Spinning Into Something New: SOMD Flowmies Bring A Moving Art Form To Callaway

CALLAWAY, Md. — If you walk into the Vertical Dance Company on March 14, don’t be surprised if you see stars flying, hoops orbiting and ribbons of motion cutting through the air.

It’s not a magic show, though it may look like one.

It’s “flow.”

The SOMD Flowmies, a Southern Maryland-based community of flow artists, will host a Flow Meet Up from 4 to 6 p.m. at 220865 Callaway Village Way, Suite 2, in Callaway. The gathering will feature local vendors and live DJs from Bi-Coastal Bass, Attolent, Bob Zombie, Dr. Ew and LE Vader and marks a milestone for the group, which recently became officially sponsored by SpinFlowstar, a major flow prop company.

For those unfamiliar with the term, flow is a modern movement art form that blends dance, rhythm and object manipulation. Participants use specially designed props, including flowstars, poi, hoops, leviwands and fans, to create continuous, circular and often hypnotic motion.

Think of it as a cross between dance and juggling but instead of performing tricks for an audience, the focus is expression, emotion and connection.

In an interview with The BayNet, the SOMD Flowmies organizers explained the art of ‘flow’ as more than spinning props and described it as a moving meditation and a shared language of creativity that welcomes all ages and skill levels.

“There are many different types of flow props,” said BreAnna, one of the organizers of SOMD Flowmies. “Flow props are all used as a form of expression through dancing with that prop. A lot of us use it to express feelings and emotions just as an artist would.”

Below is a video capturing flow art in action, where spinning props and fluid movement come together as a form of creative expression.

A flowstar, for example, is a soft, weighted star-shaped prop that spins fluidly through the air, creating geometric patterns as it moves. Poi consist of weighted objects attached to cords, swung rhythmically around the body. A leviwand appears to float as it moves, giving the illusion of defying gravity. Each prop offers its own style and personality, but the common thread is motion.

And like any art form, it takes practice.

“You honestly can do all kinds of tricks with all of them and it just takes practice and looking up YouTube or if you know other flowmies you can ask for help,” BreAnna said. “We all love to help others learn and share in our love for flow.”

Flow props can be purchased through specialty companies such as SpinFlowstar, First Earth, Trippy Squid and Forever Flow, as well as through larger online retailers like Amazon and Etsy. SOMD Flowmies members will soon offer a discount code, “SOMD,” during SpinFlowstar’s next product release.

BreAnna has been part of the flow community since 2018, when she bought her first leviwand. What began as a personal creative outlet quickly grew into something more.

After realizing there was no organized flow group in Southern Maryland, she decided to create one.

“I noticed how we did not have that kind of a group down here and wanted to have that space for other flowmies who live in SOMD to be able to get together,” she said.

The result was SOMD Flowmies, a grassroots community built around creativity, encouragement and inclusivity. Organizers emphasize that their meetups are safe spaces for all ages and all ability levels. Beginners are welcomed just as enthusiastically as seasoned spinners.

“All ages, levels and flow props are encouraged,” the event flyer states. Because the March 14 meet-up will be held indoors, fire props will not be permitted.

For many participants, flow is more than a hobby. It is stress relief. It is meditation in motion. It is a way to connect with music and with each other.

Under colored lights and pulsing beats, what might look unfamiliar at first glance becomes something easy to understand: people moving freely, confidently and creatively in a shared space.

Community members interested in attending or vending at the event can email somdflowmies@gmail.com. Questions can also be directed to Instagram pages @somdflowmies or @divinebutterfly_flow.

On March 14, the stars won’t just be in the sky, they’ll be spinning in Callaway.

Watch the video tutorial here to learn how to spin a flowstar!

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