Flavie Steelandt of Hula Hoop Tanz gets a little flirty in her burlesque inspired hoop dance video. In black and white it is a vision to behold. Originally from France, Flavie lives in Nersingen, Germany and the soundtrack for her new video is “Strip City” by Charlie Barnet which is on the release “Striptease: A Walk on the Burlesque Side” – but there isn’t any actual stripping, so don’t be concerned about that. It’s completely safe for work and you can score a copy of the soundtrack for yourself on iTunes.

http://www.hooping.org/2013/05/flavie-gets-flirty/

Alycia Jayliene Dawn Betts lights up the night at a jam with friends in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Photo by Michael Purves.

http://www.hooping.org/2013/05/alycia-jayliene-dawn-betts/

That moment when we take our art from the workshop to under the stage lights has to be one of the most memorable moments in our lives. As Abi Rubin says “I will performing a similar hoop routine at my school talent show and it will be my first time ever performing for an audience on stage! It’s senior year and the day before the last day of school so I guess it’s time to be brave!!!” If this wonderful self produced video is anything to go by then we can safely say she’ll bring the house down. Abi lives in Greenfield, Massachusetts, USA, and her soundtrack is “Hall of Fame” by The Script, which you can get on iTunes.

http://www.hooping.org/2013/05/abi-rubin/

Even though this was filmed last summer at the Evolve Music and Awareness Festival in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada, we know how hard it can be to get around to doing something with the footage, especially when you have video from not one, but two GoPro cameras taped to a hoop. Not only does it give us another perspective, but we think this is probably a great idea for balancing out the hoop as well. You saw it here first kids! The video is by Craig Norris and features the sexy hoop dancing by “a bunch of hippies” at Evolve. Yay hippies! The soundtrack is “P:U:S:H” and it’s by Rich Aucoin and is available on iTunes.

http://www.hooping.org/2013/05/hoop-cam-at-evolve/

“Hoops” is a brand new short film by Jordan Post that revolves around the hoop. It’s one of those stories that echoes so many people’s lives. When romance deals us all the wrong cards, things start looking a little bleak and we just plain don’t know what to do with ourselves and our lives. We need outside help! Yes, sooner or later we all need…Hoopin’ Bob! Hoopin’ Bob, played by Billy Judge Baldus of Hoopvive is a man after our own heart and wardrobe here at Hooping.org. Read more and see the film:

http://www.hooping.org/2013/05/hoops-a-short-film/

What is Jesse Styles love and passion about these days? Hooping, of course. She says, “I am continuously inspired to express myself through this beautiful form of art, and I only hope to inspire you as much as you inspire me.” In this video by Chris Kelley we are taken on a hooping tour all over the place and everywhere we go Jesse is hooping. When she started she never would’ve dreamed she’d have the courage to perform in front of other people, and look at her now! She lives in Stamford, Connecticut, USA, and the soundtrack for this is “Kiara” by Bonobo and you can get a copy of it for your own very easily on iTunes.

http://www.hooping.org/2013/05/jesse-styles-is-inspired/

by Philo Hagen

Once you’ve discovered the wonderful world of hooping on your own, the next step is discovering the wonderful world of hooping with others. For some of us it isn’t much of a challenge. A simple search here on hooping.org or Facebook for the biggest city we live in or near and we’re likely to find at least someone else in our area who is going to totally understand our new obsession – and who will be likely be as equally excited about hooping with us as we are with them. If we’re lucky, we might even find a whole community around the corner that meets regularly, sponsoring weekly or monthly hoop jams and events with a whole platoon of hoopers that have just been anxiously waiting for our arrival. In other cases our search may only reveal the lingering cyber remains of something that once happened that has since disappeared. Perhaps someone was really gung ho for hooping and was making things happen, but when they moved away everything fell apart. And in still others a little research might confirm what we’ve already suspected – that there really isn’t much of anything happening in our community and we’re going to have to be the great trailblazer for hooping ourselves. But just how do we go about doing that? How do we create a hooping community where there currently isn’t one? I’ve got news for you – it’s really easy.

Having started a couple of hoop groups myself in different cities, and having spent a great deal of time over the years doing my independent, casual and relatively random surveys of hoopers who were bringing people together to better understand what works in other areas and what doesn’t, here are five simple steps to help you create a hooping community where you live. If you build it, they will come. Here’s how:

http://www.hooping.org/2013/05/5-tips-to-start-a-hoop-group-where-you-live/

Hooping.org’s Photo Editor Noora Helenius has found herself in a gorgeous photo of her own. She lives in Turku, Finland.

http://www.hooping.org/2013/05/noora-helenius/

It’s exercise in disguise! That’s what ABC’sWGNO-TV in New Orleans is saying about hooping and they spoke with Kimberly Lobertof NOLA hooping to find out all about it. “It’s a workout, but it doesn’t feel like a workout,” she explained, telling WGNO that you can burn 600 to 800 calories in one hour of hooping. “You have to use your core, use your abdominal muscles. You don’t want it to look like you are having a convulsion,” she said.  Read more with news video report: 

http://www.hooping.org/2013/05/new-orleans-is-hooping-for-fitness/

One thing nearly every hooper who has attended festivals or gatherings knows is that when it all winds down there can be a very real sense of loss. Leaving a community of like minded souls is one of the hardest things to experience so we, individually or in groups, ease ourselves back into our other lives through decompression, gently winding ourselves down and grounding ourselves again. Retreat organizer Jaguar Mary “decompresses during a practice flow after three amazing weeks at the Sacred Circularities,” the result being a beautifully peaceful and relaxing hoop dance in Bali. She lives in Carrboro, North Caroline, USA, and her soundtrack here is “Fossil Fuel” by Ex-Friendly which can be found on Soundcloud

http://www.hooping.org/2013/05/jaguar-mary-3/