Best place in the world to learn poi?

Hey everyone,

I have about six months of vacation coming up, and I can go pretty much anywhere in the world. About two months ago, poi came into my life and I love spinning alone, at clubs, and with friends. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone else who spins in my area. I want to use a large part of my vacation as an intensive poi workshop, spinning 5+ hours every day. I have a lot of basic skills down, and I have another four months or so before my vacation starts. My question for all of you is, where in the world can I go to find a lot of spinners, and hopefully convince/pay someone to tutor me? Somewhere I will also have the opportunity to spin a lot in public, clubs/beaches/etc. If there is a good school anyone knows of in an exotic location, that's even better.

You could look on Playpoi.com and look for any retreats or even contact Nick to see where he will be in that time. That's what I would do because I really want to meet him, him and/or Nevisoul I would give my left nut to hang with and do a poi retreat.

I don't think there is a best place. Moving around a bit would be the best idea, chasing spinning festivals and juggling conventions. Check out what's on through the Events section on this forum and also on Playpoi. Most events happen in the summer, so depending on where you are you might have to move hemisphere.

Somewhere warm & dry is perfect as it means you can spin outside for hours each day. However staying in one place can limit if there's not a good source of inspiration about. You can go sit on a Thai beach for 6 months and practise loads, but without inspiration there's a chance you'll not actually develop that much. Having a laptop and downloading as many videos as possible would help with inspiration.

You can do quite well with Youtube in almost perfect isolation. The only international spinner/HoPper I have met is Dentrassi, and he is more a staffer.

But I am pretty decent, so as long as you want to learn, it really does not matter.

I'm going to try to make one of those Bali retreats once I move to Korea since I'll be much closer!

I think finding festivals, retreats, gatherings is a good idea and keeping things diverse to maximize your learning venture.

Unless you start off in the wrong place. South Africa is fairly backward in the whole juggling/poi/staff/etc scene.

Berlin

I am going to say England but differant place are better for differant styles theres so many differant styles these days from techy to flowy

Google poi workshops 2010...maybe with a location you have in mind. There's so many out there right now.
Like this, for example - http://www.poipixies.com/

I agree with Dom - its more about your lifestyle than where you are. There are some AMAZING hippy fire spinners in nth Queensland - all they do is go to festivals, do odd jobs and hangout spinning. When you practice a lot you will get much better. Going to festivals is a really good way to get inspred and learn a stack of new gear that will take you months (if not years) to assimilate. But yeah, any place where you cna have the 'spinners lifestyle' is the best place to learn poi.

For me its got 2 be my old arts school campus, set on a lush protected estate called Dartington, Totnes in south devon, uk. Beatiful rolling gardens that seemed to go on foreva. Shame i was only there a year b4 i up.

Personally I'd consider one of the fire spinning festivals in Japan. Its a very dense country, so its safe to assume that majority of spinners come to those festivals. After that thought, Japan itself is a pretty awesome place to party and vacation.

Some vids on I believe poicommunity (Yuta's site) looked amazing.

One of the Asian festivals will probably be the first fire specific festival I make it too when I get to that area in a month or two most likely (will be in South Korea for 3 years since there is a pay bonus to add a year after Uncle Sam makes the arrangements).

I say if you manage you land yourself on another continent for a bit (something that many people NEVER get the chance to do in their life even for a vacation) make the most of it if you have the means and logistics in check.

The best place in the world to learn any movement skill such as poi, dance, juggling, martial arts.... Is where ever you are. I mean, honestly, if you aren't there, how can you learn? =P

Agreeing with mesh on this one. Most of us learn at our own pace in our rooms, backyards, local parks, with friends. The power of the internet makes it possible to have someone there with you wherever you've got a signal.

and i agree and was planing to post a answer similar because the internet and a big room is a great place to learn

Australia.
There's a shop called Threeworlds on the gold coast, they do weekly poi, staff, and double staff lessons, and they have a group spin/drum/chill session each week. They are also having a national fire twirling comp soon, so plenty of inspiration.

Also, it's Australia.