Joining the amazing 2016 event schedule at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, the IgNight Fire Flow Conference returns for its second year at this unique high desert venue, from June 17 – 19. Flow, for the uninitiated, is an exhilarating transcendent way of being, in which effortless control and peak skill seems to erase a sense of time. IgNight helps attendees enter the flow state by offering over 190 classes in what are referred to as the “Flow Arts” – including Poi (aka fire dancing), juggling, circus arts, warrior arts, fan and wand movement, hooping, movement, yoga and more.
“In recent years, science has discovered that stress is a leading cause of disease and death, while also learning that moving arts meditation, or flow arts as it’s commonly known, is a stress relieving mechanism for all ages. Flow arts will keep us living longer, healthier and happier lives. This is why we build IgNight every year,” notes Michael “Tupa” Engel, the founder of the IgNight Fire Flow Conference. He adds, “IgNight has 12 dojos running concurrently, that’s almost 200 workshops for you to choose from. You will find your flow!”
Highlights of the event include fire safety classes for all attendees on both Friday and Saturday nights. Then on Friday night all the instructors will showcase their work and on Saturday night there is an Opening Ceremony for the evening’s festivities of all the event participants showcasing their skills in what may well be the world’s largest fire circle outside of Burning Man. Music for the evening events will be provided by the top Black Rock City DJs including: Imagika Om, Jonny Quest, Patricio
Bird of Prey, Diva Danielle, Uru Majik, Jacques the Ripper, Wolfie, and Jackie Peters.
The signature dojo (teaching area) at IgNight is of course the fire dancing, or as it’s properly referred to by its classic Hawaiian name Poi, area will be led by the top Poi artists/teachers. Ashley Bertling has been passionately pursuing the art of fire performance since 2004. In 2006 Ashley co-founded the popular Poi group known as Pyrotechniq. Ben “Drex” Drexler is a world-renowned movement artist, circus performer, and dancer who has spent the past six years teaching and performing the art of poi spinning. Jamie Luv has performed internationally in front of audiences of over 20,000 on her recent world tour. The most important things she packed were 2 lbs. of glitter and a sense of humor. Ms. Luv originally learned to fire dance at the Temple of Poi in 2003 and has been passionate about delighting audiences ever since.
The circus dojo which teaches big top skills including clowning, burlesque, character development, and storytelling is led by Stephanie Federoff who has performed with the LA sirens, New Fangled Opry, and is the founding member of the Bijoulettes. Another Bijoulette instructor is Jessica Rothert who does Immersive and interactive live performances for events, plus roaming interactive characters, clowning, and dance. Also teaching in the circus dojo is an unforgettable performer of true star quality, Maya Papaya, the happiest girl in the world, with over 10 years of experience as a professional entertainer.
The warrior dojo that teaches martial arts including sword, spear, staff and more is led by Michael Ravenwood, the creative director of SkyFireArts, a performing arts company which features innovative blends of cirque arts and technology. Among those joining him in this dojo are Nicholas Capobianco, a popular San Diego yogi and personal trainer who also enjoys object manipulation, fire performance and circus arts, and Anna Maltese Archer, a martial artist, former Simpsons’ animator, digital painter, and actor/stunt performer at Blizzard.
The Fan/Wand/Buugeng dojo features Memory Elena a multidimensional flow artist from San Francisco with a lifelong affinity for object manipulation and the movement arts, Chris Hanke a popular Buugeng artist, Grimm Zimmer who is considered to be one of the best fire fan spinners in the world and is the founder/driving force behind the Incendium Arts fire troupe, and more.
The exciting aerial dojo features Hollywood’s favorite aerialist Lei Lei de Kirby, Lisa Caraway, a certified Aerial FlyGym Yoga instructor who regularly teaches mixed apparatus aerial arts at The Circus Studio in Claremont, and Kasey Rose an epic hand-balancing, aerial, vaulting and soon to be fire spinning dancing queen.
The popular juggling dojo is helmed by brothers Marvin and Elvin Ong, plus Jorge “Koke” Petit, and Jeremiah Johston. The fire staff dojo features popular staff artists John Routson, Paul Gaulano and Steven Holme. The hooping dojo features Melissa Daly who combines dance and object manipulation into one mesmerizing hula hooping act, Becca Goldberg, Brittany McMartin and others. The movement dojo features parkour with Marcos Rangel, shibari (rope art) with Maiki Nope, and hip hop dance with Lisa Kellogg. Other dojos include magic, yoga and archery.
The historic Joshua Tree Desert Retreat Center is the oldest and largest retreat center in the Western U.S., located on a sacred site replete with a walking labyrinth. The sublime high desert setting allows for peaceful inner reflection and uplifting spiritual renewal. Accommodation options include retreat center spaces, camping, and RV parking, all on site. There are also ten hotels within a few miles of the retreat center. The organizers pride themselves on running a green event, offering free water and mindful recycling practices. For camping information please see https://ignightconference.com/more-info/. On-site lodging info is at https://ignightconference.com/lodging/.
Early bird festival passes are currently $165. Tickets are available at https://ignightconference.com/tickets/.