Flow Camp Recap


I just came back from Flow Camp and it was amazing!  I arrived there on Thursday afternoon.  I drove up without getting lost.  Since Jorden was unsure of the amount of  kids I'd have, the potential to have children classes was in the air.  Other than that, since I was an instructor, I could camp in the VIP/instructor area.  Although I was warned it was loud.  I said no problem cause I have ear plugs.  So I pulled up, started setting up my tent near my car.  Although someone did help me with my canopy thing.  I was having problems.  Even as a group we did.   After that, I started to walk around.  Even though hooping has made me more confident, I still cannot go up to a person and say, "Hey, dudes, what your name?  I'm Shannon!"  So therefore, I pretty much talked to no one till Paige came. We hooped a bit and there was people in the fire circle but no real safeties that I saw.  Later, after I safetied for Paige and another guy (who wouldn't spin till I picked up the towel), these girls said they were being safeties.   Not from my viewpoint since they were talking and not holding the towel.  But whateves.  I really wanted to spin that night but technically you have to take a class beforehand.  Paige got permission from Jorden.  I didn't ask cause I wasn't sure if it was just cause Paige is awesome and that's why.  So I think next year, there should be a quickie fire safety class for Thursday peoples.

 I went to sleep early with my ear plugs in. I heard some things but I was good.  They worked perfectly!  I woke up early, made me some eggs and got ready for my day!  I didn't go to the Flow Camp Warm up.  I just meandered about.  I can't really remember all the classes I took right now.  During the first day, I took classes like Baxterism: Fan Dance.  Grimm didn't have music or blindfolds.  I couldn't really get into the blindfold exercise at all.  Although the moves he taught were amazing.  My favorite was the move that he borrowed from poi body tracing.  I decided to buy a fire flow wand but had to rush to my class while Grimm got it ready for me.

When I had my class, one girl showed up.  The plan was to have fun playing the kid games but it's hard to do hoop games with one person.  So we just chatted and chilled.  We wound up walking to my tent with my makeshift couch to  look over more of my kids games with hooping.  She told me the biggest reason she came to Flow Camp was to take my class.  It was a major compliment, I thought.  Of course, I was also against 2 other hoop classes, one being Caroleeena's!  Either way, it was still exciting to be an instructor.  Thanks, one person for coming to my class!  I know you introduced yourself but I have a horrible memory!  (but let me tell you, she's awesome)

I did some other classes.  Did absolutely no hoop classes that day.  I left my twins at home and just wanted to make sure that I didn't exhaust myself.  One of my fire torches broke during the fire eating class when the teacher was pretty much flinging the white gas off as hard as possible.  I was warned previously so it was no problem. Hello, wick in the woods!   Even with those breaks, at nine in the evening, I wound up taking a nap and completely calling it a day after that.  It started as a nap but finished in the morning.  I was wiped.  I started the next morning with food from the cafe. 

I was going to take a hoop performance class but left my hoop at my tent. So instead, I took beginning contact juggling.  I really loved Eca as a teacher.  Love love love.  What else?  I decided to buy a contact staff which I had been discussing for a bit.  Although I have been sore about practicing. :(  I took two grimm fan tech classes and let me tell you: MIND FREAKING BLOWN.  He's a genious. I am telling you!  I took a beginner poi class that was not very beginner oriented.  I had two serious newbies that I was basically teaching myself.  The teacher started this class with flowers. FLOWERS. Helllllllo.  FLOWERS.  Yep, so I had a mini-real-beginners session in the corner.  A few people were very lost.  I told them they should have came to my corner.  I would have hooked them up.

I took one hoop class. That's all.  I even left early cause I was so tired but I'm pretty sure it was amazing.  Lots of hoop waist walking.  At one point during the day, I ran to the advanced fire eating class.  I slipped in and got to transfer from my arm to an unlit wand and a tongue transfer to an unlit torch.  I had trouble with the volcano/smoking candle whatever but I did it!  Then I got changed and ran to the fire walk presentation.  I decided to do it.  I originally wasn't going to but I did it.  Thom Thumb kinda convinced  me during his speech.  I ran to get the waiver signed and we started raising our whatever.  The longer I put off writing this, I forget a lot of things.  Either way, we danced, hooted and played tag in the circle.  It was great!  I don't think I had a spiritual enlightenment like some but it was exciting.  I was so proud of myself after that.

The instructor performances were great!  Especially the redneck fire poi dance.  It was epic.  Then there was sparkler poi or whatever.  I was freezing and my fire fan friend, Maddy and I shared a blanket during the performances.

I stayed up that night and  I spun fire hoop and fire fans.  I even did a  fire fan thing with Grimm.   Jessica and I tried to light and spin fire marshmallows.  I think I crawled into my car to sleep (spiders had taken over my tent).   My car died by morning.  I'm not sure why.  But by the afternoon, it was good.  I went to a few classes, talked to my neighbor (that was awesome and I don't remember his name), and packed my car.  The make your own toys was so over my head but the flow wand class was great.  I went home after that.

I'm going to find some pictures from Bellawillow.   I didn't take them. They are Bellawillow or Hobbes.  My camera died before the weekend had started!


What's next for Shannon:
Nanowrimo


and

Florida Flow Fest


Is anyone who follows me going to Florida Flow Fest?  I'm nervous. So nervous.

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