Fire spinning attracts people from all walks of life. Some do it as a way to let off steam from their daily lives. For others, it is their daily lives.

The blue sparks in this image are produced by a powered mixture added to the breathing fuel. This performer called it "Sklitter", and when I asked about its ingredients, he gave me a recipe that is not too far off from thermite (the same stuff that can burn through engine blocks).

Partner performances require months of practice and choreography in order to not only look good, but just to be safe while doing it.

These flying sparks are made using special "cage" poi that have been filled with a homemade charcoal mixture. Preparation for the burn begins early in the day by burning wood chips in a low-oxygen environment to produce just the right kind of charcoal.