In the world of Object Manipulation, one "plays" with things such as poi, on fire or not, staff, or double staves, and even hula hoops. These "toys" come in all sizes and are not limited to the ones I wrote above. There are so many more things out there that bring you into the moment, into the NOW and therefore allow for a broader consciousness to happen to the person doing the playing!

I have been hooping for awhile now. I started out when I was a little kid playing with the cheap, plastic, crappy, flimsy ones. Then when I got older I started playing again at Festivals and shows. I saw The String Cheese Incident for the first time in Jackson Hole, Wy. in the Ballroom of the Snow King Resort, this was in '97 or '98. Anyway there were people on stage hooping and dancing in front of the band hooping. This was awesome, I thought! So they came again to Jackson, but since they were "bigger" than their first show there, they were moved to the ice rink. I showed up with a hoop, my tutu on and I was ready! There was only one problem... I was technically WORKING. I didn't have money for a ticket and I worked for the resort that was housing the band, so I asked if I could work the snack bar, "but only for awhile". I had to set up, get it all ready and stay for "awhile", then friends showed up, I could see my tutu under the snack bar table, and well the rest really is history! I hooped and danced so much that night, and I still had a job the next day!! I ended up just hooping after that, just to hoop. Hoopdance wasn't even born yet, and I was dancing with my hoop at shows I went to... Everyone was!

Looking around now at how hooping and even poi spinning has exploded into "mainstream" culture, it's come so far, so quickly! It's great to know that people are turning to more of these kinds of social interactions. Not just going to shows or festivals to get "messed up" but for millions of reasons that create consciousness, mindfullness, hand-eye coordination, and of course to PLAY!

I go to many festivals and shows throughout a year and now I see people driving into these places with hoops stacked on their cars tied down with rope and bungees, or stuck on the backs of cars, along with long LED staves or even a fire staff! Many outdoor music festivals, now have workshops,and performances using these types of objects. Bonnaroo, has a great fire show every night by the "Art of Such and Such Performers". They bring the circus and freaky fire to a more mainstream event and it's always a hit! Many of the people that go to this event have never seen this type of performance, that's why it's so important. It brings something new to people, something that sticks in their minds and causes people to THINK! Some people may even begin their own journey into spinning toys just from one fire show...

If you go to High Sierra Music Festival in Quincy, Ca this year (and many. many years before) you will be able to buy high quality, hand made poi, fire poi and hoops from Shireen of flame-buoyant productions, and also from The Spinsterz. Buy your toys, learn all the ways you can play, and move and manipulate them, then at night watch them all in action as they throw DOWN a fantastic fire show! They know how to please and every year make it bigger, better and more inspiring. Writing this makes me really want to go now....hmmm???

There is an awesome, inspiring, and jaw dropping event that happens in May in the forests near Santa Barbara. This event is a fire-dancer's dream come true! I am talking about Fire Drums! This year the dates are April 30th through May 3rd, but it's SOLD OUT! This sold out quick this year, I think every year it gets more and more popular! If you are way into or even just getting into the Art of Flow, Movement and Spinning, try getting to this event, even just once. I went a few years back and WOW, this place had every kind of teacher, toy, object and fun that was allowable in one place! Also great camping with beautiful trees and views!

Here in Portland, there is an abundance of "movement" arts happening all the time. Shows, classes, workshops, performances, impromptu stuff that happens at things like "Last Thursday"(an event that happens on the last Thursday of every month)and all kinds of circus-type stuff at different events and venues throughout the city.

In the last 2 years I have really been into hooping. I go everywhere with my hoops, parties, parks, friends houses, etc.. Especially when the sun is out! I get so much out of being inside the circle. I am in the moment, as it happens and I am not thinking about things that don't matter. I am thinking about the hoop flowing around me, how it feels and even new ways to move in, and around the hoop. I love teaching people how to hoop. Especially folks who are absolute beginners! They always say they "Can't do it" then in 15minutes they have a big smile on their face and a hoop spinning around their waist! It's a great feeling. Giving a child a hoop and watching what they do with it is amazing! Sometimes they immediately start hooping, other kids jump over it, through it, what ever they can think of, it's fun for them and there is NO wrong way to do it! The perfect thing to get their minds going. I have also seen small children pick up a set of poi and start spinning it around their body as if it's "easy" for them. They watch someone who knows different tricks and they just begin mirroring those tricks, kids are so smart! Plus they have no fear, thta really helps. they don't care who is watching, how they look, or if it's "right". They just want to play and that's really what it all comes down to anyway.

Playing. Movement. BEing here and now.Creating art. BEing art. Teaching others. Connections. Consciousness. Realizations.

All of the above is constantly occuring while you are involved with this "art form". It is truly insiring and worth looking into. Watching someone perform, or you yourself playing is good for your soul. Very eye opening, something we all need these days!

Spinning in this life and beyond, climbing higher and higher, dancing, loving and flowing, never reaching the end...

Happy Playing...

Melissa Magic