Camp Fire organizers fan flames in a growing performance culture

Justice of Dragons, Stacy Redstar, and Kristen Zyra are creating a world where people don't punch clocks. Instead, they touch fire. It's a realm where defying gravity pays the bills, and manipulating objects promotes healing. No, this is not a round of Dungeons and Dragons; these people are aerial and fire performers, and this is their reality. At the fourth annual Camp Fire retreat this month, you're invited to play too.

Organizers will host the performance-art workshop weekend at Harmony Park June 15 through 18.

Four years ago, Redstar and friends modeled the Midwest's first fire-arts festival after Wild Fire on the East Coast and Fire Drum on the West Coast. The idea was -- and still is -- to expand the art of object manipulation in movement-based performances by bringing together people of all skill levels and disciplines. From its small origins at the historic Pachyderm recording studio, the retreat now draws over 180 people. The event is non-spectator, and all folks attending are asked to learn, share, and volunteer.

Participants can choose from around 100 workshops with opportunities to meditate, climb aerial silk fabric, and hula with multiple hoops. But because most of the workshops are based in fire art, everyone is required to attend a safety class the first evening. These arts are relatively new to mainstream accessibility, so organizers of conferences like Camp Fire are writing the canon on safety regulations. "It's really caught on, and there are a lot of people picking it up from YouTube and buying toys online, but we really wanted to bring safety to it," says Redstar. "One person not following safe practices creates an issue for all of us." As another measure of safety, participants agree to stay completely sober for the entire weekend.

Justice sees the seemingly unlikely convergence of things like break dancing and spinning poi (tethered weights  set on fire and spun) as a way of to introduce practices, and to potentially blend and expand those arts. "One of the best jugglers I know isn't just a juggler. He does contact juggling, break dance, body balance, and acrobatics," he says. "If it wasn't for the other stuff, his show wouldn't be nearly as amazing. We're always trying to be open to what the next thing is to integrate."

Another thought behind Camp Fire is the personal advancement it offers practitioners. "Yeah, you're playing with toys, but you're also controlling your body," Zyra says. "You're training your body to do exactly what you tell it to do. I've definitely seen people grow as individuals just from being in that community and refining their skills."

Redstar encourages people who are new to the community to attend for the same reason. Before she started, she was insecure and clumsy. "Playing with the toys actually created a lot of healing for me," she says. "I found myself getting graceful and moving with ease. That was really exciting." Also, first-time exposure to aerial and fire performance has "blown a lot of minds. People who have never seen it before, it can bring some magic into their lives," she says.

Money from ticket sales provides camping, food (snacks and two locally-sourced organic meals per day from a part wind/part solar-powered truck), and a few travel stipends. Vendors will sell fire-art materials and fire-safe clothing on site as a convenience for newbies. Though organizers survive on their performance skills in daily life, none will take home money from Camp Fire.

They hope to someday gain a nonprofit 501c3 title, which would make grant-writing and space rental easier. For now, organizers are happy with the rapid progress the festival workshop has seen. Redstar says the growth is born of feedback from participants, and "from our own dreams and aspirations of what we want to bring to the crew of really creating a deep community."

IF YOU GO:

Camp Fire
June 15-18
Harmony Park
More information at www.campfireretreat.com
$120 (at this date you can no longer purchase tickets online. However, you can buy tickets at the door with cash only)