The Live Music Aruba Team sat down with Elias, the founder of Energy Dance for a very cool and interesting interview on this creative and very innovative type of Art which he has been presenting at all kinds of events in Aruba and also around the world.
Live Music: Hi Elias, how are you? Thank you for sitting with us today!
Elias: Hey, I’m doing great, thanks for the opportunity.
Live Music: Tell us a bit about your art, the poi & fire dancing.
Elias: Yes, of course! Our art is called POI, it’s named after New Zealand’s natives the ‘Maori’, POI has exponentially gained a huge following in many countries. The expansion of the POI culture has led to a significant evolution of the styles practiced, the tools used and the definition of the word “POI”.
POI involves swinging tethered weights through a variety of rhythmical and geometric patterns. The performers also dance while swinging their poi. Poi can be made from various materials with different handles, weights, and effects for example, LED lights and fire.
Live Music: What made you get into this type of art?
Elias: Honestly everything started as a hobby, it took a couple years for me to realize this is what I was meant to do, it was like the artist inside of me wanted to finally express itself. I started practicing at least one hour a day, every single day. The feeling I got when people started to connect with me, no matter if the dance was choreographed or improvised, at that moment I realized… There is no turning back.
Live Music: What are the different performances you give, and can you explain them?
Elias: Energy Dance is Aruba’s pioneer crew. We offer Live Entertainment with LED-lights and Fire. With a great amount of energy, we supply shows using the millenary art of The Fire Poi Show, the power of the Light Poi Show, and the amazing Logo Poi Show, like you have never seen before!
Explaining each performance:
Led Show
The Led show is a very colorful performance, we use the latest technology in Led and Motions instruments, performed on electronic music or on the beat of drums it’s great for all kinds of events.
Fire Show
In this show we use wicks made from Kevlar and Technora for the weighted ends. The wicks are soaked in fuel, set on fire, and then spun for a dramatic effect.
Energy Dance
The Energy Dance show is a combination of the FIRE POI and the LED SHOW, this is the ultimate performance. A custom and choreographed performance displayed with the latest technology of LED-lights will have the crowd going crazy.
Live Music: For what events do you mostly get requested to perform at?
Elias: Because I’ve been doing Energy Dance for 20 years now, I’ve had the honor to perform at many places. Now living in Aruba, we get requested to perform at Weddings, Carnaval Groups, Corporate Events, Award Dinners, Restaurants, and Music Festivals.
Live Music: How do you prepare for a performance?
Elias: We practice 3-4 times a week, we go over every choreography we have and come up with new ones, and we adapt each of them to the event we are performing at.
Live Music: Tell us, what sets your art apart from the others?
Elias: Energy Dance is the only group in Aruba who creates a show with elements such as Lights, fire, dance and music, we are not apart from any other Art we are just a complement for any other art expression!
Live Music: Thank you for all this information on the Art of POI, we think it’s amazing!
Elias: It’s our pleasure.
