How exactly does one get into fire dancing? For the love of your child of course!!

A few years back me and my daughter were living in Durban South Africa where we saw fire dancing for the first time. I found it fascinating however my daughter who was 8 years old at the time fell in love with the art and wanted to start learning how to poi. I sourced someone willing to give her lessons and booked her first sessions with her new teacher.

Sadly a random series of events took place and we had to move back to our family farm in Limpopo just before she could start lessons.

Given the small conservative nature of the community there were no opportunities for poi classes in Limpopo, and I just couldn't bare to think that I have let my daughter down, although I knew it wasn't my fault. I knew that I simply had to make things right.

I started watching YouTube tutorials in order to teach myself so that in turn I could teach her, it wasn't long before a great friend of mine; Camille - also a single mother, joined me in my quest and started practicing with me. Because we both had very draining full time jobs at the time, it was difficult to make the time for practice and progress was slow, but within a few months (and after suffering continuous self educed battering and bruising from our trial and error ways) we lit up the fire poi for the first time.

By now my daughter had since developed other interests and wanted nothing to do with poi. None the less me and my friend carried on with the fire dancing.

Since then we have done quite a few amazing shows and also performed using fire fans, palm candles fire blades and multiple poi. We called ourselves insatiable flames and our shows varied anything from; the small business year end function, to performing for large groups of South Africa's top delegates, numerous bikers rally's and more.

My favorite of course being music festivals were we got to meet & perform for some great musicians such as South-Africa's very own Prime Circle and Cutting Jade to name but a few.

Another favorite would definitely be the charity events that we performed at, working hand in hand with organisations such as various animal conservation groups working towards creating awareness and raising funds for the conservation of endangered wildlife, as well as other groups such as CANSA. (again to name but a few.)

Fire dancing became a great passion, but also an extra income that we were both very grateful for, and it managed to stay a part of my life ever since.

As they say: "Men might have discovered fire, but woman discovered how to play with it!"

Hope you enjoy the photo's and I would love to hear from you!