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Return to Roots Fun

Posted on by jennabee25

I was at Return to Roots in Medford, New Jersey this past Saturday.  Wow!  What a great time!  I need to do the whole weekend there next year.  Seriously.

I was there mostly on Hooping.org business, but I did take a workshop, which was the Hoop Choreography workshop taught by the wonderful Amy Rogers.  See the video I took of what we did below.

Otherwise, wandered the grounds with Sam, took photos, talked to people, and observed what people were doing.  Strangely, I didn’t do much hooping, since it was so stinkin’ hot out, and it’s hard to hoop with a camera on your neck.

Here’s a link to what photos I do have up.  There are a lots more to come!

Not gone, and still hooping!

Posted on by jennabee25

Oi, I know my lack of updates is unusual, but I do have good excuses, as usual.  I’ve been incredibly busy.  And now that I have some time, here’s what’s going on.

Still going to class.  Jenny is teaching us choreography moves and sequences.  This is good because I have a few performances coming up!

First, on July 17, if you are in the Ephrata/Lancaster area, I will be performing during Family Fun Night in downtown Ephrata at 6:30pm.  It’s a 50’s themed event.  My outfit is adorable.

Also, I’m getting ready for the Studio Spin Student Recital on Aug. 15, 4pm-6pm.  More information on that later.

My posts may be spotty for the next couple of weeks, but I will be here and checking in.

Behind on Things

Posted on by jennabee25

My schedule has been so off balance, that I realized I hadn’t posted anything this week!  It’s just been a little crazy.

First, as for my back pain, it’s actually in my hip.  Next Friday I’m getting a pain management shot in the joint.  It will put me out of commission for the day and probably the next, but the doctor is confident that I’ll be mostly pain-free.

Oh, speaking of the doctor, I told him that I’m a hooper.  I heard him telling the nurses this and they got a kick out of it.  I could even hear one talk about how she could do it as a kid. 

As for Monday’s class, Jenny was very accommodating to me with my hip.  She had me work on stuff that wasn’t on the waist, hips, and legs.  Believe it or not people, there’s a lot you can do without waist hooping. 

Otherwise, I still haven’t been hooping much.  It’s either been raining, or I’ve been busy.  Maybe tonight, if it doesn’t rain.

Science!

Posted on by jennabee25

I have always loved Thomas Dolby’s quirky hit, “She Blinded Me With Science,” so I decided to do a quirky hooping using that song.  It’s probably the best hooping video I’ve done so far.

I made this in the Outer Banks BEFORE I messed up my back. 

As for my back, I am feeling a little bit better, but I am going to pain management next week to see what can be done.

Here’s the video!

Hoopy Vacation!

Posted on by jennabee25

I know, where have the updates been?  I’ve been on the annual family vacation to the Outer Banks!  See evidence of beach hooping in picture to the left.

I had a lovely week, and managed to hoop every day there, even when Tropical Storm Ana came through (it was just a lot of rain, really) on Monday, I did circus drills inside.  Quite nice!

Of course, there should be some upcoming video of my time in the OBX, too.

Oh, and talent show was yesterday.  I did pretty well, I think.  The sparse audience seemed to enjoy my act.  The icing on the cake was when a good high school friend greeted me at the end of the show with a bouquet of flowers.  It was great to see her!!

I’ll have more on the talent show, too, as pictures and video of that become available, too.  Stay tuned!  As for now, I leave you with more squinty faced pictures of me hooping on Whalehead Beach.

Sunday and Monday Hoopiness

Posted on by jennabee25

Shocker!  I took a rest day both on Friday and Saturday after completing a 30/30 challenge.  I needed rest day so much that on Sunday I went out and hooped twice. 

Sunday morning was beautiful.  It was warm enough to wear one of my beloved tank tops.  I usually wear tank tops all throughout the summer when not at work.  I was happy to wear one for the first time this year.  Yay! 

I briefly had an audience while I was hooping, too.  The girl two doors down came out and sat on her porch in her pajamas and watched me practice that morning for a short period of time.  Later that day I caught two glimpses of her playing with her own hula hoop.  Coincidence?  Did I influence her?  Who knows.

Later that afternoon, Deb came over and we hooped for a little bit in the park, but most chilled out.  We were both tired.  As we were sitting in the shade, a couple came up to us and asked us if we were in a club.  I said no, but explained what we were doing and got a brief conversation about hooping going.  It’s always good to spread the word.

Monday brought class in the evening, and we had a new person!  I believe her name was Christa, and she had never hooped before.  She did great!  So great, she asked Jenny about getting a hoop, and Jenny then kindly referred Christa to me.  Woo hoo!  I will have a hoop for her next time I’m in class. 

As for what we did in class, Jenny taught us some push/pull moves and folding isolations.  Both are going directly into my flow. 

So, that’s what’s going and now we’re all caught up here.

Drill, Baby, Drill

Posted on by jennabee25

Class on Monday was great!  The one thing about that class that stuck out in my mind that I have since really incorporated into my own practice is circus drills.

Circus drills are basically working the hoop from the top to the bottom of your body.  Jenny showed us to start of in different variations of lasso, neck hooping, chest hooping, rib cage hooping, and and then on down to the waist, hips, and knees.  Once you are finished, do it again in your opposite current.  Do each set for thirty seconds, or as long as you can, in your non-dominant current.

Since I’ve been working those drills into my workout, my hooping posture has gotten a little better, and really pay attention to my form checking my reflection in the patio door as a practice outside.  It’s the closest thing I have to a mirror I can practice in front of at home. 

I also drill a lot of stuff, over and over again.  I was also drilling mandalas, tossing the hoop over the back of my hand, and variations on shoulder hooping.  Drills work!  I can see improvements.

Other stuff in class?  More transitions, knee hooping, and helicopter!  I’ve started to incorporate helicopter with dance moves in my practice, too.

Speaking of being outside at home, I often notice people on the rail-to-trail outside my home glancing over and perhaps even watching me as I practice.  Two women were walking the trail yesterday, and one yelled out to me, “Hey, you’re pretty good at that!”  I thanked her.  It was nice to get a little compliment from a stranger.  After a few more exchanges, of “I couldn’t never do that,” and “You make that looks easy,” I thanked them again and they went on their way. Nice!

Feeling Good

Posted on by jennabee25

I’ve been enjoying the 30/30 challenge over at Hooping.org, as well as practicing the stuff that Jenny has been teaching at Studio Spin on Mondays.

Let’s start with class from Monday.  We did a lot of chest and shoulder hooping.  Jenny gave me some other stuff to working that technique, such as doing things with my hands and exploring space UNDER the hoop.  It’s been a fun thing to practice.

I’ve been really practicing, too, as for the 30/30.  I am starting to look forward to my after work practice sessions.  In fact, I did a video from my practice yesterday.  Take a look!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Md3u920TjR0?feature=player_embedded

 I am feeling good about my hoop progress right. now.  Hence the song.  I thought it was quite fitting!

What a weekend!

Posted on by jennabee25
Me, in my Pop Up Circus gear.
I had a very hoopy weekend!  By the end of Saturday, I was exhausted.  Here’s what I did.
On Friday evening, I helped with the Pop Up Circus in Penn Square in Lancaster.  What a great event!  I was there helping by teaching kids and parents how to hula hoop.  I had a very enthusiastic response, which was great.  In fact, all the performers had an excellent response!  I was a side show, of sorts, you could say.  The main acts were awesome.
On Saturday, which was a gorgeous day, Deb and I trekked up to Kutztown University for the Hoop for Hope event.  Deb and I were the only ones not from the campus there actively participating in hooping, but that that’s ok.  No big deal.  It was change of scenery, a day trip away from the norm, and we got to participate in a good cause.  I donated some tape and hoops for them to raffle and sell.  Deb and I also made hoops from the make-your-own hoop stand for $5.00.  I took both home, and put a better connector and riveted them together.  Much lighter and sturdier.  Great job to the organizers of the event!
Saturday evening came when I got home, and I was tired.  Exhausted.  Wow.  It was good.  What a great hoopy weekend!

Beautiful Past Few Days

Posted on by jennabee25

The past few days were beautiful, weather-wise, and hoop-wise.  Here’s what I did.

On Friday after my hoop practice, which I got to do outside, I made some hoops.  Deb wanted a new, larger one, so I did that for her.  On Saturday, I let her know that her hoop was ready, and she came over.  It was windy, but we hooped and had fun.  The sun was out, and that made it all right.

Sunday, though, had fantastic weather.  It was gorgeous, and I finally had time to really dig into a hoop routine I’ve been working on.  It felt good to start working the wrinkles out with that. 

Yesterday was class at Studio Spin.  Again, Jenny worked us hard, and the workout was awesome.  Again, a little sore, but it’s a good sore.  Good class!

Today, it’s cloudy and raining here and there.  Boo!  Oh, well.