Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Brittany Ada on December 2, 2010 at 12:35pm

Hooping introduced me to a whole new world of friends! Not only that but they are probably the best friends ever too! As for myself, it has brought me so much self confidence, made me more outgoing... It's just little things every time you learn something new i get that awesome self accomplishment. I'd have to say it's the most rewarding feeling for me. :)

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Permalink Reply by Carly Parkin on December 2, 2010 at 1:16pm

Hooping has connected me with others in a big way. I started hooping back in march and in july i did the hooping.org hooper treasure hunt which as a result has me running 2 hoop jam sessions a week which is awesome :)

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Permalink Reply by Line Shelby* on December 3, 2010 at 7:46am

This is so great! Hoop Jams are so mch fun and a great place to learn new tricks!

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Permalink Reply by Sarah "Dwiizie" on December 2, 2010 at 1:47pm

I feel isolated a lot of times because I don't feel a connection with other hoopers as much as they seem to have with everyone else. Sometimes I feel like its a big inclusive community and everyone is welcome, but then there are cliques and dishonest people and whatnot, just like any place. I'm always wondering if people are genuine when they say "hoop love and hugs" I know I am, fully, from the bottom of my heart, and I can only assume others are the same, but so many people I've met are all about hoop love on paper, but all about "Look at me" in life, and I don't understand the saying one thing and doing another. I've actually had fellow hoopers say mean things to me and claim that I'm hogging the spotlight, when I wasn't even aware there was a spotlight, and I freely offered up whatever space I was taking up that the other hooper wanted, and I just kept on hooping anyway, it didn't matter to me. She even crashed my hoop a few times on purpose just to make herself feel better I guess, and I didn't understand that. We all like to let our soul shine, but we can ALL shine together. So much of the appeal of hoop dancing when I first discovered it was the stressing of the noncompetitiveness of it and how it was a loving community, but I have met some snippy and competitive people, when I'm happy to let them win, because I'm not interested in competing.

I do have social anxiety, and I think the hoop has helped me embrace myself, embrace people for who they are rather than what I wish they were. I've come to accept that everyone has their own unique path and energy, and whether it meshes with me or not, I have to accept it as it is. Thats hard to do sometimes when I feel so different from everyone else.

I've met some really amazing people (online and off), HoopsieDaisy is one of them for sure. I've connected more with my mind, but mostly, more with my body. I've reconnected with dance that I had long since abandoned. I've dealt with a LOT of issues in my life, I'll just say that the hoop has been an incredible healer. It has allowed me to feel myself again. Its indescribable.

I find myself not limiting the possibilities and my potential anymore. There is so much self esteem that comes from accomplishment. I have more pride in my body knowing that I'm working it, treating it right, and that I am beautiful, even if not all eyes can see that.

My experience has been a bitter sweet one, mostly sweet, but the bitter has been difficult to understand, thus making it difficult to accept. I just want to move, dance, and be free, and the hoop is the closest I've come to that in a very long time. I'm in better shape, I have more mental clarity. The social aspect is such rocky territory for me, but I'm trying my best. I like to help people, and contribute to ideas and discussions, but I often feel like I don't need anything else, or that I can just kinduh hang back, post when I feel the urge, and mostly remain in my own bubble aside from that. At hoop jams, I'm not shy, I'm balls to the wall doing what I do and having a blast, even if I'm not the most seasoned or flashy hooper there. I just want to send out my love to everyone, thats what it all comes down to. I guess this is a hoop bipolar answer, but its honest and from me, and I'm just watching everything evolve, both with me, with the community, with the friends I've made, and the friends I already have that don't get it. I see great things.

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Permalink Reply by Haley on December 2, 2010 at 1:56pm

Aww part of that makes me sad & part makes me happy, but I totally know what you mean. Some hoopers are only like that on paper. I hate when I am hooping with other hoopers and get dirty looks, etc. Just because we are all on different skill levels doesn't mean anyone is trying to steal the spotlight (at least I never am!), and no one should be!

*hugs*

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Permalink Reply by Haley on December 2, 2010 at 1:52pm

Hooping has definitely connected me with others AND reconnected old friendships (they now hoop too!!) Not only that, but hooping has brought me into this beautiful community on HoopCity that allows me to meet & talk to MANY different new hoopers every single day :)

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Permalink Reply by JayaLuna on December 2, 2010 at 1:53pm

I have met sooo many new friends because of hooping. I am also way more outgoing now than I used to be. I make it an effort to leave the house so that I dont miss any festivals or hoop events going on. I used to be quite the hermit...

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Permalink Reply by Traci HOOPlovely* on December 2, 2010 at 1:58pm

Well, I have not found any other hoopers in my area. So it hasn't made me more social than I was before. But it certainly has connected me with different ideas, experiences, ways of looking at things. Some of my own ideas have blossomed. As silly as it may seem to some, to me hooping is spiritual, political, intellectual, emotional. If I were to explain how it is each of those things, it would probably end up being the length of a book!

Hooping itself has made me smarter. I feel like different parts of my brain are exercised inside the hoop. And it changes my energy and opens me up and makes me less fearful of new things.

I call it my lovely revolution. :-)

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Permalink Reply by Line Shelby* on December 2, 2010 at 2:56pm

I love that! that is so lovely and true<3

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Permalink Reply by Shelley "HoopyChick" Gilbertson on December 2, 2010 at 4:03pm

I love that "lovely revolution!" Speaking of brain workouts, I just started mini hooping, and man! What a brain workout that is!

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Permalink Reply by Sarah "Dwiizie" on December 2, 2010 at 2:37pm

Thanks for the hugs Haley. I think it was even more absurd because its me lol, I am a total newbie, I just picked up the hoop in July. I have been very dedicated to practice, and I've picked some things up quickly, but everyone has a few things that came easily to them. This girl had been hooping for 3 years and is very good, but if she doesn't get a move down right away, she gives up. It wasn't that she felt I was showing her up I don't think, I think it was her own whatever getting in the way. I tried a sustained spin into shoulder hooping move for the first time, with the hoop resting on my arms behind me to start, and she yelled out for everyone to hear "Hey! You were just TOTALLY like LOOK AT MY BOOBS!" No, not really, I'm usually afraid of poking them out in the first place (early developer, middle school kids, older brothers, they make the big breasted woman ashamed. Something else the hoop is healing, because there is noooo way around it, I have boobs!) anyways , so to be free and attempt that move in public and have her call me out for no reason was just a buzz kill. And it was a festival, all the hoopers were in the parade, there were so many non hoopers there that wouldn't understand. There were kids present. Not that I think boobs is too awful, but some parents might, and I don't want to disrespect them, or worse, give them a bad impression of hoopers off of one experience. I just smiled and kept going even though it made me want to cry. I've tried to make friends with the girl, offered to shoot videos of her hooping, give her rides to hoop events because we live close by. I'm still trying to accept her for her and hope we get along better in the future, but it just doesn't seem to be meshing well. Its like she does it because its the thing to do to get attention. I just would never purposly embarass someone like that. She wore see through tights with a thong and a tanktop, and I didn't judge. Plenty of other people thought she was trashy blah blah blah, but I didn't care what she was WEARING, I cared about her as a person, and she seems like a bitter one. Then again, I can be a bit bitter myself. Bit bitter, thats funny sounding. Anyways, thanks again for the hoop hugs and love. Uplifting and fuzzy inside!

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Permalink Reply by Haley on December 2, 2010 at 2:54pm

I know EXACTLY the type of person you are talking about.... Weird how there's always "that one" in every area. lol. But at least you're doing the nice thing and being open to her, I stopped doing that after a year or so, but I still kind of hope that someday we can get along & learn from each other!!! You seem like a really nice person! :)

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