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From the Fremont Argus - October 8, 2002
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scanned article with photos
Playing with Fire Paying Off
Fremont Chamber of Commerce member goes up in flames after dot-com
job is snuffed out
By Rob Dennis
STAFF WRITER
FREMONT -- When Erin Glover was laid off from her dot-com job, she
needed another way to make a living.
She found fire.
Glover, 27, turned to her hobby of fire dancing, establishing
a business called Fire Pixie in April.
Glover, intrigued when she saw fire dancers at a solar
eclipse event four years ago, practiced six months before she felt
comfortable lighting the poi -- short lengths of chain with a leather
grip on one end and a wick on the other.
Dancers twirl the burning poi rapidly in arcs around
their bodies, creating the illusion of being surrounded by a circle
of flame.
Even with all the practice, Glover has burned herself
when trying complicated moves.
"Don't try this at home," she jokes.
Since starting Fire Pixie, Glover has performed at
events ranging from raves and harvest festivals to children's birthday
parties and backyard barbecues. Her most high-profile appearance
was on Fox's "30 Seconds to Fame" talent competition.
She's even entertained at a nudist colony.
"It's very meditational -- it's a great workout,"
she said. "It's aerobic, it's dancing, it's just great fun."
Glover also provides less flammable forms of entertainment,
making balloon animals for children's parties and other events.
She even has ventured back into the high-tech industry, designing
Web pages for small businesses and nonprofit groups through her
Internet site, www.firepixie.com
But fire will always remain her first love, she said.
"Once you're inside the circle of that flame
and you hear the fire roaring past your ears, you're hooked,"
she said. "It's addictive."
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