Fire Hula Hooper

The Fire Hula Hooper spins her rings until they blur into wheels of flame. Sparks leap as she tosses a hoop overhead, catching it behind her back without singeing a hair. Sweat and ash cling to her painted cheeks, but she never falters, even when the flames lick close enough to char her costume. Offstage, her hands are bandaged, skin blistered and raw, yet she performs every night with a smile wide enough to make the audience forget the price of her art.