Hooping is not only a revolution, it’s a way of life. When asked what one word best describes their view of hooping, students most often reply - fun, childhood and circus. Hooping brings a smile to people’s faces. At times it provokes contorted expressions of focus and frustration, not to mention the occasional whack in the head grimace, but predominantly, when it comes to hooping you’ve arrived in play town.
In essence, hooping brings joy to people’s lives. This is by far the best reason I can give as to why it has made a return from its 1950s hey day and why it has been adopted as a lifestyle for many people across the world.
Then there’s the fitness factor. Hoops are no longer lightweight rings that spin and drop. We’ve wizened up in the global hoop community and instead of leaving it to kids toy companies, hoops are now hand-crafted by hoopers themselves at a size and weight that can accommodate anyone who has the urge to give it a whirl and keep it going for as long as desired. Because we can now maintain the spin as adults we are able to access that full body workout that is so craved in this age of physical preservation… and we can laugh while we do it. How many forms of exercise fit that bill? Hooping slips ever so nicely into that funky new buzz phrase of the millennium – ‘pleasure driven fitness’.
‘Hybrid hooping’ is a movement style that I launched in Sydney in 2005 – it combines traditional circus hula with contemporary hoop dance. Notably, it draws a great deal of inspiration from the American hoop dance scene. In Australia, hooping is historically about ‘hula’ – a circus term for hoops, not to be confused with Hawaiian hip swinging! Despite the name being rejected in the United States for the above-mentioned association, it is still very much in use in Australian circus circles. But with the incredible flow of information and instruction that is available through the internet along with some hot desert hoop jamming at the 2006 Burning Man Festival in the Nevada Desert I discovered hooping or hoopdance at its best. At the risk of being labelled a ‘feral hooper’ by my strictly Russian technique circus trainer, I decided to merge the two influences. Together they offer the ultimate hoop dream – multiple hoop extravaganzas all over the body as well as movement with and within the hoop. Circus… Dance… Exercise… Fun!
It always amazes me when sharing the gift of the hoop just how effective it is in breaking through to the inner child. The reference point is obvious and it’s probably the most commonly uttered response in raising the topic or giving someone a hoop – “I haven’t done this since I was a kid.” For some it is a time to bring back the joy, for others a confrontation with their own internal rhythm master that simply did not obey way back when, and then there are those who discover it as a brand new experience that needs to be explored.
Whichever camp you fall into, hooping is an opportunity to come face to face with your physical vehicle - the body - and your ability to take it on a journey through rhythmic and circular movement. Body, mind and spirit are invited to convene for the duration of the practice in conversation, meditation or simple child-like play.
Ultimately, what we are developing is body consciousness. As different parts of the body learn how to control the spinning hoops - the abs, butt, chest, shoulders, neck, legs, knees, back, hands, arms, even the forehead – we are drawn more and more into our physicality while the mind is given an opportunity to rest. Hooping with the eyes closed offers not only greater success for the novice who simply wants to keep it going but also heightens the experience and can take the more adventurous and well-practiced into a space of inner bliss. Connecting with the hoop is like tuning into your heart beat or breath – it seems simple enough but upon closer inspection it actually requires a concerted effort and stillness of mind so that you can feel the sensation and use it consciously to develop your awareness as well as your physical body.
Along with building fitness, core strength, coordination, rhythm and confidence, hooping raises the emotional and spiritual energy of both adults and children. Like drawing a mandala, it contains movement within a circle requiring a continuous and meditative-like repetition enticing the hooper into a state of inner peace and harmony. It also expands the movement beyond the circle as we take the hoop up, down and off the body, guiding it to flow in various patterns and planes through spiral transitions. We become microcosmic, some might even say intergalactic, as we allow the body and the spirit to explore the physical world and beyond. We are given many opportunities within the hoop to expand our own personal boundaries of awareness and self-development as we learn new tricks and moves while immersing ourselves in the discipline of practicing an acquired skill. Commitment is met with reward when initial gradual development transforms into a series of ongoing and rapid ‘hoop-throughs’ once the vastness of the journey is embraced – there is just so much to learn that there is never a dead-end… simply move on to another part of the play and discover the endless array of possibilities.
Having always been a highly active dreamer, I am a strong believer in listening to the subconscious mind, allowing the ‘higher’ self to guide and to listen to feelings rather than being dominated by thoughts. It’s amazing to see how the body and mind can direct the self with varied states of health and dis-ease. As a performer and teacher, this awareness has only become stronger and guides me in all that I do. As I move further into and through my work, I am continually inspired to keep eliminating what is not conducive to the health of my body, mind, emotions and spirit and to increase what is. A big part of that is being present in the current moment – embracing the now as life’s essence. To not judge, criticise or compare but to simply be. I find this space of inner peace when practicing yoga, meditation, dance and hooping. All of these disciplines are portals of self-discovery and growth in which to explore and play. I invite you to try these practices on like a piece of prized clothing, let’s say a bejewelled and magical cape, to value what you have been naturally given as a spiritual being having a human experience with a body that moves and is powered by the beat of your heart and the wind of your breath. If your beautiful magical cape gets dirty simply clean it and be more careful next time not to taint it with the pollution of this world. This is your birthright – to breathe, to feel peace, to move and to grow with joy. This is a blissful dream that can be obtained with intention.
Dedicate some time to the hoop and to dance, find your rhythm and natural beat, smile and acknowledge the breath, forget the elephant-like thoughts that rampage through your mind, allow your self to simply play as you did as a child and feel your body move.
Hooping is a path and an adventure. It is a means to no end as it will show you each and every time that there is always more to practice and learn. It is simple and complex. It is what you want it to be – play toy, exercise tool, dancing partner, professional doorway or ring of meditation. It is your own microcosmic sphere in which to explore who you are and how you wish to be in this world.
As we say in the global hoop circle – HOOP ON!
Article by Bunny Star May 2008 - Published @ www.purecalma.com
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www.hoopempire.com
