Fire Poi dancer at IgNight Conference

Ready to IgNight the Desert

Palm Springs woman finds her focus, comradery juggling fire with like-minded performers

Michelle Roe Arts & Entertainment, Watch & Listen - Attractions

Fire Poi dancer at IgNight Conference
Palm Springs' Jenna Lamb will participate in this weekend's IgNight Fire Flow Conference in Joshua Tree, which is open to the public.
PHOTOS BY NEIL HUSVAR

Jenna Lamb didn’t have to run away to join the circus.

Growing up in Delaware, she found equestrian vaulting — a disciplined form of trick riding involving gymnastics and dance on horseback. Attracted to the combination of performance with an edge, she attended circus camp and even produced an act called “Jenna’s Rockin’ Circus Show” for a local children’s hospital

That hospital connection brought her to Palm Springs as a physical therapy assistant in 2011. “I was a traveling physical therapist and about four months later, I found circus performers and connected with fire dancers after that. I couldn’t leave the weather and I thought, ‘maybe I could make this circus show into a troupe and performance based company here’. I’m a natural performer but I love physical therapy too.”

VIDEO: Jenna Lamb performs some of her fire dance routines at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center.

 

WHAT’S IN A NAME: Lamb also performs under the moniker JennaH20, a name she says her circus community gave her based upon her email handle. She says she’s also “a Pisces that drinks lots of water.”

Lamb performs a series of fire juggling acts on her feet, her back, and on top of a ball with her troupe, “Flowbox… circus and flow artists collective of the desert.” Flowbox has been seen at such prestigious venues as The Annenburg Theatre, Rhythm Wine & Brews Experience, and “The Show” at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa.

Dressed as theatrical jesters set to entertain audiences, the collective is composed of acrobats, jugglers, fire dancers, and flow artists, also known as spinners. Flow artists combine traditional circus acts using props such as staffs, hoops, swords, and poi (a toy like ball on the end of a cord or chain) in a form of meditative “flow” found from spinning the objects in a circular motion to balance the mind, body, and soul.

Jenna Lamb says working with fire challenges her to focus even more.

“Flow is like a martial art form with moving meditation,” Lamb says. “It’s interesting because no-one has to tell you that…when you are spinning things in circles and learning tricks, you realize you are only thinking about one moving thing. Fire is one way to essentially level up and challenge yourself to focus even more. You can’t zone out while you are spinning with fire because the situation forces you to focus.”

HOT STUFF: Jenna sometimes makes her own costumes because she says, “fire clothing is hard to find because you want natural fibers so you don’t go up in flames. There are a lot of shiny awesome fabrics that are too flammable. “

Lamb will attend the IgNight Fire Flow Conference at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, June 17-19. This unique festival, open to the public, brings traditional circus and modern flow artists together to connect with others, learn new skills in object manipulation, big top skills (clowning, storytelling), and martial arts.

Atop a ball, Jenna Lamb takes her fire dance to another level.

“IgNight is definitely a place where I go level up, learn new tricks, get inspired, and remember why I started doing this,” she says. “ I connect with people who don’t make you feel strange for spinning circles and it’s a full festival experience with camping, vendors, and food including performances by famous talent.”

FAVORITE TRICK: “I have a flaming hula hoop on my hand and I stand on top of the ball. It’s fun to see someone hoop on a ball…it’s crazy fun and has guaranteed wow factor.”

IgNight Fire Flow Conference, June17-19, Joshua Tree Retreat Center, 59700 Twentynine Palms Highway, https://ignightconference.com

Visit www.flowbox.org to see examples of Jenna Lamb’s stunts or to book Flowbox to perform at your next event.

With the fire dancing from the wind, Jenna Lamb finds meditation in her performance.