Chad & The Pyro Playground Team

Chad, aka Chaddy, has been learning and teaching spinning arts for 20 years. He runs Dark Monk, founded WildFire and runs a new rope studio, WitchCityRope.

Chad & The Pyro Playground Team's Workshops


Fire Spinning Safety - Pyro Playground Team

We will cover how to be a good safety. What the spinner to safety dynamic should be. What fuels do what. What makes a good safety blanket. What clothes are ok (ish) and what is a definitely “that’s a bad idea”. We will talk about properly fueling a prop, what a fueling station should have, why fire extinguishers are ONLY a last resort, and what to do if things go really south.


Intro to Contact Staff - Pyro Playground Team

This class covers spinning without using your thumbs. Sounds like magic but you ARE a magician (you may not know it yet). We will have tons of fun, learn some moves, and be silly for a bit. No experience needed. Some staves will be provided.


Intro to Double Staffs - Pyro Playground Team

Discover your flow with two props! Learn timing and direction, different types of spins, and fun grid patterns with two sticks.


Intro to Dragon Staff - Pyro Playground Team

Want play with a prop that looks amazing, is super chill to spin, and has just a few basic moves before you can do tons of stuff with it, then welcome to Dragon staff. No experience needed. Practice Dragons will be provided.


Intro to Poi - Pyro Playground Team

Come learn how to spin two balls on strings. We will cover all the basic moves, including one turn, and give you a solid foundation to build upon. Show up ready to learn, get boobed a few times, and knowing we all look pretty silly doing this really fun stuff. No experience needed. Poi will be provided.


Intro to Rope Dart - Pyro Playground Team

This is an intro class on the traditional martial arts weapon turned spinning arts prop, the Rope Dart. No experience needed. Darts will be provided.


Intro to Traditional Staff - Pyro Playground Team

This class covers learning to twirl a staff around while dancing. Just show up ready to learn some stuff and look a bit silly while doing it. Experience needed – NONE. Staves will be provided.


Poi Movements - Pyro Playground Team

Kind of got the basic moves and wanting to add more dance and a few more moves to your spinning, then come on in. We will go over basic foot work, learn some standard turns but also the mechanics behind turning and transitions so you can take any of your current moves and move a lot more with them. Experience needed – basic plane control, reels, weaves and butterfly.