Hobbies can include skateboarding,

dancing and singing, but for senior

Richard Redmond, raving with fire

topped his list.

“I started raving in June of last year,” Richard

said. “It just kind of spawned into an every day

thing.”

Poi, the art of spinning any lighting utensils

on the end of nylon strings to form patterns, is

Richard’s preferred type of raving. He enjoys

this more than others because it gives him a

more extensive workout.

“It is a great way to improve your hand-eye

coordination,” Richard said. “It also helps with

balance. It is like yoga for the brain.”

Recently, Richard started spinning fire.

According to him, poing with fire gives more of

a rush and takes his skill to a whole new level.

“Spinning fire is crazy,” Richard said. “Feeling

the heat of the wicks gets my adrenaline

pumping and makes me do better so I don’t get

burned.”

Poi started hundreds of years ago by local tribes in New Zealand. Richard wanted to “reignite”

the art of fire spinning to the North

Texas area.

“There are no good ravers in Texas,” Richard

said. “I want to change that and try to make it a

more popular thing.”

For Richard, raving is his way to escape from

the real world. When he starts to move the lights,

everything that bothers him goes away.

“Poing is like going to my own happy place,”

Richard said. “I concentrate so hard when I spin

that I just forget about the reason I was upset.”

Richard’s favorite trick to do was the “PacMan,”

This move starts when he grabs the ropes with

one hand and moves them side to side forming a

“PacMan” shaped figure with the lights.

“There are a lot of amusing tricks I can do,”

Richard said. “I love doing stunts that make

people laugh and awe in amazement.”

According to Richard, raving is his favorite

pastime. He practices for roughly an hour every

night.

“I hope to become really good and get paid

to do what I love in clubs,” Richard said. “That

would be the life, getting paid for amusing

people with a light show.”