Hoop Progress

I was in a huge hooping rut for months.  There was just never enough time, enough space, or enough energy to practice.  I was frustrated with my hoops (one too big to use in the house, and the other too small to learn new tricks with).  I was frustrated with myself.  I felt like I was in a complete standoff with my hoops.  I would watch videos and tutorials and just feel deflated.

 

But I'm past that now!  I've recently met a lady a few towns over who makes and sells hoops, and who is also a Hoopnotica certified instructor.  She has admitted that I am likely already too advanced for the classes she offers, but meeting another hooper who is somewhat local has given me motivation to get back into it.  I have purchased a couple of hoops from her.  Finally I have one that is in between my other two hoops in size which is perfect for me.  And I have also bought a couple of kids hoops from her (for my kids, who currently can't hoop, but who are trying.  Hey, I figured they could double as minis for me to practice my isolations with, win-win!).

 

So I'm back, and as with so many other things in life I have found that after this little hiatus I am better than I was before.  I'm learning new tricks and finding more flow.  The weather is nice so I can finally hoop outside where I have space to properly practice and not worry about hitting things or scaring Tyler with the loud bangs as my hoop flies across the dining room.  Slowly but surely I am getting better.

 

Now I need to find some people to hoop with.  It is surprising how difficult this has been.  I know a few ladies in Collingwood who do it, but haven't really connected with them.  The one I just met is about half an hour away or so, and while we had briefly talked about maybe getting together, that hasn't happened yet.  I am seriously considering posting flyers around town inviting people to join me.  We need more hula hooping in this town.

 

I've been back online too, watching hooping tutorials or just videos of some of the most amazing hoopers, trying to study their techniques and styles.  I find watching these talented people to be inspiring, but also a little depressing as they are just so fantastic that I can't even fathom being that good.  It also makes me wish I had started hooping when I was young, or at the very least had been more athletic so I wouldn't have to start from scratch now.  I wish I were stronger, more coordinated, more flexible, and had better rhythm.  I guess the good news is I know it is not to late to be all these things, it's just a slow process working exercise and practice into my schedule with a family and three kids.  But I know I will get there.  I also know that even though I'm not great, I'm still better than almost everyone I know, so that is something.

 

I'm getting pretty decent at the on the body hooping, and better at off the body stuff.  What I am finding particularly challenging are the different kinds of isolations.  I'm hoping that by working on strengthening my arms will help me master some of these moves.

 

Some of my favourite hoopers right now are Breken Rivera, Hoopalicious, Babz and Katie Emmitt.  I've watched some truly amazing videos from all of them, and I'll leave with you some now.

 

 

 

Looks easier than it is

I've managed to get my hands on the Hoopnotica instructional videos and have gotten back into hooping.  I try to get in a little bit of practice every day, though it is hard at home with my limited space.  When I can, I go to the Y where there is more space to practice some of the stuff I can't do at home.  But I find it hard to practice at the Y as well, where everyone is able to see me and I'm not able to just let go as much as I can at home.  So I make my best progress in the comfort of home.

 

These videos have been so helpful!  I was feeling a little bit in a rut as far as hooping was concerned, because I had learned a lot of new tricks and then hit a wall, and had no one around to teach me more tricks to work on.  Hoopnotica has not only brought some more new stuff for me to learn, it's also helped me refine all the stuff I already know. 

 

I tend to learn things really quickly, but breeze through them and don't always practice the individual moves until perfection.  I realized I had done this with a lot of hoop tricks, I had learned them yes but was too eager to just hoop that I didn't spend time practicing all of them properly.  After watching the Hoopnotica videos, I was really able to fix some small problems I had noticed. 

 

And I've learned so much new stuff!  I can hoop on my waist, hips, chest, shoulders, neck, and have finally got the hang of leg hooping (remember this post?).  I can do corkscrews with both hands, up and down and I can do hand off corkscrews which make it look like the hoop is a cyclone around me.  Most recently I have figured out angle hooping both forwards and backwards, and now I'm trying to figure out how to do a 180 turn with it.  I'm also working on ways to move through the hoop.

 

When I watch the videos on how to do all these cool moves, it looks so easy.  My brain watches and all the while it's saying, "I can totally do this!".  And then I go to try it and it's a whole different story.  I used to feel the same when I'd watch bellydance videos.  I'm trying not to get discouraged that I don't look like the girls in the videos (who have obviously been hooping for years).....yet.  Actually I should be impressed with myself for practicing so much, and I am mastering new tricks very quickly.  At this rate, I'll be a great hooper in no time.

 

Getting the Hoopnotica videos has given me lots to work on for now, but once I've gone through those and learned all I can I'd like to start purchasing the tutorials on Hoop City.  There are tons of classes there and the great thing is that you can post videos of yourself hooping plus questions and get them personally answered by the instructor.

 

I need to get a new hoop though.  I have two, and one is too big (great for learning new tricks, but too big for me to do angle hooping because I'm short and the hoop hits the floor) and the other is too small (good for high cardio hoop dancing, but not so good for practicing tricks).  Maybe after Christmas I'll buy a new hoop from my friend in town who makes them.  Though what I'd really like is a travel hoop.  Maybe in the new year!

 

I love hooping!

Belly Hoop Dancing.....WHAT????

So while checking out more hoop dancing on YouTube, I found this:

AHHHHHH!!!!  Talk about my ultimate dream hobby!!  Combining my favorite pastime of bellydancing with my new found love of hula hooping?  YES PLEASE!

So I have been watching videos of this dancer in complete awe (as well as other dancers, both belly dancing and hula hooping), wondering if I could ever in a million years be that good.  I want to be.  The thing is, I'm not really the most coordinated person, and I don't have much rhythm.  I can dance, mostly because I practice, but I don't have much of a natural knack for it.  Sometimes I think, "If only I had started when I was young!".   I so regret never having the confidence to do anything like this when I was a child or teenager.  If I had then maybe I'd be amazing at it now instead of wishing I were.

But it's never to late to learn something new right?  Ok, so this is what I figure.  I'm not naturally good at dancing, but so much of it has to do with dedication and practice.  I don't have much time to dedicate to practice these days (back before I had kids I would just bellydance around my living room every day and practice my choreographies for hours), but one day I will.  I am only 30 now, so I figure that if I give myself a few years to get past having babies and raising small children, then once things calm down in that area of my life a bit I will be able to pursue my dreams a bit.  Of course I will keep doing what I'm doing now, praciticing when I can.  There is no reason not to!  But be warned, once the doors open up, I'm going all out!  I would love to take dance lessons in a variety of styles to improve my coordination, balance, and rhythm.  I'm game for anything - ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, latin - anything that's fun and has music.  Even if I don't love it the way I love bellydance and hooping, it would still be good for me.  Awhile back I tried my hand at hula dancing, and didn't like it, mostly because the teacher wasn't that great.  But I would try hula dance again, and maybe even other cultural dance like Tahitian, African, and Indian.  I actually took a few short workshops before on African, Indian, and Irish dance, and they were all a lot of fun (especially the African), so I would be game to try them all again.

So yeah, sometimes I get a little down that I didn't start dancing sooner in life or because I'm not that great, but then I remind myself that there is still time.

Better keep practicing then!