The essence of WindDancing

The excerpts below, from the "Problems & solutions" section of the user's manual, illustrate the healthy fun-loving state of mind that can help maximize your WindDancing pleasure:

While you are WindDancing in strong wind a power-kiter asks seriously, "How goes the battle with the wind?"

• A long answer: The power-flyer is perhaps unaware that there is considerably more to strong-wind flying than engaging in tug-of-war with the wind. Graciously explain how your kite flying is not even remotely related to doing battle with anything, especially against Mother Nature. Enlighten about how strong pull is merely one of the many exciting aspects of flying in strong winds -- how it's mostly about having incredible high-speed sharp-turning fun, enjoying the exciting lively feel of the WindDance and the wind, and accidentally receiving a terrific arm & body workout in the process.

• A quick answer: "There's no battle! I'm having FUN! Look at how it shrieks like a jet, turns on a dime, and suddenly yanks me hard! It's so much fun I may fly 'til I drop, and then for the next few days my entire body will tell me I overdid it again! Hey, care to see and hear it bounce?"

You are WindDancing side-by-side with your significant other, a good friend, or a family member. Your constant social interplay includes lots of smiling and laughter. Your two WindDances zip and turn fast close to each other, occasionally colliding in midair, triggering even more laughter. A bystander or another flyer says, "What competition are you practicing for?" or "You're taking it out on each other here instead of at home, right?" or "Who's winning the battle?"

• A long answer: The inquirer is perhaps unaware that you are flying purely for FUN. Graciously explain how you are not practicing for anything and are merely having spur-of-the-moment fun, how your spirit is that of two kittens at play batting puff-balls around with great speed and agility, how it's entirely cooperative and not at all competitive or aggressive or about getting even, how it's a dance and not a battle, how the midair collisions are either purely accidental or with intent to commit serious fun, and how side-by-side WindDancing is a wonderful way to temporarily escape from the unhealthy and barbaric you're-either-a-winner-or-a-loser competitive/aggressive mentality -- a mentality which causes some to misinterpret light-hearted shared fun as competition or combat.

• A quick answer: "Look at how much FUN we're having together! We're BOTH winning big!"

After dropping one control handle accidentally -- or after a friend gives you one handle and then drops the other while handing off the kite to you so that you can fly it -- the kite spins continuously. The problem: you can't pick up the lost handle because as you walk downwind to pick it up the kite drags it downwind, always keeping the handle just out of your reach.

• Although WindDancing is soothing to body and soul, try not to relax so much that you lose your grip.

• Pull the handle you're holding way back upwind directly away from the kite, stretching your arm back as far as possible, then stomp on the loose handle with your nearest foot. Pick it up and loop the kite in the opposite direction until the lines are unwound.

• Before it happens, be flying a smaller WindDance instead to make it easier to reach and stomp on the handle.

• Talk your 'friend' into retrieving the handle. Later, pull this on your 'friend.'

As one side-by-side WindDancing partner (Dan) bends over during a brief landing to fine-tune the bridle setting, the other flyer (Sue) simply cannot resist the irresistible and gleefully performs a perfect WindDance 1 bounce-'n'-fly off the bent-over partner's butt.

• Seattle AirGear isn't even close to solving this problem. Be sure to limit this chicanery to light winds when the only hazard is dying of laughter.

WindDance dual-line parafoil stunt kites/sport kites are developed, sold, and backed by Seattle AirGear.
WindDance, WindDancing, Seattle AirGear, and AirGear are trademarks of Seattle AirGear.
Copyright © 1995-2017 Seattle AirGear.
This page last revised Jan-8-2000