Juggling: Poi & its Origins

Juggling is a snazzy skill that requires adept co-ordination, and sharp cognition.

The Story behind Juggling Poi

Poi originate from New Zealand, used by the Maori to increase strength, flexibility & coordination in the hands – to help the women keep their hands flexible for weaving, & give men the strength & coordination required battle.
These days poi can be found in many different colours, styles & forms. Stretchy or non stretchy it is all about personal preference & the style you prefer.
From the first moment you take poi in your hands, you realize there is something magical about the swinging momentum & centripetal force now at your control. I find poi comforting, a great workout, centering, good exercise, stress relieving & clears my mind & allows me to focus – a feeling which surprisingly remains after a good hard session.

It can take time to discover what feels the most comfortable as more ‘flow doors’ open for you. It begins slowly, forwards, then backwards. Next comes turning whilst spinning. Slowly you realize you can turn in any direction losing the swing, & thus the first flow is found.

An exciting time, you now understand so much more… Till the next flow door is discovered, & you move in ways you never thought before, once more!
Flow-door opening I link strongly with when I play on the psytrance floors. I stop thinking about what I am doing & start really feel the beats, the rhythm & dancing.

Poi are a fun, easy to learn, entertaining to master & wonderful toy that really drives your spirit! I encourage you to take on the challenge.

A few times I have reached a state as I was dancing, & the poi felt merely extensions of my arms. They followed dance taking on a mind of their own, moving in harmony in a unique synchronization with my flow. From onlookers I was told it was beautiful to see. This state comes most naturally when amidst colour & wonder, caught up in the rhythm & flow of music, particularly when I am lost deep within the beats of psychedelic trance on or near the dance floor. I feel differing energies, playing in the raw energy of the sun gives excitement & power. When it is darker, the limiting of physical visionary senses, allows for psychological visionary senses of patterns & rhythm that are something beyond what I yet fully comprehend. I find it exceptionally exciting.

I notice a distinct link between the harmonic motion of poi, & the frequency (especially at the changes) of beats & music. Differing genres really change & effect the style of poi that I play. Once I was filled with surprise playing to dubstep (a genre I usually do not enjoy) that my arms moved with these strange slow odd rhythms & sounds developing movements with poi I had never dreamed of. I have since experimented with many genres to discover a variety of ways to play, simply by following different rhythms. Fascinating.

Kylie Van Eerden