Life at the Bay

Fire spirals, spitting dragons, and rhythmic dancing - no wonder the art of fire-spinning has spread like wildfire at the Bay. The Sugar Bay fire-show tradition first saw light when Bear, aka Elan Stark, and Hoova, aka Baden Dowie, two of our very first counselors, started showing the kids a few cool poi tricks when Sugar Bay opened in 2001. Poi is the physical objects used by the dancers and the choreography itself of fire-spinning. Poi originates from the Maori people and is still being practiced today. In our previous post, we teach you how to make poi in 5 easy steps , the history of poi and the different Maori traditions poi is used for. Before you start spinning with fire, you use poi to practice your routine. We have 3 basic moves to get you started on your fire-spinning journey. Butterfly  Hold your arms at a 90° angle with your palms facing up  Spin poi in mini circles while seperating your arms and come back in.  Punches  Start...

Fire-spinning has become a sensation at the Bay with our campers delighting in performances put on by our counselors every final camp night. The tradition has become so popular, our campers have joined in the shows and have brought new tricks to the game. Before you start spinning with fire, you use poi to practice your routine. Poi originates from the Maori people of New Zealand and has spread across the globe. Poi is the Maori word for 'ball' on a cord. Maori women used Poi to keep their hands flexible for weaving and men for strength and coordination during battle. The practice was also seen in beautiful dance ceremonies where the poi was put on fire and phenomenal images emerged as they swung rhythmically. Here are 5 easy steps to make poi What you will need:  String or shoelaces Black plastic bags  Scissors  Ruler A4 paper or rice  Rubber bands  Sellotape Method:  Step 1: Pour the rice into the plastic bag until it...