Since 2019, Burlington Burn Club has been lighting up the night and sparking a scene. During the warm months, fire spinners and "Burners" connected to the Burning Man festival trade skills and build community at the Battery Park band shell in Burlington. A few people artfully dance with flaming Hula-Hoops and clubs, sometimes tossing them high into the air, delighting onlookers. Members of the collective share props and fuel and aim to inspire newcomers.

The group emphasizes safety at all times and has a permit from the Burlington Fire Department for its outdoor burns. Anyone is welcome to watch or participate, but those under 18 need a parent's permission to spin fire.

In the latest episode of "Stuck in Vermont," Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger met up with the crew on a sweltering Wednesday evening to see fire spinning in action. She even borrowed some flaming props and gave it a whirl — after signing a waiver.

Burlington Burn Club's remaining outdoor burns at the band shell this year are on August 21; September 4 and 18; and October 2, 16 and 23, from 7 to 10 p.m. The group holds fire-free indoor spin jams at Aikido of Champlain Valley from December through early May.

Sollberger spoke with Seven Days about filming the episode.

What drew you to Burlington Burn Club?

There is something so elemental about humans' love of fire. It provides warmth, sustenance and entertainment. I love sitting around a campfire and watching the stars. I made a video back in 2014 about a winter burn at Chris and Kim Cleary's home in Jericho Center. It was very magical watching a large wooden sculpture go up in flames that frigid evening. Burlington doesn't permit open fires, which made me very curious about the Burn Club.

This seems like an eclectic club.

The flow arts encompass dance, juggling, fire spinning and other movement-based disciplines, so the club attracts a wide variety of artists. Ethan Fontneau is a dancer and athlete, Maïz Vargas Sandoval is a former circus performer from Costa Rica who fronts the local band Mal Maïz, Elise Turcketta designs fire-safe clothing for spinning, and Will Jeffries enjoys contra and swing dancing. All of them use a variety of props and different movements to find their flow. And the best part is that they are all very welcoming and happy to share their knowledge. The group does ask for donations to pay for fuel and the space rental.

How was your experience spinning fire?

I must admit, I was a little nervous about trying this for myself. But this crew is very safety-conscious. Everyone signs a waiver, and there is no smoking or alcohol allowed. There is also someone standing by at all times with a Kevlar blanket to extinguish the flames.

I was advised to start slow, with small props. I spent some time playing with various items that were not on fire to see which felt best. I settled on a pair of small sticks that are generally used by fire swallowers. They had little loops at the end and were easy to make circles with. From the moment I set them on fire, I felt completely present and aware. My fire-spinning session probably only lasted five minutes, but it felt meditative, and I found my flow.

Was everyone there a pro?

I met experienced fire spinners and people relatively new to the art. Two young women tried out flaming Hula-Hoops and looked really comfortable with them. The organizers showed them how to fuel up and spin carefully. Justin Quenneville has been juggling balls for a few years but only recently started juggling burning clubs; Sandoval is mentoring him. And not everyone spins fire — some people just come to watch and enjoy the show.

What is a fire kiss?

In the video, Kayla "Maple" Steen shows us a spot on her elbow that was "kissed" by fire — a burn. First it was blackened from her prop; later it turned red and bumpy. She said a lot of fire spinners don't have any arm hair left, and I can see why. It's amazing how fearless they are with their flaming props.

How can people outside Burlington see these artists?

The group's videographer, Joshua Miner, posts videos of the burns to Facebook and Instagram (@burlingtonburnclub). But it's more fun to be there in person and watch the sun go down over the lake as flames are tossed high in the air. As night fell, I couldn't help but think of our ancestors, who were also drawn to fire and gathered together for safety. There was something mesmerizing and memorable about the evening that stuck with me weeks later.