Bender's Firetwirling-o-rama :: Confest Firetwirling

Due in no small way to the great Hippy vibe at Confest, there are excellent fire performances held every night.

Everyone is treated to a great variety of fire performers, fire toys and fire styles, all set to a Jembe beat.

The unique atmosphere is sees some of the most consistently wicked twirling, night after night!

visitors:

Confest Easter 2003

Fire swords

In the arms race for insaner fire toys, I added a set of swords -After their being recieved with joy and not terror last Summer Confest- to the mayhem of the confest fire sessions. The tigerhook swords possess several exposed (blunt!) blades and a wicked

amount of fire along the main blade.
The hooked blades allow for the connection of both blades to form a formidable length of fire and steel.
Note the sharp differences in the width of the fire trails as each sword arc twists and thrusts.

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Photos Courtesy of Richard Salts.

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Callan jugglin

Fire torches provide a bright fire trail when juggled, as they are typically very close to each other when juggled.

This illuminates the Juggler well, as Callan demonstrates in these shots. The emphasis on technical moves in juggling results in more intricate fire trails.

Photos courtesy of Richard Salts.

Kids on fire

The diversity of Confest twirlers also extends to their ages. Ranging from pre-adolescents to teenagers, these precosious pyros are quite decent fire twirlers in their own right.

Confest is one of the few public forums where they can perform for others in a supportive and most importantly safe, supervised environment.

Photos courtesy of Richard Salts.

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Twirlin' at the hollow

Just off the Gulpa creek and amongst the eucalypt trees is a special place known as 'The Hollow.' located amongst the Gypsy camping area of Confest, the Hollow is a great retreat for Firetwirlers to burn off, as there is so much space and drumming taking place there.

DTE, the ace people that run Confest not only encourage firetwirling, they typically supply us with clean fuel! This is important, as kerosene would create a toxic, smelly pong to linger, whereas (Shell) Sol TK leaves little distinguishable smell, and even less smoke.
This makes the fire more fun to twirl with and easier to watch! (It is easier to keep track of firedancing when one is not vomiting. :) )

This location is not just for fire and drums alone - during the same confest it was also venue for a play and an acoustic performance by Wendy Rule. Of course being the fanatical firepeople that we are, these performances did not keep us from sparking up again shortly after!!

Photos courtesy of Richard Salts.

Confest Easter 2002

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Firedancing in the dirt

The massive fire sessions at confest take place in special areas reserved every festival. This ensures that everyone can enjoy the beauty of firedance in the safest possible manner.

What results is an orgy of firedancing of many distinct styles - Many among the performers are from Victoria and New South Wales, Australia.

To be exposed to so many movements and tricks with firetoys is quite valuable to one's own firedancing, if not totally mesmerising!

Pictured in this section is Tjoni, the girl responsible for kicking off the wednesday Edinburgh Gardens fire meet - a source of fun and fire for so many people now. There is an Edinburgh fire gallery.

Sometimes, it's hard to distinquish on a photo the fiire trails of poi and staff, so look hard!!

Juggling 3 fire torches was a Scottish friend who has one of those laughs that sounds both hilarious and sinister at the same time. He does it to me every time and all i can do is nervously laugh. oh the pain :)

Photos courtesy of Amanda Pipkorn.

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A Wider Perspective

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These fire images give a hint of the fire session itself, not just of individual fire performers.

It is at this impersonal perspective that we can better appreciate the spectacle of fire itself dancing frantically, gracefully, italy.

Italian food is nice. I like spaghetti, and don't mind at all the vegetarian sauces. Hmmm soo herbally yummy goodness. The lesson to take home folks is that firetwirling's nicer on a full stomach.

Photos courtesy of Amanda Pipkorn.