Playing with Fire

31 Jan 2025 at 16:38 // under Fire Poi Personal

There's something oddly beautiful about the way unexpected events line up. Take last Monday, when Storm Éowyn's electrical antics and a recent obsession with poi led to what can only be described as a serendipitous evening of not setting myself on fire.

For the uninitiated, poi is the art of swinging weights on ropes while trying to look graceful. Sometimes these weights are Kevlar wicks soaked in fuel and set alight. I'd spent three months practising with the training wheels version – soft practice poi and LED ones that might bruise your ego and sensitive bits, but have the advantage of avoiding the more exciting prospects of burns to body or surroundings.

The Edinburgh Fire Club had caught my attention before Christmas. They meet every Monday, which perfectly clashed with my Scouting commitments. But then Storm Éowyn swept through, knocking out power to the Scout hall, and suddenly my Monday evening opened up like an unexpected gift.

The threat of rain pushed the venue from the central Meadows to under the arches at Colinton Bridge – a bit further out than their usual spot. It was quieter than usual, which was actually quite nice for a newbie.

After chatting with the organiser, I began testing different poi sets (unlit, of course). The first set didn't quite click – while I could perform my usual tricks, the unfamiliar handles made everything feel awkward. Thankfully, I found another set that matched what I was used to.

After the requisite safety briefing (which, unsurprisingly, consisted of more than just "try not to burn yourself"), I asked the organiser to film my first fire performance – a moment I was keen to document. I'm genuinely pleased with the result.

Looking back at the video, I noticed something interesting. The performance moved nicely with the background music – starting as the song began and the flames dying out close to its end. There were sections that synced beautifully, and others that could have used more choreographic finesse. The thing is, I don't remember being aware of the music at all!

The performance itself was hesitant. I moved between tricks with the careful concentration of someone acutely aware of the fire mere inches from their body. But hey – nothing caught fire that wasn't supposed to, and I'll count that as a win.

Later attempts, free from the documentary evidence of the camera, felt more natural. It turns out that once you've accepted that you're voluntarily swinging fire around your body, the whole thing becomes oddly relaxing.

I'm looking forward to my next chance to play with fire. Though next time, I might actually try to hear the music.

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