At the center of a large crowd at the Whitefish Christmas Stroll, Stacie Burkett found her space in the firelight and went with the flow.
Burkett and the rest of the fire-dancing troupe, Whitefire, mesmerized the audience by spinning, tossing and even “eating” fire. There was a fluidity and grace to the group’s movements, despite the flame burning on their instruments.
Flow art, as Burkett describes it, is a type of dance that involves continuous movement. Instead of stopping after a choreographed trick, artists move seamlessly and spontaneously into the next series of tricks.
“You can get lost in it, which is a fun, beautiful feeling,” she said.
In many ways, Burkett feels it is a meditative exercise. There is a freedom to the movement, but a challenge to keep flowing. Then there is the adrenalin rush with the added danger from the fire.
But after just a few minutes of spinning, Burkett feels relaxed.
“You come back from it a little more grounded, a little more put together,” she said.
