Courses
Getting into Special Effects and Fire Performance is a long multitrack journey,
Combustion Inc. is here to help every step of the way!
Visit our Scheduling Page for in person classes, Udemy for online classes (coming soon)
Also Coming soon, Online videos for members!
-
Fire Performance Safety FDNY accepted for E29/E28 Certificate of Fitness
-
Fire Performance Safety 101 (Online)
This online class goes over the lecture part of the course. It is required to move onto the in person class. The cirriculum focuses on performing with fire safely and goes every aspect of fire safety for a beginner or expert at the professional and hobby level.
-
Study Guide: E29/E28 FDNY Test (Online)
This online guide walks you through the E29/E28 study material and provides test taking tips and tricks.
-
-
Fire Performance Classes
-
Intro to Flow Arts (In Person)
Do you want to get into flow arts or fire spinning but don't know where to start? This class is for you! What is Flow arts? is a general term used to describe the intersection of a variety of movement-based disciplines including dance, juggling, fire-spinning, and object manipulation... Common forms of Flow Arts include Poi & Staff spinning, hula hoop (or “hooping”), juggling, sphere manipulation (or “contact juggling”), and fan dance.
-
First Burn Class (In Person)
If you have been spinning a prop like hoop, poi, fas, staff, fans, juggling, rope dart etc. and you feel ready to light them up, this class is for you! If you don't know what prop to spin, we recommend taking "Intro to Flow Arts". We also recommend taking "Fire Safety Part 1" for a full length safety class, we will touch on fire safety for the purpose of your first burn but there is much more to learn about safety.
-
Incorporate fire into your act (In Person)
This class is for variety performers of all forms including Burlesque, Drag, Magic, Acrobatics, Aerial, Puppetry, Theater, Music and more. Because of the specialized nature of this class, it is a private lesson.
-
-
Pyrotechnics Apprentice FDNY Accepted for E27 Certificate of Fitness
-
Pyro Apprentice Course 101 (online)
This online class goes over the lecture part of the course, it is required to move onto the in person 102 class. The curriculum introduces all forms of Special Effects with a focus on minor indoor effects including fog and haze machines. After completing both sections, students receive a certificate of completion and a letter of recommendation, these are FDNY accepted
-
Study guide: E27 FDNY Test (Online)
This online guide walks you through the E7 study material and provides test taking tips and tricks.
-
-
Pyro Apprentice Classes
-
Wiring and firing Ematches (In Person)
This hands on class expands on the 101 & 102 ciriculum and focuses on Ematches, Pyrosafe initiators, fountains and gerbs and igniting flaming set pieces with initiators.
-
Playing with fire! (In Person)
This hands on class, we go over how to use liquid fuel, lycho, flash product and propane bubbles. Students will get to interact with these effects.
-
-
How to Navigate FDNY systems
-
Applying for a Certificate of Fitness (Online)
If you need a CoF for a job and are having a hard time with the online application, this video will help you navigate it!
-
Applying for a Permit (Online)
If you to obtain a permit for a show and are having a hard time with the online application, this video will help you navigate it!
-
Meet your instructors
✳
Meet your instructors ✳
Tre Blaze McManus
Tre McManus is the leading authority for fire and SFX legality in NYC. They have brought fire and FX to stages as big as Licnoln Center and as small as cabaret stages in local bars. They have done pyrotechnics all over the city, Washignton DC and overseas. Their work in NYC led to a comprehensive licensing and permitting program with the FDNY. They teach the accepted fire safety class and have personally recommended over a hundred FDNY certified fire performers. They founded NYC’s fire practice and educational spaces, The Floasis (2010-2019) and Liminal Space (2020-2024).
Course FAQ
-
Any use of candles, cigarettes, fog/haze machines, fire performance, compressed gases (flammable or non flammable) all require an FDNY permit and licensed individual to personally supervise the effects.
-
This is always up to the authority having jurisdiction (FDNY) but the one effect they can supervise is fog and haze. In addition, fog and haze must be under the personal supervision of at least an E27 or higher (E19, E18) licensed pyrotechnician.
-
If you don’t already have a prop of choice, we suggest “Intro To Flow Arts”. In this class, you can try a variety of flow props and find the one that works for you. In order to set that prop on fire, you should train with it daily for a few months and then sign up our “First Burn Class” and “Fire Performance Safety”. If you are already a performer and want to add a flaming flair to your act, Sign up for our “Incorporating Fire Into Your Act” class as well as the “Fire Performance Safety” Class.
-
If you are an expert fires spinner and interested in performing in NYC, you should start thinking about getting the E29 fire perfromer CoF. Luckily, if you don’t have the E29 CoF and want to do a show, you can be supervised by and E28 Fire Producer.
-
The Fire Producer CoF is only for expert fire performers who have 3-5 years experience doing legal fire shows in NYC. Fire Producers must also prove they can lead a troupe, produce a show, handle paperwork and be responsible for every aspect of their show. 2 letters of recommendation from other E28 fire producers and a resume are required to apply for this.