I get asked on a not infrequent basis to create videos teaching prop spinners how to add more dance into their work. It’s really flattering, not the least of which because from where I’m sitting I’m a pretty mediocre dancer, but it’s also a really massive challenge. Learning how to dance is without a doubt the single hardest thing I’ve learned in my adult life and part of what makes it so hard is that it really can’t be taught as a step-by-step process unlike many other things I’ve learned in my life.

Figured out basic turns but still finding they feel awkward? The problem might be in your feet! This is one of those problems that many of us who lack a movement background tend to encounter as we engage with poi spinning--our bodies aren't used to moving at all, let alone in a way that comes off as graceful. Compounding the problem, it feels as though our arms should be leading the way through our turns, but this seldom is good for us either aesthetically or physically.

turnfootworktutorial.mp4

The tradition continues! Got outside to get some flow on and try out some new ideas on MLK Day in Dupont Circle here in DC.

mlkday2013.mp4

Part 2 of the stall workout series! This time we'll be going through all the antispin stalls, which wind up being different because the stall goes through your body core rather than around it.

stallworkoutpt2.mp4

Having problems getting your stalls down? Here's the first part of a workout, that if you can master it will give you access to nearly any stall you could possibly want to play with. It bears some resemblance to Yuta's 8 stall theory but applies to every timing and direction combination.

stallworkoutpt1.mp4

I've done a lot of tutorials now on moves for beginners, but this is something that I think is equally if not more important: developing plane control. You'll never learn a move that doesn't require it and there will never come a time when you don't need to practice them. Here are three drills to help you get down your plane control and make your tricks that much prettier.

planecontroltutorial.mp4

Here's two different approaches to 4-beat thread the needles. The first is to do what I'd refer to as the "reach around" 4-beat wherein you wrap your hands around each other. The second is much more akin to body tracing wherein the extra beat puts the poi behind your body.

4beatttntutorial.mp4

It's been quite a long time since I've uploaded a flow video and the unusually warm weather we've had in DC the past couple weeks inspired me to get out and put a few things to video. Things to look out for: lots of single poi manipulations, toroids, inversions, and more!

flow10212012.mp4

Isolations are an essential ingredient for hybrids and just plain look cool. Here's a couple of my favorite drills for getting isolations down.

isolationstutorial.mp4

Corkscrews are usually the first floor plane move that many poi spinners learn. It's fundamentally a chase move with the hands moving up and down the body while the poi rotate in a horizontal plane. Here are a few tricks on how to get down this trick.

corkscrewtutorial.mp4