College Times

Media Credit: Dallas Totra

When one hears the words fire spinning, a whole swarm of images are conjured up in the mind: Fancy costumes, tribal music, crowds of people and, of course, fire being wielded around the performer’s body on a ball and chain.

“That’s what you can expect when you come to this event, with one exception: This event is geared more toward the urban professional,” said Renee Walker, the founder of La Fiamma, or The Flame, a Valley-based company that has fire spinning classes and training sessions for fire spinners.

She said that they play more current music for their performances rather than having the drummers and tribal music there, giving it a different feel.

Fire spinning was originally used by the Maori people in New Zealand as strength for battle, but migrated overseas and evolved into entertainment.

“It’s all freeform at First Fridays,” Walker said. “The moves are highly individualized and it is very much expressive dance with the use of fire.”

She also said that these dances are very unique and unusual to someone who has never seen them before, and that because of the variation in outfits, each dance is very different.

“The location is also perfect because it serves the crowd we want to serve while still being open enough for us to perform comfortably,” Walker said.

Walker suggested bringing your video camera because you’re going to want to capture it on film.

“You’ll want to look at it over and over again,” she said.

Fire Spinning at First Fridays, Portland Park, 105 W. Portland Street, Phoenix, 602.256.7539, Friday, June 6, 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., free

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