My First Practice Video

6 Jun


Ok. So I made a video of me practicing my hooping…my very first one. I almost didn’t post it because I’m just so critical of myself….and I hate that. I want to make these videos to have a record of my journey, but I’m such a perfectionist that it’s hard for me to post something that isn’t “perfected”. It’s not a performance, or anything of the sort…but I’ve been watching too many videos of amazing hoopers and I have set high expectations for myself. I have to remind myself that I’ve only been hooping for 6 weeks…and many of the videos I am watching display years and years of hooping!

There is a fabulous video that SaFire made called “Love The Process”… and I had tears in my eyes when I watched it for the first time (and the second and third time). Yes, I’m feeling a bit hormonal this week. It’s just been so long since I tried something that required a lot of practice and her video reminded me to really ENJOY this adventure and take joy in the journey. I also went back and read this awesome article by Caroleeena called “Cultivating Non-Comparison” to remind myself that I am not hooping for anyone but myself. It brings me happiness! And in turn, it has the potential to bring other people happiness as I teach them how to hoop as well. Hooping can turn any day into a GREAT day!

With that said, here is a bit of info about the video. I used 3 different hoops throughout…the first one is a 160psi 3/4 38″ hoop. The second one is a lightweight 40″ hoop 3/4 100 psi, and my LED hoop is a 40″ 160psi 3/4 (too heavy…I need to send it back to get a lighter weight). The movements that I am working on are the lift and back down, vortex, chest/shoulder hooping, the duck out, knee-hooping with lift, and a few others. I also have a 43″ hoop that I use, which makes chest hooping SOOOO much easier…but I didn’t include that in the video. I’m still struggling a bit chest hooping with the smaller hoops. Sorry that it’s pretty far away…I set the camera up in the RV and pointed in the right direction, but never checked it 🙂 Ooops. Live and learn.

I wasn’t hooping to music, but next time I will because it makes a HUGE difference in my energy level! 🙂 It’s good for me to see myself…because I look so somber. Because you know, hooping is a pretty somber activity. Ha! I need to smile and have fun! Even if I am intense with concentration.

I really want to work on the flow/dance aspect of my hooping. Right now, my mind is so focused on nailing the individual movements that I forget to just let go and dance! 🙂 I’m sure it will come in time.

I would love to hear your thoughts about “process” and where you are at in this journey…

Hoop Pretty Giveaway

5 Jun


Oooooooh! So exciting…our very first giveaway here at The Happy Hoop…featuring the one and only, Hoop Pretty! Isn’t this shirt adorable? It has a great flowy script font that says “Hoop Dance Freak Flow”…it’s super soft, printed with eco-inks and I LOVE it!  And now it can be yours! As a little bonus, we’ll have a second giveaway for this adorable “Hoop Dance Love” sticker. Oh how I love stickers.

So what is Hoop Pretty?
Hoop Pretty is a sister design team with backgrounds in fashion, surface design + flow arts. Being hoopsters themselves, they wanted to create designs that reflect the fun, freedom + attitude of hoop dance! They aim for 100% natural fibers so their clothing is also great for fire hooping + poi! They use water-based Eco Inks whenever possible and make sure our printers and suppliers are just as sensitive to the environmental impacts of production. Most of their  products are sourced from American Apparel, which is known for their well-made, sustainable products that are Made In the USA.

I wanted to hear more about how Barbra and Rachel started hooping and how Hoop Pretty came about. Here it is in Barbra’s own words:

“Hooping was way for me to be part of a community again. I had found myself in a work-at-home situation after working a 9-5 job and realized that I am a social person that needs to be around people (especially my sister Rachel), interact and help others to feel fulfilled. It’s strange because while everyone’s in their own little hoopworlds while they’re hooping, its also an activity that completely brings people together ~ and people of all backgrounds. I love that.

Hooping of course has a great physical aspect to it. I’m a bit of a nerd so the logic side of me says that I like it because it helps my hand-to-eye coordination. The anti-nerd side says it’s a pretty sexy performance art + wonderful exercise as well. The balance that hoop dance brings is so neutralizing and therapeutic. I could be having a terrible day, but if I just step hoop for 10 minutes, all that dissipates.

HoopPretty started because my sister Rachel and I had decided we wanted to transform our lives by doing what we love ~ we’re passionate about making fun things that hoop dancers can enjoy and connect with. We both have backgrounds in graphic design + fashion, so this is a perfect fit. As a creative team, I feel we have a great dynamic going on. I really enjoy working with her ~ we bounce ideas off each other and really think about what someone would feel good about wearing.”

There are FOUR ways to enter the giveaway. You can do one or all of the following (each one is a separate entry, so please create a new comment for each one):

  • Leave a comment below and tell me where you hooped most recently and what movements you are currently loving.
  • Subscribe to their awesome blog
  • Post the giveaway to your Facebook page and become a fan of their Facebook page
  • Tweet about the giveaway and follow them on Twitter

Hoop Pretty is also offering a 10% discount for Happy Hoop blog readers. Just enter the discount code “thehappyhoop”. Be sure to check out all of their custom hooping apparel…I love it all! Plus, you are supporting a small businessThis discount will only be valid through Saturday, June 12, so don’t delay.

I will choose the winner at random on Thursday, June 10 at 12:00pm CST. Now go and spread some Hoop Pretty love!! 🙂

**COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED**

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Family Hoopalong

4 Jun

Uncle Dan tries the BIG hoop!

There has been a whole lotta hoopin’ goin on around here! We spent Memorial Day weekend with my immediate and extended family in Minneapolis and we had a great time sharing the circular fun.

I’ve been trying a lot of new movements and my hooping feels SO different to me than it did even just a few weeks ago. I will definitely try to get a video up of me practicing soon! Speaking of videos, I have posted a bunch of new videos that have recently inspired me. Check out the video page.

Here are few photos of this weekend’s action:


Hooping at the BBQ/Birthday party.


Hooping in the park. And yes, that is my brother hooping. He’s a superstar.


Amy smiles and spins at the same time…not an easy task 🙂


I love this photo of Bella and her cousin, Hannah…they are both just so free! Reminds me how we should all be.

More photos in the hoop love gallery!

Special Delivery

27 May


Looky looky!! I’m one excited girl right now. The FedEx man just delivered my Superhooper SuperMorph LED hoop and Alpha Poi Hoops!
I can hardly wait until it’s dark so I can light that baby up! And the mini hoops open up an entirely new world of hooping. Oh the joy! Thank you Lara!

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Hooping In The Good ‘Ol Days

27 May

Featured Guest Blogger: Catina Jane Gray

This is me. Seven years ago at 440 lbs.
I tell you this to make sure you know
that no matter your size…
YOU can hoop too!

My love of hooping started in 2003, and at that time hooping was pretty much only known among the String Cheese Incident fans…but that wouldn’t be the case for long! I fell in love with hooping via a blogger I’d been reading for years named Ariel. She was new to hooping & totally addicted. She spread that addiction to many of her readers, including me. I was so interested! But because of my size at the time, I didn’t think I could do it. It seemed so daunting to me…plus, where would I be able to find a hoop right for my size?!

Enter Anah (AKA Hoopalicious)…the “queen” of the hoop! She was making & selling hoops, so i contacted her and purchased my first hoop (as seen above). She even custom sized it for me and was great to work with in my effort to get a hoop that would work for me.

Then, when seeing how getting a big ol’ hoop into a car could be a task, I learned of collapsible hoops! WHAT?! I had to have one! I found Jason, who made these awesome hoops! And this hoop is the one I still use when I hoop today. Then, out of my desire to share this newfound passion with others, I started making my own hoops & giving them away. People loved them!!


Another exciting thing soon developed in the online hooping world. Hooping.org was born! The creators of the site recount it’s start…

“Hooping.org was founded on May 4, 2003 shortly after three bloggers – Philo Hagen, Ariel Meadow Stallings and Vera Fleischer – spent hours hooping together at a party at Min Jung Kim’s house in Oakland, California. Frustrated by a lack of information about hooping online, Philo decided to start a blog about the topic and invited his friends to join him. Their goal – to spread the joy of hooping to all and build a world wide hooping community. “

Hooping.org was like “hooper heaven” because at that time, there just wasn’t a lot of info or videos around about hooping. Unlike today where you can find hooping videos and websites about hooping all over the web!! And even MOVIES! about hooping (which looks amazing!)

Now, with all this said, I never got great at hooping , I just really enjoyed it. My love of the hoop lasted a couple years…we had an on again/off again relationship and then it kind of fizzled out. For a long while now, I haven’t hooped much at all. Until recently…when Sara got me re-addicted to hooping!

This is perfect timing, because I have been on a weight loss journey for many years. I am currently almost 100 lbs. down and many to go, but I’m always looking for new ways to get my workouts in. So hooping has again showed up on my radar and I’ve been enjoying hooping this past week. It is a great cardio workout!! Some friends & I are even getting together to make hoops & hoop in the park! So just remember that no matter your size or skill level, if you want to give hooping a try, just DO IT! Go outside & play!

Catina Jane Gray is a self-taught mixed media artist, jewelry designer. & photographer living in sunny Florida. Be sure to check out her whimsical art and jewelry at her site, Catina Jane Arts and at her Etsy store too.

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Hoopmaking Basics

26 May

I’ve had so many people asking about how we make our hoops, and I realized that I haven’t really been specific about it. So…here are some specifics! Do keep in mind that everyone has different preferences and while one size/weight might work for me, it might not be your favorite. Experiment and find YOUR favorite! Sizing is such a hot topic that there are almost 50 pages of posts on Hoop City about it. So if you want more info, do some reading over there as well.

  • 3/4 inch / 100 psi tubing is my favorite right now. It’s nice and light, but can be made heavier with tape. I do like the 160 psi for beginners, but it can sometimes be too heavy for little children. It can also be very heavy if you put more than one layer of tape on it.  I have a big 160 with 2 layers of tape and that thing is a beast! The 100 psi seems to be the best “all-around” tubing for us.
  • We have found that Menards is the cheapest place to buy tubing if you have them in your area. Lowe’s and Home Depot will carry them, but they don’t always have the right size, so call ahead. Lowe’s is selling 3/4 160 psi at $50 a roll in some areas, so beware! Apparently they increased the price some time back…yet another reason why we like the 100 psi.
  • Vinyl or electric tape makes a great base, but don’t underestimate the effectiveness of gaffers tape. It gives you that nice “grippy” feeling on your body as it goes round and round. Don’t be discouraged if taping is a little difficult when starting out, there is an “art” to it…it takes some practice. I  hope to make a video next time we make some hoops to demonstrate taping, etc. It’s really pretty easy though, so don’t be scared!
  • Start with a hoop that is about 2 inches above your belly button. For adults, this is usually somewhere around 40-43″. Don’t get stuck on the numbers though…Bella loves to hoop with the really BIG hoops! If you want to get particular on lengths instead of just eyeballing it, here is a circumference calculator.
  • As you advance in your hooping, you will most likely prefer a smaller and lighter hoop. I have 3 different sizes that I rotate through when I practice. My large, heavy hoop (43″) for practicing new moves and for slow hooping, my lightweight smaller hoop (40″) for off-body stuff and neck hooping, and an even smaller (38″) but heavier hoop just to shake it up a bit 🙂
  • I asked A LOT of questions before I made them starting out about hoop size and weight, but what it comes down to is just TRYING IT and deciding for yourself what you prefer. Even if you make a hoop that you don’t love, you can give it away or keep it for someone else to use. Right now, we tote around about 10 hoops in the back of our truck 🙂
  • Speaking of toting them around, we’re loving the collapsible infinity hoops. They are very easy to make! It’s not recommended that you keep your hoops collapsed all the time, but it’s great if you want to fly with your hoop, ride the bus, or just fit a large hoop in your back seat/trunk! Check out this link for a demo: How to open and close an infinity hoop
  • Here is the link to one of the “classic” hoopmaking sites. Please be aware that the collapsible instructions he gives are a bit involved and it’s not the same kind of collapsible hoop I am talking about.

If you are just starting out, sometimes it’s cheaper just to buy a hoop from someone else who is hand-making them. But if you know you’re going to want to do more than one (because truly, who can stop at JUST ONE HOOP?!)…then go ahead and buy the supplies and have fun! Make it a party 🙂

*If you’re in the Austin, TX area, there is a hoopmaking class with Laura and HoopCircle this Saturday (May 29). More details here.

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Hooping in the Heartland

25 May


As we left Austin, TX, I was sad because I didn’t think I would be able to find many “organized” hooping events in the Midwest. And while there aren’t as many meetups to choose from, I was pleasantly surprised to find a small community of hooping enthusiasts in Des Moines!

On our last weekend in town, I just happened to come across a card that a friend had given me for a free week of yoga at Firehouse Yoga. So I went to their site to see when the classes were…and LO AND BEHOLD! There was a hooping class scheduled for the very next day! I let out an audible *GASP* and ran downstairs to tell anyone who would listen 🙂 It turns out that the woman who runs the class is good friends with the friend who had given me the card in the first place. Ahhhhh the serendipity. Love it.


Dawn is the hooper extraordinaire who lead us in our spinning adventures on Saturday. She is a sweet soul who teaches new movements with ease and makes everyone feel comfortable, regardless of their skill level. She had just gotten back from a hooping event with Hoopmamas in the Kansas City area…oh how I wish I could have gone to that!


Dawn said that there will be a new hooping session starting this summer, and there will also be a yoga-hoopdance fusion class (see Firehouse site for details). So fun! If you live in the Des Moines area, be sure to get yourself and your hoop to her class. You won’t regret it! And besides, it’s next to Mars Cafe. You can’t go wrong a little iced caramel soy latte after class! 🙂

If you are new to hooping, don’t be afraid to seek out ANYTHING and everything hoop related in your area! Even if it’s just a few other hoopers getting together in a park…GO! You will be amazed at what you can learn. Everyone does their tricks differently and has a different “style.  Every time I gather with other people hooping, I come away inspired and excited…with a few new movements to work on!

To find other hoopers in your area, you can check out Meetup or check the regional forums on Hoop City. Or, as I have said before…START YOUR OWN GROUP! Here is a great “how to guide” from SaFire if you want to gather some local hoopers.

Thanks for the hoopin’ fun Des Moines!

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Hoop Night

24 May


Last week we held a “Hoop Night” at my parent’s house! We invited a few friends over for a potluck, hoop making, and hoop spinning…it was a grand time. We had a nice open space in the back yard, and we enjoyed trying out new movements and having some good laughs in the process.

If you’re noticing that all of your friends want a hoop of their own (now that they’ve seen your hoop),  I would highly recommend a “Hoop Night”. Get all the supplies and charge a base price for everyone, and then go to it! Everything is more fun when it’s done TOGETHER!

A Lesson With Laura

21 May


My Mother’s Day gift this year was a private hooping lesson with the fabulous Laura Scarborough, founder of HoopCircle in Austin, TX. I was giddy with excitement leading up to that day. When I arrived, Laura put on some sweet tunes and we started warming up. She gave me a lot of new ideas and ways of moving to promote “hoop awareness” 🙂

Over the next hour, she filled my mind with oodles of hoop goodness. So much new stuff! It was great to be able to ask her about little problems I had been having with certain moves. I wish I could have had TWO hours!! The video above is a little peek at our lesson. And even though it’s weird to see myself hooping for the first time (haven’t had any mirrors around!)….I’m glad I took it. This way, I can look back in a year and see how much progress I’ve made!

Almost all hoopdance instructors have private lessons available. If you have a chance to take a lesson in your area…do it! It’s so much fun and the one-on-one help is priceless. I would do it again in a heartbeat!

One last thing…I loved Laura’s rainbow travel hoop so much that I just had to order myself one. It arrived last week and it’s the hoop in my header photo for this blog! It’s so pretty!! She sells them on her site as well as locally in Austin.

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Hooping in Solitude

21 May


The first several weeks of my hooping journey have been blissful. I’ve been constantly surrounded by other hoopers…encouraged and inspired by their passion and skills. I realize that this is not the norm for most people who are starting out. Many times, you might be the only person in a 50 mile radius with a hoop (or at least it feels that way!). So I am grateful that I have a home on wheels and that I can travel to seek out hoop community.

However, upon arriving at my parent’s home in Iowa…I had an epiphany. I put on some music, grabbed my hoop and realized that it was the FIRST time I had hooped alone. There was no one to judge. No one to watch. No one to impress. It was just me and the hoop. I felt so free. I was free to dance crazier, faster, slower, you name it. I didn’t care what it looked like and it was amazing.

I haven’t had a moment like it since. I usually have Bella hooping by my side, which results in “Mama, WATCH THIS!!” before every move…or Lucy is sleeping and I can’t turn up the music as loud as I would like. I’ve found myself craving some time alone in the hoop.

I’ve also found myself combining my hooping with prayer time. Changing up the music a bit completely alters the mood and I can turn it into a meditation time instead of just exercise or fun. Just me and Jesus in the hoop. 🙂

What is your favorite time of day to hoop and where?
Do you hoop in a certain room of your house? Outside?
What are your thoughts on hooping alone?
I would love to hear…


*Photo: The lovely Rebecca | Walnut Woods – Des Moines, IA

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