Dhevhan Keith, a founder of the fire dancing group Trial by Fire, started as a musician before finding a new artistic outlet after someone handed him a fire staff.
That was back in 2017, he said. Today, Trial by Fire, which was founded by Keith, Cory Rothwell and Sebastian Muneno, meets twice a week so artists can practice their craft. The group’s members have expanded to include not just fire dancers but DJs, poets and live musicians. On a given day, anywhere from 15 to 25 fire dancers might show up to practice. But, counting the auxiliary members, including slam poets, dancers and live musicians, the group is sometimes as large as 120 people, he said.
Trial by Fire meets from sunset until 9 p.m. on Wednesdays in front of the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial and the same hours on Sundays near the banyan tree by Barefoot Beach Cafe.
Some of the group’s fire dancers have performed at luxury hotels, such as Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa or The Ritz-Carlton Oahu, Turtle Bay. Artists also perform at camping events and private parties for New Year’s Eve or birthdays. Keith shared how the group has expanded, along with details about its retreat this month.
Can you tell us a little bit about Trial by Fire? Trial by Fire is a fire arts focus group, but it is [also] an art community. Over the years, it's expanded to different kinds of arts that the community practices, whether that be … slam poetry, dance, live music, DJing, paint, pretty much anything that the community wants to do. The fire arts does bring us together and keep us meeting together every Wednesday and Sunday. It was created to be a place for community to connect through flow and [as] an alternative to most of the more popular events that have alcohol. One of the things that distinguishes our group is I strictly do not allow alcohol consumption or inebriation at any official Trial by Fire events. The group wasn’t created to combat alcohol. It was created to be an alternative to places that have alcohol.
Are there any big events coming up? Definitely, Lunar Vibes. It is an audio-visual, movement, meditation retreat, and there are two versions of it: There's the camp-out version, and there’s the retreat version. The retreat will be on Jan. 17. The nature of Lunar Vibes is invite-only because there are children and single moms. We want it to be safe. However, if you go to slam poetry or yoga or dance [events], most likely these people know of Lunar Vibes, and you can get an invitation from them, or you can come to the fire circle and get an invitation.
Residents of Honolulu sometimes stop to watch Trial by Fire artists practice on Wednesdays and Sundays. What does that time mean for Trial by Fire? The fire circle is basically a place that we practice. It's not a performance. Wednesdays and Sundays were never meant to be a performance. It's supposed to be practice for the community. … And it also allows us to showcase our skills, just in case somebody in the audience wants to hire any of the artists.
What else do you want readers to know about Trial by Fire? Trial by Fire is about gathering community through the arts. I believe that one of the missions that Trial by Fire has been pursuing is bringing the arts to the forefront. It's a way for people to connect, regardless of their ideology, their politics, their cultural background. It's a place to share.
For more information, go to trialbyfire.community.
Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
