Community

Learn to spin poi and/or find a community jam near you

Poi classes- all levels -Register here below

Ever want to learn to spin poi or to build on what you can already do?

The poi playshops are for both first time spinners and experienced poi enthusiasts. The goal is to inspire you in this ever growing and morphing art form and for you to challenge yourself and get out and play more. Poi takes its roots in the Polynesian indigenous activity of spinning weights on the end of strings and has become a very contemporary form of expression and movement that is practiced for fun, exercise and/or performance with many different types of poi including LED lights and fire.

Sophie Latreille leads this class. She has been practicing poi spinning since 1996 and has been performing with poi since 2002 both as a solo artists and with Fire Weavers fire performance troupe and Mini Cirque performance group. Her goal is to inspire you, to help develop technique with 'good habits', and to get you out playing with this prop that can be both for fitness and for artistry or just for fun. All lessons and workshops focus on exercises and concepts to get you started and guide you along your development of poi skill to find total freedom of movement with your prop, flow, dance, and creative expression. Why spin poi? Because spinning poi is so much fun, and once you have a good technique, you can improvise and spin with lights or even FIRE!

Basics moves include: Learn the basic of spinning poi and the different ways to spin. We will cover poi planes, poi scales and the basic tricks: cross-over, butterfly, split-butterfly, corkscrew, dragonfly, windmill, stalls, 180 turns, 360 turns, 2, 3 and 5 beat weave, weave turning and learn variations and transitions of these tricks.

More advanced techniques include: exercises and pattern practice to help you be able to expand your repertoire of movement with poi in order to be able to create your own expression of movement with your poi. We will also cover more advanced tricks for the experienced poi spinner such as behind the back tricks, waist wraps, stalls, isolations, pendulums, one handed tricks and more.

Partner poi moves can be taught to the students who have a good control of planes and basic moves. This is one of the most fun practices a poi spinner can do.

Poi are provided for class use and for sale. These include 'sock' poi, fluffy poi, tail poi and LED lighted poi. Fire poi are not available see www.homofpoi.com for good quality fire poi and to get you started with some beginner moves.

Winter 2012 -Monday evenings 6-7 pm
Jan 9-Mar 5 (excl. Feb 20) at McNabb Rec. Center, Ottawa

Techniques are taught in progressive sequence so participants of all levels can benifit from the instruction and learn skills to practice at whiever level they are at.

For who? Adults (teens 14+ can also participate) beginner and experienced poi spinners

Where? McNabb Rec. Center, 180 Percy, Ottawa (near the Bronson exit of the 417)

Cost? $120 for the session please register in advance before December 23rd. No drop-ins at this time.

Thinking of joinning us but not sure? Feel contact me for any additional information. Come play!

Classes are mainly taught in english but can be given bilingually, French and English on request.

Private lessons are also available on request

List of Ottawa Jams

Jams are community events to promote practice and sharing in the movement arts. Bring your hoop, your poi, or your juggling gear and your fire props (for outdoors jams) and come play or just hang out with us for these community meets in great practice space or out in beautiful parks. Open to all and free (or small fee to cover the space rental).

All are welcome. Come out and play. Note that if you light up with fire then YOU are responsable for yourself and your suroundings and for assuring that you have a qualified safety person on alert. Here are some of the jams happening in Ottawa:

Flow jams at Strathcona Park, Ottawa

Every Thursday outdoors at Strathcona Park on Range Road until Ocotber 27th

The 6 to 7 pm poi class will be followed by an open flow jam from 7 to 8:30 pm or until... Flow Jams are community meets open and free to all who are interested in the flow arts (bring your poi, hooping, juggling, slack line, partner-acro, fire dancing, just to name a few). The jams are an opportunity for people to stay after the poi class and practice with some music and maybe light up with fire out in this beautiful park and for anyone or any age to come out and practice, share and met others with similar interest, have fun and find your flow...

Kid are welcome but must be supervised.

I’ll be there and have some music playing to inspire as long as weather permits. Come and play, parks aren’t just for kids!

Jugglers Jams in Hull, Québec

Poi spinners and all types of circus skills are welcome at the indoor jugglers jam every Wednesday night 8 pm to 10 pm

Jongleurs de l'Outaouais now have a spacious practice space:

L'école secondaire de l'ÎIe, 255, rue Saint-Rédempteur Gatineau (Québec), the new room is called "la palestre" with a basketball court and mats. Once you arrive at l'école secondaire de l'ÎIe, please come in by "la porte de sports" and take a right at the end of the corridor.
Cost: $2 drop-in as usual, a great deal. Jean-Guy will be there to greet you introduce you to the juggling community.

Every Wednesday

Hoop Jams in Westboro, Ottawa, Ontario

Every second Friday night at Dovercourt Community Center, 411 Dovercourt Ave., Ottawa, Ontario, upstairs in the Assembly Hall. September through June. Next jam October 14th, 2011

This jam attracts mostly the hula hooping community and hoopers of all levels, but all types of flow/circus arts are welcome to come practice and share skills in this great space with high ceilings and mirrors. Brigitte and/or Tirsh will be there to help first timers get started with the hoop.

Free and open to all.

Fire jam at Britania beach, Ottawa

Fire spinners meet at Britania beach after sunset. Just follow the 'sidewalk' all the way to the water and you'll find them.

Every Monday night during the summer

Fire Arts and circus community development

We want to encourage the development of fire arts and circus arts in the area, if you'd like to organize a jam or regular 'meet and exchange', it would be our pleasure to post the information here.

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