Forums > Social Chat > Teaching

Posted: 15th Jan 2001
I am no expert, by any means, but the two people, I have taught (not including myself) I taught the same way I learned. I just taught them the basics,, forced them to swing at their side for a while. Then just moved from there. In other words : Just Do it!-PSM

One can only see what one observes, and one observes only things which are already in the mind.-Alphonse Bertillon

AnonymousPLATINUM Member

Posted: 15th Jan 2001
I'd started them with clubs. Seriously, starting with clubs means the student can start or stop a trick anywhere. It also means they learn really good hand technique, because they have to have a lot of hand strength and precision to spin clubs. They'll be more disciplined and efficient spinner when they get to poi, not to mention picking up tricks a lot quicker. OK, now I'll shut up about clubs. Poi, yes, I agree with Psycho. Start with the swinging at the sides. Get them going together forward, alternating forward, together backwards, alternating backwards. Whatever you teach them, make sure they learn it equally well in all directions and get from one direction to another without loosing their flow. Hope this helpsDiana

Posted: 14th Jan 2001
This came up for me the other night with a particularly uncoordinated friend. I started him on simple forward swings at the sides, then backward, then split time for both, then in front (not butterfly..just in front) and crossing over the body (since it's like a jump rope move). Thank god he ONLY wanted to learn that much as a trick with fuzzy dice he was going to play on another bolo-esque performer we know. After two hours he kind-of had it enough for his purposes and I had to take some Tylenol!!!! ------------------Pele Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir...

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK

Posted: 14th Jan 2001
IMHO it's important to teach them the really basics, e.g. swinging at the sides and front back, in time and split time, forwards and in reverse and then crossing over - also a few basic turns too - apart from these it's more important to teach them how to practise new moves on their own since if they don't practise themselves they'll never get some moves, unless you spend ages with them... so the best thing to do is show them moves after a while, and tell them to practice them at home, then when they come back help them if they are having trouble and point out what they are doing wrong! as for you Tim, you can practise teaching me tomorrow when we meet up !happy swinging,Simos

Posted: 15th Jan 2001
Just give them a pair of flaming fire poi and ask them to put them out without blowing on dunking. watch them spin those babies.ha ha peace out garbo

be excellent to each other: safe:

Posted: 15th Jan 2001
there's two things i reckon are pretty important for beginners...the first is a simple guide into what is possible, and the second is allowing their imagination to take over so that they can start to think and plan their own moves once they become familiar with some simple stuff.if i was starting out with someone new, i'd first get them to visualise how the chains can move around around their body, starting with chains at their sides, chains in front and some simple stuff with chains behind.then introduce the concept of directions, that chains can be swung backwards and forwards.lastly, show them how to connect a change in direction or position by using a crossover, so they could switch from front to back or side to side.once they become familiar with this basic stuff, encourage them think, visualise and hopefully create something new, using the basics you've shown them and their imagination. of course, they'll want to learn moves with it, so if you've gotten involved enough with the student, you're gonna have to show 'em! otherwise, you'll be branded as one of those selfish 'inner circle' elitists by the fire police ;-)there's some notes on this over at https://www.geocities.com/firepoiin
the learning section. as i wrote the stuff, feel free to print it out and butcher it to your own needs!good luck,simon

%simon