Fire Arts


As I have mentioned before, I’m one of the vice presidents of Fire Arts, Lewis & Clark’s fire spinning club.  We meet twice a week for 1-2 hours practicing with all manner of props.  As every new member joins they start out by learning fire knife or poi.  A fire knife is basically a dull blade the length of a machete with a handle about as long as your arm and fire on both ends.  While poi are two balls of fire attached to a small length of string.

Fire fans
Staff
From there members diversify into many different props.  I use the staff (fire on both ends of a stick) and rope dart (fire on the end of a long rope).  Other members also use fans, a hula hoop, batons, machetes, a dragon staff (a shorter staff with lengths of wire holding mini balls of fire out perpendicular to the staff), and juggling rods. 

Fire knife
Staff
Each semester we will have at least one show.  In addition to that show, during the spring semester we also perform at the Luau the Hawaii club puts together every year.  It’s not confirmed yet, but this year we are considering a Disney theme for the show we run.  It has been fun watching everyone come up with their favorite Disney songs.  In some cases we have insisted that they go home and watch movies that they have missed.  It’s a lot of fun, we all get along well and when we’re not lighting things on fire we’ll hang around joking.

Fire knife
Rope dart

Any questions?  Feel free to send me an email at ameliaberle@lclark.edu