Blog Archives - Fusion Arts

The need to clarify fire performance terminology

Fire performance is a group of performance arts or skills that involve the manipulation of fire – wikipedia. Fire performance is an umbrella term to encompass the various fire performance arts and includes traditional fire performance, fire juggling, (flaming) object manipulation, fire circus, fire theater and fire dance.
While the term fire performance is clear and well put to use, the terms used to refer to the various types of fire performance arts are not. For example, a term such as fire juggling or fire dance may be (mis)used interchangeably or to refer to performance arts which are neither dance nor juggling. The inability to accurately distinguish between different styles and techniques is detrimental to effective analysis and, as a consequence, the evolution of fire performance as a whole.

Fire Dance vs Fire Juggling

Much of what is currently referred to as fire dance may better be termed fire juggling or (flaming) object manipulation. When the primary focus of a performance is the object, the performance can not be categorized as dance. The term fire dance is misused when used to refer to fire juggling and (flaming) object manipulation.

Such a distinction may appear to be of little import, yet the use of fire dance as an umbrella term to include fire juggling & (flaming) object manipulation leaves no term for the combination of dance with fire. Those passionate about applying dance concepts to fire performance are effectively left without a term with which to refer to their art. Such a situation is a detriment to the evolution of any art form or style.

Instead of risking what would surely be a losing battle to restore fire dance as a homological term, I proposed the term dance-based fire dance as the term to refer to what should simply be referred to as fire dance. It is cumbersome and redundant, but it’s clear, leaving little room for confusion and can be useful in distinguishing between styles of fire performance.

Contemporary fire performance (full definition below) blends any number of performance principles and techniques such as theatre, dance, circus, juggling & object manipulation to create hybrid performances. To refer to these performances as fire dance or fire juggling would be at best incomplete and at worst entirely inaccurate (for example, fire can be combined with theatre in ways which wouldn’t involve dance or juggling).

How to define & distinguish the various styles of fire performance?

Below, I’ve defined the various styles of fire performance. Distinguishing between these will help fire performance to evolve. Not doing so inhibits analysis, discussion and clarity; a formidable crutch for both the creation of innovative performances and the evolution of the art form.

Fire performance:

Fire performance is a group of performance arts or skills that involve the manipulation of fire (wikipedia). Fire performance serves as an umbrella term to encompass the various fire arts.

Traditional fire performance:

Traditional fire performance was used as a ceremony, to invoke, appease or rappelle gods, spirits or forces of nature. For example, Ancient Aztecs performed a fire dance dedicated to Xiuhtecuhtli, the god of fire. (wikipedia)

FIRE DANCE RETREATS

Fire Dance Retreat FRANCE: April 20-26 2025

INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO SERIES

Learn to fire dance with ex Cirque du Soleil Fire Dancer Srikanta Barefoot. Over 165 minutes of video! Instruction, inspiration and fun! Learn More…

5% DISCOUNT ON PYROTERRA LIGHTTOYS:

We highly recommend Lighttoys LED Props & Visual Poi. For a 5% discount, visit the Lighttoys website & use our lighttoys promo code: fusionartsandlighttoysrullezz

Fire juggling & flaming object manipulation:

Object manipulation where specially designed props are soaked in fuel and lit on fire. (wikipedia). Techniques may involve juggling & tossing (staffs, devil sticks, juggling clubs, etc) and spinning & twirling (staffs, poi, hula hoop, dragon staff, rope dart, fans, etc).

The primary focus of fire juggling and object manipulation performances is on the skills performed by the object itself, rendering the artist of secondary importance. The audience is invited to focus on the tricks performed by the object, (ie. yoyo, tech poi, buugeng).

Object manipulation:

(Object manipulation is a form of dexterity play or performance in which one or more people physically interact with one or more objects. Many object manipulation skills are recognised circus skills. Other object manipulation skills are linked to sport, magic, and everyday objects or practices. (wikipedia)

Fire dance: (ie. dance-based fire dance)

Fire dance combines fire with dance (ie. the movement of the body in a rhythmic way, usually to music and within a given space, for the purpose of expressing an idea or emotion, releasing energy, or simply taking delight in the movement itself.– britannica). The 3 principles of fire dance are synonymous with those of dance; aesthetic pleasure, self-expression and entertainment – britannica.

Fire dance may be performed as a powerful impulse (improvisation) or as skilfully executed choreography.

Fusion Arts offers instruction in dance-based fire dance in the form of video lessons and dance-based fire dance workshops & retreats in Europe, the Americas and Asia.

Check out the dance-based fire dance group on facebook! The group is dedicated to the evolution of fire dance as dance and is the place to both share and connect with other dance-based fire dancers around the world.

Discover more about dance-based fire dance here.

France Fire Dance Retreat! Join us!!!

APRIL 14-20 2024

POI, STAFF & DANCE-BASED FIRE DANCE

Contemporary fire performance:

Contemporary fire performance combines fire with contemporary aesthetic sensibilities and theatrical techniques. Contemporary fire performance may include any number of elements found within object manipulation (juggling, tossing, spinning & twirling), contemporary circus (acrobatics, aerial arts, etc), contemporary theater and contemporary dance.

Contemporary fire performance draws upon a variety of circus, dance and theatrical principles and techniques to create hybrid performances.

Although performances may be abstract or narrative, contemporary fire performance is often used to invoke emotion through the use of meaning, symbolism & storytelling.

Contemporary LED performance:

The term contemporary LED performance replaces the term contemporary fire performance when LED instead of fire is used.

Some examples of contemporary LED can be found in Fusion Arts LED circus show Astrea.

TEACHING EVENTS

Fire jugglers in the fire circus show Caldera

Fire Dance Retreat FRANCE: April 20-26 2025

Choosing a Fire Staff which is right for you

Choosing the right fire staff dimensions which will feel right & allow you to pursue your own personal style of fire dancing can be daunting. There are many variables to consider including length, weight & weight distribution. It may be helpful to seek the advise of an experienced artist.

I’ve made a career of dancing with the fire staff (20+ years including 3 years onstage with the Cirque du Soleil). I’ve always designed & constructed my own fire tools and have been teaching poi, staff & swords for over 15 years. Questions about ideal staff specs have come up often from my Students but since I launched Fusion Arts Pro Fire Shop, (offering my custom-made fire staffs to the public for the first time) the questions aren’t just trickling in, they’re pouring in.

Below you will find my revelations regarding fire staff specs over years of impassioned obsession and design modification. Disclaimer! Opinions vary even between professional fire dancers. This is largely due to the different styles of staff spinning. I’ve named the style I’ve developed dance-based fire dance, which I teach in my instructional video series Dancing with the Fire Staff & at my annual Workshops and Fire Dance Retreats.

In addition to my dance-based style, there is also contact staff, acro staff, staff juggling and short doubles, each with their own priorities regarding staff length, weight and weight distribution. Ultimately the question of which fire staff is right for you comes down to your own personal style and aspirations.

Choosing Fire Staff Length

At the age of 9, I learned an Indian Martial Arts style of staff spinning. In this tradition, appropriate staff length is eye-level. Following suit, I spun with staffs (both single and double) at my eye level (162cm/5’4”) for 10+ years (from age 19-30). When I quit the Cirque du Soleil and began freelancing, it became impractical to fly with long staffs as many airlines charge an additional fee for baggage over 150cm.

I ended up using shorter staffs which I’d made for my partner Jen. Her eye-level staffs are 142cm (4’8”), 20cm shorter than the staffs I’d always used. Suddenly I was performing with staffs that came up to my armpit level. So what happened? It opened up a ton of possibilities for me. I was able to get into lower stances while spinning vertically which helps a ton for prepping for jumps (you gotta get down to get up). It also opened up the possibility of spinning in the internal plane and to discover isolation patterns which were inaccessible with longer staffs. After 10+ years of alternating between poi and staff as my tool of obsession, double staffs became my favorite for the first time. I attribute my new love to the reduction in length- who knew!

Currently I recommend a staff length at armpit level for those pursuing my dance-based style of fire dance. Because arm-length varies from person to person, it may be more accurate to measure from wrist to wrist when your arms are stretched out in a T.

At this length, you will need to arch back or tilt your plane a bit in order to spin in the internal plane or do isolations. This doesn’t bother me as

I’ve made it a part of my body movement (plus the public likes it when you get close to the fire) but if you feel you would rather do less torso & plane bending you could reduce the length by 5-10cm while maintaining the image of you with a full length staff.

It’s just my personal preference, but I wouldn’t advise reducing the length much beyond that. My rule of thumb goes, if a warrior stance with your staffs makes you look more like a feisty majorette than a warrior, your staffs are too short (I can almost see the hate mail streaming in). Many people (particularly in Europe and Australia) like spinning with short staffs, especially when spinning doubles. While I find 99% of this about as interesting to watch as those guys who direct airplanes on the runway, there are some notable exceptions. Dan Miethke (one of the Artists I profile in the inspirational section of Dancing with the Fire Staff) spins short doubles and hasn’t forgotten the importance of bodylines or the image as a whole on stage.

FIRE DANCE RETREATS

Fire Dance Retreat FRANCE: April 20-26 2025

INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO SERIES

Learn to fire dance with ex Cirque du Soleil Fire Dancer Srikanta Barefoot. Over 165 minutes of video! Instruction, inspiration and fun! Learn More…

5% DISCOUNT ON PYROTERRA LIGHTTOYS:

We highly recommend Lighttoys LED Props & Visual Poi. For a 5% discount, visit the Lighttoys website & use our lighttoys promo code: fusionartsandlighttoysrullezz

France Fire Dance Retreat! Join us!!!

APRIL 14-20 2024

POI, STAFF & DANCE-BASED FIRE DANCE

Choosing Fire Staff Weight & Weight Distribution

For my style of dance with the fire staff a light weight staff is ideal. That’s because I’m spinning fast, jumping, turning and stopping/ changing the direction of the staff to bring variance to my routine. Because I want to spin a long staff, with as much fire on the ends as possible, strength to weight ratio is of primary importance, which is why I use only the highest-grade titanium tubes to build my pro fire staffs. In fact, I’ve gone to great lengths to research and source light-weight materials, ultimately resorting to the aerospace industry for parts!

My pro fire staffs weigh between 500-750 grams and I wouldn’t want them any heavier. Thanks to the light weight tubing, the majority of the weight is on the ends (in the wick and fuel). This weight distribution helps the staff to stay in plane (think poi). Generating momentum is easy and a matter of giving the ends small pushes and tugs (again like poi).

Contact staffs are often weighted differently because learning the technique works best with staffs which maintain their momentum once in motion. For this reason, many beginner contact staff spinners generally prefer a heavier staff which is weighed more evenly throughout. For this group, the heavier the better and fixing a wooden dowel within the metal tubing is a common design. However, beyond the beginner phase of contact staff, a lighter staff is preferable as less of an impulse is needed to change planes/ directions. Pro contact staff spinners have raved about my pro fire staffs because of how lightweight and straight they are (providing a perfect role).

While contact staffers may be happy to adopt my light-weight fire staffs once they’ve improved their control, put a contact staff in my hands and 90% of the techniques I use with my staffs will be difficult if not impossible to do. The weight distribution is so different! I’ve had students with heavy contact staffs at my workshops and retreats. They struggle with learning my techniques as foundational things like changing directions and staying in plane are so much more difficult with a staff which is heavy or evenly weighted throughout.

What are my personal fire staff specs?

I use the same length of fire staff for both single staff and double staff. Up until 2016 I was using 25,4mm (1″) x 142cm (4’8″) tubes. My isis wicks made of 6mm rope were 22cm in length.

But in 2016 we created a 4 person Fire Dance Act with 3 Female Artists. As the 19mm (.75″) tubing is preferable for those with smaller hands I decided to adapt and allow us all to use the same staffs during the act. Because their arm spans are shorter than mine, we’ve reduced our staff length by 2cm but to maintain the same amount of fire and weight distribution we added 1cm of wick to each end so that now we are using 19mm x 140cm tubing with 23cm of 6mm rope.

It took some getting used to at first but now there is no going back! The thinner diameter tubing makes controlling the staff easier. I am able to spin faster with less effort and with greater enjoyment.

What will be the best fire staff for you?

By now you have an idea about the elements to consider to create the ideal fire staff. Before ordering your pro fire staff, have a peak at our past product specs on facebook. This can give you an idea of what total weight you can achieve by playing with the different elements. And if you still have questions, send me a message!

Thanks for reading! Feel free to check out our instructional videos or join us at our next Fire Dance Retreat for an immersion in dance-based fire dance!

Srikanta Barefoot

TEACHING EVENTS

Fire Dance Retreat FRANCE: April 20-26 2025

Choosing Fire Poi which are right for you

Choosing the right fire poi dimensions which will feel right & allow you to pursue your own personal style of fire dancing can be daunting. There are so many poi specifications to consider including poi length, overall weight, poi head type, handle type… It may be helpful to seek the advice of an experienced artist.

I’ve made a career of dancing with fire poi, (20+ years including 3 years onstage with the Cirque du Soleil). I’ve always designed & constructed my own fire tools and have been teaching poi & staff & swords for over 15 years. Questions about ideal poi specs have come up often from my Students but much more so since I began offering my own custom-made fire poi to the public via the Fusion Arts Pro Fire Shop.

Below you will find my revelations regarding fire poi specs over years of impassioned obsession and design modification. Disclaimer! Opinions vary even between experienced poi artists. This is largely due to the different styles of poi spinning. I’ve named the style I’ve developed dance-based fire dance, which I teach at my Workshops and Fire Dance Retreats.

In addition to my dance-based style, there is also contact poi, tech poi & other styles, each with their own priorities regarding poi specifications. Ultimately the question of which fire poi are right for you comes down to your own personal style and aspirations.

Choosing Fire Poi Length:

A general rule of thumb for choosing the right fire poi length for you, is to stand normally & measure the distance from your knuckles to the floor, then to subtract a couple centimeters (or inches) to make sure you aren’t going to skim the floor when you are spinning. This magic number is the length from the edge of the wick nearest the floor, all the way to your knuckles, but is not your total poi length. For your total poi length you will need to factor in the handle length (see the section on handle type below).

If you are someone who is going to spin while standing as you normally would (hooray tech poi!), that measurement should be a good starting point.

But if you are someone who is planning to use levels during your performance (hooray dance-based fire dance!), getting low sometimes & lunging in order to jump, you will want to make sure that your poi aren’t so long that you are skimming the ground all of the time. In this case, you will want to take that same measurement (knuckles to floor) not while you’re standing normally, but at the level you plan to spin at the most often. I’d recommend taking a stance which is as wide as you think may be your average when navigating around the stage, then doing the measurement from there.

Keep in mind, you can always wrap up if you want to do some moves which require a shorter length (like the buzzsaw or anything in the internal plane) but once you’ve decided on total length, you won’t be able to make your poi longer without a redesign.

Many of the tech poi spinners I know, prefer poi which are a bit shorter, like 10-15cm (4-6”) from the floor. Having shorter poi can help when doing some techie moves (like contact-handle wraps and things in the internal & wall plane), although it can also make some techie moves more difficult (like isolation).

My custom fire poi come with two options for chain type; chain & technora. If you are ordering poi with chain instead of technora, it’s good to always err on the side of too long, as it’s easy to reduce the length with simple tools you may already have at home. If you are ordering poi with technora rope instead of chains, you won’t be able to easily change the length once the poi are built, so it’s best to have a clear idea beforehand.

FIRE DANCE RETREATS

Fire Dance Retreat FRANCE: April 20-26 2025

INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO SERIES

Learn to fire dance with ex Cirque du Soleil Fire Dancer Srikanta Barefoot. Over 165 minutes of video! Instruction, inspiration and fun! Learn More…

5% DISCOUNT ON PYROTERRA LIGHTTOYS:

We highly recommend Lighttoys LED Props & Visual Poi. For a 5% discount, visit the Lighttoys website & use our lighttoys promo code: fusionartsandlighttoysrullezz

Choosing Fire Poi Handle Type:

When I began spinning poi in 2000, there were far fewer choices for poi handle type- single loop & double loop. These days, I can’t imagine being a newbie and trying to wrap my head around all of the different options. In the Fusion Arts Pro Fire Shop, I offer 3 types of handles: single loop, double loop & pomgrip handles.

For more on how handle type affects total length click here.

Here I am onstage with the Cirque du Soleil where I taught 20+ acrobats & dancers to perform some simple moves with poi & swords as a backdrop to my 5 minute act.

For more on how handle type affects total length click here.

Single & Double Loop Handles:
The standard for years, these are great for learning & many experienced performers stick with them. The single loop handles offer a ton of different ways to hold your poi and you are bound to find your own unique way which feels the most comfortable to you.

They are limited in two ways as far as I can see. Firstly, they take a little bit longer to put on and off than ball or pomgrip handles. Of course this is just a matter of a couple of seconds, so it’s only a consideration if you are like me and choreographing quick transition between fire props during your show. Secondly, you won’t be able to toss your poi (and tosses, although they might seem daunting at first, are really a lot of fun and probably something you will want to try at some point).

Pomgrip Handles:
I spun poi for 20 years before I really began doing tosses (thanks to covid 19’s silver lining and being stuck in Bali with Vojta after our annual fire dance retreat there). I’d been using some ball handles on my fire ropes as part of Fusion Arts Fire Dance Shows (to allow for quick transitions between props) but my fire poi still had single loop, nylon handles. After Bali I began using pomgrip handles because I really like the feel. They are grippy & light weight and offer the possibility to regulate the weight using washers. They also come in loads of colors, including glow in the dark, which is pretty handy for doing tosses in low light conditions.

If you order your pomgrip handles from the Fusion Arts Pro Fire Shop, they come built with either a bit of technora & a swivel connected to chain or technora all the way between the pomgrip and the poi head, which makes spinning super comfortable & safe.

France Fire Dance Retreat! Join us!!!

APRIL 14-20 2024

POI, STAFF & DANCE-BASED FIRE DANCE

Choosing Fire Poi Head Size:

Which size of fire poi head to choose depends on how comfortable you are with the flame & your specific goals or style. If you have a specific goal, like performing to faster music this can affect your choice as heavier poi spin more slowly. By the same token, if you like to spin slowly, you will find it difficult to do so with poi which are too light.

I personally tend to spin slowly with my poi & quickly with my ropes. I’ve designed my acts this way because the ropes I make are super lightweight and create great trails AND because I like the way slower movements look & feel with poi. I actually have two sets of fire poi which allow me to adapt to different tempos of music. They are Medium Monkey Fists (80mm/ 3.15” in diameter) & Large Monkey Fist (90mm/ 3.5” in diameter).

I offer week-long fire dance retreats every year in Hawaii & in the South of France. Join us!

I offer 3 sizes of monkey fist poi heads from the Fusion Arts Fire Shop.

Choosing Fire Poi Head Type:

There are as many poi head types as there are knots! I personally like the look & feel of the round, monkey fist poi heads. They feel like my contact poi/ LED poi which makes it a no brainer to switch between props for different shows or training. The type of wick is important too, which is why I use only knit (not woven) fire rope for it’s superior burn time.

2003! My hairstyle & poi design have gone through multiple evolutions since ; )

Choosing Fire Poi Chain vs Technora Rope:

Who wants to risk metal burns from chains when there is an alternative that both looks & feels great? Fusion Arts currently offers technora rope as a replacement for chain on all of our poi & ropes.

Ultimately, choosing fire poi which are right for you depends upon your personal goals & style. After 20 years of building & spinning poi, I know how much every little detail can impact your performance. I began designing & selling fire tools to allow others to fine tune their staff & poi specifications even if they don’t have the time or resources to design & build their own fire props . You will find even more info about specific fire props on those pages. If you have any questions, I’m here to help so feel free to contact me.

; )
Srikanta

TEACHING EVENTS

Fire Dance Retreat FRANCE: April 20-26 2025

Free Fire Dance Tutorial Videos

Below are a few free video lessons I’ve made with the poi and staff. For more online fire staff lessons, check out my instructional video series Dancing with the Fire Staff.

For more about dance-based fire dance check out the dance-based fire dance page!

See you at the next fire dance retreat!

Srikanta

Free Poi Tutorial Videos:

Free Staff Tutorial Videos:

France Fire Dance Retreat! Join us!!!

APRIL 14-20 2024

POI, STAFF & DANCE-BASED FIRE DANCE

FIRE DANCE RETREATS

Fire Dance Retreat FRANCE: April 20-26 2025

INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO SERIES

Learn to fire dance with ex Cirque du Soleil Fire Dancer Srikanta Barefoot. Over 165 minutes of video! Instruction, inspiration and fun! Learn More…

5% DISCOUNT ON PYROTERRA LIGHTTOYS:

We highly recommend Lighttoys LED Props & Visual Poi. For a 5% discount, visit the Lighttoys website & use our lighttoys promo code: fusionartsandlighttoysrullezz

TEACHING EVENTS

Fire Dance Retreat FRANCE: April 20-26 2025

Fire Cyr Wheel on Germany’s Got Talent

In 2018 Srikanta performed his fire cyr wheel act for Germany’s Got Talent.
He was treated to 3 YES! VOTES & a standing ovation from both the crowd and judges.

FIRE DANCE RETREATS

Fire Dance Retreat FRANCE: April 20-26 2025

INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO SERIES

Learn to fire dance with ex Cirque du Soleil Fire Dancer Srikanta Barefoot. Over 165 minutes of video! Instruction, inspiration and fun! Learn More…

5% DISCOUNT ON PYROTERRA LIGHTTOYS:

We highly recommend Lighttoys LED Props & Visual Poi. For a 5% discount, visit the Lighttoys website & use our lighttoys promo code: fusionartsandlighttoysrullezz

Cirque du Soleil

The following interview was originally published on Home of Poi in January 2011

Srikanta Barefoot was hired by Cirque du Soleil in the summer of 2007 to be the featured fire artist, fire coach and to play the character of the Shaman for what was to become ZAIA, Cirque du Soleil’s first resident show in Asia. Over the course of the next 3 years, Srikanta worked to create, maintain and star in the most elaborate fire dance production Cirque du Soleil has ever made.

Why & how did you get involved with the Cirque du Soleil?

I knew for a long time that I wanted to take my art to the next level and thought Cirque du Soleil would be a good way for me to focus on my art without the headache of managing my own career. In December 2006 I sent a short DVD of my act, and received an auto-generated email back from Cirque, saying “thanks, we will get back to you soon, later or never”.

Then, 7 months later, I received a phone call from Cirque du Soleil and was told that I was the artistic team’s first choice. Later, when talking with Martino Muller, the choreographer, he explained that out of all the DVD’s he had seen of Fire Acts, I was the only one he could imagine working with, because I was the only one who actually danced with the fire.

What were your duties during your time with Cirque du Soleil?

My mission was to create the biggest Cirque du Soleil fire act ever using 20+ acrobats and dancers without previous fire experience as background performers during my own 5 minute solo, using poi, staff, double staff & double swords.

I worked closely with the artistic team to develop the ideas and group choreography for the fire act. I worked with the props department to design the fire tools used in the act, trained technicians and artists in fire safety and advised on many other technical aspects of the production.

In addition to performing 6 nights per week as the Shaman and the featured fire artist, I oversaw the one-year apprenticeship of my back-up, Zhen Bo, who is a ballet dancer with a base in Chinese Martial Arts. It was interesting to teach fire to someone with his background and explore possibilities, which neither of us had previously imagined.

Following his incorporation as a back-up, we were given the task of creating a duo fire act, which we performed for several months prior to my departure.

How did you feel on opening night?

It was intense. I still remember the moments before walking on stage with fire- the intensity of the bass and drums during the previous act vibrating through my body, the feeling of the space around me and the sold-out crowd. Then the tribal drum transition before my act began, technicians on either side of me lit my staff. I ran to the center of the stage, stopped, gestured towards the sky with my staff to cue the music, took a deep breath, and began to dance.

FIRE DANCE RETREATS

Fire Dance Retreat FRANCE: April 20-26 2025

INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO SERIES

Learn to fire dance with ex Cirque du Soleil Fire Dancer Srikanta Barefoot. Over 165 minutes of video! Instruction, inspiration and fun! Learn More…

5% DISCOUNT ON PYROTERRA LIGHTTOYS:

We highly recommend Lighttoys LED Props & Visual Poi. For a 5% discount, visit the Lighttoys website & use our lighttoys promo code: fusionartsandlighttoysrullezz

What was the best part of working with Cirque du Soleil?

On a personal level, the best thing Cirque brought to me is my wife Jen, who grew up dancing in Paris with another artist on ZAIA and was in Macau visiting during the show’s premier.

Artistically, the best part was learning how to work professionally within a professional environment. Performing 6 nights per week over the course of 2 years was a challenging journey, which required me to grow both as an individual and as an artist. I now feel empowered and more confident than ever in my ability to create, coach and perform.

Can you talk about the challenges you faced in working with Cirque du Soleil?

Among the challenges artists faced with ZAIA, including typhoons, injuries caused by impractical costuming and the threat of the show closing, the most significant challenge I found was balancing physical and mental health with the intense schedule of training and performing 8-12 shows per week

France Fire Dance Retreat! Join us!!!

APRIL 14-20 2024

POI, STAFF & DANCE-BASED FIRE DANCE

How did you remain inspired with performing over 700 shows?

I was lucky to be a solo artist and my own coach, with the liberty to change my choreography at will, unlike virtually every other artist in the show, who had to do the same exact thing every night to remain cohesive with their group and/or pre-programmed automation. I found that cultivating other interests (like straps, the cyr wheel, capoeira and body percussion) as well as working on side projects (such as my “feel good inc” and cyr wheel videos) was an excellent way to keep active and inspired.

Why did you decide not to renew your contract with Cirque du Soleil?

My choice to give up my position with ZAIA was both artistic and environmental. Even though I found ways to stay creative within my act, I felt the potential to grow beyond the musical and artistic confines. Thus, I decided to leave ZAIA for the same reason why I joined Cirque du Soleil in the first place, to follow the natural development of my art. This is not to say that I would not work for CDS again, but rather that I was ready for a new project.

TEACHING EVENTS

Fire Dance Retreat FRANCE: April 20-26 2025

Fire Cyr Wheel on America’s Got Talent

America’s Got Talent contacted Srikanta in July 2017 to ask if he’d like to perform Fire Cyr Wheel on their show. As an ex Cirque du Soleil Artist and one of only 3 Fire Cyr Wheel Artists in the World, America’s Got Talent was eager to have Srikanta’s Fire Cyr Wheel Act on Season 13 of AGT. Srikanta accepted to participate and tells his story below.

Disclaimer: The following account of my experience on the USGT show is not to be confused with the AGT (America’s Got Talent) Show. Likewise, any mention of MBC is not to be confused with the US Based Television Network NBC. Furthermore, any images or videos used to illustrate this fictional story are not to be associated with their source.

Why I chose to participate

Over the years I’ve been solicited to participate on many of these “Got Talent” (USA, Russia, France, Egypt, India…) and I’d always refused. As someone who hasn’t watched tv for two decades I’d only caught glimpses of these shows but it seemed to me that they all focused more on fabricating drama than the actual art. So why did I suddenly change my mind and say “yes”?

First, for free trips back home. I’ve been missing California and the idea of having multiple free trips to visit friends and family (and surf/ skimboard) was attractive.

Second, the idea of the competition appealed to me. I was assured by USGT that it was a fair competition and I liked the challenge of doing something amazing in 90-120 seconds.

Third, at this point in my career I have so many tricks up my sleeve and the idea of being able to share them all was appealing.

USGT was open to having me perform solo, duo or with other Fusion Arts Artists and I was excited to share our Fire Dance, Light Dance and Cyr Wheel Acts with the American Public.

First Steps

The first part of the process is a couple of phone interviews in which USGT gathered various info about me and my life story: Growing up on the California Central Coast, discovering fire dancing, running away with the Cirque du Soleil, living in Macau, meeting and marrying my lovely performance partner Jen, and the current juggling act of living as a Freelance Artist and father in the South of France.

By the second phone call it was painfully clear that USGT had decided to omit a large part of my story in favor of creating a persona based upon my early life experiences. I had shared that I grew up going to school in an alternative (yoga) community which was centered around the teachings of a silent Indian Guru. Baba Hari Das gave me the name Srikanta when I was born and introduced me to the staff when I was 9. At the age of 19 I began applying my prior knowledge of Indian Martial Arts with the Staff and mixing it with dance, acrobatics and my own natural way of moving.

For USGT, that is where the story ended. During the second interview they weren’t interested in my experiences with the Cirque du Soleil, my life as a Freelance Artist or life in France.

Fast forward to March 2018 and I’m on my way to perform for USGT in LA between performing Fusion Arts Group Fire Dance Show in Marrakesh and my Classic Cyr Wheel Act in Paris.

Welcome to the Fake

The day of the filming was a marathon. USGT requires contestants to arrive in the morning and to wait all day, in costume until their segment is called for filming. During this time, USGT films various B roll sequences with the contestants backstage. They set up multiple scenarios in which contestants are asked to pretend to be meeting another contestant, or pretend to be warming up, or pretend to be waiting in the waiting room. Each contestant is also interviewed by USGT.

All of these dialogues are fabricated. What you don’t see on tv are the coaches who constantly interrupt, to ask you to say what they want you to say or focus on whatever it is which matches the persona they’ve created for you.

In the interview and dialogues with other contestants, as soon as I’d talk about my life as a professional Artist or my 3 years and 700+ shows with the Cirque du Soleil they would cut me off saying “Talk about growing up in a yoga cult and your love for Nature”. There were certain lines they would try to feed me again and again but I had to refuse as it felt disingenuous.

The best such moment was when they asked me to pretend to be focusing myself in the moments before stepping on stage. The nice lady looked at her notes for who I was supposed to be and said…”OK do whatever you do before you go onstage…hmmm, let me see (reading notes)…oh yes- meditate”.

It’s a lonely moment when you are the only one laughing out loud at a joke none of the producers or people behind the cameras get or think is funny. I tried to explain that I don’t meditate before going onstage but this just seemed to confuse them.

In the end I tried to appease them with some improvised tai chi/ wushu warm ups, but I’m afraid it may not have met the “yoga flame” persona they’d created for me.

When they took me close to the stage to film a b-roll segment, I was alarmed by the noise & commotion coming from the audience. People were out of their seats and seemed extremely agitated. It felt like a riot but my friends who came to see the show later explained to me how it works. In fact, USGT hires a bunch of animators who draw reactions from the public. They even offer prizes and monetary rewards for people in the audience to do ridiculous things.

All of the fabrication and fake made for a strange 14 hour wait prior to stepping onstage. I tried to strike up a real conversation with someone else in the waiting room but I discovered that the majority of the people you see in that room are not waiting at all. They are paid to be there so that the room looks full.

My Performance

My moment of glory came at last and I performed a 1.5 minute version of my Fire Cyr Wheel Act. All 4 Judges voted yes. They praised my grace and musicality, with one Judge saying “this is exactly what this show needs”.

I went back to my hotel room that night, happy to know I’d be coming back home to California again soon. I flew off to my next shows in Paris and made it back home to Montpellier. Then, as I awaited the confirmation for my next travel dates, things began to smell fishy.

Although my assigned producer at USGT had confirmed my LED Cyr Wheel Act for round two, he wouldn’t confirm my dates.

He wrote it wasn’t sure that MBC would place me even if the judges had voted YES. This came as a surprise to me. Before agreeing to participate, I had been assured by this same USGT producer that the competition was fair. “It is in the hands of the judges” he wrote. But ultimately MBC chooses who stays and who goes.

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The Let Down

Sure enough, just 3 days before I thought I’d be flying back to LA, I received an email saying that MBC had decided not to move forward with me as a contestant on the show.

It was frustrating and a huge disappointment. I never would have participated if I’d known the competition was rigged (decided behind the scenes not by the jury but by the MBC show producers).

Meanwhile they’ve got clips of my interview and act in the commercial for this season’s show. I can’t say that I feel good about having volunteered my time and money to do this unpaid promo for MBC.

Of course they don’t tell you why you weren’t chosen to continue but I have my theories.

First and foremost, I think my unwillingness to play the cliché persona they’d created for me must have been paramount in the eyes of those who’s job it is to create a drama of the show. The Cult-Grown Half-Indian Half- Californian Fire-Guru was not to be. It’s funny because if they had simply told me up front “OK, Sri, this is the role we want you to play on the show” I likely would have accepted the part and had fun with it. But as they chose instead to try to manipulate me on the sly, I rebelled against it. Lesson: Play the game or you’re out.

It’s sad to imagine (as MBC must) that the American Public is so simple as to only be able to relate to stereotypical personalities on television. I wonder if this is MBC’s assessment or the truth.

What is the point of a show about Art if the Artists identities are deliberately obscured and their talents hidden by the camera’s constant panning to Judge and Audience reactions?

I admit that as someone who hasn’t watched tv for two decades I am hopelessly out of touch with tv culture. As an expat of more than 10 years I may also be out of touch with mainstream American Culture. But I do believe that a Talent Show which reveals Artists for who they are, and showcases their talents could work without any need for fabricated dramas.

It’s my conviction that people are curious and like to discover new things. So why does USGT keep feeding their viewers fabricated personalities based on stereotypes? In my opinion, this is a lack of leadership on the part of the direction of these “Got Talent Shows”. They fall back on the familiar because they know it works- its safe and it sells. For all their talk of inspiring people, money is the bottom line and they are either too afraid or too greedy to offer anything else to the American Public.

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