Expressing through flowing: Animo Flow Arts

From poi dancing down to hooping, Flow Arts is described as both a sport and leisure activity rolled into one, wherein dancing, exploring, and interacting with the physical world come together in one fluid execution. 

The art in particular is also considered to be a mastery of versatile movements through the use of different mediums in order to develop an exciting and innovative exhaust for those who practice it and live its discipline.

In recent weeks, Lasallians around campus may have caught a glimpse of Miguel Magana performing a type of flow arts in the Corazon Aquino Democratic Space. He performs an exhibition of poi dancing in order to introduce Flow Arts into the minds and hearts of different Lasallians and also as a way to spread its reach inside the campus. Furthermore, through his exhibitions, Magana is promoting his own pioneered group for the art, which is Animo Flow Arts.

Before Flow Arts

Hailing from Gokongwei College of Engineering, Magana hopes to develop Flow Arts in DLSU by encouraging students like him to have humble beginnings with the art and its practices.

Magana began tackling the world of Flow Arts back in 2009 when his cousin introduced him into the world of poi dancing. However, Magana, unlike other passionate performers or athletes who practice regularly, took a six-year hiatus from the art thus dulling his skills and abilities.

But in February 2014, his passion and dedication to the world of Flow Arts reignited after attending a LEAP class that tackled the method of poi dancing. It was a catalyst event for Magana as not only he has regained his passion for the arts, but he also gained a new mentor in Planet Zips CEO, Paulino Chan.

From February to April this year, Magana devoted himself into sharpening his skills with the different forms of Flow Arts such as poi dancing, hooping, and contact juggling. YouTube Flow Arts videos and summer workshops became the foundations of his development throughout the months of training and in June, he developed a movement that will spread the Flow Arts dynamics into the consciousness of each and every Lasallian.

Flowing for freedom

Animo Flow Arts is a group that is open to any Lasallian student. The group offers different ranges of Flow Arts starting from poi dancing down to hooping and contact juggling. 

Magana encourages the students to join the world of Flow Arts since the different types of Flow Arts gives its practitioners a method of emotional release and a way to develop both physical and mental wellness through the feeling of flowing as they directly immerse themselves into the exquisite execution of the routines.

As of today, the group is still in its baby steps as it strives to garner support and new members from the Lasallian community. This is also the reason why technical hurdles are preventing the group from reaching full accreditation from DLSU’s Office of Sports Development. One of the problems that the group faces currently is the requirement that they must have 15 core members and 15 pioneer members to be a fully accredited sports organization.

But for Magana and company, despite their very recent inception, Animo Flow Arts will continue to do what they do and aspire to be a fully accredited organization to reach the awareness of the Lasallian community.

“Flow Arts is a state of emotional release for me since it’s really hard to open up to people. In short, an escape from society. And freedom in a nutshell,” shares by Magana.

Magana is inviting all interested Lasallians to come and join Animo Flow Arts and to at least give it a chance since an individual must first engage themselves into the world of Flow Arts in order to fully feel what it means when it frees the mind, body, and soul through soothing movements.