Think motocross or skateboarding are extreme? Try playing with fire.
"Fire dancing is a sport, exercise, meditation and most notably, performance art where the practitioner essentially paints the sky with fire using various implements," says Isa "GlitterGirl" Isaacs, founder of Temple of Poi based in San Francisco, Calif.
Isaacs says the most common tools used in fire dancing are poi (generally holding in each hand a wick attached to a chain), staves (one or more sticks with a wick on each end), fire fingers (long metal sticks with wicks on the end of them attached to each finger), hoops (like a traditional hula hoop with generally 3 to 6 or more wicks sticking off the outside of the tool, fire fans (4 or more wicks sticking off a metal frame with a handle and spoke coming off in a shape like a shell) and juggling torches.
And while a growing number of classes are available in fire dancing, you won't find any instructor willing to light you up without weeks of practice.
"Truthfully, most practice time is done without the fire in what we call 'flow' practices, where the artist is learning how to comfortably use their tool," Isaacs says.
Some of the benefits of exercising with these tools include developing muscle tone, reducing stress, improved coordination, strengthened cardiovascular health, boosting endurance and, combined with a healthy diet, weight loss.
"Can you think of a better way to 'burn' calories?" says Kamala Mathis, co-owner of Los Angeles-based Fire Groove, which provides six weeks of 90 minute workouts before students can light up. "Most people that join our classes see and feel the difference within weeks."
Once the student has sufficiently been trained in safety awareness, the poi, stave or hoops are set ablaze and the relationship with fire begins. What lures people to the flames?
"I've had many clients over the years who have come to the school to play with fire to get through some trauma they have had. Several clients' houses burned down and they wanted to get over their fear," Isaacs says.
"In this class you develop a relationship with this element that will change your life in some way or another," says Mathis, who says fire dancing has been "a huge part of my recovery process with alcohol and marijuana."
Most injuries are caused by disregard of safety rules, Isaacs says, "though I don't know anyone who has sustained an injury worse than something they would have gotten from a stove."
Isaacs was the first to introduce fire dance classes in the Bay area in 2002 - now there are eight other places that offer classes in the area.
"We have taught kids 9 years old to dance with fire (with parents permission of course) and had 69 year olds rock it," Mathis says. "You are never too old nor too young to try this as long as you are respectful to the element and yourself."
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