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Brothers of the Flame>News>
Brothers of the Flame Explore Ancient Art Form

Group Performs every Monday at burger joint
By Kevin Geil
Express News Staff Photographer



Brothers of the Flame Gabriel Alejo (from front), Manny Castillo and Travis Allen create art with glowsticks. The art of Poi dates back to indigenous New Zealand warriors, who swung rocks form flax ropes for conditioning before battle.


The ancient art of Poi is alive and well in San Antonio thanks to a six-man group called The Brothers of the Flame.
It was formed by Manny Castillo, 27, and Gabriel Alejo, 22 in late 2000.
Castillo and Alejo said they became self-taught practitioners after seeing a performance.
“We started out in clubs but took it beyond that” Castillo said.
Poi is the Maori word meaning ball, not to be confused with the Polynesian food staple of the same name. New Zealand warriors practiced Poi using rocks swung from flax ropes to train for battle.
“It is our form of art.” Alejo said. “An artist has a brush, a photographer has a camera and we have our sticks.”
Painting designs in the air with flames or glow sticks at about 300 revolutions per minute, the group lights up the outdoor sky at Sam’s Burger Joint in Broadway every Monday night.

 They use every kind of music to set the scene. From tribal to rock, even swing. The maneuvers are intricate, and each has a name.
“We do butterflies to weaves to thread the needle as part of a show,” Castillo said.
The group offers free lessons to anyone who wants to learn.
“Showing people our art, enjoying and the energy is why we do it,” Alejo said.
“It’s so rewarding when we are done with the show to have people say how cool that was, how we do those things with the fire,” Castillo said.
Information on The Brothers of the flame is available from Richard Espinoza at (210) 273-9896 or online at www.brothersoftheflame.net