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A fire staff is a staff constructed out of wood or metal with Kevlar wick added to one or both ends. Fire staffs are used for fire performance.
| | This article needs additional citations for verification .(May 2012) |
A fire staff is a staff constructed out of wood or metal with Kevlar wick added to one or both ends. Fire staffs are used for fire performance.
There are two predominant styles for manipulating a fire staff: rotational and contact. In rotational fire staff manipulation, the performer's hands are used to manipulate the motion and rotation of the staff. Contact fire staff is a technique whereby the performer rolls the staff over parts of the arms, legs and body. Both techniques can be used in a performance. Another technique is staff juggling, in which three staffs are thrown and caught.
Fire staffs can vary in length, weight, balance, and wick arrangements. A staff can range anywhere from a half-metre in length to two or more metres. Fire staffs contrast from fire knives in that their centre of balance rests in the middle of their length. The most common wick arrangement for a fire staff is two wicks of equal size and thickness on either end of the staff. However, multiple wicks may be placed on the staff, and may even be placed "out of balance", displacing the point of equilibrium. A "fire staff" with wicks on only one end of the staff, is not a fire staff – it is either a fire spear or fire spade, both of which employ vastly different movement styles than fire staff.
One of the more extreme wick arrangements for fire staff is the Dragonstaff. A cross of three, four or more wicks on spokes is added to the ends, which gives the staff more rotational inertia. The dragon staff is able to create incredibly intricate patterns of fire. A Dragonstaff is similar to a contact staff in that it rolls over a performer's body and isn't held, but requires a different set of skills to manipulate because of the larger ends and the extra momentum generated by the rotation or rolling of the staff.
Fire staff technique is taught around the world at fire dance festivals, workshops and retreats. Instructional DVDs and online videos are also available.
A burnoff is a technique performed by a fire staff performer and aims to create two fireballs when excess fuel from the wicks of the staff spray outward from the spinning staff. A number of variations of the usual burnoff are possible, including the 'circular burnoff' and the 'helix burnoff'.
Contact juggling is a form of object manipulation that focuses on the movement of objects such as balls in contact with the body. Although often used in conjunction with "toss juggling", it differs in that it involves the rolling of one or more objects without releasing them into the air.
Acrobatics is the performance of human feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most often performed in acro dance, circus, and gymnastics, and to a lesser extent in other athletic activities including ballet, slacklining and diving. Although acrobatics is most commonly associated with human body performance, the term is used to describe other types of performance, such as aerobatics.
Fire performance is a group of performance arts or skills that involve the manipulation of fire. Fire performance typically involves equipment or other objects made with one or more wicks which are designed to sustain a large enough flame to create a visual effect.
Juggling clubs are a prop used by jugglers. Juggling clubs are often simply called clubs by jugglers and sometimes are referred to as pins or batons by non-jugglers. Clubs are one of the three most popular props used by jugglers; the others being balls and rings.
Juggling practice has developed a wide range of patterns and forms which involve different types of manipulation, different props, numbers of props, and numbers of jugglers. The forms of juggling shown here are practiced by amateur, non-performing, hobby jugglers as well as by professional jugglers. The variations of juggling shown here are extensive but not exhaustive as juggling practice develops and creates new patterns on a regular basis. Jugglers do not consciously isolate their juggling into one of the categories shown; instead most jugglers will practice two or more forms, combining the varieties of juggling practice. Some forms are commonly mixed, for example: numbers and patterns with balls; while others are rarely mixed, for example: contact numbers passing. Many Western jugglers also practice other forms of object manipulation, such as diabolo, devil sticks, cigar box manipulation, fire-spinning, contact juggling, hat manipulation, poi, staff-spinning, balancing tricks, bar flair and general circus skills.
Poi is a performing art and also the name of the equipment used for its performance. As a skill toy, poi is an object or theatrical prop used for dexterity play or an object manipulation. As a performance art, poi involves swinging tethered weights through a variety of rhythmical and geometric patterns. Poi artists may also sing or dance while swinging their poi. Poi can be made from various materials with different handles, weights, and effects.
A handspring is an acrobatic move in which a person executes a complete revolution of the body by lunging headfirst from an upright position into an inverted vertical position and then pushing off from the floor with the hands so as to leap back to an upright position. The direction of body rotation in a handspring may be either forward or backward, and either kind may be performed from a stationary standing position or while in motion. Body movement may be terminated upon completion of a handspring, or the performer's momentum may be leveraged so as to immediately perform another handspring or other rotational move.
Juggling torches are one of various props used by jugglers. Torches are usually commercially made props that are made of wood and/or metal with a wick attached at one end. The wick is soaked in liquid fuel, usually paraffin and ignited before use.
Winter guard is an indoor color guard sport and performance art derived from military ceremonies. Modern winter guard is a competitive, performance-based activity which incorporates choreographed staging, dance, and manipulation of equipment such as flags and prop rifles and sabres. Unlike traditional color guard, winter guard performances and contests are held indoors, usually in a gymnasium or an indoor arena. Performances typically last three to seven minutes and are generally accompanied by recorded soundtracks rather than live music. However, the use of live instrumentation and vocalization have grown in popularity. Winter guard is most present in the United States; independent units have also been formed in Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Winter guard ensembles often perform at judged competitions officiated by local and regional associations using criteria developed by Winter Guard International, host of the annual Winter Guard International World Championships in Dayton, Ohio. The World Championships event purportedly attracts in 60,000 visitors to the event annually. Scoring attempts to rank units on the repertoire and achievement of aspects of each performance such as unity, quality, range, precision, skill, design, and effect.
Aerial silks is a type of performance in which one or more artists perform aerial acrobatics while hanging from a fabric. The fabric may be hung as two pieces, or a single piece, folded to make a loop, classified as hammock silks. Performers climb the suspended fabric without the use of safety lines and rely only on their training and skill to ensure safety. They use the fabric to wrap, suspend, drop, swing, and spiral their bodies into and out of various positions. Aerial silks may be used to fly through the air, striking poses and figures while flying. Some performers use dried or spray rosin on their hands and feet to increase the friction and grip on the fabric.
The Haters are a noise music and conceptual art troupe from the United States. Founded in 1979, they are one of the earliest acts in the modern noise scene. The group is primarily the work of the Hollywood, California-based musician, artist, writer, and filmmaker GX Jupitter-Larsen, accompanied by a constantly changing lineup of other "members", usually local experimental musicians and artists in whatever town a Haters performance happens to take place.
A balance board is a device used as a circus skill, for recreation, balance training, athletic training, brain development, therapy, musical training and other kinds of personal development.
Some poi tricks include: reels, weaves, fountains, crossovers and windmills.
Twirling is a form of object manipulation where an object is twirled by one or two hands, the fingers or by other parts of the body. Twirling practice manipulates the object in circular or near circular patterns. It can also be done indirectly by the use of another object or objects as in the case of devil stick manipulation where handsticks are used. Twirling is performed as a hobby, sport, exercise or performance.
Hooping is the manipulation of and artistic movement or dancing with a hoop. Hoops can be made of metal, wood, or plastic. Hooping combines technical moves and tricks with freestyle or technical dancing. Hooping can be practiced to or performed with music. In contrast to the classic toy hula hoop, modern hoopers use heavier and larger diameter hoops, and frequently rotate the hoop around parts of the body other than the waist, including the hips, chest, neck, shoulders, thighs, knees, arms, hands, thumbs, feet, and toes. The hoop can also be manipulated and rotated off the body as well. Modern hooping has been influenced by art forms such as rhythmic gymnastics, hip-hop, freestyle dance, fire performance, twirling, poi, and other dance and movement forms.
A step sequence is a required element in all four disciplines of figure skating, men's single skating, women's single skating, pair skating, and ice dance. Step sequences have been defined as "steps and turns in a pattern on the ice". Skaters earn the most points in step sequences by performing steps and movements with "flair and personality", by turning in both directions, by using one foot and then the other, and by including up and down movements. Step sequences in pair skating should be performed "together or close together". Step sequences must be a part of the short program, but they are not required in the free skating program. The step sequence must be "visible and identifiable", in any shape they like. The ISU defines a step sequence in ice dance as "a series of prescribed or un-prescribed steps, turns and movements in a Rhythm Dance or a Free Dance". Step sequences in ice dance have three divisions: types, groups, and styles.
The front crawl or forward crawl, also known as the Australian crawl or American crawl, is a swimming stroke usually regarded as the fastest of the four front primary strokes. As such, the front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle swimming competition, and hence freestyle is used metonymically for the front crawl. It is one of two long axis strokes, the other one being the backstroke. Unlike the backstroke, the butterfly stroke, and the breaststroke, the front crawl is not regulated by the FINA. This style is sometimes referred to as the Australian crawl although this can sometimes refer to a more specific variant of front crawl.
In dance and gymnastics, a turn is a rotation of the body about the vertical axis. It is usually a complete rotation of the body, although quarter (90°) and half (180°) turns are possible for some types of turns. Multiple, consecutive turns are typically named according to the number of 360° rotations.
Poi tricks are defined by the manipulation and combination of several variables of the spinning activity. These variables typically include, but are not limited to, the following:
A kick is a skill in association football in which a player strikes the ball with their foot. Association football, more commonly referred to as football and also known as soccer, is a sport played world-wide, with up to 265 million people around the world participating on a yearly basis. Kicking is one of the most difficult skills to acquire in football. This skill is also vitally important, as kicking is the way in which passes are made and the primary means by which goals are scored.
