Hoop Disco Desert Dreaming Part 1

It's hard to believe that more than two months has flown by since last I blogged! Time is flying... and so am I at an incredible speed. The months of June and early July were spent teaching the Autumnal term, performing about town, making hoops for the new Hoop Empire Winter range, Hoop Lovers Tokyo Summer range and preparing for our Hoop Disco Dreaming in the Desert.



The Hoop Disco Desert Dreaming was an incredible experience. A week of creating life on a blank canvas offered the space to go full BLING amidst the flying sparks of the Fire Breathing Falcon's birth onto the planet and the rising of the Hoop Disco mothership. With a fellowship of 9 we drove for 3 days until we reached the Oodnadatta Track near Lake Eyre and threw ourselves into the dunes of South Australia with some pretty serious hoopage. Dust storms and all, we discovered the bliss that is this red land and the possibilities that can be realised by tapping into your dreams. Those skies! A special thanks to all celestial beings who guided and protected us on our first flight of fancy into the extreme wilderness of the Australian outback. Also, thanks to each and every one of our team for contributing uniquely and amazingly with your individual and magical talents. Kudos to Robin Cook for birthing EarthDream and Mutonia Sculpture Park way back when with his mission of elevating consciousness along side his massive sculptures made of recycled materials. A BIG thank you to the Arabunna People and Rainbow Serpents for welcoming us onto their land. And of course, a huge cosmic HIGH 5 to our photographer, Nick and videographer, Gordon. Photos can be found on Flickr and video to come.



On a personal level, I found the desert to be an amazing space for identifying the internal clutter and void. When you place yourself in a zone of emptiness it becomes easier to see what fills the gaps of one's own silence. Each morning I woke to a pastel pink dome signaling the rising sun. I have to admit I did wake freezing cold (despite being wrapped in 40 or more rabbits! two sleeping bags, a doona, blanket and at times the contents of my bling trunk). But there was a sense of urgency that I simply had to be up to greet the sun. Each day was a gift to be embraced. As it peaked over the horizon and then rose to its fullness, it was like the Sun spoke - messages of creative instruction, power, intensity, reassurance, guidance, healing and absolute bliss in the knowing that this is what it is to reach out and realise, to actualise, the highest potential. WOW.

I took so few photos out there, although posed for lots! and am still gathering collections from both Nick and Gemma. I was reminded yet again how much I miss my camera. At times it feels like a limb is missing but the renunciation of such a device is useful too as a lens can be quite distracting when trying to absorb the bigger picture. I found moments of slipping between both sides of the photographic coin through styling and directing the fabulous GemStar, who excelled with each and every Desert Bling shoot. Without complaint she bared the chilling sunsets and shone like the star she is. By the final night that girl had her makeup so down she was truly breathtaking.



Robin spoke at length to me about the Power of 9 with reference to our group. Just now, in writing this, I am taken on a cyber tangent... I can feel some serious hyperlinkia about to begin! If your mind doesn't expand to Esoterica then skip this paragraph as the Spiral Highway might suck you in and steal your logic. WoW ok check out Wikepedia - its one for Dungeons and Dragons Wizard freaks out there. How good is the internet! Blows my mind every time. The Symbolism and Spiritual Significance of the Number 9 is a intense read and packed with a mass of historical information on the number. Of note - a piece on the Sacred Hoop:

"As for the circle, let us hear Black Elk, the celebrated native sage, direct heir of the tradition of the North American plains: I noticed that my people's sacred hoop was one of the many hoops in the form of a circle, wide as the light of day and the shining of the stars. And in the center was a mighty Flowering Tree, which covered all of the children of father and mother. And I observed that it was holy. . . .The power of the universe acts ever by way of circles, and all things tend ever to be round. In ancient days, when we were a happy, strong people, we received our power from the hoop of the nation, which was holy, and while the circle remained complete, the people flourished. . . . The Flowering Tree was the living center of the circle, and it was nourished by the life of the cycle of the four directions. . . . Whatever is done by the power of the universe, it is done in the form of a circle."

Back to the mainframe - rewind to the clifftop for our final meeting before hitting the road - Falcon talks of the tetrahedron design of the Falconator... the sturdiest shape for any structure to be built. Then after Nick and I discuss the logistics of carrying more than a tonne behind our bus which exceeded our towing limit, we returned to the shape of the first Hoop Disco logo, added some extra platforms in cascade and came up with a shape not too dissimilar to the Sri Chakra as identified by JW, which of course was already well embedded in HD mapping unbeknownst to us all. Ultimately we kept returning to the spiral...



To be continued...

A NEW SPIN ON AN OLD TOY – HULAHOOPLA! By Bunny Star

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

For more information visit:
www.hoopempire.com

An Imp's Tale

A deep sea volcano sat sleeping at the bottom of the Pacific as the imp’s tale started to unravel in ways unforseen yet ripe. The time was long ago and the air moist and warm. Unusually balmy days and nights in a way so consistent that one had to wonder if something was simmering down below. Life seemed so still in the endless void where change came with the wind and the sounds of the sea as a result. And in those days of nothing, those days of simple movement of the tides, warm murmurings of the air and the occasional sea bird that flew by, an urge arose to dive into the submerged if only to discover what gives. Warm water one would expect since everything else was but no, it was strange. The water was like ice. Cold cold water that froze time into space creating sharp memory. But wait, twas just the surface. Way down below far beneath it became warm again and all that could be seen as far as the eye could stretch were bubbles. And on one of those bubbles floated an imp – small in size, cute too. A rather shy imp but not afraid, a creature that knew its territory and knew its time. The imp lazed on the bubble enjoying the warm heat and felt thankful he was free.

A Dance Between Chakras

Phoenix Bar, Sydney - April 08. Photo by Sue-Ellen Rosenberg

HOOP DISCO DREAMING

two thousand and eight - the story so far...

It was 2007 and the hoop revolution was really starting to roll. mother hoop planet was signalling the need to begin construction of a satellite hoop platform that could revolve around planet earth spreading the hoop and combining the hoop with the disco in locations where they hadn't been together before. and so the hoopdisco was born - a holographic multi-platform-platform aiding communication with the Mother Hoop when activated - and in 2008 it's being activated out in the Australian desert at the mutonia sculpture park...

the journey // july 10th - 20th 2008

the activation is taking place 10/7 > 20/7 2008. originally it was to be activated in isolation out in the desert with hoopdisco friends + family, but MOther Hoop has re-routed us to the mutonia sculpture park to join in with EaRtHdReaM 2008 - hosted gratefully on the land of the arabunna people. this is out in the middle of the aussie desert. see the maps below.

what

this is a totally radical self-reliance trip - not like burningman where there are toilets / ice / coffee / wifi / firstaid stations etc, and not like a festival with food, water, entertainment etc. we bring everything in, we take everything out, leaving no unintended/disrespectful trace.

when

july 10th - sydney > cobar > broken hill
july 11th - broken hill > mutonia sculpture park, alberrie creek, south australia.
july 12th > july 18th - mutonia sculpture park / hoopdisco dreaming
july 19th - mutonia > broken hill
july 20th - broken hill > sydney / home

maps

go to google maps :
alberri creek or Mutonia Sculpture Park.
Alberrie Creek, SA.
60k north of Maree on the Oodnadatta Track,
overlooking Lake Eyre.

close up


kit

things to think about bringing:

food that doesn't need refrigeration
water (at least 4L / day / person)
shelter (tent / dome / tarp / bivvy)
clothes (warm & cold)
extra fuel / spare tire / tools
toilet stuff

links

earthdream / mutoid waste company

photos (flickr feed) - coming soon...

contact

nick@helveticaending.com or bunny@hoopempire.com




Text by Nick Coppins

Snakes and the Epic Flight Continues

Friday 2nd May

I'm sweeping leaves up into a pile. Somebody comes along and lifts the lid to find a coiled up black figure - I realise it's a snake and not to be touched. A girl joins me and in disbelief pokes the snake. It bites her on the wrist. The Scorpion appears and holds her leg at the back of the knee to prevent the poison from paralysing her.

I'm in a beauty salon but i'm not sure what I want done - eyelash tint, new hair... a huge moment of indecision and indifference. I walk out of the salon.

Sunday 4 May

At the beach with a bunch of people. Very high seas. We watch as tidal waves come in. Nick, Yamini, Karen and others are there. As the tidal wave comes in we all cling to wooden panels of a building and hold with all of our strength so we don't get washed out to sea. As the wave passes I look around and can't see Nick and hope that he is OK. I see people floating way out in the ocean and life guards saving them - I wonder in a moment of anxiety if it is Nick. Then I realise he and Yamini and Karen are all safely inside a building. I move into this building. It is high up off the ground. I wonder if its foundations will withstand the stormy seas as we continue to watch the massive swell. I see a guy drop off an extremely high cliff with his surfboard. I look in disbelief as he plumets far down into the ocean and figure he must be on drugs. He lands perfectly in the swell of a wave and begins to ride it but the wave is huge so he dissolves into it. I feel the building start to crumble and realise it is collapsing so I start to fly.

An epic flying journey. Flying men chasing me. A new development. Last time I flew I realised he could also. Now he is multiplied and not only flying around me but flying after me. The chase was more an adventure than frightening experience. I fly through small windows into other worlds and down a long pathway in a forest as they fly after me. At one point I float vertically and program myself to jet upwards like a rocket.

Love these flying dreams! Such a blissful way to sleep.

Hoopaholic Review 2005-08: Intergalactic Space Babes Unite

The evolution of The Hoopaholics has been an incredible process to watch and be part of - a constant journey of change, movement, expansion, contraction and ongoing spontaneity that has encouraged us more than anything to just let it spin. Last night I watched the first video we ever made - all those boys! And so arty... well we always wanted to be.



With an urge to document as much as possible our underlying focus has been to shape the practice of hoops into an art form that speaks of creative expression, theatrical representation, synergetic experimentation, spiritual exploration and simple fun. It was never a pursuit in performance as a career or point of social standing - these things have blipped in and out along the way. When the Hoopaholics emerged as The Barbarellas in 2005 we simply wanted to put the hoopla out there in the best way we knew how - as a bunch of queers who loved to dress up and spin their hoops and dance in public. As artists, we knew that the camera would only make it a thousand times more interesting and fun for all involved.



We spent the first year getting a feel for what it was to be a group of friends performing together. For the most part it was exciting and joyous but was not without its sharp edges and schisms. Live performance, particularly professionally, really tests the power of the ego - does it push you to want to destroy it or to feed it without even thinking? In a sense, groups develop their own unique collective ego and ours was one of uncertainty. We didn't really know where we were taking the troupe as it grew a momentum of its own and we were simply and complexly left to fit in where appropriate. So we just kept on making art out of it and let it unfold as it was destined to. Tim started composing soundtracks, I learnt how to edit video, Nick kept snapping away with his camera and the beat kicked on. I love this video - it's an apt montage of the light and dark we experienced in the early days and has some amazing footage of so many of our talented folk.



The Power of Three has been a strong force throughout our journey. With people coming and going it has always been an interesting question - who are The Hoopaholics? We knew we were a troupe rather than a duo or single affair, we knew it had to be about the collective, and we also had a sense that we could never pin it down. The Hoopaholics have always been like a gang of teenage boys... restless, hot, unpredictable and ready for action at all times. Having said that, I love capturing the brief moments of stability (for want of a better word) - where we know exactly who the troupe members are. It's an amazing thing that we are now a performing group of anywhere between two and ten, depending on the occasion, but the essence of three is sweet... it generates a sense of core and lets that 3 way hoop play become all the more intriguing.



Something I have often grappled with and sought to understand in both hoop world and beyond is how the individual fits in with the collective and vice-versa. The hoop is such a great metaphor for this dilemma that we are invited to confront in life. Unless one is spinning tandem, which mostly we are not (altho recently The Hoopaholics have been more and more... a point to return to) ... the individual is flying solo inside a hoop. You can hang out with others and jam it all up but ultimately it's your sphere and nobody else's. The untouchable personal space is a place to hang out and get to know who you are and what you're about. It allows you to express in a way that nobody else can because, to borrow a Nia term, it's 'your body's way'. I've always found it somewhat strange and a tad frightening how hoop performers in Australia are so disconnected from one another and prefer to live their Divadom in isolation once off the stage rather than collaborate and connect (another blog). When I saw this collectively unconscious pattern hit The Hoopaholics and considered it as an optional route for myself I dipped my foot in to test the water then stepped right back to watch the rippled effect.



As the youngest of 8, I have to admit I always have gravitated to my tribe. The reality is, for me in any case, group energy is more FUN! At a time when it could have gone either way - fly the coop and go solo or hang in there with the gang - the hoop posse reinvented itself again and then again and again and continues to do so. It seems the trick is knowing your own way amongst the flock. We can bounce amongst each other as much as we like - how we will perceive that is a matter of where we stand within our selves.



I feel particularly grateful and amazed and inspired and excited that Sydney has been host to so many HOT amazing hoopers from overseas, predominantly from the States. That American Burner energy is infectious! I knew before I even landed at Burning Man in 06, I sensed it way back in 01 when I almost made it but didn't... that I had to go. Burning Man is like visiting Planet Art AND Planet Hoop all in one. It really is everything and more, to the point that I have to recommend to anyone who has a strong interest in art and / or hooping: YOU MUST ATTEND at least once in your life to experience the scale of synergetic artistic explosion in a surreal environment that promotes positivity, connectivity, creativity, generosity and the religion of FUN. That energy has landed in Sydney with our special hoopstar guests AND it has landed in the land of The Hoopaholics simply because this consciousness is what drives me the most and what informs me on a deep level in making decisions about what the troupe is about and where it is headed. It's organic and it's PHat. To be gifted with such wonderful people from other lands - just WOW.



When we open the troupe up simply to those who want IN and who are willing to train to perform it seems that the flower that is The Hoopaholics blossoms of its own accord. That is our point of certainty. If we just keep the hoop train running and remember to stop at regular intervals to pick up punters, or at least slow down so they can give it a running jump, the dynamic explodes into a spontaneous concoction of what is. It's holographic really - a personal favourite!



Another shift is coming - I have learnt the signs and can feel its approach. The Hoopaholic Sessions of a Sunday is a hub of inspiration and newness. We share and hang out and chill out and push ourselves to places we thought we would never ever reach (forehead hooping OMG!) and while it's another item to add to a rather stretched weekly schedule I can't bring myself to let it go as it feels like a rather special space that will birth the next chapter... whatever that may be. But for now, I just want to thank all the incredible hoop spirits that have come into my world and for sharing the dream of living the dream. Who would have thought that spinning a ring around you could be so profound. Intergalactic Space Babes Unite!