Patterns, Neck-Isolated Beats and more, from Stromboli

This is a recap from Stromboli Poi Retreat, which talks about a concept that I consider super important. I’ll be getting back to this in future tutorials. The 2-beat concept, which, by adding 180 turns, evolves into a symmetrical move, which can be done with any move in any element, allows you to move with any move and helps you to learn each move in both directions more creatively. I encourage you to try this with any move you enjoy! Here’s a video that has a ton of variations with this concept! Also, we talk about how each above-the-shoulder reel can be done in neck isolation and a few words about how each thing can be anti-spinned.. Which I will get back into also 🙂 You can find all the info here if you’re curious about the Stromboli Poi Retreat.

Shortening and wrapping

Here’s a tutorial intended for beginners and intermediate, but the stuff in the second half might give some inspiration to advanced as well. Shortening your poi is something that you will find yourself doing quite often. As explained in the video, it’s something that you should be able to do without too much thinking. In the second part of the video, I’m showing some moves/tricks with wrapping the poi that I like to do, especially with LED poi. If you spin some poi that are kind of sticks on strings (like pixel poi etc) knowing how to shorten it and catch it is extremely useful! When I dance with the Visual poi, I do it all the time.

Rastaxel Pendulums (with Rastaxel)

Rastaxel’s pendulums opened new possibilities for thousands of spinners back in the day – and not only the pendulums; there is a lot more amazing stuff in his famous video “Poi In The Park” – much of it Rastaxel’s inventions. This is one of those videos that shaped poi spinning to what we know it today. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to do that. You can then also check out this video to see a plethora of variations!

Pinch Reels aka. Contact locks

I wanted to share this concept with you for a long time – it’s something I discovered that allows me to somehow do some sort of contact poi despite being really bad at it. In the video, I’m explaining the concept and then showing 2 combos – one in the horizontal plane and one in the vertical.

Performing With Poi – Tips and thoughts

Sharing some of my observations about performing with Poi and how to utilize all these tricks out there… When it comes to performing, different things count more than just tricks – and different elements will make you actually enjoy the performance. What are your thoughts about performing with poi?

Straitjackets

Straitjacket is something like math or chemistry in school – feared, complicated, and unnecessary, but in the end somewhat amazing and satisfying. (note: to me, math isn’t satisfying). Thanks to this tutorial I discovered the Straitjacket Weave, which is an awesome middle-step that can help you gradually embrace this move! Good luck, and don’t panic!

Ninja Stalls!

These stalls are my favorite, I found them years ago while listening to some ninja tunes. Not only they’re very expressive and can work well to add contrast to your flow, but also greatly improve your poi control – particularly in the fire element!

Antispin Switchbacks

Hola amigos! Here’s the promised tutorial about these Switchbacks – moves that I found by coincidence when exploring the weaves vs. antispins patterns. If you haven’t checked out those yet, I recommend it! As then you can combine all these moves in many cool ways. Antispins vs. Weaves

Behind the Back No-beat Tosses

In-depth tutorial about the popular behind-the-back tosses. You need to be able to do regular (basic) no-beats, which you can learn in this tutorial. My LED poi by Flowtoys fell in the pond twice during filming this tutorial (Yes, that is extremely lame). Amazingly, they work. This (apart from other reasons) is why I love Podpoi so much!

More tips on switchbacks

This is cut from a Zoom meeting, focusing on how to perfect the timing and plane of the switchbacks. It follows up on the Antispin Switchbacks tutorial. I’ve seen many people kind of doing it, but the timing of the hands was a bit corrupted and the result is a not-so-nice switchback – hopefully, this might help everyone who is struggling with it!

Pendulum Slide-catch (end move combo)

Some people have asked about this trick – as I tend to do it a lot, usually at the end of sequences. There are many “closing” tricks like that. I know quite a few spinners who have some stylish way to end their poi sequences. It’s almost like some sort of signature!  It’s nice to be aware of how you start and end a sequence. I’ll be sharing more about this! This is partially related to the pendulum variations that I teach in the pendulum tutorial! If you haven’t seen it yet, check it out!

No-beat Tosses – The Basics

Hey guys! No beat tosses are extremely useful in poi, as they allow you to keep the timing during the throw (the poi in the air stays in timing with the poi you spin) As explained, we have two directions, and some differences in the way you catch – which is very important. This is also a pre-requisite for the popular Behind-the-back Tosses tutorial!

CAP Vs. Pendulums

CAPs and Pendulumds are friends. If you don’t know the CAP yet, you can learn it with this tutorial, and then slowly progress to CAP vs pendulum! This is an important concept in poi – a hand following the head of the other poi. This is a way to get started with it, and I’ll show more advanced versions and other tricks related to it in the future.

More Symmetrical Turning Patterns

Here are some examples of what certain moves from different trick families look like in symmetrical turning. It’s a great way to get movin’ with any move, as well as to discover some completely new moves. Try playing with different amounts of beats in some reel patterns. You can experiment with placing these beats (circles) in different positions around your body as you turn. Also, try taking a “boring” wall plane pattern and see how you can turn back and forth with it! The explanation of symmetrical turning patterns is in this video.

Jumps & Displacement

Are you looking for ways how to move and make elegant jumps with poi – or perhaps with another prop like staff? In this tutorial, I explain the two ways to jump – each way leading to many particular jumps, some more hardcore, some less, and I particularly focus on the barrel jump – which is perhaps the most useful. The trick I mentioned in the video is shown in this video: Under-the-leg Barrel Jump!

Basics of Poi Juggling and an Interview with Bow Juggler

Warning, the audio sucks! Sorry… But nevertheless, here’s an exciting interview with Bow Juggler, who pushes the borders of what is possible to juggle with poi, and he even made me finally get into poi juggling, after years of rejection. You’ll also find tips on how to start juggling the lazy 3 poi no beat backwards, and what generally applies to no beat poi juggling. I’m training this a lot these days, so soon I should be able to follow up on this tutorial! It’s an exciting feeling for me – getting into these juggling moves gives me a clear direction of how to spend hundreds of hours training with poi.

Interview with Guillaume Chenier

Here’s an interview with a very original poi dancer, Guillaume. Sharing his unique perception of exploring movement and following his body. I really enjoy Guillaume’s style. It is refreshing to see someone incorporating his body into spinning, in this era of static poi style. This Guillaume’s Instagram if you want to see more.

Illusionary moves… and swaps

This is quite a fresh topic. I’ve only got into this stuff recently and I find it very entertaining. These simple tricks allow you to achieve some “impossible” moves. As some of you asked for this particular combo in my routine.. So that is also widely explained in this tutorial. Enjoy!

Horizontal Tosses – The Basics

A short tutorial about horizontal tosses – a specific category of poi tosses that can really spice up your flow. If you want to go beyond the basics with this one, check out this tutorial with the combo with a pirouette, which I mentioned in the video! And also this video shows some variations with both hands, in a symmetric turning pattern.

Horizontal Toss & Pirouette

Break down the combo with a turn which I do a lot. It might make the impression that it is difficult, but once you become comfortable with the horizontal tosses, it’s not so much more difficult to add the turn! Enjoy!

Horizontal Hyperloops II. – The Fountain

Here’s the tutorial that I was too scared to film for a long time because this topic is quite a challenging one. But here we go 😉 I did my best to explain it clearly and give you drills to work on – such as the way to exit I show at the beginning, and the hyperloop corkscrew I show at the end. BE PATIENT – tangles take time. But once you gain some control, many moves will unlock and you will start having fun. I’ll be glad for your feedback!

Horizontal Hyperloops (/Tangle): Episode I. (Intermediate)

A tutorial that should help to get started with horizontal hyperloops – and hyperloops in general. Even beginners can try this – the first step is important, unless you can do that with ease, there is no point in moving forward. Also, practicing the horizontal water mode & split corkscrew is very handy for a lot of moves – particularly the 4-beat corkscrew!

Floorwork: Rolls

Hey everyone! I’ve created this for you today; breaking down my favorite poi ground roll, which I somehow discovered a couple of years ago. I’m demonstrating this in a gym on a soft floor, but don’t worry, you don’t need any sort of floor will work, even grass (just watch out for dog poop! )

Elbow Locks / Pinch Reels – The Basics

Elbow locks are moves in which you trap the poi in your elbow – and then let it go and keep spinning (that’s the harder part). This tutorial examines the basics of it, filmed at Agua Azul, Chiapas, Mexico, which I really recommend visiting! 🙂

Toss Combo 2poi 1hand into pendulum catch

Another toss combo I really enjoy and get asked about. I didn’t find any cool name for this – thus, the long, boring name. Let me know in the comments if you can come up with a better name 😉

Inspins vs. Antispin Patterns | alas Combining The Elements

This tutorial provides a framework that can help you orientate in the endless possibilities of combining antispins and inspins in various elements. You probably see people doing this kind of stuff all the time. I recommend getting to know this – as this is the way to do all these sacred geometry patterns with poi!

Changing Modes With Pendulums | Fluent Transitions

This is my favorite topic: using pendulums to change mode, and the whole concept of eight-shaped pendulums, which is the most seamless way of changing a direction. You might want to also watch this tutorial about advanced pendulum weaves, as it’s related to this!  

Cartwheel & Jump | Acrobatic Poi Combo

The popular acrobatic poi combo! And you can easily do it with staff too. I first learned it from my colleague and friend Srikanta Barefoot, check out some of his videos on YouTube, he’s amazing!  

Break Free From Wheel Planes

You might have heard me talking about this in various tutorials in the beginners series. But if you have not, check it out. It explains what I think is the necessary step in your poi evolution.

1. What are Planes

Here your poi journey begins! Now that you picked up the basics of 4 elements (4 basic modes), you can learn about planes, which will allow you to turn, which will then allow you to do weaves, which will then allow you to do fountains, etc. etc. Enjoy!

Upper Meltdowns

Upper meltdowns! A popular move, which can be done in many different “styles”. Enjoy!

Toss Switchbacks – the basics

Toss switchbacks are in some way a revolutionary move! Especially with 3 poi, but even with 2, you can unlock variations you cannot do otherwise. Check this out to learn about them 🙂 One extra tip I forgot to mention in the tutorial: it helps to hold the knob of the poi that you are going to toss after catching the other between your thumb and forefinger, – not in your palm, so you have space to receive the other poi!

Thoughts on creating sequences

Matthew and I got into this conversation and I thought it might be interesting to record some of those thoughts. Do you have something to add? We’re curious to read your comments!

The Irregular Toss (Behind the back toss)

A toss inspired by club or ball juggling. Feels great, but it’s tricky! Now I think I have it nailed, but at the time of making this tutorial, it was still very sloppy…

2 Poi 1 Hand – The Superman

One of the super-hero moves and arguably one of the easiest 2 poi 1 hand moves. With a special variation that makes it even more enjoyable!

2 Poi 1 Hand Basics

2 poi 1 hand is tough so the basics are already quite challenging. You need patience!!

2 poi 1 hand Triquotra

One of the “easiest” geometrical moves in the 2 poi 1 hand category.

3 Poi Chaser Swaps

One of the easiest juggling-like 3 poi tosses! Symmetrical – the same thing is executed by both hands. Therefore it helps to develop equal control with both hands!

3 Poi Switchbacks

3 Poi Switchbacks are a total 3 poi hack – that allows you to do easy juggling patterns, that aren’t technically juggling, but feel like it 🙂 Plus, there’s this cool behind-the-back tosses that I found that I’m sharing with you!

3 poi Triquotra Fountain

Definitely one of the coolest 3 poi moves! And very tricky. But with this guidance – and enough patience, you can definitely make it!

10 Three Poi Swaps with Troy

During our all-day hike in the mountains of Washington I managed to get Troy to share 10 of his super cool 3 Poi Swaps! All are pretty reachable. Enjoy!

12 drills 2poi 1hand

12 things you can practice or aim towards with 2 poi 1 hand that will really increase your playfulness!

Advanced Chasers

One of my most favorite topics that I explored a lot. Enjoy!

Body Tracing with 5-beat Weaves

This is actually the first tutorial I ever made, sometime in early 2017! Filmed at the Chateau in France, where we organize the yearly Castle Retreat. I hope you’ll enjoy it!  

Body tracing – 2 beat weave tracers

Even something as simple as 2 beat weave can become really complex. In fact, 2-beats can lead to so many cool moves around the body! And even bodytracers.

Advanced Waist Wraps (& under-the-legs variations)

This supertutorial (which means very long and complex) explores all the more complicated variations on waist wraps, and how to incorporate under-the-legs tricks, which opens up many new possibilities!

Box-drops

Something I discovered and immediately shot a tutorial about it. Since then it came back in many different variations that appear here and there in my flow. It unlocks certain possibilities of transitions that you wouldn’t otherwise have!

Contact Wrap-rolls

Sorry if other people call it differently, but I find the name Rollwrap suitable. As the poi doesn’t only roll.. it also wraps! And realizing that changed a lot about my ability to do this. When you focus on wrapping rather than rolling, it suddenly gets easier 😀

Flat Drops

Something about flats… aka flat drops, aka tossed floats!

Horizontal Tuck Turns aka Linear Body Tracing

Horizontal Tuck Turns aka. Linear Body Tracing in fire mode! The tutorial about same-time / vertical linear tracing is this one. If you’re into this stuff, I’d recommend watching this tutorial where I show different ways to use these tuck turns, also in the same direction, and combined with weaves and other body tracers.

Mastering the Antispin Flowers

One of the most popular poi moves… But quite a tricky one. here are some tips on how to get started and how to improve it.

More Symmetrical Tosses

This is a speechless tutorial on some more symmetrical tosses. There are plenty of variations – and all offer a great way to practice these tosses in both directions on both sides and keep split-timing throughout the whole move. These can be very well used in your flow, not only as a standalone trick.

Native to Non-Native BTB Tosses

This is basically the reverse of the Behind-the-back toss that you see me doing all the time and which I also made a tutorial about.

The Reversed Pendulums Mini-tutorial

Another speechless tutorial about reversed pendulums, that leads to the concept of the pendulum “8” which you can watch here!

The Sangokick

One of the cool kick & under-the-leg catches with poi!

Spiral-wraps: One-Handed

If you can’t do the regular spiral wrap, make sure you learn the two-hand one with this tutorial.

The Triquotra Antibrid Bodytracer

Learn this nice and visual triquotra pattern that’s symmetrical! The prerequisites are being able to do a triquotra and crossers.

Barrel rolls vs. hyperloops

Some very old-school stuff… And stuff that is very particular for poi – aka, it cannot be done with any other prop. Also, understanding barrel rolls will help you with understanding hyperloops – and vice versa!

s3ep9 – Isolations

Isolations are a necessary tool to achieve a bunch of moves – and a visually stunning trick by itself!

Chasing the Poi aka Hand to Poi Alignment I: Pendulums vs. things

Welcome to the first video from this series, which is about all the moves in which one poi aligns with the other hand. In these tutorials, we will slowly go through things like CAP vs Pendulums, Same-time weaves, Antibrids, and Hybrids… This is the first episode!

Chasing the Poi III: Antibrids

The third video from the series of Hand to Poi Alignment! This time on antibrids, which are very significant moves with this alignment.

Chasing the poi IV: What Are Cateyes & Vertical Cateye in Depth

Let’s get into something quite technical – which is also the next step in enriching your Hand to Poi Alignment vocabulary. The Cateyes! The animation is made by Alien Jon who made a bunch of such animations on different hybrids. I’ve been having fun recently with trying some of them. Check them out.

Horizontal Cateyes (Chasing the poi V)

Here’s a tutorial about horizontal cateyes. It’s one of the building blocks to get into hybrids, which the following tutorials will be about!

Chasing the poi VI: Cateye vs Isolation

Hola! Here’s a tutorial I was preparing for quite some time, as this isn’t an easy thing to teach. It’s one of the popular hybrids, the combination of vertical cateye and isolation, in hand-to-poi alignment. Oldschool stuff.. back in the day this was the coolest thing out there – and in my opinion, it is still cool today 😅😎 If you struggle, don’t forget that in a few posts below, there are tutorials about both vertical cateye and isolation. Btw, the animation wasn’t made by me but by Jonathan Everett (aka. Alien Jon) who made many of them. I’ve been having a lot of fun trying some of them out, check them out here. May the force be with you.

Quick tutorial: The Double Wrap-Release

Here’s a poi nugget; a random cool move without any context, supposed to provide quick satisfaction, an ideal tool to amaze your friends at the next flow jam. People are often asking me about this double wrap release.. so here’s a little combo with it. If you’ve never played with Wrap releases, check out this (sort of) tutorial with Ronan, and if you want to see more ways of using it, check out this tech video. And if you still struggle, check out the next video, with extra tips that might be handy.

More tips on Wrap Releases

If you struggle with Wrap releases (and therefore with the last move I’ve shown, which is not an easy one), this video might help. I have realized a few things that can really help in getting this move down!

“The Real” 3-poi 3-beat weave (aka. swapping weave)

This one trick is going to break the concept that you can only do even-beat weaves, and show you how to do a 3-beat weave! It’s also a swapping pattern so that will allow you to change which hand is the 2p one!

Interview with Boris Millet | Creating poi sequences and more

The man who keeps hurting our brain with super clean poi sequences and extremely unique, creative moves, has been interviewed! We’ve spent a lovely week together at the Poi Retreat in South France (which will happen again next year in October!). Boris has inspired me a lot and his view on the creative process is very useful for us all. Enjoy this interview! And watch his videos here: https://www.instagram.com/milletboris