About Us

The Spark

We have always maintained a professional appearance and safety is one of our most important goals. Throughout the 10 years performing, we have knocked down so many doors and barriers in our community which has elevated our craft to a higher level. We are constantly doing events and coordinating with community leaders and efforts to grow this artform. Our mission is to bring fire performing out of the shadows and into the light. To show that this artform can be very entertaining and enlightening, while at the same time maintaining a safe environment.

I find the creation of the Pyrosapiens very amusing when I look back. This group was created purely by timing and circumstance, because this was the moment that sparked my desire for fire. I was working as a CNA at a local hospital and it was at that point in my career I had worked quite a bit and was very successful and I thought to myself it would be so nice to have all my friends together so we can hang out. So I planned this huge camping trip at the local lake. The final count was about 75 to 80 people. I felt like I was on top of the world putting together a party of that magnitude. The scope of people that came out was truly legendary. There were sideshows everywhere. We had people doing live art, lights and colors everywhere. Several of my friends had their own booth's set up selling all kinds of homemade merchandise. There was live music being played by some amazing musicians, this scene was lit.

That night I witnessed this amazing craft known as flow art, people were bringing out all kinds of unique toys and using them in a way that I had never seen before. There was this one guy in particular, an older gentleman, with long gray hair I've never met before. I noticed he had a long stick and it had wicks on each side. He referred to it as a fire staff. I watched how he manipulated the fire round and round in all sorts of directions using his hands, arms and body to manipulate the fire to do what he wanted it to do. I didn't know it at the time but it was at that moment that I had this new spark. I was fascinated by him and I wanted to learn everything I could from that point on.

Have you ever tried to perform at a party of 30 by yourself? I got this bright idea that I could take my fire performing out to the public. So I started advertising myself as Flowolf. I would perform at birthday parties and backyard events. I quickly realized that I couldn't continue to do this by myself. So I went out into the public and I started meeting people, going to events and trying to find other people that were like-minded that would like to experience this journey together. In doing so I met some of the most amazing people in my lifetime and have made some awesome connections. I realized that by creating the Pyrosapiens, not only was it helping me out but it was giving an outlet to those out there looking to learn and evolve in this art form as well. Over time the combination of the two has helped us grow beyond words. We have had multiple people come and go throughout the years, which has allowed us to evolve and overcome, creating opportunities for us to be more open-minded and flexible in our performance's and coordinating with our community.

Diving into an artform that I know nothing about and exploring this opportunity life presented to me, has got to be one of the better decisions I made in my life. I have learned so much. What an amazing journey it has been and we are only heating up. We would like to thank everyone that has been involved in the creation and growth of the Pyrosapiens. Our future is bright and we look forward to what's to come. One thing is for certain, when it comes to our next event or next gig. We do this because we love to inspire and create. We perform because we love what we do.

Vanna Spears

Biography:

Vanna Spears is a magical, multi-prop flow artist, anime lover, painter, and mother based out of Lubbock, Texas. She discovered hula hoop dancing in 2015 whenever her mom purchased a hoop and started learning after being inspired by a YouTube video. Shortly after, Vanna made the decision to pick up her mom's hoop and begin learning herself! Living in a small town, Instagram and Facebook was her only outlet to meet other friends who hula hoop, but she quickly began to make many inspiring friends within the online hoop community. In 2018, she was brought to her first EDM festival and was introduced to other props outside of just hula hoops. She is now proficient in hoops, fans, poi, contact staff, and even dabbles in ball juggling. Hand her a new prop and she's sure to create some magic with it! Growing up a competitive cheerleader and teaching cheer and tumbling for 5 years, she now travels the US performing and teaching prop manipulation to other flow artists. The flow arts community has been Vanna's saving grace. Being able to collaborate ideas with props and create such beautiful friendships has been the most meaningful thing in the world to her. Nothing inspires her more to keep training than all of the wonderful, creative flow artists that she has crossed paths with in the community. Vanna says when she found hula hooping and the flow community, she feels like she finally found the magic in the world. Vanna hopes to continue to perform and share her extensive flow arts knowledge both in person and online to help further grow the community in their prop knowledge, welcome new friends on board, and keep sharing as many ideas with other flow artists to ultimately have as much fun as possible and create a strong sense of comradery with friends all over the world!

Rikka Taylor

Biography:

I'm RikkorMortis. I'm a 42yr old mom that has an obsession with all things fire. I grew up going to music and folk festivals. Music has been a massive part of my life. Traveled around dancing and singing with various family friends. I have grown up singing in various choirs, including the Lubbock Chorale. Performance is in my blood. I have always been a bit of a pyromaniac. I was fascinated by the colors it would make. Watching fire dance around was calming. My parents didn't agree with me playing with fire. What good parent would like their kid setting fire to leaves and sticks in the backyard, lol? I have always had a respect for fire.

I went to the Kerrville Folk Festival foe the first time in 2005. That's when I saw fire dancers for the first time. I immediately thought to myself, I NEED to learn that. I've grown up in Lubbock, Tx. There wasn't much of a flow community here back then. So, I took to the internet. I learned how to make my first set of practice and fire poi, and started to watch tutorial videos on the home of poi website. I caught the fire bug!!

Since then, I have learned various forms of flow and fire performance. I have performed with 2 groups and various solo performances. I have learned (and will continue to learn) poi, fire fans, palm torches, and fire eating. The fire community has continued to build in my city and I have made numerous friends through the mutual love of fire. I'm grateful to have this community in my life.

Scarlet Snicklefritz

Biography:

Scarlet Snicklefritz is a Lubbock native who has been dancing since the moment she could stand. 'Dance' was the first word she ever spoke, and she has danced every day of her life. Trained in ballet, tap, jazz, pointe, clogging, bellydance, salsa, and the aerial arts of lyra and silks, Scarlet perused her education in performance obtaining a master's degree at Texas Tech University in Visual and Performing arts as well as Anthropology and Classics. In her free time she enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with her three wonderful children and her dog and cat. Scarlet is also a professional astrologer and tarot reader and offers private tutoring and dance lessons. You can find her on social media platforms and also at the Downtown Lubbock Farmer's Market on Saturdays where she sells her art and handmade soaps.

Aaron Flow

Biography:

Aaron Graham Huff grew up on a small family farm and hour and half west of Lubbock. Raised with a huge garden, cows and chickens and 3 sisters and a lot of cousins. He was surrounded by amazing musicians and artists. He moved to Lubbock in third grade and started doing all kinds of art. Picked up an acoustic guitar in high school and it was love at first sight. Eventually found an electric guitar and dabbled with bass as well. He has been in and out of bands since the 90s. He started getting into edm in the 2000s and 2010 went to his first psytrance festival. It was full of flow artists of all types and he was intrigued. He continued dancing with all the flow artists for the next 10 years playing around with any hoop he could get his hands on. Throughout this time many of his close friends picked up some prop and eventually started burning. Once covid hit and the quarantine began he decided to buy a fire contact staff and a month later lit up for the first time around June of 2020 and has been addicted ever since that first smell of singed arm hairs. He spent the next 2 years spinning fire and playing guitar in the band Robber Baron, also started when the quarantine began, at least once a week. He has been flowing with his good friends and has a heart for the flame and the flow.