The origin of poi lies in the infinite realms of New Zealand. Over a thousand years ago, the people of the Maori tribe crafted the first so-called "poi" made out of two branches, the ends of which were placed briefly into the fire before the poi play. The poi were used by the women to perform elaborate dances to woo Maori men.

"Poi" literally translates to "ball", and is in the broad sense a form of juggling. Whether they are made from fabric, brightly glowing, or burning: playing poi enjoys a growing popularity worldwide - two balls or weights are fixed to the end of a string or a chain and spun as artistically and harmoniously as possible through the air. Poi can be played in almost infinite variety, and moves are constantly being developed by enthusiasts all over the world.

Poi improves coordination, trains body and mind, stimulates creativity and the ability to concentrate - poi is play, dance, communication, inspiration and relaxation all at the same time. Poi can be played alone and lost in thought, poi can be played in a group; poi can be played elegantly or aggressively, slow or fast. Variations are endless, each dance style is possible.

Poi improves the ability to find inner peace as well as the reaction rate and the cooperation of both brain hemispheres. Studies have shown that high reaction speed and intelligence are directly linked (Reed and Jensen, Intelligence 1993) and that by juggling, the formation of new neurons will be promoted in the brain, and this at all ages (Scholz et al. Nature Neuroscience, 2009).