Contact:
Isa Isaacs, Founder, Temple of Poi
415.543.4911
www.templeofpoi.com
press@templeofpoi.com

Temple of Poi Delivers World’s First Comprehensive Web Based Poi Training

San Francisco (September 15, 2004) – Temple of Poi, the San Francisco Bay Area’s leading flow and fire arts school, announced today the launch of the Beginner Poi On Line Computer Based Training program. This comprehensive program offers students over 1200 videos and 70+ web pages full of detailed information describing how to learn the art of poi, the foundational skill required to safely spin fire chains. This program is the first of its kind in the world and stands to revolutionize the Poi artist and education community.

Poi, an art form that began in the Maori culture of New Zealand, is a meditative martial arts like movement form wherein the practitioner swings two balls on rope or chain around their body, creating patterns that entrance the audience. Poi practitioners benefit from poi which improves coordination, increases self esteem, strengthens cardio vascular health, fosters inner peace, promotes a positive attitude, decreases the risk of heart disease, improves coordination and conditions core musculature.
This art form is growing in popularity in the modern form where the balls are soaked in fuel and lit on fire, creating even more awe inspired visual effects featured in carnivals, circuses and even as part of the recent Madonna tour.

Rather than starting with fire, students begin with beanbags or balls – a recommendation of the Temple of Poi as part of their on line training. The Beginner Poi series is comprised of 6 lessons modeled after the Beginner Poi classes that have been taught at the school over the last 2+ years. Each lesson contains material that systematically breaks down the moves and offers up to several dozen unique video clips demonstrating the move from different perspectives.

“I included trouble shooting information for all the common problems I usually encounter,” said Isa “GlitterGirl” Isaacs, Founder of the Temple of Poi, about the section of the training labeled “General Tips and Common Problems”. “This proactive approach to student education reduces their learning time while increasing their comprehension and knowledge of the mechanics of poi, all while in the comfort and convenience of their own home. It is truly the best of all worlds.”

Leading a Revolution in Education

Isaacs left the dot com craze in early 2001 after a 12 year career in high tech with skills that made this innovative use of the internet possible. “There is no reason why we can’t teach a body based exercise and art form over the internet,” Isaacs said about the idea of combining educational training and the web.
The system, designed for mobility and flexibility, allows users to download the relevant videos once only and then view them repeatedly without having to constantly access the internet. Because the videos are short clips, students only have to view and listen to the portion of the videos that apply to them and can easily access precisely what they need.

Additionally, because the videos download locally, users can access a series of videos on their laptop and then carry the lesson plan with them, accessing it whenever and wherever makes the most sense.
Lessons are reasonably priced at $20 per lesson or the entire 6 lesson series for $90. Students can purchase directly from www.templeofpoi.com/cbt/purchase.htm.

About Temple of Poi

The Temple Of Poi is a school dedicated to supporting a community of individuals seeking greater understanding of themselves through movement and flow arts. The school was founded in 2002 and began by teaching beginning poi students. Later that year, as the demand for education increased, intermediate poi classes were added to the schedule. In early 2004, Temple of Poi began offering Hoop and Staff classes as well to support the ever growing flow arts market. To date, the Temple of Poi has served over 500 students.