Dancing in the Dark: The Newest Wave of Glow Dances is Here

By Jaehun Lee
Arts Reporter

You may not know Poi by name, but chances are you’ve seen the unique art form at a school event in the past few years.

Poi, a performing art that involves swinging tethered weights in a variety of rhythmic and geometric patterns, has its roots in spirituality.

A derivation of Maori tribal movements in New Zealand, poi has grown more popular in America because of its blend of stunning grace and electric visuals. Next year, the trend is set to find a place in Newton South.

Freshman Jack Sinclair was first introduced to poi in sixth grade by his sister and her friends. Now, Sinclair wants to share his passion for poi by creating a poi club at South.

“For me, it’s a form of meditation,” Sinclair said. “I put on some music and just go with the flow. A lot of people say the same about dancing, and I think that they’re very similar in that sense.

“I really love poi, and I feel that other people would enjoy learning it, especially with a peer to peer learning style and opportunities to perform and show off their skills.”

Sinclair has advertised for the club on social media and displayed his skills at school events, but he hopes to expand his outreach.

“I want to start putting up posters next year [and] then give a show so people can get an idea of what they’ll be learning,” he said.

Sinclair envisions the club’s first meeting to be devoted to members simply learning the basics.

“I find that most people think that poi looks really cool and are interested in being the one in the spotlight,” he said. “But I think that people will also be interested in how it actually works.”

Sinclair explains that, unlike many physical arts, learning poi does not usually involve a formal education. Most spinners, as they’re called, learn from each other or teach themselves using DVDs or online resources.

A strong sense of community and self-motivated learning are key elements of modern poi. Thus, Sinclair intends to create a community where people can share their passions and learn from one another.

Sinclair feels that in an environment in which people are learning from their peers, poi will be a simple and rewarding undertaking.

“Poi is really fun,” he said. “If you don’t like it you can always stop, but you’ll never know if you don’t try.”