FireDrumsis the longest running flow arts and fire festival in the world. This historic event taking place in California brings together flow artists from around the world with the mission of uniting the cultures of fire dancing, fire performance arts and flow arts. It strives to achieve this mission by organizing events where participants can creatively explore, share, and teach their art forms in a safe and inspiring environment. To stay up to date with information about the festival, follow their facebook page and join the event.
This year for our first annual Instructor of the Year contest, the Festival directors nominated several outstanding instructors who are pushing the boundaries of teaching and skill excellence.
Andres Trevino – FlowMamba
Taught at:
- FireDrums
What’s your secret power?
- My super power is the mamba mentality, having tenacity as its core train of thought. Persistence has allowed me to self teach myself ropedart, through this I gained confidence, the confidence to share my passion with others, old and young alike. Through this process I have never taken no for an answer allowing myself to teach poi programs at elementary schools. With this new sense of leadership I was able to progress my life and become an anesthesia technician aka a ninja medic!
When you aren’t a flow superhero, what is your Clark Kent alias?
- Andres Trevino Certified Anesthesia Technician
What are your main classes?
- Releasing Your Inner Ninja: An Introduction to RopedartThis rope dart class will cover the fundamental basics for rope dart- we will cover the neck, shoulder, arm, elbow, and leg wraps. We will also explore shots and other illusions. In addition, we will explore the flow state by learning to breathe and move in a synchronized fashion. The class will end with a conversation about flow and the potential for transformation, so that people may become conscious of that inner ninja that we all carry within.
- Techdart (Intermediate): My workshop will cover tech dart principles translated from tech poi/ Vulcan tech gospel manipulations with emphasis on flowers and stalls/extensions. We also will be covering diamond and box theory for dartists, while exploring multiple planes/ plane bending. Basic dart and poi concepts will be revisited and modified to this tech style.
- Contact Dart (Intermediate): My workshop will cover basic contact dart principles. Just to specify, contact dart is a hands-free style of spinning rope dart with an emphasis on maintaining contact with the rope and a variety of your joints in order to control the motion. Basic dart concepts will be revisited and translated into this advanced variation of dart.
Additional Teaching:
- MOPS
- Universal Flow Gathering
- Ignight Fire Flow Conference
- Firedrums
“Thank you for the consideration, it is a big honor.”
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Cassie McKenney
Taught at:
- FireDrums
- Pacific Fire Gathering
What’s your secret power?
- Keeping it real. Pushing my students out of their comfort zone to learn things that they thought weren’t instantly accessible.
When you aren’t a flow super hero, what is your Clark Kent alias?
- Circus instructor for children
What are your main classes?
- VTG for all props- Spreading the gospel to all double prop spinners near and far.
- Mini Hoop Manipulation- T/d, plane control, transition theory, prop facing, modes and turning with hoops.
- Hoop Juggling- Cascade, reverse cascade, intro to siteswap and intro to partner passing.
Additional Teaching:
- MOPS
- Seattle Intensive
- New England Flow Fest
- Return to Roots
- Spin Summit
- Madskillz Juggling Festival
- Boulder Juggling Festival
Back to All FireDrums Nominees
Memory Elena
Taught at:
- FireDrums
- Pacific Fire Gathering
- Memory has been a contributing member of the Flow Arts community for 10+ years. She was also nominated by Pacific Fire Gathering, but FireDrums received first bid.
What’s your secret power?
-
- Empathetic Embodiment of the Change that the Learner wants to See in Themselves.
I model learning for learners, radiating interest, openness and confidence. As I learn about their skills, personality, needs and interests, I demonstrate adaptation by differentiating instruction and meeting them where they are as spinners.
When you aren’t a flow super hero, what is your Clark Kent alias?
- University Relations coordinator
What are your main classes?
- Fan Throws: Learn to throw your fans! Featuring accessible material for all levels, from the basics to more advanced combinations.
- Partner Fans: 3- and 4-Beat Weaves: Learn to share space and move around a partner with 3- and 4-beat weaves with fans.
- Partner Fan Dance Tech :: A healthy dose of partner fan tech combined with presentation elements such as footwork, levels, sharing space, and integrating it all into dance to create beautiful patterns with partners.
Additional Teaching:
- Private Lessons
“This is so sweet of you guys. Thanks =D”