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These lessons have been put into a suggested order for you to learn if you are a complete beginner, it doesnt matter much if you don't follow that order but some of them do kind of follow on from each other. General Advice :
About our lessons : Our lessons use a frame by frame picture viewer that will sometimes take a short while to load, until it has loaded it may be a little jumpy, give it a minute or so and it should be smooth. You can also zoom in/out with them for a more detailed inspection. |
Weaves The weaves are a beautiful flowy family of moves that follow each other around in a figure of eight pattern. This figure of eight pattern is found throughout poi. They can be performed slow or fast, tight or loose and are best viewed usually from the side of the performer. They can utilise various numbers of beats and just scream KUNG FU!! Stance and plane control become increasingly important the further you progress with these moves especially the behind the back ones. |
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The Weaves are a beautiful set of moves that chase themselves around and around in a figure of eight. Perfectly tranquil and drifty when that is required but they can be blasted into action with the merest hint of speed and vigour... Read More |
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Yes... quite... its the weave but its in reverse. Meaning that the poi are now traveling in an upwards direction in front of you. Its not easy when youve oly just learned it forwards but keep trying, youll get it... Read More |
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The 3 beat weave is spun by doing a weave but leaving one hand to complete another beat when it would normally curve back along the figure of eight to the other side of you for the repetition... Read More |
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The 180 weave is a beautiful little move that is a joy to perform. You should learn it from left to right and back again. Once you have it both ways its a heck of a lot easier to progress to the 360 weave which is just a sublime thing indeed... Read More |
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360 weaving is hard to explain. Timing is an all important part of this move. Study the demonstration and note how my hands seem to be steering a wheel, thats how you turn. Once you have turned 180 you go into a rvs weave... Read More |
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The 5 beat weave is accomplished by doing a 3 bt weave and leaving it there for a little longer. This will be difficult at first as there is a folding of the arms / wrists which is not immediately obvious. The pictures should... Read More |
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Buzzsaw is simply a weave which goes on the inside of your arms, it requires either short poi or a supple spine / neck but is not the hardest move in the world to achieve by any means, try to get it both... Read More |
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The Windmill, involves you doing a weave, turning your body 90 degrees and dropping one hand after another over each respective shoulder like above. Do it messily at first to get used to doing a weave... Read More |
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Same as the windmill but different, this time there are legs and things in the way. If you can do a split butterfly, imagine that kind of timing but with a weave. If not do a weave then just turn your body... Read More |
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The crosser is a very cute move that crosses over to the other side of your body when you are doing a weave, turn to the side as your arms are crossed then go into the move. It will take a few shots if you arent used... Read More |
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The behind the back weave is a move that s best gotten by stages, first go for an ordinary crossover if it feels ok to do that, if not just put your poi together and swing them up. There isnt nearly... Read More |
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The thing to do with this move is to learn it by inches. You also need to know the btb weave really as well. Try to control the weave when you leave it for the extra beat and notice your progression. It will be very small... Read More |
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Right, its pretty difficult this one. I cant decide wether its easier with chains or soks or what. The way to do it is to do a 3bt btb weave and just leave your hands there for the inevitable tangle. Then do it again and again and again... Read More |
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This move is like so complicated it could have whole website of its very own nevermind a page. The timing required is split second; stance, footwork and control are all hugely important as well, with virtually no margin for error... Read More |
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The Corkscrew is performed in much the same way as a windmill would be, except that it is done in a horizontal plane . Its hard to avoid hitting your self in the chest / stomach but it is definitely worth it... Read More |
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Butterflies The Butterfly family of moves involve the poi travelling in opposite directions to each other. They are very beaty moves and feel great to perform when the beat is strong in the music. They look like some sort of optical illusion and are best performed when facing the audience. There are many similarities between how you can play with them and how you can play with weaves but they are essentially a different family of moves. |
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The Butterfly looks like a flat circle beating in front of the performer. It is not actually a flat circle, it is crossed. One hand remains just above the other one as well. The point is that from the spectators perspective... Read More |
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The split butterfly is about timing, get the basic motion first of all, then play with your timing. Start with a butterfly, then when the Poi are at the at the very top of their swing, do this. Congratulations you have just done... Read More |
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Its got a few other names this one but they escape me for now, call it what you want, this is how to do it. Its much the same as with the low version but you drop the poi over your shoulders, rather than put them behind your hips... Read More |
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Behind the Back (BTB) Butterfly This is much the same as the bth move. The timing is the same but you have to get your ass out of the way this time and its harder to hold the move there for a few beats, without looking like you've got a dodgy lower back... Read More |
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Behind the Head (BTH) Butterfly 360 weaving is hard to explain. Timing is an all important part of this move. Study the demonstration and note how my hands seem to be steering a wheel, thats how you turn. Once you have turned 180 you go into a rvs weave... Read More |
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The arm motion you're going for with TTN looks like pulling back the string on a bow and arrow. Begin with a butterfly. As your swing starts to come down, thrust your left hand straight out from your body while over and past... Read More |
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Do a butterfly, then at the beginning of the upswing shove one arm forwards, let it continue in its circle then as it begins its downswing start to pull it back towards you, whilst at the same time the above with your other hand... Read More |
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The over head ttn or the chopper or whatever you wanna call it is quite obviously a butterfly over your head (aka an OH Cross) which has been turned into a ttn. It takes a little more practice than the butterfly but ... Read More |
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One Handed Butterfly (eye view) The colouring of flames and all that that entails. This is Xan's ongoing project on the message board and we think he is doing a marvellous job of it too... Read More |
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The one hand behind the head butterfly as shown here by the honourable mr gizmo is achieved by paying special attention to the planes that the poi are swinging in. Committing to the move is also essential, you really do... Read More |
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Many more lessons on the way...