The woman with long black hair takes the fiery torch and kneels down in the center of the circle. As the crowd watches in eager anticipation they gasp.

Placing her small delicate hands around the two torches, she tilts her head back, opens her mouth and slowly puts them down her throat and magically makes the fire disappear.

The crowd gasps again and claps.

On the outskirts of Oakland is an exciting and unique class - fire eating. Kristina Cañizares, dancer/choreographer, teaches a two-day session on fire eating at the non-profit arts education center The Crucible. The class, held twice a semester, not only teaches people how to eat fire but also helps overcome the fear of fire.

“Fire safety! Second person next to you at all times,” Cañizares shouts.

Before the first trick is demonstrated, Cañizares goes over the safety rules. While performing any trick a second person has to be by your side at all times with a fire extinguisher and a wet towel. She explains that everyone must be responsible and perform tricks that will keep themselves and their audience safe.

In preparation for the fire eating, the class made two torches of aluminum and Kevlar tape or rope wrapped around the top. Rubbing alcohol, which burns clean and is less toxic, is used on the rope. White gas, known as camping fuel, is used when firebreathers want to give off a bigger, brighter and longer-lasting flame. Both types of fuels are safe, but Cañizares suggested that no gasoline or any other type of fuel be used for tricks.

Cañizares gathered everyone in a semi-circle and lit her torch from a candle burning on the floor, as she explained the steps of the trick.

The first safety rule: check which direction the wind is blowing if performing outdoors. The person performing needs to make sure the wind is blowing across their face, not up or down, which will cause the flame to either burn their face or go up their nostrils.

Then they position the torch in front of their mouth. While holding their breath they place the torch inside their mouth (which will prevent you from inhaling the smoke from flames into your lungs) and wrap their mouth around the torch while blowing out to turn off the flame.

“It’s like getting over the fear of poking yourself in the eye,” Cañizares said.

A tall woman with a big smile laughed nervously as she held her two torches. Sara North, manager at a chiropractic office and a part-time performer, said she wanted to learn how to eat fire to add to her spinning fire chains and hula-hoops act.

North was one of the first brave ones to try the trick. She walked over, soaked her torch in rubbing alcohol, came back to the group and began trying the trick. After a few attempts and fits of laughing, she completed the trick with success.

“That was a rush!” North said. “Let’s do it again.”

As all the students tried the trick, Quin Marshall, a commercial litigation attorney, was doing better than most of the students. Marshall liked the class so much she decided to take it a second time, she said.

“This is something therapeutic to do, like yoga,” Marshall said.

Marshall had a great fear of fire after watching a friend perform a crazy stunt by pouring Bacardi 151 Rum on his body and lighting himself on fire. She explained how he survived and was okay but that she was traumatized for a long time after baring witness to such a horrible, dangerous stunt.

Cañizares said that she learned how to eat fire the “wrong way.” When performing with the dance company, they taught her on the spot how to perform fire eating for an act. She has seen many tricks go wrong, she said, and a little safety knowledge could have prevented any possible tragedy.

Her love of teaching, the attraction and fear of fire has brought her to The Crucible to teach others the skill of eating fire.

One of the students was having a difficult time eating fire. Kirk Steuber, 14, who was required to have his mother sit in on the class, was the most excited.

“He loves fire,” his mother, Virginia Steuber said. “It’s an art form.”

“I have two types of people take my class, the pyros (pyromaniacs) and those scared of fire,” Cañizares said.

She said that those fearful of fire do much better than those who are not afraid. The challenge and the attraction of something fearful helps those overcome the fear.

As everyone completed practicing fire eating, the class began to wind down while the students all gathered in a circle for the closing ceremony. Cañizares lit the first torch and passed it around. She had every student light their torches any way they wanted. North decided to light her torch on her belly and passed the lit torch to the person next to her, as she laughed.

As the last person lit their torch, Cañizares instructed the class to raise their torches and all together ate the fire.

For more information, call 510-444-0919 or go to http://www.thecrucible.org. Two-day class sessions will be held on April 2 and 3 and May 21 and 22. Students must pay a $60 tuition fee and a $25 materials fee.