Homemade Māori Poi: Swings to Wake Up Shoulders and Wrists

Poi is a Māori dance practice from Aotearoa New Zealand in which a ball tied to a cord is swung in time with music. Short homemade poi loosen up the shoulders, elbows and wrists and train coordination on both sides.

How to play

1. Quick intro to where poi comes from and a demo of the grip: cord between the fingers, ball hanging down (1 min).
2. Forward swings with the right hand, then the left, at the side of the body (2 min).
3. Backward swings, then switch from forward to backward every eight counts (2 min).
4. Taps: the ball gently taps the free palm or forearm on the strong beat (2 min).
5. Two poi at once, one in each hand, spinning the same way (2 min).
6. Short group sequence of four moves to the music (1 min).

Rules

• Stay at least two and a half arm lengths from anyone.
• Poi spin at your sides, never over your head or in front of your face.
• If the cord tangles, stop, lower your arm and untangle it.
• Treat it with respect: it is a living tradition, not a toy for hitting.

Variations

Adaptations

• Students with limited mobility: work seated with a shorter poi and no direction changes.
• Shoulder injury: use only the healthy arm with small wrist circles.
• Students with visual impairments: put a jingle bell inside the poi to hear the spin, and work near a wall.

Learning goals

• Loosen up shoulders, elbows and wrists before the lesson.
• Coordinate both sides of the body with a beat.
• Learn about poi as part of Māori culture.

Equipment for a class of 25

• homemade poi: 30
• speaker: 1

Teacher tip

Make the poi in an earlier lesson: a sock with a tennis ball or a paper ball inside and a cord about 30 cm long. Poi was traditionally done mostly by women; today everyone does it, so nobody sits out.

More activities like this

More warm-ups for Middle School