We’ve all seen them at festivals or local shows, captivating ravers with their own visuals in the back—except it's not just glovers anymore. Our community has grown. New inhabitants are emerging every time we come together.
These mysterious performers come to show us their acts and bask in the nighttime, making bright shapes appear in the air around them. With amazing displays of beauty and skill, they shine for the other ravers attending, illuminating the dance floor with tools seemingly from outer space.
You can get most flow arts tools online. Things like poi, whips, staffs, and others are some of the most common flow arts tools, but they're definitely not the only ones. The world of flow arts is immense and inspiring. If you’re looking to venture into it, the first step is picking your first tool. There’s a lot to choose from so we narrowed it down to five must-have flow toys.
Poi
One of the most popular forms of flow arts tools (or “props”) we see at raves is poi. Weighted rods or spheres swinging at the ends of string, ropes, or chains. Poi spinning actually has a very rich history in New Zealand as a way to train strength and balance for warriors, as well as a form of entertainment.
Advanced spinners can use digital poi to create detailed images and designs in the air while they’re spinning or even spin poi on fire. They're simple, durable, fun, and can really improve mental and physical balance. You can get a pair of poi from our sister company, Emazing Lights, right here!
Pixelwhips
Another flow-tool that love is pixelwhips. These are LED whips used by performers to wrap themselves in light or to make a statement that’s bold, sexy, and dangerous. With new kinds of color modes and customizable parts, you can let your imagination roam free and create your own world. Get a pixelwhip of your own here!
Fans
The third prop on the list is one I’ve been noticing more and more at raves. One that is both elegant and mysterious: is LED fans. Much like the famous fans from China, these fans are generally flat, crescent-shaped flow tools. Extravagant dances, routines, and freestyles allow you to tap into your mystic self. You can get a fan for yourself here!
Hula Hoops
The next flow tool up on the list isn’t new. You’ve probably tried it already, but it’s still a fantastic form of flowing. LED hula-hoops are a great way to connect with our inner child and express ourselves as adults. Their circular shape often produces popular shapes resembling beautiful mandalas that add an almost spiritual feeling to performances. You can hone your focus and simultaneously rediscover joy. Imagine how freeing it would be to hula hoop in an LSDREAM set.
Staffs
The last tool on the list is contact staffs. Contact staffs are a form of contact juggling. It’s a form of juggling where instead of focussing on tosses and air-tricks you focus on “object manipulation” and rolling the tools over your hands, arms or other parts of the body. The tactile movements connect your mind to your body and also look super cool. Add a powerful, grounding aesthetic to your vibe and blow people away with your skills with a new staff!
Flow arts are an incredible form of creation. They’re a way to bring light into our raves and create fantastic spectacles of light in the night time. They’re a way to train and condition your body while also freeing your mind. They can make you feel like a ninja or a princess. You can free your mind and center your focus. Or just play and waste hours on end. Many of them have histories that go back centuries. The world of flow arts is really fascinating. These versatile tools can spark fascination and wonder back into your routine. All you have to do is take that first step.
