After 12+ years of spinning things around, I’ve noticed that practice, like the tide, ebbs and flows. Sometimes you’re in over your head feeling swept away in it and other times, you’re not feeling connected to your practice. If you’re looking for some ideas on how to rejuvenate your practice and give yourself an injection of inspiration, here are just 22 ideas from our class “122 Ways To Revitalize Your Practice” available on line via PDF.

1. Put your focus on your posture rather than spinning
2. Play a game in your practice where you only use opposite direction moves
3. Go watch a sunrise or sunset and appreciate the majesty of life around you
4. Pick a layer of the “7 Layer Dip” and focus on that in your next practice
5. Teach someone else a move you just learned
6. Cross train (with a non flow arts activity)
7. Makea specific, time limited commitment to your practice — i.e., 5 minutes a day for 55 days.
8. Create a flow video
9. Call one of your spin buddies and play
10. Foster this mindset: Accept your practice where it is (and where it is not), as it is in this moment
11. Shop for music to spin to
12. Review your accomplishments
13. Set new goals
14. Step away from your practice for a specific period of time, i.e., stop practicing for 7 days
15. Watch an old video of you and compareyourcurrent execution to your past performance
16. Give away a toy
17. Perform for a friend as a gift
18. Complete this sentence with as many endings as possible in 3 minutes and review your answers: “When I flow I…”
19. Practice facial expressions in the mirror
20. Change how you see yourself: If you generally use a mirror, practice without one and vice versa.
21. Laugh
22. Set up a Google alert using search criteria that will deliver inspiring web content to your inbox

If you’re looking for more ideas and you’d like to support us creating a handy dandy tool for assisting you in finding inspiration, you can purchase the 4 page PDF packed full of games, ideas, drills, techniques, diagrams, practices and more using this link.

With Burning Man approaching and people shelling out lots of money for costumes and supplies to ready themselves to hit the playa, we have a special opportunity for you to support your wardrobe and wallet, all at the same time! GlitterGirl & Nova are getting together to lead a special series of 3 upcycle workshops. During the workshop we will show you upcycle designs we created on the cheap as we help you explore your clothing and figure out new and fun designes to give new life to old clothing. We can help you work with rips, tears and holes in your clothing; take clothing that is too small and reconstruct it to fit; take clothing that is too big and reconstruct it to fit you; and help you add personal style to your clothing.

Curriculum includes:

• explore ideas for upcycling, especially TShirt upcycles
• create upcycle designs
• provide do it yourself instruction specific to your garment(s)
• offer possibilities
• educate you on how to create pieces for yourself
• assist with design, sewing and serging work to help you finish your pieces in time for the playa
• and you, yes YOU, designing and making your own cool personalized upcycles

Techniques we will discuss:

• serging
• cutting and hand weaving shirts
• applique
• rhinestones
• under patches
• inserting fabric
• reconstruction

There are 3 sessions, each running 2 hours. Students can drop in to session 1 for $30, or sessions 1&2 or 1&3 for $60. For those looking to work on a series of pieces, sign up for all three sessions for $75. Please note you must attend session 1 (in which we explain the basic types of ideas that are used as a starting point) to attend sessions 2 or 3, though you can attend session 3 without attending 2 and vice versa.

For students working on bigger projects, they will have time between each session to work on the costume so the next time they come to class they will be able to move forward and get new coaching for the next part of the project.

Dates and times are:

• Session 1: August 12, 5-7 PM
• Session 2: August 16, 7-9 pm
• Session 3: August 20, 7-9 pm

All sessions take place at Temple of Poi (953 Mission Street, suite 11 in the basement on Mission in SoMa between 5th and 6th)

Students should bring clothing they want to upcycle, extra fabric they may have, extra clothing they are willing to part with or share with other’s in the class and ideas for what they might like.

Use the link below to register with your non refundable deposit. Please note, space is limited to ensure everyone’s gets personalized attention.

Please note, other services and additional time is available from us outside class for an added fee. To see more of our designs, check out this video slide show.

For those of you investigating adding or expanding on your poi dancing, here’s a fun little top 10 brought to you by GlitterGirl designed to encourage your inner dancer to flow freely. Here are GlitterGirl’s Top 10 Moves Every Poi Dancer Should Know (in no particular order):

• Barrel Roll: This pattern allows for so many possibilities with turning flowers on the front plane, it is a must have in every poi dancers arsenal.
• Reels: Where reels lack in technical pop, their simplicity compensates more than enough by allowing the body of the artist to move more easily without the risk of running into the poi themselves.
• Under the Leg moves with kicks: A technician might really appreciate the fluidity of a poi artist doing under the leg movements without lifting the leg, yet a dancer might find a lot more expression in the possibilities created when one does lift the leg while performing under the leg patterns, offering an array of kick opportunities.
• Stalls: Other than allowing for great direction changes, stalls can create a visual staccato that works well in lots of electronic music performances.
• Corkscrew and interesting variants: By nature of the way a corkscrew moves, the pattern itself makes it easy for a performer to address a U shaped audience and even more so, a crowd situated in the round. Dancers will want this move and lots of variants in their repertoire.
• Holding the poi: While wearing gloves certainly presents challenges to artists who prefer to feel every minute sensation generated by the shift of the poi in their hands, wearing gloves present a tremendous advantage for dancers who want to hold their poi and move around freely. Not only does this trick offer the dancer freedom of motion with their body unencumbered by the poi themselves, holding the fire itself is a crowd pleaser as well.
• Giant/0 Petal Side Plane Flower turn around: This move allows the artist the ability to turn, extend the arms and traverse space — all critical dance skills.
• Weave Turn Around: Versatile, fun, and likely to get a crowd response while allowing dancers to move through space, this beginner move is a must have for dancers.
• Chasing the Sun Turn Arounds in Same and Split Direction: For ease of turning combined with the potential for open and flexible body movements during the execution of these moves, the chasing the sun pattern in same and opposite directions both make my top 10.
• Something uniquely your own: This should be some more or pattern which you dance with in a way that uniquely expresses your dance style. For me, it’s probably the “funky chicken” as Cary calls it – a front to back reel with a hip hop movement and knees and feet that move in and out. Find your inner funky chicken and let it out to play.

A student asked the Top 10 Moves GlitterGirl Wishes She’d Learned Sooner, yet, this is a tough one for me because, generally speaking, being in my practice relies on me being with what is, rather than wishing things were other than they really are. As such, wanting something other than reality doesn’t really serve me. That said, I’ll do a slightly modified list…

GlitterGirl’s 10 Moves that took the Longest to Learn

• Isolations: 5 years of returning to the practice and I still can’t do one consistently
• Spiral: on and off practicing for 4 years
• Underhand Weave: 5 months of hard core practicing when I started
• 4 Petal Same Direction Flower Turn Around: split timing was really challenging to get.
• Overhand behind the back weave: while the underhand behind the back weave took me 20 seconds to get — I just watched my friend Rob do it and voila, I got it — the underhand took me 18 months or so of regular practice to executee
• Underhand 5 Beat Weave: 6 months
• Waist Wrap: once I got the behind the back weaves, it didn’t take that long to get the waist wrap, but depending on the size of my butt and waist generally determines how well I execute these. When I gain weight, they are harder; when I lose weight, easier.
• Buzzsaw Fountain: 1 months to get it clean enough to perform
• Underhand Crosser: I got the overhand opposite direction crosser and same direction versions in just a few weeks but the underhand opposite direction still is not comfortable enough for me to execute confidently in a performance and I’ve performed crossers for at least 5 years, if not more.
• Jedi Stalls: Nick first introduced me to jedi stalls in 2005 and it really wasn’t until late 2008 when I integrated them into my flow.

Jump Links:

Overview

Temple of Poi is pleased to produce the 7th annual Fire Dancing Expo in San Francisco, California, USA’s Union Square on the main stage. This event is free to the public and is open to audiences of all ages. Past events had an estimated 3000 people in attendance. This year’s show is April 21 at 7:45 pm. Call time for artists  is 6:15 pm for tool and costume check with the fire marshal.

The purpose of this show is multifold:

• to expand awareness of the art form
• so that fire dancing artists can be taken seriously in the world through performance on credible stages in gorgeous venues rather than be looked at as fringe or parking lot art
• to share our art with the community and world
• to celebrate National Dance Week (April 20 – April 29)
• to offer artists from around the world an opportunity to perform for a very grateful and more attuned than average audience
• to allow artists the opportunity to be on a top notch stage which is huge (70ft wide by 30 feet deep), elevated and inspiring
• a gift to the community
• as a spiritual practice of giving from a place of non attachment to results

In order to maintain the integrity of the vision of the show, we do not pay any performers. Period. No exceptions. MCP, Icon, Yuta, Banyan, Dai, Manda Lights, Thomas, Alien Jon, Vatra and all the rest of the artists who have graced our stage have not gotten paid with cash though the artists have added a rich quantity of quality photos to their portfolio as part of their compensation. They have gifted themselves and their art to the show and community.

We do this as a gift to the community. And every artist who gets up on the stage does it as a gift to the community as well.

All of that said, we do have a limited number of travel stipends for artists. Last year, because of the amazing backers who assisted us with this Kickstarter Project, the event is funded and has over $1800 in travel stipends to help offset some of the outrageous costs of traveling to the show. We hope to repeat that again for the 2012 show. All travel stipends will be given out at the show after you check in with GlitterGirl showing her your performance costume which will meet the guidelines herein.

How to Apply

Interested applicants must submit their completed application via email to GlitterGirl at: 2012expo (at) templeofpoi (daht) com by noon pacific time, January 18, 2012 in order to be considered. That is just over 2 weeks time to get everything together. All applications we receive will get a response confirming the application was complete or rejecting the application if it was incomplete, explaining what’s missing. Rejected applications may be fixed and resubmitted.

• Soloists: Solo acts must have a separate application, even if you are part of a group. Please note, soloist spots are the most sought after of all spots for the show and therefore are the least available.
• Groups: Each group must apply with one application and a designated contact person. All members of the group must be listed on that application. All members of the group must complete a signed video release form.

• All acts must submit five things, which, if not submitted properly, will be rejected. Please note this information is aggregated and distributed to multiple organizations in different ways. To give you a sense of the work we do to support this event, we’ve included this photo of the SF Fire Department Permit Application. The coin in this photo is a dollar coin, so slightly larger than a US Quarter.  The 5 required items are:
  • a single email sent to the above email address – not cc’d to any other address going to Temple of Poi or GlitterGirl — including all the instructions and attachments required in this blog post — ONE email is really much easier to manage. Please note the email must contain the details of your video audition, including the category you are applying for.
  • A completed information sheet (available in pdf if you can’t read a doc file) - only one per act
  • A signed agreement sheet for each person in the group to be included in the fire permit application – please print, sign, scan OR photograph it in a well lit place (and send a copy so that when the image prints it will print full size (8.5×11)) and email it back. This form includes a video URL and these videos must have you spinning fire for the permit and is required by the fire department.
  • a URL or series of URL’s with a link to your video audition of the proposed piece or similar piece (or something representative of your work that meets the criteria below).
  • a signed  video release form for each person performing as part of your group – please print, sign, scan OR photograph them all in a well lit place (and send a copy so that when the image prints it will print full size (8.5×11)) and email them back in a single email for your act

What Email Address to use: Please address all email correspondence related to the expo to: 2012expo (at) templeofpoi (daught) com

Application Categories and Information

• Video Audition: Video’s should be submitted through a specific URL or series of URL’s that are listed in the email when you submit your application. Please note, these URL’s are for auditioning purposes and may or may not be the URL you use for the Fire Department form. Videos should be on YouTube or Vimeo and we should not be required to download the video to view it. Video submissions are designed to assist us in understanding what the piece is or will be, what level of skill artists are at, and how the diversity of the show will be created by looking at all submissions from a holistic perspective, not just the perspective of the individual acts. The show is intended to show a variety of levels of skill so that the new can be appreciated and the masterful can be understood.
• All artists who are accepted into the show will need to submit  a newly recorded video of the piece as it is this spring so we can create the best flow in the show order. We need this video by noon pacific time on April 14, 2012  and this video is listed in the deadlines table below as the Final Video Due line item. The video doesn’t have to be high def or something you would put publicly on YouTube. We do, however, need to see where  you’re at and want said video to be a dress rehearsal of your performance including the entrance onto the stage, starting of edited music, execution of set, end of piece and exit from stage. You should be in full costume using all props exactly as you would on stage. This means that while an audition video might have a toss in it, this version would not since tosses are not allowed.
• All artists will need to submit an audition video as part of their application. Videos can be comprised of any of the these three categories which you will need to indicate in your application information in the email body:
• Actual work: This applies to groups and solotists.  The Actual Work category would be a video of a piece that is already completed and performed in full on a video. Ideally it would be one take and unedited to get a true sense of what the piece will look like on stage rather than an artistic video rendition. The camera position should be from downstage center so as to assess all pieces from the same camera angle. Artists submitting an actual work video will not need to submit video #2 in March. Audition videos may include tosses or other ground scores though these things are not allowed in the final performance so please indicate what you will do to substitute for any of these things in the video in the email body. If you anticipate you will update the piece, please also indicate that as well in the email body.
• Work in Progress, existing act: those auditioning in this category will submit a video meeting the Actual Work criteria so we can understand what you consider a completed work. In addition, groups (2 or more) will need to submit a concept video with a written description and explanation of what will happen at the various time codes in the video. The concept video can be very rough though the rougher the video, the more extensive the email explanation will need to be. Solo artists doing a work in progress that already have an existing act will not need to submit a concept video. Therefore, groups will need two videos — one of a completed actual work, and one of a concept video — and soloists will need one one video of a completed actual work. Both solotists and groups will need to submit in the email a description of the concept you have in mind. Please explain what will be choreographed and what will be free style, if anything. Please also indicate if you want feedback from the selection panel or you prefer not to receive feedback. We intend the feedback to help you create a show that works on this stage with this size crowd and the limitations that come with that.
• Work in Progress, new acts: those auditioning in this category will submit a video of each artist in the group spinning the tool that will be used in the show as well as a concept video with a written description and explanation of what will happen at the various time codes in the video. The concept video can be very rough though the rougher the video, the more extensive the email explanation will need to be. Therefore, groups will need one solo video per artist (60 seconds is fine) and a group concept video. Soloists will need to submit a solo video. Both solotists and groups will need to submit in the email a description of the concept you have in mind. Please explain what will be choreographed and what will be free style, if anything. Please also indicate if you want feedback from the selection panel or you prefer not to receive feedback. We intend the feedback to help you create a show that works on this stage with this size crowd and the limitations that come with that.
• Artists submitting the Work in Progress category will need to submit a second video, listed in the deadline table as Video #2 Due, showing the progress of your piece by March 1, 2012, noon. This means artists in the Work in Progress  category must meet a total of three video deadlines while artists in the Actual Work category must meet a total of two deadlines between now and April 14, 2012.

• Stage Time: This year’s show is planned to have 30-36 acts and must be completed by 10 pm to accommodate our sound permit limitations. Stage time per act includes
  1. opening intro and applause for the act
  2. getting on the stage
  3. performance set to music
  4. applause and thank you announcement for the act
  5. getting off the stage

Set times below are from the time you’re in place after the opening announcement of the act till the end of your piece before final applause — 2& 3 listed above. For ease of calculation, the total time for each act  is rounded up to the nearest minute to accommodate the rest of the time between the acts for items 1, 4 & 5.

• Application Categories: Artists may apply for one or more of the following slots for acts (please note the hard limits on the music below in order to meet our sound permit deadline):
  • Solo acts: The set must be no longer than 3:36 seconds (8 spots, 32 min)
  • Group acts: The set must be no longer than 4:06 seconds (12 spots, 66 min)
  • Amateur: The set must be no longer than 0:96 seconds (2 spots, 4 min)
  • Under 20: 50% or more of the artists must be under the age of 20 at the time of the performance; the set must be no longer than :96 seconds (1 spot, 2 min)
  • 50 and over: 50% or more of the artists must 50 or older; the set must be no longer than :96 seconds (1 spot, 2 min)
  • Temple of Poi Student Group & Temple of Poi Alumni: these spots are filled (20 min including GlitterGirl and Zihni)

Restrictions & Agreements

• Call time: For tool and costume inspection will be 6:15 PM on April 21, 2012, in Union Square near the elevators. You must be there with your tools in working order with your fire safe costume in hand or on your body by that time. Artists who fail to get their tools checked in time and/or are whose costumes are constructed from synthetic clothing will result in their expulsion from the event (and, where applicable, your travel stipend given to someone else).

• No tosses! Tosses have not been allowed since 2009 and will not be allowed in 2012 — there was a $300 fine per toss implemented in 2009, so create your act without tosses. This is a restriction imposed by the San Francisco Fire Department, not by Temple of Poi.

• Spin off: Artists agree to spin off their tools before taking the stage. We retain our regular dry wall spin off for 2012. Tossing of staves (fireballs) and/or leaving trails on the stage to spin off  is prohibited!

• This is a white gas only show! Because the stage is very slick stone already, we do not allow the use of lamp oil since it does not evaporate and creates a safety danger for performance acts following your group. Therefore, artists must have prior experience spinning with white gas only. International artists, please make arrangements to try white gas here in the states prior to the show. Contact GlitterGirl for assistance if needed.

• Prohibited tools/acts: Fire spitting, fire works, propane tanks (or any fuel under pressure), steel wool or anything else that will leave residue on the stage are all prohibited for fire permit reasons. Fire is also not allowed directly on the stage for more than 3 seconds. Therefore, if you have special tool needs, you will need to inform out safety team prior to the event meeting the Safety Team deadline.

• Costume requirements: No synthetics, no exceptions. For permit and safety reasons, all artists must wear natural fiber. This is a very important point since the longevity of this event is on the line with the San Francisco Fire Department. Also, I do not care who you are, what country you came from, and what skills you have: if you show up for your tool check and performance with a non natural fiber costume, I will not let you perform so as to not risk the show being banned by the fire department in future years (a threat they have made). This is not negotiable.  If you are wearing synthetics on the day of the show, it will result in your expulsion from the event (and, where applicable, your travel stipend given to someone else).

• Deadlines: After you have been accepted into the show, there will be additional deadlines for those who are in the show. The schedule of events and deadlines follows. All deadlines below for items due are at noon pacific time on the date listed.
  

  Date	-	Event/Deadline
  2012.01.15	-	Kickstarter Opens
  2012.01.18	-	Artist application Due
  2012.02.05	-	Kickstarter Ends
  2012.02.10	-	Artists Announced to artists
  2012.02.24	-	Marketing materials due
  2012.03.01	-	Artists Announced to public
  2012.03.01	-	Video #2 due
  2012.04.01	-	Badge Information Due
  2012.04.10	-	Music for the Show due
  2012.04.14	-	Final video due
  2012.04.15	-	Cue card and safety team information and lighting cue due
  2012.04.17	-	Show order announced
  2012.04.20	-	Kickoff event for National Dance Week, day
  2012.04.20	-	Union Square walk through for performers, night
  2012.04.21	-	Expo
  2012.04.22	-	Performers only photo shoot

• Rules: Follow them. Really. I did not make up all these rules (many of which are annoying by my own standards!) simply because I want to be an annoying event organizer. These rules are in place because this show is legally permitted and I’m coordinating with and juggling the requirements of multiple organizations.

• Exceptions: There are none. Really. International acts: please make sure you have worked with white gas — it burns hotter and brighter than some fuels out there and this was an issue for some artists a few years ago. Please do not think that because you’re traveling thousands of miles the rules changed. We use white gas because it burns cleaner, smells less, and most importantly, when we tried to use lamp oil in the past, it created a safety hazard on the already-slick made-of-stone stage where excess fuel splattered during the performances. Falling artists == bad.

• Extinguishing: Artists must have prior experience extinguishing burning tools.

• Mindset: Artists must agree to abide by the Flowology Mindset® as related to the event (http://templeofpoi.com/flowology/mindset.php)

• Compensation: In order to maintain the integrity of the vision of the show, we do not pay any performers. Period. No exceptions. MCP, Icon, Yuta, Banyan, Dai, Manda Lights, Thomas, Alien Jon, Vatra and all the rest of the artists who have graced our stage have not gotten paid. They have gifted themselves and their art to the show and community. In keeping with the tradition of this not-for-profit show comprised of artists doing it because of their love of sharing their art, there will be no monetary compensation. However, all performers in the show will get to participate in a performers only photo shoot and will gain access to photos and videos made available to the public after the event. While there is no fiscal compensation for the show, the addition to the portfolio is, in many cases, worth over a thousand dollars.

• Backstage: Please do not invite your friends, family, fans and guests back stage. It is chaotic and small back there. Please, also, do not stand on the potted plants or in the dirt where they are — Union Square gets very upset about this. That said, if you act requires support staff, you will need to get that information to GlitterGirl in advance of the show as part of the Badge Information Deadline.

• Fire on the stage: If your act uses more than one tool and one will be burning for a period of time after you are done using it, please contact our stage manager and fire safety team in advance of the show to make arrangements to move the tool off stage when you are done with it. While fire can touch the stage, burning tools may not be left on the stage to meet the San Francisco Fire Department requirements.

• Props: If you have any additional props as part of your act (i.e., something to hold your fire tools or a chair and table) please include this information in your application email and also provide this information to the fire safety team.

• Cauldrons and Tool Lighting for the show: there will be 4 cauldrons on the stage — three downstage (one left, one center, one right) and one upstage center. For your convenience, we have a map where you can view the layout of the stage as well as other Union Square information.

Selection Criteria

In 2012, selection will be done by a group of people who all give their input on which acts to select. In an effort to support a diverse, entertaining and impressive show, acts are selected using the following criteria:

• priority will be given to quality artists with a quality demo video on fire who hail from a location more than 300 miles from San Francisco. After all, they are coming  to donate their time, energy and brilliance to a Bay Area fire show!
• a quality video, which we view, for the purposes of this show, as:
  • described in the video audition section of this document
  • on fire (Please note, a fire video is a requirement for the fire department and subsequently, for your application)
  • in costume (if we want to be respected artists, let’s dress the part!)
  • with good lighting where the artist(s) can be seen
  • with the fire and the artist in frame
  • with no obvious show stopping mistakes (i.e., tangles  that stop the flow are no good but a slick recovery from an unexpected hyperloop gone wrong is okay)
  • the artist is not setting themselves on fire
  • includes a solid opening, middle and end to the performance
  • ideally showcasing fire dancing, not just tech spinning with the combined showcasing of tech fire dancing given highest priority
• when choosing acts, innovative group choreography will be selected over solo spots
• we are looking to balance the gender of the show so it is neither disproportionately filled with male or female performers
• similarly, we are looking to balance the tools being used to perform — 2010 was a disproportionately high percentage of fan acts and 2011 it was poi, so please bring your unique tools.
• while we want a high quality show featuring some performing legends from around the globe, we also want to showcase the diversity of this art form and will have a few amateur spots available specifically for newer artists — these artists will still need to meet the application requirements, even if they are amateurs
• diversity and innovation of performance and dance expression with the tools being showcased
• since this show celebrates National Dance Week, performances which show off dance will be given higher priority than mostly tech performances
• in an effort to encourage both the young and aged (like a fine wine!) to apply, we will have one spot for “Under 20″ and one spot for “50 and over” set aside which are different than the amateur spots.
• artists applying to be in more than one act: please be aware preference is given to having as many different artists as possible in the show

Other Information

• Housing: we will do our best to find places artists can stay in the bay area for the weekend of the expo. We were able to put up a few artists for a few nights in 2011 which really helped them out and helps offset some of the costs.

• Performers Only Photo Shoot: This event has grown in stature over the past 7 years and has become a place where dozens of photographers gather to capture amazing photographs. In addition to the photographs and footage obtained the night of the expo, the following evening we will have a photo shoot for performers only. To get a sense of what this means for your portfolio, please take a look at the list of photos from the 2011 Fire Dancing Expo. While there is no fiscal compensation for the show, the addition to the portfolio is, in many cases, worth over a thousand dollars.

• How to find photos and video after the show: GlitterGirl has personal relationships with many of the artists who generously take photos at the expo. As a result, she will gather all the details of photos and videos and post this information through the Union Square Expo Announce group on FaceBook.

• Marketing Materials: each artist must submit the following marketing materials by the deadline listed in the table above for inclusion on our web site and in the program. Please view the 2011 Expo Lineup Announcement page for a sense of how this information will be used. Please email with the subject line of ArtistName’s Marketing Materials. Please email us the following:
• Photo of your group for inclusion on the web site
• The Name of Your Act as you wish it to appear on all future announcements related to the expo
• A relevant promotional URL link we will use to promote your work. If you do not have a website, your YouTube channel will work. If you do not have a YouTube Channel, your Facebook fan page would work or even your personal page on Facebook.
• A bio describing  your group/act that is no more than a single paragraph (approximately 5 sentences)
• A video link of your work which will be included in the promotional blurb about your group/act

• Badge Information: In order to maintain safety and security at the event, all artists will wear badges. Solo acts will submit the information for their act and group acts will submit one email from the group leader with the information for all members in the group. For each badge we will need the following information sent in an email with the subject line of Badge Information:
• Artists name, in full
• Group name, if part of a group or the word “Soloist” if a solo act
• Role which will be either “Performer”, “Safety” or “Crew” – please note all “crew” members must be pre-approved by GlitterGirl.

• Music for the Show: All acts must provide a fully edited, cut-to-the-correct-time (we do not fade music!) single track for their act(s). Please note, each act can use one and only one track, so edit your music to one track that is the exact length you want. Music not sent on time and/or not edited to a single track cut to the proper length will result in your expulsion from the event (and, where applicable, your travel stipend given to someone else). Please send the music with a subject line of Artistname’s Music in mp3 or mp4 format ONLY!

• Cue Card Information: Each act will need to provide a cue card with a 10-40 word introduction you wish spoken for your act. This should be typed out and emailed in with explanations of pronunciations in the text. For example, to be clear that “Isa” is pronounced properly, I might write: Isa (with an “E” sound, as in “Lisa” without an “L” or “Isabel”) to make it clear to the show emcees. Please send the email with a subject line of ArtistName’s Cue Card Info.

• Safety Team Information: Each act will need to send an email describing their safety needs for their act. This should include any tool changes, how many artists will be exiting the stage and what tools they will be using. The minimum information will be something like: “I will spin my tool out and will not need any safety assistance” Please send the music with a subject line of ArtistName’s Safety Info.

• Walk through: Friday night before the show, GlitterGirl will do a walk through with the artists who are interested. This will happen at Union Square. This walk through will explain the information about who is where, how artists enter the stage and we will do a quick visualization of the space so artists can appreciate the proximity of the audience to the stage in various places around the stage.

• Union Square information: For details about the stage, fueling area, spin out area, stage layout and the general view of the space overall, we have created these maps of Union Square for the expo.

• Music cue: Each artist will need to submit the details of their music cue. This should explain where you will be located on the stage and what position you will be in when the music should start as well as indicating if the tool(s) will be lit. This information is imperative to ensure the clean start of your act.

This list represents three months worth of music acquisitions for the first part of 2011. There are some more up beat tracks, like “I Know You Love Me Too,” “Love & Happiness,” “Sexy Bitch,” and “Lovelee Dae;” there are the unmistakable electronic genius of Ronald Jenkees with three tracks; there’s the popular tracks like “No More Drama” and “World, Hold On”; and there are some fun psy-chill tracks scattered throughout the play list. Also of note are the fun tracks to dance to: “Shake Dat Booty,” “Two Cups of Coffee” and “DDD.” You can preview the tracks and purchase legal copies using this iTunes playlist.

A while back, I we gave you the Quintessential Checklist For Flow Performers which has a more limited scope so naturally, there is some crossover with this new list: Top 10 Things to Remember Before you Leave for a Gig

• Lighter - Bring several lighters. It’s only sort of funny arriving at a paid gig as a fire dancer with out one. You’d be surprised how many people don’t have one and it can be really embarrassing when everyone’s looking at you while you’re trying to find a lighter. (Author’s note: Read as: I don’t want to ever make that mistake again – I generally bring at least 2.)
• Performance tools – it sounds obvious and yet, I’ve forgotten my tools. It’s only happened in situations where I needed something I don’t always have with me like my triple wicks or palm pots, but I did in fact forget my fans for the 2007 Expo and I was performing a fan piece with my students. Be sure you have a list in your head of all the acts and all the tools you will need for all the acts so you can ensure you arrive with everything you require. If you have a tool bag, make sure your tools are in the bag before you leave. Just because you think it’s there doesn’t mean it is. Performance tools also includes things like costume parts including hair cover, gauntlets and gloves.
• Fuel – If you fire dance with any regularity, it may not be uncommon for you to just keep fuel in your car. However, just because a can is in the trunk doesn’t mean the can is as full as you remember. It’s good to remember some spare fuel in case something spills or, even more fun, they want you to stick around and do another set.
• Music – bringing the music includes the sound system if you’re responsible for it and the power cords, cables and batteries required to run the sound device. In addition, be sure to bring a tested copy of the music as well as a backup copy of music which means on a different device. I’ve gotten to gigs where the battery died on the iPod, the CD was scratched, the Y adapter was broken and my machine crashed. The safest thing to do is bring at least 2 copies. One gig, it was a good thing we had 3 copies because the first one had the set in the wrong order and by the time we reordered it, the battery was running out and the interface to the second device didn’t allow for reordering the list. Be sure to check that the order of the music is correct. Listen through the set from the device before you leave.
• Directions to the venue – If you dance with other people, it’s easy to think they will have the information you need to get where you’re going. The safest thing to do is bring the directions with you. If you are going somewhere that is more rural, don’t rely on your mobile device to have a connection — have a screen print of the directions in your photo library. If need be, bring printed directions.
• Contact name and phone number – You may arrive on site and be expected to meet up with someone you’ve never even spoken with before. Be sure you have their name and their cell phone number with you. If possible, get an alternate contact person and phone number.
• Phone numbers of your crew – This includes all your dance partners, fire safety staff, photographers, video people as well as musicians.
• Duvetyne – Don’t assume your safety brought it — check in with them and make sure. Regardless, bring your own every time – then you know it’s big enough to put our your tools. For example, if you only spin poi, you don’t need as large a piece as someone spinning fans would need.
• Second skin – Most people don’t want to get burned but when they do, they want to have a great solution on hand. Second skin is my number one burn care recommendation and you can read about it in this scar prevention for fire dancers article.
• Check your gear and gear bag before you go – Prepare for your gig by checking all your performance gear. Check for frayed wicks, unsafe connections, closed quick links, rusted parts, wicking that’s falling apart, cracked or warped parts and chain that looks faulty. For extended trips, be prepared by bringing extra gear with you. Spare tools are a handy thing to have. If you want to earn your fire dancer boyscout merit badge, we suggest you bring a tool kit with spare parts including things like:

• handles
• leashes
• swivels
• multiple pliers
• split rings
• a ring splitter device or screw driver to pry the split rings open
• bolt cutters
• quick links
• heat tape
• grip tape
• gloves for your safety
• handy wipes
• If you’re using a caldron, also bring:
• lamp oil
• rubber gloves
• funnel
• rag for wiping up

Union Square – I first spun in Union Square when we did a renegade there. We were chased off the plaza by security within a few minutes and I subsequently would not recommend trying it. I would never renegade there now that we do the expo there, but it is one of my favorite places to spin in San Francisco and was in fact one of my favorite Renegade spots.
Palace of Fine Arts – The Palace is a historic and picturesque place to spin and really is a great place to practice. We’ve never been shut down there either. However, it can be very windy there even though there may be some protection from rain when it’s not windy.
Justin Herman Plaza – 2011 revealed the utter awesomeness of Justin Herman Plaza. Though we’d performed there a few years ago for the SFFB fund raiser in December, it wasn’t until we renegaded there several times this summer, the police showed up and we did not get shut down that I realized how great a spot this truly is.
Napoleon Street – When I first started Temple of Poi, we did renegades out front of the ware house where I ran the school on Napoleon Street near Evans. A few summers back, Zihni and I put on a show for my cousin there and even though the police came by, we did not get shut down — pretty much like the old days.
Harry Bridges Plaza – although the fine is a federal find of $5000 and we have gotten some warnings in the past, 50% of the time or more we successfully ran a jam on the median in front of the Ferry Building. Great spot with the Embarcadero traffic moving as it does.
Mint Plaza – I’m not sure other people would enjoy the success I have in this spot since I have a relationship with the plaza security as well as the management staff there. And, I love to spin in the plaza, but only on nights where there are not events at the Mint Building because when there are, an SFFD fire marshal is sure to be on hand and not only will they shut you down, they will ticket you.
Rincon Park (Folsom and Embarcadero by the Bow and Arrow) – Although there are some logistical challenges with the space, by the Bow and Arrow at 3rd and Embarcadero is a great place to spin some fire and capture great photos. The two main challenges revolve on it being a boardwalk. Subsequently it is not that wide and there is a lot of bike traffic in the space, making it a bit less safe than some of the other spots.
Horse shoe pits – The first place I spun fire was in the highly secluded Horse Shoe Pits in Golden Gate Park by the conservatory. This area is set up off the road so you can’t see anyone spinning fire from the street even in the slightest. The downsides to the space are that we have had encounters with skunks and bums there and, as with all spaces in Golden Gate Park, if you park there past 10 PM, you risk getting a ticket.
Beach – Ocean Beach between Lincoln and Fulton Street may be the only public location in San Francisco you don’t need a permit to spin fire. There are some limitations on that, like time of day and size of bonfire crowd and also, be careful about parking restrictions on the street to ensure you don’t get a ticket. I’m not a big fan of spinning on the beach for a few reasons: it’s windy, it’s cold and the ground is generally uneven because it’s sandy. For those nights where you need to get your bonfire fix, bring a few large cardboard boxes that are broken down and make an impromptu dance floor with them in the sand. When you’re done, burn the cardboard to keep warm and leave no trace.
Shakespeare Garden – If you’re looking for a stage like rehearsal area that is pretty secluded and only gets shut down sometimes, check out Shakespeare’s Garden in Golden Gate Park. The space is good for about half a dozen people taking turns spinning so it is not ideal for a jam, but it does work well for a practice. Again, be warned about parking there after 10 pm.

Honorable mentions: Pier 7 for the view and exposure; Minna Street behind the Temple for historic reasons; Golden Gate Park bandshell and the very darkly lit Aids Memorial Grove for sentimental reasons.

If you’re living in a small space and the weather has you trapped indoors, here’s a list of 10 great moves to practice that work well in small spaces.

1. Orbital
2. Inside corkscrews, 4 beat variants
3. Plane breaking
4. Toroid
5. Buzzsaw and variants: horizontal, plane shifting, transitioning to corkscrew
6. Jedi Stalls
7. Airwraps
8. Hyperloops
9. Isolations
10. Spirals

I was recently discussing scar care and prevention for burn scars on a women’s mailing and thought this would be useful for the fire dancing world too, so I present you with GlitterGirl’s experiences on Scar Prevention for Fire Dancers (from burns, naturally). Please note: this article is not intended to superceed, replace or in any way invalidate actual medical professionals treatment. 

First off, the best scar prevention is burn prevention. If you don’t get burned, you won’t get scared.

That said, burns do happen. Here’s what I recommend as an almost 12 year fire dancer with not one visible scar from fire dancing. Phase 1 is to clean the burn if it needs to be and as quickly as possible apply 2nd skin burn pads or a generic version of this product. I keep 2nd skin and cobain handy whenever possible to cover burns if they happen. Then I leave the pad on at least 24 hours. I do not pop any blisters that may have formed — the 2nd skin will actually usually bring the blister down without needing to pop the skin. I will then do a second application of 2nd skin depending on the wound for another 24 hours. Please note, this even worked for a 3rd degree burn. When I got branded at burning man in 2010 — a brand you can’t even really see any more– I put 2nd skin on it for 4 days, though it does need some time to breathe in there.

Ice is a great idea, and often it is highly impractical if you actually burn your hand and

want to continue using your hand to spin more fire. Furthermore, you’re not always somewhere where you can get ice easily (say, fire dancing at Burning Man or a fire festival) so 2nd skin provides a solution regardless of climate and other available resources like electricity.

Phase 2: topical neosporan  with lidicain — this is only necessary if you are still in pain which means you’ll likely want it for 2nd and 3rd degree burns and are less likely for first degree burns.

Phase 3: when the pain is gone and/or when the skin is in the healing phase and no longer wet, begin applying vitamin e. Ihighly recommend you skip the oil you get in a bottle and go straight to the big number IU capsules and prick the capsule with a pin. Squeeze the capsule directly on to the burn using vitamin e gel inside the capsule and spread that liberally on at least 3x a day as it’s healing. I’ve met some of fire dancers who swear by lavender oil, though I’ve never used it because i get such great results. I have used aloe, though, like ice, it’s not always available and the 2nd skin/neosporan/vitamin e combo I describe here has been so effective I didn’t need to find a solution that includes use of aloe.

I don’t have a single scar from fire dancing on my body that is visible and you can’t see my brand, so this method works well for my body and skin. YMMV. Good luck and stay safe!