New York Post
@nypost·2.4M subscribers·43.2K videos
Woman Tries Fire-Eating for the First Time at Fire-Eater School | New York Post
Posted
November 30, 2016
Views
10,192
Likes
117
Comments
9
Engagement
1.24%
November 30, 2016
10,192
117
9
1.24%
Every word spoken in this episode is indexed. Type any phrase to jump straight to the moment it was said.
Type any word or phrase that may have been spoken. Click a result to seek the player to that exact moment.
Try a name, a topic, or a quoted line
3:34Now PlayingIn most schools, doing something wrong does not result in flames, but at the Brooklyn, NY, fire-eating school Floasis, that could be the case. From handling deadly fuels to putting actual lit torches in their mouths, these students have a risky curriculum, but the adrenaline and sense of accomplishment are worth the risk.
#fire #eating #FireEating #FireEater
In most schools, doing something wrong does not result in flames, but at the Brooklyn, NY, fire-eating school Floasis, that could be the case. From handling deadly fuels to putting actual lit torches in their mouths, these students have a risky curriculum, but the adrenaline and sense of accomplishment are worth the risk.
From "The one place in NYC where you can play with fire"
I’m holding a pair of felt-covered hangers, swishing them around in what I imagine is a graceful display of raw, sizzling sex appeal.
The illusion ends as soon as I bonk myself on the forehead. Meanwhile, four other people pivot around me as Tara McManus shows us how to play with fire.
We were at Floasis, a fire-arts studio McManus opened in November in the basement and backyard of a cozy house in Bushwick, Brooklyn. It’s since become a home base for about 100 New York City fire artists who can skillfully juggle everything from flaming fans to blazing hula hoops.
The classes, informal practice sessions and warm atmosphere are magnets for artsy types. KaytiBunny, 31, a nomadic fire performer with rainbow hair and sparkly eye makeup, stops by whenever she’s in town.
On a recent evening, after an hour of practicing with hangers and other unlit accessories, the class leaves the basement.
“We’re going to burn!” McManus says to cheers. And so we gather in the backyard to “light up” and “jam,” effortlessly twirling lit-up sticks, fans and “poi” (a pair of ropes or chains with balls on the ends). A sprinkling of spring rain extinguishes neither our spirit nor our props.
“They make it look so easy,” sighs Lisa Dispigno, 35, a flutist, singer and graduate of McManus’ eight-week fan course holding up a blanket to smother any possible errant flare-ups, she calls her fellow fire artists “a community of welcoming, cool people who are very loving, giving and easy to be around.” She and 20 other Floasis members are gearing up for a performance at the nearby House of Yes (2 Wyckoff Ave.) on Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m.
For her part, McManus — a 33-year-old fashion designer whose Third Earth Designs specializes in flame-retardant gear — wants to spread positive vibes: achieving physical goals, overcoming psychological fears and experiencing the sheer joy she’s felt ever since she met a group of fire artists at a music festival in 2009.
“They were all friends, watching out for each other,” she recalls.
“It smelled like burned hair and gas out in nature. That is my aphrodisiac.”
Classes include Beginner Juggling ($35) on Saturday and Introduction to Fire Eating ($75) on Sunday at 1342 DeKalb Ave.;
The New York Post is your source for breaking news, news about New York, sports, business, entertainment, opinion, real estate, culture, fashion, and more.
Catch the latest news and gossip here:
Follow The New York Post on:
Sentinel Indexing in Progress
Metadata and chapters are available. Claim extraction for this episode is pending.
All video content is delivered via YouTube embedded players in accordance with the YouTube Terms of Service. Sentinel provides research tools that promote discovery and accountability across political media.
