What Fire-Juggling Sounds Like to a Pro
Our SoundClip series continues with fire juggler Sebastian Gomez of Wilmington, N.C., who tells us about his trade and what he hears.
ROBERT SIEGEL, Host:
We heard David Kestenbaum in North Carolina just a moment ago. North Carolina is also where we find an unusual performer who brings us today's Soundclip.
SEBASTIAN GOMEZ: My name is Sebastian Gomez from Wilmington, North Carolina. I'm a professional fire performer, and we have a performance arts cafe called the Juggling Gypsy and we dance with fire.
(SOUNDBITE OF NOISE)
GOMEZ: We attach wicking to conventional juggling equipment and we set it on fire and we spin it around our bodies in a lot of crazy fashions, and it makes a really great sound.
(SOUNDBITE OF NOISE)
GOMEZ: This is a five-foot fire staff, and here we go.
(SOUNDBITE OF NOISE)
GOMEZ: These are Maori fire poi. They're long chains attached at the wrist with fire wicking on the end of them and you swing around your body and your head, and they make a really fantastic sound. They look spectacular because you can't drop them, usually because they're attached at the wrist. So they're one of the most dangerous fire tools out there because if you set yourself on fire, they're attached to your wrists. You don't have time to - you can't put yourself out because your hands are already almost on fire.
(SOUNDBITE OF NOISE)
GOMEZ: Oh. It's getting hot.
(SOUNDBITE OF NOISE)
GOMEZ: Even the best professionals are going - if you play with fire, you're going to get burnt.
(SOUNDBITE OF NOISE)
GOMEZ: I need some water. I remember one time, I was down in Charleston, South Carolina, for the Spoleto Festival, and I was breathing a fireball amazing sound in itself. And the fire trailed back up the fuel and lit my face on fire for a few seconds.
(SOUNDBITE OF NOISE)
SIEGEL: That's fire juggler Sebastian Gomez of Wilmington, North Carolina.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
MELISSA BLOCK, Host:
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