What is the Poi (Fire Poi)?

Spinning tethered weights—often lit as fire poi—in circular patterns around the body, fusing Māori poi heritage with modern flow-arts movement.

Where did the Poi (Fire Poi) originate?

The Poi (Fire Poi) originated in New Zealand (Māori) / global flow community in the 1900s.

What time signature is the Poi (Fire Poi) danced in?

The Poi (Fire Poi) is danced in Electronic / world / percussion.

What tempo is the Poi (Fire Poi) danced at?

The Poi (Fire Poi) is typically danced at Varies.

What is the character of the Poi (Fire Poi)?

The Poi (Fire Poi) is characterized as hypnotic, flowing, geometric.

Dance History›Flow & Fire Arts›Poi (Fire Poi)

Flow & Fire ArtsFLW-POI

Poi (Fire Poi)

Also known as: Poi, Fire poi, Poi spinning

OriginNew Zealand (Māori) / global flow community

Era1900–Present

RhythmElectronic / world / percussion

TempoVaries

CharacterHypnotic, flowing, geometric

History & Cultural Context

Poi is the practice of swinging tethered weights through rhythmic, geometric patterns. It originates with the Māori of Aotearoa New Zealand, where poi remains a living cultural and performance tradition. From the late 20th century a global flow-arts community adopted the prop—frequently as 'fire poi,' with wicks soaked in fuel and lit—and developed an extensive contemporary vocabulary of spins, weaves, stalls, and body-tracing patterns integrated with dance. It is a cornerstone of festival and fire-performance culture.

Cultural Significance

A living Māori tradition and, separately, a foundational modern flow-arts and fire-performance prop.

Characteristic Movement & Technique

Circular spins, weaves, stalls, and isolations of tethered weights, integrated with footwork and dance.

Partnering Dynamics

Solo; group/festival performance common.

Competitive Context

Festival and showcase performance; informal flow community.

Regional Variations

Māori origin; worldwide flow-arts adoption.

Common Misconceptions

Māori poi is a distinct cultural practice that predates—and should not be conflated with—the modern Western flow-arts hobby that borrowed the prop.

Poi (Fire Poi) Music & Tempo

Drawn from 15 Poi (Fire Poi) tracks in the LODance music library.

Example tracks at practice tempo

Snake Charmer — Nox Arcana119 BPM
Gypsy Spell — Nox Arcana112 BPM
Temple Of The Black Pharaoh — Nox Arcana109 BPM
Ghosts from the Past — Native American Music Consort
Hypnotic Tribal Experience — Sound Therapy Masters
The Forgotten Path — Nox Arcana

Browse & play all 15 Poi (Fire Poi)tracks in the Music Library →

Who governs Poi (Fire Poi)

Federations, councils and examining bodies with a recorded role in this style. No single organisation can tell you this — each one knows only itself.

Flow Arts Institute (FAI)Association · USATeaches what it calls Poi spinning

Poi (Fire Poi) on screen

Films and television where Poi (Fire Poi) appears, with the sequences worth watching for.

Fire Dance (2002)1 sequence indexedFire poi performances and community fire jams

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Poi (Fire Poi) in performance

One staged work in the Limelight catalogue contains Poi (Fire Poi).

Kà2004
Cirque
General fight and combat choreography across the show, per the Choreography section — Poi manipulation technique is repurposed to handle staves and batons within the martial fight choreography rather than performed as a standalone flow-arts number. Source:…

Every claim above is quoted from a cited source and names where in the work the style appears. Claims we could not place or could not quote are held back from this list and shown on the work’s own page instead. Browse the full performance catalogue →

Sources & Further Reading

Cultural & Historical Context

Poi (Fire Poi) emerged from New Zealand (Māori) / global flow community during the 1900s—present day. Understanding the cultural roots, musical traditions, and social circumstances of this era enriches appreciation for the dance's characteristics and significance.

Primary Source Documents

The Library of Dance contains public-domain primary sources for dance history. Copyrighted modern syllabi are indexed with purchase links to their respective copyright owners. Search by dance name or codifier to discover primary source documents.

Last reviewed: September 2026 — This dance profile synthesizes historical research, cultural documentation, and contemporary practice knowledge to provide authoritative context.