Instagram story viewer> @papastafa> Posts

S T A F A

@papastafa

4K

followers

1762

following

📍chicago flow & movement artist 🇧🇩🇵🇸
✨save $ at @derpgear , @flowtoys & @moodhoops
🎪catch me w/ @wndrmuseum & @fullmoonjam
❤️‍🔥Fire & LED storyteller

POSTS STORIES REELS

“Friendship is the greatest magic we can give to one another - and I cannot think of anything more magical than being here to perform for Eugenia and Steph on their special day.”

Congratulations again @euliah and @steph_barkan - I love you both so much - with an Emphasis on Forever! Thank you for letting me share a little bit of magic and joy with our friends and your families on your special day!

🪄: @flowtoys
📸: @raysrivera.pro
Video: @merepaasrajmahai and @bubbielle

#flowarts #flowartist #levitationwand #leviwand #flowstate #chicagoflow #wedding #love #eugandsteph #emphasisonforever #flashbackfridays by @papastafa

The rain came fast.
The jam was evacuated.
But I was already burning.

Not just for performance.
Not just for show.
But for the ancestors in my spine
and the organizers in my breath.
For the undocumented and displaced,
those who move through this country
without armor, yet full of resilient power.

This wand is not just a prop.
It can be a torch.
A ritual of resistance.
Each spin speaks survival.
Each ember holds memory.

As a queer child of immigrants,
as a grassroots organizer,
as a fire performer of color,
this is the intersection where I find myself whole.
Where movement becomes medicine.
Where art centers justice.
Where joy is resistance.

I dedicate this fire and flow to those who cross
borders of land and language,
systems and silence.
To the ones building life
from grief, from grit, from hope.
To the undocumented who live
in a nation that tries to erase them
but cannot contain their brilliance.

To the ones who keep showing up:
@advancingjusticechicago
@ocadchicago
@icirr_il
@ocad_chi
@pslchicago
@immigrantsrising
@immigrantjustice
@immigrationcoalition
@undocuprofessionals
@resurrectionproject

Your labor moves with me.
Your resistance is the rhythm beneath my feet.

To @fullmoonjam and @flowcollectivechicago
thank you for holding me in your circle
and reminding me I am never alone
not in my fire or my flow.

This is not just art.
This is how we hold each other
when the storm comes.
This is how we stay alive.
We keep us safe.
And no person is illegal,
especially on occupied and stolen land.

Spin fire.
Live free.
No borders.
No prisons.
Only life.

And remember, with a little heat and movement, ICE melts under resistance.

🪄: @maine_flowonfire
📸: @gdmetzler and @opticsbyced Photography

#flowarts #leviwand #firewand #chicagoflow #undocumentedresistance #immigrantjustice #justiceflow #artasactivism #flowstate by @papastafa

Had a WNDR-ful time debuting AAPI flow arts at the @wndrmuseum ! 🌌✨

Being a featured artist here was an absolute honor. I loved getting to share the magic of buugeng (S-staffs that create mind-bending optical illusions 🇯🇵) and the flow dragon (a prop that brings fierce, fluid energy to life🇨🇳).
But the absolute best part? Seeing the pure wonder on the faces of the kids and their families, and being able to bring a little extra joy to their day. 🐉🌀

Happy Flow Arts Friday - join me at an upcoming @flowcollectivechicago event or back at the @wndrmuseum on June 5 and 6!

🎥: @edgarrun

#flowarts #buugeng #flowdragon #wndrmuseum #aapiflow by @papastafa

Flow Arts May Dump and Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage #throwbackthursday 🇧🇩✨

May 2 - @aaartschicago EVOLUTION New Performer (ft. My dragon debut from @wei_dreams_of_dragons
May 14-16 - @kineticfireretreat - first fire retreat!
May 23-24 - @wndrmuseum AAPI Art Installation - thanks for coming and supporting @edgarrun and @banderson3 !

Props featured: buugeng by @lighttoys , dragon by @wei_dreams_of_dragons , wand by @maine_flowonfire

Full videos available on and you can book/collab me at Mustafaanwar.art !

#flowartist #flowarts #chicago #aapihm by @papastafa

Chicago, here’s a sneak peek at the incredible talent joining us this Pride Month ✨

Welcoming back the amazing @papastafa, bringing epic flow, movement, and unforgettable energy throughout the space 🌪️

@pagina.queefs serving unique art in drag with live sculpture work and a mini showcase you won’t want to miss 💫

@tabisartchicago bringing the creativity with live painting and a mini pop-up featuring handmade pieces 🎨

And @chadkouri setting the vibe with immersive sound healing experiences ✨

Join us for special performances and activations happening all month long during Pride 🌈

Stay tuned for more details on each artist soon — tickets available in our bio and on our website! by @papastafa

My First Flow Arts Recovery

Behind this smile, I am running on a manual override. If you just look at this photo, you see someone fully locked into the moment at @flowcollectivechicago . But swipe to the next slides, and you will see the reality I’ve been sitting with. Between my 20s and my 30s - chronic pain started unfolding. I am okay now - but I’ve been adjusting a lot lately.

For months, the flow did not feel like flow. I go to step into a shuffle, and my feet feel like dead weight. I pick up my props, and my hands feel completely numb. I’ve been hydrating more, stretching every morning, and going in and out of physical therapy, but it is not the same as it used to be.

The text messages in the next slides show the moments where the frustration completely boiled over. I almost broke myself trying to hide it. I was overusing pain medication just to keep up with the music, until I ended up needing medical treatment for my liver. If it wasn’t for my partner, who saw right through me when the music cut out, I would still be masking my symptoms.

There is no trophy for destroying your body. Listening to your body isn’t a sign of weakness; it is the highest form of self-respect. I am still here, and I am still cheering, but I am learning to move differently now. Please, if your body is whispering to you, don’t wait until it has to scream to finally listen.

📸: @mediabymars
📍: @flowcollectivechicago

Harm Reduction Tips:
1️⃣ Protect your liver: Overusing Ibuprofen or Tylenol causes severe organ damage. Talk to a doctor about liver-safe alternatives.
2️⃣ The 50% rule: On days you feel good, use only half your energy. Save the rest for the flare-up.
3️⃣ Redefine flow: If shuffling triggers numbness, pivot to slower movements or seated flow.
4️⃣ Use a buddy system: Give a trusted partner permission to call you out when you are masking pain.
5️⃣ PT takes time: Stick to the boring stabilization exercises even when you feel fine, it’ll save you.

#chronicpain #flowarts #liverhealth #bodyawareness #flowartist

Disclaimer: Shared for peer support and harm reduction only. Not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for chronic pain management. by @papastafa

✨ EVOLUTION Asian American Arts Festival ✨

I’m thrilled to be a part of the EVOLUTION with @aaartschicago ! Come check out my flow arts performance on Saturday, May 2 at 3:30PM CST!

Featuring a leviwand by @flowtoys , dragon by @wei_dreams_of_dragons , and a buugeng by @lighttoys !!

Can’t make event? Check out the livestream at https://www.youtube.com/@aaartschicago

EVOLUTION celebrates the vibrancy of Asian American talent and culture in Chicago. Celebrate transformation and experience the creative power of over 125 artists and performers. From explosive performances, fine art, and independent film to a curated food and craft marketplace, join us in uplifting the growing legacy of Asian American, Pacific Island, Native Hawaiian AAPINH artistry. Produced by Asian American Arts Chicago @aaartschicago

🗓️May 2-3
📍Lookingglass Theatre @lookingglasstheatre

Each ticket includes:
📸 Unique photo booth experience
✨ Exclusive sticker and button to commemorate the weekend
🛒 Full access to the food & craft marketplace
🎭 Entry to all performances (capacity permitting)

🎥: @movementonmontrose
✨: @flowcollectivechicago , @flowchicago_ , @chicagoflowstar

#FlowArts #AsianAmericanArtsChicago #EVOLUTION2026 #AAPIHeritageMonth #AsianAmericanArtist by @papastafa

Crescent Moon Fundraiser Raffle Prize Announcement

PAPASTAFA
Leviwand Flow Lesson
with PAPASTAFA
@papastafa
Develop your flow with a 1-hour private Leviwand lesson, tailored to your level—whether you’re building foundational skills or exploring combination flow creation.
🎟️ Winner Receives:
• 1-hour private Leviwand lesson
• Beginner or intermediate level instruction
• Focus on skill development or flow combinations
📩 How to Redeem:
Book via contact form at: mustafaanwar.art
⏳ Expiration:
Valid through September 23, 2026

CLICK THE LINK IN OUR BIO TO BUY TICKETS! by @papastafa

✨EVOLUTION Asian American Arts Festival ✨

Celebrate the rhythm of the community with these incredible dancers at EVOLUTION. These performers aren’t just moving to a beat; they’re choreographing the future and redefining the Asian American experience through movement.

This lineup is just the beginning—these represent only half of the dancers featured in the festival, and will perform on Saturday, May 2nd.

Check out these phenomenal dancers:

Preeti Veerlapati @chigardendiaries

Vrisa Odedra @vrisa.xoxo

Mustafa Anwar @papastafa

Noori @noori0202

Wannapa P-Eubanks @wannapapeubanks

IS/LAND (Tuli Bera, Qū Jié) @islandperformance @tuli_____b

Happy AAPI Heritage Month! 🪭

🗓May 2-3
📍Lookingglass Theatre @lookingglasstheatre

🎟 Tickets are moving fast! Click the link in the bio to secure a spot before the event sells out.

Produced by Asian American Arts Chicago @aaartschicago

www.AAAC.art

#aaac #asianamericanarts #aaapi #aaapiheritagemonth #evolution2026 by @papastafa

This world gave us fruit, trees, sunshine, medicine, and water - and instead we chose AI, Debt, LinkedIn, and War.

With everything going on - let’s not forget justice for Palestine, Sudan, Congo, Venezuela, Cuba, Syria, Iran, and so many more. None of us are there until we all are.

From the river to the 🌊 #palestinewillbefree 🇵🇸

Call your reps, organize in your community, support local abolitionist efforts. Choose hope. ✊🏾

⚡️: @lighttoys LED Buugeng FT2
🎶: @macklemore , @anees , @mca.rap , @amerzahr
#flowarts #buugeng #palestine #justice by @papastafa

BUUGENG DEBUT and FIRST FLOW OF 2026! 💫

Thank you so much to @stirfridaynight and @hai_bayo for bringing me out to be part of 30 years in the making of Asian American comedy in Chicago! I was deeply honored to debut a new flow art buugeng - Japanese for “martial arts” and “illusion” for Lunar New Year! As a south Asian performer - I was deeply honored to show that even within the diaspora - light shines across cultures 🇧🇩🇯🇵🧧✨

Special shout out to @kryptic_movement who taught a class through @flowcollectivechicago earlier this year and inspired me to invest in this new flow art.

My full video and interview can be found here: https://mustafaanwar.art

🔅: @lighttoys LED Buugeng FT2
🎶: “Koto” by @odesza
✨: @flowcollectivechicago

#flowarts #flowartist #buugeng #lunarnewyear #stirfridaynight by @papastafa

Last weekend’s birthday celebration for @papastafa was a reminder of how powerful real friendship can be. So much love, laughter, and joy in one room. I’m so grateful I got to capture it, thank you Mustafa! And thank you for the amazing magic show @chris_walde! by @papastafa