hoop dance freak flow

HoopPretty Presents: P.I.Y ~How to make a Circle Scarf Painted with Bleach~

2011-08-01T07:30:00.000-05:00

Well, here it goes, my friend. Our first in hopefully many easy, fun, cute, budget-friendly pretty-ing tutorials.

Oh by the way, P.I.Y stands for Pretty It Yourself, ya know, like Do It Yourself…..but prettier.

I hope you enjoy it! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to comment. I started to write this blog post with the hopes of anticipating questions or concerns people might have….but I guess if I knew that I would’ve put it in the video.

But things I would really like to stress:

-OMG….Pleez do NOT spend more than $4 on a shirt for project (if you need to buy a shirt). There should be plenty of lame t-shirts at your local thrift store that need a re-purposing.

-For reeelz…I don’t want you to get a dizzying headache from the bleach. Crack a window or two or three. But even though I reiterated that point, don’t be scared now to paint with bleach. I just care about you, is all, and I don’t want yer brain to hurt.

- I suggest staying simple with your design, because it’s very hard to do detail work with “paint” (bleach/water mixture) that’s so liquidy. It might take you forever if you use your tiny itty bitty brush to make delicate lil roses, and then you’ll for sure get a headache.

Without further ado, here’s the vid:

tutorializin’

I hope you like, and I hope it’s a really neato addition to your hoop wear/and or everyday wear!

~Coming Soon~ HoopPretty Presents: PIY

2011-07-29T17:48:00.001-05:00

I guess that graphic says it pretty succinctly.

We would like to introduce you to a series of video tutorials on how to make cool stuff that adds to your hooping wear/costuming, or even your everyday wardrobe!

It’s not just DIY, it’s PIY. Because this is HoopPRETTY!

I am excited to share this stuff with you. Aside from creating designs for HP, I really like being crafty.
And it seems like craftiness is BIG in the hooping/performance arts community. So I thought, maybe you guys would like it if I shared this stuff with you? Even if you’re not a Crafty Cathy, I hope that these tutorials are easy enough for you to follow along and perhaps get inspired.

My goal is to repurpose or recycle items to make them into unique, pretty and low-cost wearables.

Stay tuned! I will be posting the first video soon!

The “Hoop Dance Love” Sticker is Broken

2011-07-20T10:24:00.001-05:00

Remember this old hoop dance love sticker in yellow? It’s broken. :(

But I made a new one! It’s teal and neon green and super pretty. And not screwed-up.

What was the issue? Check out the peace sign in both of the images. I effed it up. Yeah, that’s not really what a peace sign looks like :(

I can say my heart completely sank when someone called this to my attention. It ruined my whole week. I felt like such a failure. How could I miss this? I hear it is a common error, but still… doh! Live and learn.

I’m so sorry it’s taken me a while to fix this issue. I spent lots of money to create them, so it took a while to raise enough to make replacements. And I didn’t just put this design on stickers. I had also created mirrors, magnets and more. Thankfully, this error was caught before I put the mirrors & magnets up for sale.

It’s possible you may have a sweatshirt or shirt with the botched design, as I can’t remember when I cut off the production of those items. If that’s the case, please let me know.

I want to do right by all you’s lovely hoopers that purchased this sticker or won it in a giveaway, and so on and so forth...

So here’s the sitch:

I’m sending out FREE replacements to everyone that received the botched yellow sticker.

Send ALL of the following to hoophelp@hooppretty.com:

in the subject line put “broken HDL sticker”
a photo of the sticker(s) and/or the email invoice stating how many you ordered/have
your name
your street address

Again, I’m so sorry. The last thing I wanted to do was make others look bad because of my mistake. If you know of someone that has this botched hoop dance love sticker, can you please pass on the word by sending them to this post?

Thank you for your patience. It may take me a bit to send shipments out.

~ Barbra ~

If you would like to BUY the new green sticker it can be had right here. And for a limited time I put it on sale.

HoopFest New England ROCKED…

2011-07-14T11:19:00.001-05:00

…and you need to make it there next year! Fo realz!

I’m feeling all kinds of glowy, glittery feelings after HoopFest New England. A little sad, but also a little relieved it’s ovah, because, my pretties, vending and camping is tough work! But, heck, it was also wicked-fun. (Especially talking in fake New England accents. Which I will be doing in this post. Oh yes. Sorry.)

Here’s some quick shots of our booth and some dirty hoop action from the eventful, hoop love-filled weekend! If you want to see more photos, head over yonder to our Flickr HoopFest set.

Maria Randolph of HoopME! conceived and arranged this whole dang event! Supah props to her for making it happen and for “birthing the baby” as she likes to say. :) Her hubs David and daughter Davey were totally werkin’ it HARD too. What an amazing family! And Dawn Gee (pictured next to Maria). They created such a warm and inviting space for people to play. Seriously. People were crying and hugging at the end BIG TIME. No one seemed clique-y, just super open and giving. People from all walks of life, living all kinds of lifestyles, commingled so well at HoopFest. Amazingness. The instructors were fab too, just hanging out and being there, giving of themselves, ya know?

Here’s our colorful booth. We had a nautical/tropical vibe going on and hoop peoples seemed to respond to it. That’s our Mommy Dearest wo-manning the station. She helped out so much with helping us tweak the booth and really be eyes and ears to what worked and what didn’t. She even started a list of suggestions we were getting from customahs. We sold all kinds of new and never before seen wares ~ stickers, button packs, shirts. Will we post them in our online shop, you ask? Hopefully soon!!!

I took a lot of strange shots over this weekend. Something about this shot I love. The quirkiness of “Raquel”, our DIY mannequin, with some seriously fun sharing and teaching going on in the background makes my brain squeak with delight.

Glittah! We had a glitter station for anyone that wanted to take their prettiness to another level. And while yer at it, sign up for some special deals and updates HMMMMmm…?!

Mike’s here playing nicely with others. (That’s Thom and Malcolm and Amelia, I believe…?)

Me playing by myself. I was sad I didn’t play more. I was feeling sicky and lethargic most of the time. :( Kinda sucked because when I don’t feel good I get introverted and sad. Oh well, there were some definite good times and this is one of them!

The ladies of Hooping Harmony were there and had these huge friggin’ hoops to share. This one’s called “Big Bertha”… or was it “Rotund Ramona”? I don’t remembah. It’s a lot of fun to run thru, I do know that. Rachel’s demonstrating the fun-ness.

Rachel and I made it to a few workshops. This one’s with Malcolm Stuart ~ he taught this really awesome hoop move that has roots in poi. It’s pretty tricky and I wish I would have done a video of him showing the move. I really liked Malcolm. He was very friendly and I saw him bouncing from place to place, helping people learn new moves and just being an overall warm, approachable dude. I also liked his wild airbrushed style.

Spider is ridiculous. Here’s him sitting like an old man at the beach. Everyone liked Spider a lot. Perhaps even more than us humans. But that’s OK. He’s worth it.

After a long day. I love how the sun comes thru the pines right around 4:30p. Thomas Point Beach was pretty much beautiful. Even though at one point we were being crapped on by a porcupine in the tree during dinner time. Looked like coffee beans falling from the pine trees. Spider ate some of them. (Overshare? Most likely.)

Dirty feet! You know hoopers rock them. Here’s Rae and Mike being very proud of them. Are you proud of your dirty hoopin’ feet?

Lastly, here’s something moody and “fashionable”. Sisters! Heck ya!

Check out more photos in our HoopFest New England 2011 Flickr set.

On to planning for HoopCamp in Santa Cruz! Will we be seeing you there?! OMG am I ever anxious for that one!

And if you were at HoopFest, won’t ya leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on it! Did it rock your world? Are you still buzzing? What’d you learn?!

If you wished you were at HoopFest New England this year, do you think you'll go next year? It’s up in beautiful Maine and going to be even awesomer ~ I hear it’ll be 5 days instead of 4! And you have chances to see moose.

Progress Update: 3 Beat Weave (I think I got it!)

2011-07-01T08:58:00.001-05:00

Well, as the title says, I think I got it. Pretty good actually. Here I am talking about it/demonstrating it. Beware of silliness.

there’s also a squirrel and some birds in the background

To recap, it took me awhile to get this move down. Don’t get too discouraged. You can get a lil discouraged, but not a lot, please.

As I tried to say and demonstrate in the video, I start in the “chase weave”. This helps me to get enough momentum in the vertical plane to continue on into the 3-beat. When I try to just start off in the 3-beat weave the hoops usually get all diagonal and crooked. If anyone has any tips for me to get enough momentum starting with 3-beat, please let me know!

I got a lot of tips and pointers, and looked at a lot of videos to understand the move, so it may help to look at a lot of sources.

Next is the reverse weave and the reverse 3-beat weave! I hope I improve quite a bit in the coming days, and to at least look slightly more coordinated than my attempt in the video.

Please enjoy my impromptu Styx jam towards the end of the video.

Happy hooping! :)

Hoopreneur Highlights featuring : SaFire

2011-06-29T17:01:00.002-05:00

Many hoop dancers know SaFire as the webmistress and force behind Hoop City, a community and online forum for hoopers. Well, she’s got lots of irons in the fire, we can tell you. She’s the organizer of Spin Out, a multi-prop festival, and Stitch Rippers, a DIY clothing forum. In addition, she’s a motivational speaker, top notch performer and has gotten to where she is with heaps of hard work and passion. I’m so happy to share her entrepreneurial story with you.

~~~

Educator and Entertainer
Hoopreneur since 2008

B: When and how did you discover hooping?
S: I discovered hooping while attending the Shambhala Music Festival in 2006. I had been spinning fire poi for several months already and when I saw someone fire hooping it took my breath away and instantly knew it was something I had to do. I then spent countless hours online watching videos of Spiral, Jewels, Anah, Christabel, Diana and many others trying to figure out what the heck they were doing.

B: How many hours do you practice a day? How do you keep your practice “interesting”/not dry?
S: My interest in hooping has varied from time to time. I hooped obsessively in the beginning to avoid working on University papers and will hoop for hours on end while attending music festivals. When I have a studio space my daily practice greatly benefits but while traveling sometimes a week or so will pass and I won’t have touched my hoop. Then suddenly an event, the right song or playing with friends will get me really excited. I keep things interesting with music, a good environment, spin jams with friends and music festivals where the energy is high and my natural flow can expand. I look forward to the day when I have my own home and studio space to play in every day.

B: For sure. I try to hoop to as many different styles of music as possible. From mainstream to underground, hip-hop to rockabilly ~ different beats force you to move differently.

Do you have a background in dance and/or performance, previous to discovering hooping?
S: Nope. I am terribly clumsy. I can hoop with five hoops but I can’t pour juice.

B: Haha, that’s hilarious! So how long after you started hooping did you realize you could make some cash from it?
S: I started teaching and making hoops almost instantly, I sold hoops for the material costs and offered free classes at the University and to friends but didn’t treat it like a business until almost 2 years later. I decided to make it my business, began teaching, making hoops and performing full time before I really knew if it could support me.

B: What were the main “A-ha!” fireworks moments that made you realize you could make money hooping? How did they happen?
S: My first real thought about working as a hooper was actually to work as a motivation speaker for youth, using the hoop and fire dancing as an outlet to reach students from kindergarten to grade 12 on topics like bullying and self confidence. I was teaching art and photography at a high school in my home town, Fort McMurray, Alberta when a motivational magician came to the school to perform and speak with the students. During his show I wondered how he got into that kind of work.

A week later I did a half-time fire show in the gym for the students during a floor hockey tournament and they all went CRAZY with excitement! The next day when I walked into my art class I could easily pinpoint which of my students had seen the performance and which had skipped the event. Their eyes were glowing with excitement and they had so many questions. Suddenly I’d changed in their minds, no longer just their teacher and a forced authority figure but actually someone to respect.

A dream popped into my head and a few weeks after the semester finished I had turned down several job offers teaching, written a 45 minute motivational presentation called Inspire Through Fire, created a website and had moved five hours away from home into the cheapest place I could find in the city of Edmonton.

SaFire tellin’ it like it is and showing off some mad fire skills.

B: You Rock! Way to trust your gut and go for it!

When people whom you don’t know ask you ~ “What do you do?” ~ what do you tell them?
S: Ha! This one is always amusing for me and sometimes I keep things simple and don’t mention much detail, other times I’ll share more about what I do and how many different jobs my business really involves.

Generally I say, “I’m an educator and an entertainer. I teach online hula hoop dancing classes... (I pause to let that sink in for a second) It’s not just hula hooping at the waist but all over the body, using tosses, jump-throughs and integrating it all with dance. The classes are like a DVD but instead of shipping out plastic it’s all available online in a private forum where people can watch online or download the videos. I also teach classes at retreats and festivals as well as do performances and motivational presentations with fire and glow props.”

Then I stop and let them ask more questions about whichever part interests them the most.

B: What percentage of your income is hoop-related income?
S: 100% (Although I do other props as well so it’s not all hoop-related but it is all passion-related)

B: What are the first few steps to becoming a Hoopreneur?
S: Step 1: Be obsessed with all things Hooping.

Step 2: Stop watching television. Stop being lazy. Stop thinking your can’t do what you want. Stop thinking money is hard to get. Stop being rational and listen to your intuition.

Step 3: Work REALLY F@#&ing hard. Take EVERY job you can, expand the range of your services. Research other business, study, learn from your mistakes, read business books, grow, test yourself, lose yourself.

Step 4: STOP working so hard. Breath, chill out, take a break, go outside, simplify, and take on only what inspires you.

B: What resources or tools did you find most helpful when you were getting started?
S:

Looking at what others had done, browsing their websites and seeing what they are offering.
Talking to other performers, teachers, public speakers and entrepreneurs.
Attending local meetings, seminars, workshops, etc. in public speaking, business, marketing, advertising, etc.
Lynda.com - This site is packed with computer program tutorials, it’s how I’ve learning Photoshop, InDesign, HTML, CSS and many other programs.
My Macbook – Seriously people, they are just so refreshingly fun to use.

B: As a performer, how did you decide upon your rate?
S: When I first started out, I calculated my rates in the same way as when I would sell a piece of art. There are many factors to consider:

How long did your talent/the show take to create? i.e. how long have you been practicing and/or performing.
- The longer you’ve been performing, the more credentials you have and the more valuable you are. Over the years my rates have changed as I became more experienced; as you become more professional and accumulate hours and hours of stage experience your quality of show dramatically increases.
What kind of show is it? i.e. Fire, LED, daytime, etc.
- Is it a staged piece or roving? Fire shows are more expensive and a staged show is more expensive than a roving or walkabout because it is a more stressful and time consuming project to create.
What is involved in the show? i.e. Costuming, a specific type of music, etc.
- Many entertainers will charge if they have to purchase a specific costume piece but I’ll often suggest to a client that the show can be customized to their event theme free of charge. Unless you are selling a finished show piece, then altering the dance style, costuming and music is something easy to switch up for the client and give them a custom show. Mentioning this as a free option is a great way to up-sell and add value to your show. Sometimes I will also offer to do a free hoop dancing workshop afterwards. This allows me to have a higher show price while giving the client the option of receiving free bonuses if they like. Also it provides an opportunity for me to sell hoops or hand out business cards for my classes or workshops.
Is it a solo show, duo or troupe show?
- The more people the more expensive the show.
How long is the show?
- The longer the show the more people are willing to pay. Sadly quantity does not always translate to better quality but if the client wants an hour long show then I will lengthen my 45 minute show with banter and audience interaction.
Who are the clients?
- I often will give discounted shows for fundraisers and charity events. Is the event a small gathering or are you performing on stage for thousands of people? Large companies have larger budgets and will not be surprised to pay for quality entertainment.

B: What marketing methods have worked best for you?
S: I’ve read TONS of books on marketing and advertising, most of which I read in late high school and early college during a stint of anti-establishment frustration against mindless consumption, branding and massive globalization. Ironically that information comes in really handy now as a business owner.

However, in my experience you can read a million books on how to advertise and how to market your products but ultimately it comes down to having something you really believe in. If you genuinely love what you offer people and know that it can help others then people will see this and respond to it.

One of the biggest comments I’ve received about my online classes, workshops and my business presence is that I’m approachable, friendly and likable. Caring about your customers and thoroughly believing in the quality of your product will make word-of-mouth your most powerful asset. There is no marketing I could do that would ever be better then the testimonials of my students.

B: Great advice. I find that to be true as well.

Any big exposures that helped you get your name out there? How did they happen?
S: I would say a big exposure and something that put a big shift in my mindset towards hooping as a full-time career was having one of my video’s ~ the Clipstar video originally with Paramore music ~ win an international talent contest. I was awarded $10,000 (which was awesome of course) but what changed was that the video went viral. The video popped up on sites from all over the world and accumulated over 3 million hits from a variety of sites. Other people began posting it on their accounts and e-mailing it to friends. Sadly that video doesn’t have a link to my website since I didn’t have one at the time, also the music has been removed so it has lost a lot of steam.

Find more videos like this on Hoop City - Hooping Community - a space for hoopers

Original video that awarded SaFire $10,000!

B: What’s the most pivotal point in your Hoopreneurship so far?
S: I suppose that would be the creation of Hoop City and the launch of my online hooping classes. I had been asked by many people when I would be releasing an instructional DVD and had even looked into the idea but it felt off somehow. It worried me that with a DVD I’d have no really way of connecting with my students like I was used to doing through YouTube comments on my hooping tutorials.

Finally I discovered a friend’s site, where she was offering online art classes and realized it would work for me too. The best thing of all is that it would also allow me to create a space for hoopers to connect and share information in a way that was unlike anything online at the time. Thus, Hoop City was born.

Original Video Introducing Hoop City

B: What’s the #1 piece of advice you’d give to starting Hoopreneurs?
S: Have faith in yourself and try not to stress too much.

B: What keeps you motivated to keep your Hoopreneurship going?
S: In the beginning, I refused to admit defeat and was terrified that all the “nay-sayers” would be correct so it was sheer fear that manifested itself in tremendous amounts of stress that kept me going. Now that I’ve finished driving myself mad, I’m motivated to keep working because I enjoy it. Because it shocks my system everyday to realize what I’ve created, that I literally created my own job and it gives me hope that anything is possible.

B: I love that. Create your dream job. It’s completely possible and you are a testament to that.

So, saying that, just to be clear… do you have a “day job”?
S: Nope.

B: Awesome. Full-time passion.

Anything you would’ve done differently? What key lessons have you learned?
I would not have done anything differently, this is awesome. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to follow my intuition and listen to myself when something feels right AND when something doesn’t feel right.

Other key lessons I’ve learned in business it to be creative in your work. Often times there is a market for something and it’s just that no one is providing that service. Look at who could potentially be your customers and create a product for them rather than creating a product and then looking for customers. For example, if you are a performer, consider a group of people and write a show specifically for them. Having a list on your website with six different shows (which may actually only vary in music and costume) will make it easier for your clients to see the show that is right for them and encourage them to book you.

B: Great tips! I’ve noticed that too. Be as clear as you can about what you’re offering.

What’s next?! What goals do you have for the future?
S: I have a lot of inspirations, it’s ridiculous. Other off-shoots include an online DIY clothing site called Stitch Rippers. It’s on the same platform as Hoop City and it’s been really fun to make another community. This time it was much easier to set up because I’m already familiar with how to do it.

I’m also running a prop and movement festival in Alberta, Canada this year called Spin Out. It’s a 3 day and 2 night event with 25 workshops in various skills like poi, hooping, staff, contact juggling, belly dancing, aerial, yoga and more. I’ve been dreaming of doing a festival like this for years so it’s fun to watch things unfold.

B: Anything else you wanted to share?
S: Writing “professional hula hooper” as a career always makes me smile and is a beautiful reminder of the the choices we can make to create the life we love.

Thanks for sharing with us, SaFire!

~ ~ ~

Here’s where you can find SaFire:

Website: http://www.safiredance.com
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/FireSandra
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/safiredance
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/safiredance

Hoop Happenings : Fox6 WakeUp Interviewed HoopVive.com

2011-06-29T10:27:00.001-05:00

Rachel, I and a few other hoopers in our local Milwaukee hoop community woke up early to help Anna spread some hoop love yesterday morning!

Anna of HoopVive.com shows off some moves to the Fox6 correspondent, Laura, who actually did a really good job with the moves! I was impressed. Go Laura!

The feature was on Fox6 Wakeup and the video can be found here. Or you can just click on the image below to take you there!

I’m in the back and Rachel is too… somewheres!

~~~

Update: We are busy busy busy getting ready for HoopFest New England!

We leave Saturday for a week-plus excursion. Get your orders in for stickers/buttons by the 30th; otherwise they won’t be shipped until after we get back, around the 13th.

~~~

Progress Update: Journeys into Double Hoops

2011-06-23T12:26:00.001-05:00

A couple weeks back, I made a post about my troubles getting into this lil thing called the “3 beat weave”. I think I actually have been working on this, off and on, since the winter months. But with a little rest, a lot of different perspectives, and a bunch of practice, I feel like I’m finally getting it! Here is an awesome video I made of my trials and tribulations of practice.

It’s awesome because it shows how awful and ridiculous I look, accompanied by a cheesy power anthem. I hope you laugh. Awkward clumsiness is all a part of the process, my friends.

practice! practice! schmactice!

I’m going to keep on practicing and keep you updated! Thanks to everyone that gave me tips, pointers, and suggestions! They really helped!

Remember, the only thing you can’t do is the impossible!

Happy hooping! :)

Today Only: FREE STANDARD SHIPPING on any order in the shirt shop!

2011-06-21T13:13:00.001-05:00

FOR REAL!

It’s time to get that shirt that you’ve been eyeing up. Cuz you don’t have to pay for the shipping. You know you want to. All you have to do is enter code T-DAY2011. That’s pretty easy, right? Saving money is great. Plus you deserve it. Shop here.

We were in a music video… with hoops!

2011-06-14T20:15:00.001-05:00

Last weekend we were busy on the set at a shoot for the newest Uncle Larry music video for the upcoming EP, “House Fly”.

Above are little goofy sneak peeks of us on-set. Hooping was definitely a major player, as you can see.

Check out the story on OnMilwaukee.com about the backstory of the video. Also, check out Bill’s get-up. (Not the pink guy. That guy should remain anonymous for his own good. Ha!)

Can’t wait for the video’s debut!

Speaking of debuts… we’ll be debuting some new HoopPretty goodies at HoopFest! Rachel and I will be packaging the goodies tomorrow in a big packaging party here at HoopPretty HQ. Only 17 days before we leave, so we have to hustle our bustles!

Journeys Into Double Hoops

2011-05-31T10:43:00.001-05:00

One hoop is great, but two hoops is even greater!

Meh…maybe. At least if you’re thinking in math terms.

Lately I’ve been venturing into twin/double/poi hooping territory, and holey moley this is a whole nother beast! I’ve gotten some things down: the chase weave (is this called the 2 beat weave?), and something that I think has been called the “Mexican flag dance”? As you can tell, I’m not very familiar with the terminology.

But this thing called the 3-beat weave is proving to be quite a challenge. I’ve gone from looking ridiculously uncoordinated to slightly-less ridiculously uncoordinated within the last few weeks practicing it. I think my main issue is that my left hand just does not want to follow my right. But these two vids, one by SaFire and the other by Caroleeena, have been helpful in getting my arms to acclimate to the motion.

SaFire teachin’ it!

Go Caroleeena Go!

Got any tips for me/others trying to get this move down? Comment below! And also, if there’s any kind of move that’s sorta easy, but cool-looking that you know of with double hoops, please do share!

Thanks and happy hooping!

~~Rachel

HoopCamp, Here We COME

2011-05-25T10:08:00.001-05:00

It’s official! We’re heading to HoopCamp (Sept 22-25) this year. Will we see you there?

We’ll be toting along our HoopPretty goodies to sell ~ t-shirts, stickers, buttons, art prints ~ including some new colorful and cute items! Rachel and I have been going hard with creating new designs over the past few weeks and planning some new exciting developments for HoopPretty. She recently went to part-time status at her job, to concentrate on creating more art! So excited for her and so happy to be able to work more together. Loves my sis!

Here’s last year’s vibe, as presented by Hooping.org’s master of online ceremonies, Philo Hagen:

I’m especially psyched about those Cyr wheels (around 3:20). I hope they’ll be there again this year, because I’ve wanted to try them out for some time... even though I’m also a little terrified of busting my fingers off. Should I be? Eeekers.

HoopCamp is once again being hosted at Pema Osel Ling Retreat Center, near Santa Cruz, CA, but up in the mountains. Shoot, just check out that redwood splendor!

So… will we see you there?! Also, if you are attending HoopCamp, what are YOU most looking forward to!?

Hoopreneur Highlights :: Sarah Maccarelli

2011-05-17T08:30:00.000-05:00

Hooper with a background in ballet and belly dance. DIY-er . Philadelphia’s Top Makeup Artist!!! Sarah seems to have the perfect combination of skills and talent for a Hoopreneur. Check. Her. Out.

Sarah Maccarelli
Hoop Teacher, Hoop Crafter

When and how did you discover hooping?

About two years ago I was at an open mic. Someone took a hula hoop down off the ceiling where it had been hanging as a decoration. I started hooping to the music and fell instantly in love.

How many hours do you practice a day? How do you keep your practice “interesting”/not
dry?

Some days I hoop for a few hours at a time, other days not at all. It really depends. I keep my practice interesting by hooping to new music and learning new moves whenever I can. Going to hoop jams and hooping with other people also keeps hooping interesting.

Do you have a background in dance and/or performance, previous to discovering
hooping?

Yes. I started ballet and gymnastics when I was 3 years old. I stopped gymnastics when I became a teenager but kept taking ballet classes and dancing with a company until my early twenties. Belly dance was my "mistress" on the side, and eventually became my main squeeze when I stopped ballet.

How long after you started hooping/circus arts did you realize you could make some cash
from it?

One day while walking with a hoop, a bus pulled to a screeching halt. The driver ran out and asked me about my hoop! Just walking around the neighborhood with my hoop, I have people run up to me and ask me where I got it from.

What were the main “A-ha!” fireworks moments that made you realize you could make
money hooping? How did they happen?

After a year of hooping, I decided to become certified and start teaching. I was thrilled to bring hooping to my community, but my adult classes kept falling through. The two locations I had rented just did not work out. And being a busy makeup artist on the side, I didn't have time or the desire to start up another class in some other town.

One day I received a call from the local library about teaching a kids' hoop class in their rec room. It was perfect. I didn't have to rent the space, the kids showed up class after class, and many other schools in my area have expressed interest in my hooping after school programs. I have more fun teaching kids anyway :)

I had made dozens and dozens of hoops for adults. They were taking over the house. That's when it was time to spread the hoop joy by offering free monthly hoop jams. About 8 people came to the first one, but we sure had a large audience! One person came from more than an hour away to hoop with me. I was honored. And although I offered the use of my hoops for free during the meet up, people bought hoops! So I decided to sell hoops as well.

When people whom you don’t know ask you ~ “What do you do?” ~ what do you tell
them? (in 1-3 “small talk” sentences)

I tell people I'm a hoop dance performer and instructor. Most people don't know what hoop dance is and assume that hooping means just hula hooping on the waist.

What percentage of your income is hoop-related income?

About 30%

List the 1st, 2nd and 3rd steps to becoming a Hoopreneur.

      1) Be confident in your ability as a business owner and hooper.
      2) Spread the hoop joy in person and online. Create a presence. Business cards are a must!
      3) Talk to places in the community and ask them if you can teach there/perform there, etc.

Be willing to work for free in the beginning. It will pay off!

What resources or tools did you find most helpful when you were getting started?

The internet was my best friend...I watched hoopers on YouTube, I joined several social networking sites for hoopers (www.hoopcity.ca, hooping.org, just to name a few).

If you’re a performer or teacher, how did you decide upon your rate? If you’re a hoop
crafter, how did you decide on pricing?

There are many factors. It varies depending on the length of the show, how far the venue is, time and effort I have put into my training. I had to pay for insurance, my certification, costumes, etc. That said, my hoops are affordable to make them accessible to everyone.

What marketing methods have worked for you?

I love marketing. Social networking and word-of-mouth methods are very effective.

Any big exposures that helped you get your name out there?

Hooping.org featured a video of a tutorial I did on their main page...after that, I suddenly had at least 10 times as many twitter followers! I didn't even know until a friend called me about it.
How did they happen? I put my video up on YouTube and I guess someone sent it to hooping.org. I had never been to the website before that. Of course I joined.

What’s the #1 piece of advice you’d give to starting Hoopreneurs?

Believe in yourself.

Do you have a “day job”?

I work 20 hours a week for an independent theater in my neighborhood as well. I love it there. I'm also a free-lance makeup artist and was voted Philly's top makeup artist.

Anything you would’ve done differently?

I have no regrets.

What’s next?! What goals do you have for the future?

Eventually I'd love to conquer my fire phobia and learn to fire hoop.

Where to find Sarah:

Hooping by Sarah: http://www.hoopingbysarah.com
Her Hooping Meet-up: http://www.meetup.com/Lansdowne-Hoopers/
Make Up Portfolio: http://www.makeupbysarahm.com/
Free Make Up Tutorials: http://www.youtube.com/user/makeupbysarahmacc

Yay! More Funny Hooping Videos!

2011-05-11T08:35:00.001-05:00

Have you been following Hooping Idol on hooping.org? If not, I must hip you to this person: Nick Broyd.

Great hoop style, and even awesomer hoop humor. So far, my fav video of his is the “persona performance,” where he embodies James Bond, AND the evil Dr. Spinbad. Great characterization!

Kinda makes you want to interpret one of your favorite movies thru hooping, right?!

Other great, silly, spunky, stylin vids include: 80s week performance(set to Salt n’ Pepa’s Push It), and his finale week performance (set to 50 Cent’s P.I.M.P.)

Check him out if you are into humorous-ness + hooping. He’s a rising hoop star INDEED!

Our new collection is here!

2011-05-06T10:45:00.000-05:00

Now that normal, serious, borrrring school is out, hoop school is definitely in session, pretty hoopers!

Here it is ~ our new, fun, university-inspired Hoop School Collection! We were inspired by college gym wear for this one, but inserted a hoop-circus flair for all kinds o’ sass.

Go here to see the whole collection and get yourself into some hoop school spirit :) For a very limited time every design will be on sale at a savings of 15-20% off!

Thanks so much for being a fan and hooping along with us! And if you haven't already, let us know what hoop moves you're stuck on. We want to help out!

Hoopreneur Highlights ~ Jen Moore aka Roc City Hoopdance

2011-05-03T08:30:00.000-05:00

You may have heard of Jen Moore ~ she’s the inspiring lady who transformed herself dramatically with hoop dance ~ starting at nearly 300lbs and losing 140lbs, solely from being inside the hoop! A Hoopnotica-certified instructor, Jen took her love for hooping from personal practice to teaching, which she does 7 days a week. Jen has been featured locally in Rochester on TV and in newspapers as well as on the Today Show. She has an enormous amount of wisdom to share with you regarding her Hoopreneurship. I cannot wait to meet her at HoopFest New England!

~~~

Jen Moore
Hoop Teacher, Hoop Performer
Hoopreneur since February 2010

When and how did you discover hooping?

A local studio that I had taken a cardio class at briefly had a Hoopnotica instructor offering classes. I was 8 months pregnant and almost 300lbs, it wasn’t the ideal time for me to take up hooping. When I was ready to come back to it, she had moved away, so I was on my own!

How do you keep your practice “interesting”?

At least 15-30 minutes of my own personal hooping time, but I consider every class I teach to be also my own practice time, to continually evolve and grow as a hooper, it’s the best possible way, in my opinion! I learn so much from my students and draw so much inspiration from them! I keep practice interesting by weekly/monthly challenges with my husband!

Do you have a background in dance and/or performance, previous to discovering hooping?

Absolutely not. I am the least coordinated, dancey person on the planet, I’m positive.

How long after you started hooping/circus arts did you realize you could make some cash from it?

I never, ever though in terms of money. I am a Stay at Home Mama, and after I started seeing the pounds literally melt off me, I knew our community NEEDED to be introduced to the magic of hoopdance. So I got certified through Hoopnotica to teach, and doors started opening right and left, and haven’t stopped in the past year that I’ve been teaching! I weekly am contacted by places interested in adding hooping to their offerings!

What were the main “A-ha!” fireworks moments that made you realize you could make money hooping? How did they happen?

Again, for me, the money really is just like the cherry on top. I never originally had any clue that it would explode like it has-selling sometimes 25+ hoops weekly, teaching 15+ classes weekly. My husband is going to start teaching himself next week, because the demand is so great! So I guess he’s my first employee. As the money started coming in, I was like oh WOW! This is truly amazing, by finding myself in the hoop, I put it back out there, and it has returned financially like I never could have anticipated.

When people whom you don’t know ask you ~ “What do you do?” ~ what do you tell them?

I am a hoopdance instructor/performer. I teach fitness classes that are exercise in disguise! We spin big shiny pieces of plastic all over our bodies, laugh, have fun, and burn a ridiculous amount of calories. Oh yeah, I’ve lost 135lbs since *I* started hooping myself. It really works.

What percentage of your income is hoop-related income?

In some aspects, all of it! My husband is now a certified personal trainer, and he utilizes hoop in many different ways with his clients. So I’d say right now, at least 50%, as Keith starts teaching himself, it will increase!

List the first few steps of becoming a Hoopreneur.

1. For me, it was really experiencing the hoop and finding confidence, joy and passion. At that point, when I felt the changes from the inside out, I had to share with others. So you have to be passionate about it!

2. Next was finding a good certification-if you are going to teach, you don’t necessarily NEED hoop certification, but if you want to be a leader in the industry, having credentials, experience and learning as much as you can in all aspects will make all the difference!

3. The most important step for me is to always have my hoop! It’s a visual thing (“what? It’s not a cheap Walmart hoop? Then what IS it?”), and it generates conversation and networking like you wouldn’t believe.

What resources or tools did you find most helpful when you were getting started?

Online communities! Hoopnotica has a wonderful teacher’s forum I visited often, asking questions, finding out about their certification process and how to go about it. Hooping.org and Hoopcity as well, their forums for instructors are SO wonderful for new teachers!

If you’re a performer or teacher, how did you decide upon your rate? If you’re a hoop crafter, how did you decide on pricing?

Since I am fortunate enough to not need to support myself with hooping, I never felt like I had to go in looking to pay my bills. I always am flexible and feel that while I am paid differently at all the places I teach, it’s always fair to me.

For performances/teaching, I ask for a rate that reflected the uniqueness of what I am bringing, and the time and effort I have put into my training (Certified group fitness instructor ACE, Hoopnotica certified, CPR/First Aid, my own liability insurance, etc, not to mention flight time) as well as the facility and what their budget is. Sometimes I offer my services for free, if a place wouldn't be able to afford it, and I have always seen when that happens, that I make back 10 times in networking what I would have made had I gotten my flat fee. So it’s a very organic process for me, knowing it all evens out in the end!

As a crafter of hoops, we decided on the material cost and the time that goes in to the hoop making as well.

What marketing methods have worked for you?

As I mentioned before, the easiest, best and FREE option is simply having hoops. I carry mine everywhere. Even if I am not hooping one day, it comes with me into the gym. I have all my hoops in the back of my van. I usually have a travel hoop stuffed in my bag as well. Also networking and always having a business card is so huge. Demos are great, offering to come in and do a free 15 minute hands on demo, so people can visualize what this is all about.

Any big exposures that helped you get your name out there?

We have had some awesome things happen. We have been featured in the local newspaper three times. We have been featured in a few different local magazines as well. We have appeared on the Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda. We have done local TV media (see here and here). Countries as far away as France, Germany, UK, Australia and Canada have purchased our story to run in magazines.

How did they happen? A lot of it was random - a friend suggested contacting the Today Show, so we did. My husband contacted the local paper when I started teaching. Word of mouth. Basically, it’s all about chasing it and putting yourself out there, really knowing you have a story of value to share and pushing to find an outlet to do so!

What’s the most pivotal point in your Hoopreneurship so far?

I think just this new year, as I celebrate my one year Hoopiversary and just think WOW. I started teaching ONE class a year ago. I had no idea it would spiral like this and be so incredible a year later!

What’s the #1 piece of advice you’d give to starting Hoopreneurs?

Pursue it. Share it. Put yourself out there - this is new, this is fresh, this is WORTH sharing, so contact people, network, and get the word out there! It starts slow but look at what has happened to us in a matter of 12 months! I can’t even begin to fathom what this next year has in store for us!!

What keeps you motivated to keep your Hoopreneurship going?

My love for it. I absolutely adore what I do, every single day I am so honored to teach (yup, I teach classes 7 days a week!) and connect with so many different hoopers!

(Note from Barbra: WOW! Seven days of teaching ~ that’s huge!)

Do you have a “day job”?

My most important job is 24/7, mama to my 2 beautiful children here on earth and my sweet daughter in heaven.

Anything you would’ve done differently?

I think I would have possibly finished my own weight loss journey first. I have been maintaining since the fall, which is fine, but I want to lose another 20lbs and I am finding it so hard to take it to the next level when every day I pour out to my students.

At the same time, I LOVE that I started teaching when I was still over 200lbs, really connecting with people that way, I wasn’t some paragon of fitness. I wasn’t intimidating.

What key lessons have you learned?

That if you believe it, you can be it. You can discipline yourself and do, and be anything you want. It’s never too late.

What’s next?!

I have no idea! This year has been insane so far, I never know what the next day will hold, but it’s new and exciting each day! I just joined an aerial arts/circus burlesque troupe, so I’m really excited to focus on my performance and take it to the next level-some fire hooping, which is a personal goal for me. My husband is going to begin to teach classes next month, so that’s going to be branching out and making our circle even bigger (ha!)

What goals do you have for the future?

Starting to do some workshops, advanced level hoop classes, hold a local hoop training and get more certified teachers here (I need a sub! ;) ) Continue to grow as a hooper professionally and personally.

Lastly, Jen shares another little piece of wisdom…

Another thing I LOVE about my business is that my oldest daughter is also a part of it. She is 6, and started hooping when I did, so she was 4.5 years old. She now co-teaches Family Hoop classes at the Y with me, leads Hoop Jams with me, and performs with me. She has won two hooping contests, and practices weekly with us. She LOVES it, and it is so fun to truly make this a family business (someone actually asked if they could hire her for private lessons with their child the other day!! WOW!) I love that she sees that being active and healthy is FUN, and that you can do a job you love and it’s not a monotonous “work”. She makes money teaching and performing with me, so she’s learning money management from an early age! She also will be helping me this summer, as I will be the Hoop instructor at a circus camp for kids, so she is very excited about that opportunity!

Where to find Jen:

Website: http://www.roccityhoopdance.com/
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/choofymama
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RocCityHoopdance

9 Ways to Clean-Up for the 2011 Hoop Season

2011-04-28T11:43:00.001-05:00

The good ol’ sun is starting to peek out and that means it’s going to be full-on hoop season very very soon! Spring & Summer has traditionally been the best time for hooping and, I, for one, can’t wait for the mushy ground to start to green up and accept my bare feet. Hoop sessions near the lakefront, hoop dance parties in the backyard, impromptu hoop jams! Hells YES!

It’s gonna be one of the most active hoop seasons yet. So what am I doing to prepare? Cleaning, organizing and ditching the old hoop stuff to make room for new hoopy growth.

Here’s some things you can do to prepare for 2011’s hoop season:

Donate old, dinged-up hoops to the neighborhood kids
Sell off your old hoops for cheap to generate money for new ones
Use leftover hoop tape scraps to make a groovy rainbowy “hoop painting”, as I like to call it (see above)
Get a fancy COLORED polypro hoop from Superhooper! Have the benefits of pretty color, with the challenge of a lightweight hoop! Coils down so you can take it easily on summer road trips.
Get a new hoop outfit (I’m eyeing-up these purple hooping bloomerz. They’ll go great with our new HoopPretty hooping t-shirt collection! Still a secret… ;) )
Sell your old heavier LED hoop and treat yourself to something more befitting of your skill level
Try out some new music for hooping (my favorite lately: LCD Soundsystem Station on Pandora)
Sign up for a workshop (join us in Maine!)
Create or buy a new pair of feather earrings (oh my gawd… gorgeous colors below from Owlita)

What’re you doing to prepare for the new hoop season? Share with us in the comments!

Hoopreneur Highlights ~ HoopME! aka Maria Randolph

2011-04-19T08:30:00.000-05:00

Maria’s story is an inspirational go-getter story. It’s testament to the power of passion and having a wonderfully supportive hoop & circus arts community. Hooping only since June of 2010, she’s spread hoop love locally and nationally and even helped to mastermind New England’s first big hoop jam festival, called HoopFest New England. That’s some commitment! I can certainly see how she’s accomplished so much ~ I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with her and working with her on the HoopFest logo. Her happy spirit is infectious. Her passion for hoop dance and the community is radiant. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

~~~

Maria Randolph
Hoop Love Facilitator a.k.a. Beginner Hoop Instructor
Hoopreneur since 11/2010 (started hooping: 6/2010!)

When and how did you discover hooping?

I was a perusing one of Sara Janssen's blogs (http://www.happyjanssens.com/) and she had started hooping and was sharing links and taking amazing pictures. I was intrigued by the dance aspect. Hooping looked so full of creativity and joy that I knew I had to try. I searched high and low for hoopers in my area. I found two (Tracy Tingley of Hardcore Hooping and Christine MacDonald of MissFit) and hour and a half south and one (Sennyo of Sennyo Arts) an hour and a half north of me. I was willing to drive that far for a hoop, but then discovered Judith Tingley (HoopMainiac) just 45 minutes way! Judith was selling water filled hoops out of her home and my daughter and I both a hoop and started hooping in the park an hour later. I was hooked. Big time.

How many hours do you practice a day? How do you keep your practice “interesting”/not dry?

During the summer months I practiced for at least an hour a day if not two. I'd do some house work, rethink a move or a song and run back out to my lawn and play some more. During the winter..ah, that's been a different story. Winter in Maine seriously curtails my flight time, although I have rented some studio space and hooped in our a small room in our home. Limiting movements taught me a lot, too, but I can't wait for the snow to disappear and really MOVE again!

Do you have a background in dance and/or performance, previous to discovering hooping?

Yes, I excel and have a Level 5 in the art of Kitchen Dance. Most of you are probably familiar with the deep procrastination that come with doing dishes, so I crank the music and dance between washing and drying. Meanwhile, beyond loving a good dance party, and early memories of dancing to my mothers vinyl Helen Reddy albums (bet you didn't know you could dance to her did you?) I have no professional background in dance or performance.

How long after you started hooping did you realize you could make some cash from it? What were the main “A-ha!” fireworks moments that made you realize you could make money hooping? How did they happen?

My cousin was visiting Maine last summer and I was passionately (probably ad nauseam) telling her about hooping. She really encouraged me by brainstorming ideas to take the passion and turn it into a business. I was skeptical and unsure. I mean, I had just started hooping but I was also teaching friends in the backyard and hooping publicly. I had people stopping me in the parks and on the beach asking about hooping. The area that I lived in had very few hoopers and hoop instructors so I could definitely see that the niche could be filled.

A few months later, it was getting colder and the nights shorter and my husband encouraged me to rent a community center, make a few flyers and give an Introduction to Hooping. The community center I approached was really enthusiastic and advertised for me also. I really figured I'd have my friends show up and we'd have fun. In reality only three friends were able to make it, but the other 25 people who showed up were ready to hoop! I was amazed. I split the group in two and held two six week classes. I learned so much from everyone, and the joy of introducing the hoop to others made the class so fulfilling.

I've taken the winter off to re-group and focus on where I've wanted the business to go. So far, a lot of the money I've made has gone directly back into the business: advertising, sound equipment, hoop making, insurance, rental etc...but I'm really pleased with how fast things have taken off!

When people whom you don’t know ask you ~ “What do you do?” ~ what do you tell them? (in 1-3 “small talk” sentences)

I make and sell hula hoops, and also give instruction on the art of creative hoop dance.

List the 1st, 2nd and 3rd steps to becoming a Hoopreneur.

1. Passion: Every hooper has it.

2. Definition: Where do you want your business to go long-term (dream big!) Where will it go short-term? Define the steps it will take to get there. Be realistic about your goals given your personality and circumstance. Define the avenue of hooping your business will take. Hooping can take many forms: adult fitness, adult dance, kids fitness, kids creativity, meditation,self-esteem, performance, entertainment. Which avenue will you pursue?

3. Study your market. Anyone else hooping in your area? How can you work with them? How can you stand out as different? If there aren't many instructors, how can you get the word out about what hooping is all about?

4. Where do you fit in with the community in your location. I'm a seriously non competitive person and feel that all hoopers and hoop instructors can work together to build an incredible community with communication and creative thinking. It's very important to be inclusive and communicative with the hooping community not only in your particular region, but in the state.

What resources or tools did you find most helpful when you were getting started?

The biggest tool has been research and support through the online community but also the local community. After the first class I had last fall (that a-ha! moment) I remember calling Christine MacDonald of MissFit (Portland Maine) and saying “Oh.my, I have this accidental business and I'm panicking!”She had three years of experience in a hooping business and knew the area well. She really helped me calm down and focus and encouraged me to keep going. That was valuable to me. I've talked to many of the instructors in Maine and the collective experience they all have to offer has been so enriching to me. They offer this freely and enthusiastically and I'm very grateful.

The local business community has so many resources. I thought of limiting myself to just the fitness or dance community, but when I've branched out in talking to other business about what I do, I'm often surprised and how people are enthusiastically speaking up and sharing ideas and resources with me. This has given me so many connections and ideas. I also asked for help from a social media and creative business consultant to make sure I was on the right track and using my resources in the best possible way.

What marketing methods have worked for you?

I'm still in the early days of figuring this out. Flyers, business cards, press releases, adult education classes, Facebook , Twitter and word of mouth have been my primary marketing methods. For me two of the biggest marketing assets are hoops and word of mouth. I carry my hoops everywhere. I have a ski rack and my hoops are on top of it ~ they are marketing for me at all times. I also find getting out and hooping in public is a big tool, too. People may not stop and say anything, but they sure do remember you! Their interest is further piqued when they see a flyer or newspaper mention.

Any big exposures that helped you get your name out there? How did they happen?

Well, Barbra from HoopPretty asked me to be interviewed! That was pretty cool and pretty big as far as I'm concerned! I've recently been asked to be written up in a local creative business magazine. (insert comment ~ “Aww, that’s so nice! Honored to interview you.”)

What’s the most pivotal point in your Hoopreneurship so far?

Being so new at not just hooping, but the hooping business, I am constantly humbled by my inexperience. Sometimes this causes me to really doubt myself or the road I'm on. A large shift in my thinking came when I read Lara Eastburn's interview with Philo Hagen.

Philo explained that the Bay Area Hoopers started the very night he first hooped, as almost a joke. But he followed through on it and the weekly jam took off like wild-fire. In less than a week he was blogging at hooping.org. That's about as new as it gets! That really gave me the courage to change my thinking and perspective and own what I was doing, new or not.

What’s the #1 piece of advice you’d give to starting Hoopreneurs?

Allow for change. I'm a pretty big control freak. HoopME! has grown so organically it was very difficult to control what it has become. It almost has a life of it's own. I needed to learn to let my business take it's own direction. That meant letting go. So let go, trust your gut and press the accelerator!

What keeps you motivated to keep your Hoopreneurship going?

Teaching. Before my first class of the new year started up, I was really nervous about teaching all over again. Full of doubt. The minute I introduced myself to the class, gave them hoops and watched how much fun they were having, I was hooked all over again. I absolutely love teaching and sharing, and that is what keeps me going. I've received not only positive feedback from that class, but excellent constructive criticism that allows me to change and grow in my teaching. What's not to love??

Do you have a “day job”?

I'm fortunate to have the right circumstances to start my own business. I homeschool our daughter which is a job unto itself, but we've been able to incorporate this new passion into our lives pretty easily!

Anything you would’ve done differently? What key lessons have you learned?

I'm still so new and fresh at this that I haven't had a lot of time to look at the business in retrospect....so get back to me in a year or two!

What’s next?! What goals do you have for the future?

To meet my hoop crush, of course! Seriously, I'm really passionate about building community in Maine. When I first started hooping I found it a real challenge to connect with the community of people currently hooping and instructing. I still stumble upon people who quietly hoop in their backyard or find an instructor I didn't realize was out there. I'd really like to build a stronger network of support and community in Maine. A central place where those interested in hooping can go to see what's offered in not only the Maine hooping world, but the entire world of hooping. I'd also love a retreat or gathering for hoop instructors to come together to rejuvenate themselves, inspire and support one another.

Through co-organizing HoopFest New England I've really found that my control freak tendencies lend themselves to event planning. I'd love to see annual workshops and events geared toward Maine hoopers and the related flow arts.

There is an incredible flow community in Maine and I'd love to delve into that further, too. Fire, buugeng, contact juggling, fans...all related arts I'd love to delve into and learn more about.

I'm really going to try to set a goal to get to one hoop or flow gathering a year. The amazing amount of combined knowledge and learning would catapult my personal practice and my business both...and who knows...maybe I'd get to take a class from my hoop crush!

About HoopFest New England:

Just like my hoop business, HoopFest came as a shock and surprise to me. I was new to hooping and ardently wished we had a Hoop Camp or Hoop Convergence in New England ~ something really big with national instructors and catered meals. I talked to a few people and found I wasn't alone! I started dreaming of this as an idea that could happen perhaps in 2012 or 2013.

I was talking to Dawn Gee of Fifth Element Hooping in Central Maine and she was really behind the idea all the way and offered her complete support in every way possible. I thought I'd start a little foot work and looked into a venue and the second place I called was available for THIS summer! I couldn't believe it. Finding a venue in a Maine summer only 8 months in advance is unheard of. Well, now to find instructors...surely no one would be able to come or want to come to an untried hoop festival, right? I was connected on Facebook with a few people in the New England area and so I contacted them. Jocelyn Gordon, Ann Humphreys, Malcolm Stuart, The Bex, Caroleeena (okay NC is not New England, but we aren't going to let on...) and to my everlasting surprise they ALL said yes! Dawn and I had a HoopFest on our hands!

After getting the word out, the New England hooping community was in full support. Lulu Hoops, Amelia Whitney, Christine MacDonald/MissFit Lolli Hoops (Boston Hoop Troop), Hooping Harmony and Sennyo and many more all stepped forth to offer there time and energy. We're forever grateful.

I don't think Dawn or I had a clue what we were getting into. The unseen costs and amount of work in terms of organizing is really incredible. But, speaking for both Dawn and I, we've really enjoyed the challenges and are so privileged and excited to be a part of this event along with so many other talented hoopers. In the largest sense, I really feel like I'm giving back for all I've been given in terms of discovering hooping and the amazing amount of people in the hooping community who put themselves out there and share the hoop love. Which gets back to Sara Jannsen...thank you Sara!

Where to find Maria of HoopME:

If you’re a Hoopreneur, new or seasoned, share your story with us!

And if you like this post, why not share it with the links below.

Rachel's confessions of a first-time workshopper ~Brecken in Chicago~

2011-04-13T22:04:00.006-05:00

As you may have read from my sister Barbra’s post a few days ago, the Milwaukee hoop crew trekked down to Chicago to be taught by the awesome, the magnificent, the mind-blowing Brecken Rivara.
I thought I should give my insights, as someone who’s never been to a hooping workshop before.

(above: me way to the right, workshopping it!)

What were my expectations?

Well, just from watching Brecken’s videos, witnessing the dynamic way she moves, I don’t think any one expected the workshop to be a walk in the park. But I was totally up for it. Come on, how often to you get instruction from Brecken? Bring it on, I said. Kick my ass.

Confession #1

I feel like a complete dork saying this, but I think I’d built up Brecken almost to a celebrity-type status. I really wouldn’t give a damn if Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie gave me the time of day. Who cares? But Brecken, despite how wonderfully down to earth she is, I am still in awe of. I’ve sort of been telling people that she’s my hoop crush ( Definition: someone in the hooping/hoop dance realm that you really admire and/or are in awe of because of what amazing things they can do with a hoop.) So because of the way I ended up building Brecken up in my head, I ended up being intimidated by her sheer awesomeness. As a consequence, I was pretty shy.

During the workshop…
I was really impressed by Brecken’s technical attention to detail, her emanating passion for hooping, her perspective on movement. When she talked, it seemed like she always had a smile on her face, like it was this great joy to share what she knows. Corny, right? The ironic thing is, I feel like I hardly smiled throughout the whole workshop. Hopefully I didn’t come off as a stoic knob. I was trying so hard to understand the mechanics, and my thought process a lot of the time ended up being something like~”Holy crap, Brecken how did you break that down? I just want my body to understand all that and process it and be so gahdamn intuitive! Like right now please…” I sort of wish I would’ve taken a break to take notes, or more videos, more photos. There was so much to learn, and I really just wanted to experience it all. And I think Brecken’s energy (despite being sick!) kept me going.

(above: me jamming, everyone else seems to be paying attention to the front of the room)

Confession #2

I really like that Brecken swears. She dropped the f-bomb a couple of times, and it made me happy for some reason. Maybe it’s like she’s communicating: shit man, come on, we’re all friends here. I’m comfortable enough around you to use my potty mouth freely. Sorry Jesus. Did I mention the workshop was held in a church basement?

After the workshop…
I felt EX-HAUS-TED. I’m not going to lie, it was pretty intense. But really, I’m glad it was exhausting. I felt accomplished and stronger after the weekend. Also I was sore. My legs and obliques are still feeling it.
I’ve had a couple of days here in Milwaukee that have been nice and sunny, where I can try out what I learned in Chicago. I’m finding myself writing stuff down to jog my memory; lest I forget bits and pieces of what I learned. Some of the things Brecken taught over the weekend are going to take time and practice. The ability to feel grounded, finding the currents in your body, creating spirals—I learned that these are some things to be comfortable with perhaps even before you pick up the hoop. Sounds kinda new-age-y, doesn’t it? Bit by bit I think I’m turning more into a hippie.

Confession #3

Well this is probably embarrassing too. During the workshop, Brecken would demo something and the workshoppers would follow suit and try it out. She was very encouraging, and would often tell us what a great job we were doing (or what a “fucking awesome” job we were doing). I don’t even remember what kind of move I was doing-- a barrel roll or a turn or something-- but Brecken saw me do it and very approvingly said “nice”. And I swear to GOD I must have blushed like a damn school girl. It was totally like I had the thought process of a 13-year-old, geeking out, thinking “OMG this really cool person thinks I did something good! OMG that’s awesome!” True story.

Overall, the workshop was great. I learned a lot and I got to spend 8+hours in a church basement with a hooping idol. What more could a girl ask for?!

Also, feel free to post your hoop crush below! Ain’t no shame! I know you have one! ;)
Happy hooping!~~Rachel

Hooping Workshop ~ Brecken in Chicago

2011-04-11T11:14:00.001-05:00

(above: Brecken & Rachel)

What an exhausting weekend!

Rachel, Anna & I traveled south for the weekend to Chicago to meet up with Brecken Rivara and the Midwest crew. Eight hours of super-intense technical instruction and I am beat. And since I’m so tired and still sort-of digesting the weekend’s teachings, I’ll give the highlights of the workshop and my initial take-aways.

Brecken uses a lot of water metaphors in her instruction. To her, it would seem hooping is like being a fish in water. Floating, sensing all the space around you ~ diving and careening and noticing the non-linear aspects of that and using it to your advantage to go from movement to movement. My ribs and neck are feeling it! (And my gills.)
Socks are important to have at her workshops. She encourages a lot of sliding around. Lots of fun spinning around in socks.
Brecken is super-passionate about hooping. The first day of the workshop she was sick but did not stop for even a short break. She even wanted to go overtime with her instruction because she had so much she wanted to share.
Although I thought her workshop was “technical”, her methods of teaching were whimsical and reminded me of being in recess when I was 5. Unhindered, playful and yet she was very descriptive ~ verbally & physically ~ when breaking down movements.

I took very few photos because I preferred to participate rather than document. I wish there was a 2nd me there to take more shots! Above is a group shot from Saturday.

In addition to the workshop, we also met up for dinner on Saturday at de Colores and had pot luck gathering on Sunday.

Here’s the Milwaukee crew that headed down to Chicago (left to right): Barbra, Anna, Rachel, Anne, & Mike.

If you have a desire to really break out and loosen up your hoop practice, I recommend going to a Brecken workshop! Her next stops are Indianapolis, Kansas City, Minneapolis and the Kinetic Fire Festival in IL.

Hoopreneur Highlights ~ HoopGirl aka Christabel Zamor

2011-04-05T08:45:00.000-05:00

HoopGirl is hoop world royalty. My initial perception of her was influenced by those who had met her before. Some spoke of her intimidating Amazon-woman-like presence ~ larger than life, tall as a mountain, gosh, brighter than Jesus Himself. The word-of-mouth on her was full of near-scary overawe! I had the pleasure of meeting with her in San Francisco in the beginning of March for the first time and I must report back what a lovely, bright beam of positivity she is. She giggles, she shares, she’s one of the most open people I’ve met. I’m happy to share her generous knowledge regarding her rise-to-the-top as one of the world’s most well-known hoop dance stars and circus arts entrepreneurs. I only wish I would’ve gotten a photo of us together and… shopping for sassy pants! (This interview is transcribed from a meet-up at a Haight Street café, near to where she currently resides.)

~~~

HoopGirl aka Christabel Zamor
Leadership Trainer, Writer, Speaker, Coach, Facilitates Women’s Circles
Hoopreneur since 2001

When and how did you discover hooping?

She went with Rayna McInturf (known at the time as “Hoopnotica”) to a Los Angeles rave called “Gathering of the Tribes” in 2000. Afterward, she hooped three days a week in a park in Santa Barbara, where she was attending graduate school. A reporter saw her practicing and interviewed her. Almost immediately after the article published, people showed up begging to learn how to hoop dance. They wanted hoops, so she made them hoops. They wanted to learn how to hoop, so she became a hoop dance instructor. It was as though the universe was beckoning her, guiding her along to her true calling. She didn’t resist.

How many hours do you practice a day? How do you keep your practice “interesting”/not dry?

Christabel practices yoga daily. She also thinks the best way to keep her hoop dance practice fresh is practicing any and all types of dance. Teaching also gives you a different perspective, as your students can teach you new ways to move.

Do you have a background in dance and/or performance, previous to discovering hooping?

She didn’t have any background in dance ~ the hoop taught her how to move.

How long after you started hooping did you realize you could make some cash from it?

Fast ~ after the article ran in a Santa Barbara newspaper regarding her hoop dance practice in the park, her audience showed up and begged for instruction and hoops. Nothing like the power of media exposure!

What were the main “A-ha!” fireworks moments that made you realize you could make money hooping? How did they happen?

She discovered this when her hooping classes sold out, which led her to create instructional DVDs, and then later she developed teacher training. She just kept making more products and people kept wanting more. It seemed like the world wanted her to be the “hoop girl”.

When people whom you don’t know ask you ~ “What do you do?” ~ what do you tell them? (in 1-3 “small talk” sentences)“

"I’m a Leadership Trainer, Women’s Empowerment Facilitator, Fitness Trainer, Writer, Speaker and Coach.”

What percentage of your income is hoop-related income?

95%. Hooping hasn’t been what’s kept her busy the last year or so, though. She has been busy with her Coach & Leadership Training, yet most of her income is mainly from hooping.

List the first few steps to becoming a Hoopreneur.

1. Educate yourself on business ~ create the infrastructure on which to build before getting too far ahead. File for LLC, set up business accounts, etc. Get all that stuff in place so you can concentrate on what you know and love.

2. Marketing ~ find out your true essence, expand upon it and make that into your brand. More specifically, create a website and make yourself seen.

3. Promotion ~ seek out media coverage.

What resources or tools did you find most helpful when you were getting started?

Read voraciously! She read Inc. magazine from cover to cover, and also read all the books suggested in Inc. She also sought out advisors ~ asking casually for a lunch date in exchange for some casual brain picking. As a hoop performer, how did you decide on pricing?

She had the wisdom of long-time performer Hoopalicious aka Anah Reichenbach to guide her on pricing. Her first gigs were with Hoopalicious and Anah already knew what price to ask for, so clearly it’s beneficial to work with someone who already knows the ropes.

What marketing methods have worked for you?

Cold calling ~ simply picking up the phone and describing what you do and how you can help. She acquired a residency at Curves, the gym club for women. It was steps like this that got her more students, and helped her sell more hoops.

Any big exposures that helped you get your name out there? How did they happen?

Writing her first published book “Hooping: A Revolutionary Fitness Program” really helped to elevate her to “expert level”. This resulted in TV, blog, and radio interviews which had a domino effect on her hoop career ~ more notoriety, more sales.

What’s the most pivotal point in your Hoopreneurship so far?

Training, teaching and mentorship. Taking what she’s learned and helping other women has been a fulfilling turn to career so far. She feels she’s been called to become a healer and the hoop has led her to this path.

What’s the #1 piece of advice you’d give to starting Hoopreneurs?

Find the essence of you and expand upon it.

What keeps you motivated to keep your Hoopreneurship going?

The spirit of hooping gave her a clear sense of being. It helped her find out where she needed to be.

Do you have a “day job”?

No.

Anything you would’ve done differently? What key lessons have you learned?

Delegate! Your business can’t grow unless you let go and ask for help and trust the people around you. At one point, she was fulfilling orders for 5000 hoops by herself, at the sacrifice of sleep and relationships. She was very invested in overachieving and mistook asking for help as underachieving. You cannot do it all! She stresses to delegate, delegate, delegate!

What’s next?! What goals do you have for the future?

She’s developing more Women’s Leadership Circles and Empowerment Workshops. She shared with me that the next HoopGirl Empowerment Retreat is being hosted at a beautiful mountaintop mansion. That will be August 5-7, 2011.

She also shared with me that the last Mermaid Retreat was life-changing for several of the women. We’re talking leaving soul-sucking jobs to follow your passions, getting out of long, bad relationships, & seeking worldly adventure! She gets some fantastical results. She says it’s exhausting, but rewardingly so. And the Mermaid Effect didn’t just work on her mentorees ~ she has also undergone several changes since the last retreat in November 2010. Moving out, breaking up and moving forward. Empowering, indeed!

~~~

Here's where you can find HoopGirl:

Her personal blog:

http://www.lightbliss.com/

Finally, here’s Christabel on her development as a Hoopreneur and leader. This 12-min video is a must-watch.

If you like this post, please share it!Thank you.

Flow Tonic ~ A Pixie Hoops & Redbull Soft Drink Concoction

2011-04-01T09:03:00.001-05:00

Wow! Something tells me 2011 is going to be the Summer of Flow, my sweet pretties!

Find your balance & feel the Flow. 3 thirst quenching natural flavours infused with stevia, vitamin C, orange essence, minerals, herba matte & guarana. Flow Tonic is the perfect combo of ‘electro’ lights & vitamins for flow artists on the go.

Flow Tonic is a collaboration between Redbull and Pixie Hoops and will be available in USA and Canada in July 2011. I’m curious to find out more about these fun new flavors. Go, Pixies! And might I say what pretty (and natural) colors you’ve chosen!

I’ve never really been a fan of RedBull drinks but these I might just have to try.

A Fantastical Hoop Journey ~ WakeUp2Life

2011-03-30T15:18:00.001-05:00

I love the power of a well-made video. When you meld that together with hoop dance and travel you have me captivated.

Check out WakeUp2Life ~ Kelly Diane Rangel and Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos ~ as they travel the world for a year, using hoop dance and a camera as survival tools. So far I’m only through the Trailer (below)

WakeUp2Life Trailer from WakeUp2Life on Vimeo.

And “Reconnecting California” Part 1

WakeUp2Life- The Prequel "Reconnecting California" Part 1 from WakeUp2Life on Vimeo.

They have 9 videos total ~ check them out! Find all of WakeUp2Life’s videos on Vimeo.

Just had to share! I’m staying tuned. Wowwers! (And completely totally jealous over here.)

Inspiration: Something Vintage

2011-03-21T11:26:00.001-05:00

Behold the awesomeness!

I give you Diane Batchelor-Hoop Spinner! But also…..how wonderfully silly! Almost tragically so. Sort of in the way we look back on what we wore like 15 years ago and say “oh gawd, what was I thinking”. It’s a gem nonetheless.

I’m guessing this is from the late 80s/early 90s. Mostly because the soundtrack reminds me of The Price is Right, as well as Diane’s high-cut show girl get up.

Other points: love how she’s always hamming it up for the audience, her expressions kind of have a cheesy adorable-ness to them. But then she’s wearing this barely-there costume. And that fluffy headpiece! What even is that?! I’m just guessing, but I think it’s made of the same thing that the Big Bird costume is made out of.

But still, what amazing skill! Way to rock it, Diane! Props to the prop artiste!

Now after watching that, don’t YOU wish you had a feathery head cover?

Happy hooping!

DIY ~ natural deodorant update

2011-03-16T21:14:00.001-05:00

It’s been one and a half months since trying out this natural coconut oil deodorant recipe and I have some good findings. Listen up: my pits feel and smell fantastic!

Times I felt sweaty: 2-3 (after a workout)

Times I felt stinky: 1-2 (at night/after a workout)

Not bad!

PROS:

Silky, soft underarms from coconut oil
Made of only 4 main ingredients so I felt good putting it on
Wonderful smell mixture of cardamom, ginger and lemon was something I looked forward to putting it on. Almost like perfume for the pits. And the scent stayed throughout the day.

CONS:

Delivery method would be better if it didn’t have to be my fingers. I found it was getting stuck under my nails a lot (the cornstarch was not so pleasant under nails, the coconut oil was tho) ~ Not a big deal, really. Just a bit annoying.

Will have to maybe look into a new delivery method if I continue to use this. (Which I think I will!)

I most definitely will be making a larger batch this next time. I halved the recipe when I first made this and just now ran out ~ 1.5 months after making it and using daily. (So a full batch would last 3 months or so.) Try it out!

Note: I sweat pretty lightly under moderate exercise. So results may vary.

Have you tried this recipe out? Did you like?