Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by dani on May 19, 2009 at 2:18pm

I think you're learning pretty quick form what you posted. The chest/shoulder hooping kept me stumped for weeks but then I wasnt using right size hoop either. Im using the tutorials as well but I think you just learn at your own pace and order doesnt seem to really matter. some ppl pick up different things quicker than others. Im hoping the transitions and gracefulness/flow of them comes as I get better with the tricks and i can kind of 'become one' with my hoop (lol). Im still in beginning stages too but now it doesnt seem to take as long for me new stuff. I can do the vertical isolation just not as smooth as Id like.

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Permalink Reply by Dianah on May 19, 2009 at 5:22pm

im new to all this too... been doin it for about 3-4 weeks... Ive learned a few tricks, lifts, vortex, duck/drop in, shoulder/chest hooping, and a few other of the body tricks. i've been working on knee hooping this week too which is pretty tricky, but lots of practice later im slowly getting it. also been working on moving the hoop up and down my body. i want to get to where the basics are like second nature as far as moving around in different directions with the hoop and feeling comfortable no matter where the hoop ends up on my body so that way ill always be able to recover it (and maybe work my way up to more hoops) so ive basically just been practicing as often as i can doin things i already know to kind of help with the flow rather than always trying new tricks and stopping all the time because the hoop falls and it seems to be working. i may feel awkward doing a move at first, but after a bit of practice it seems to be more graceful. im not sure theres any particular or right or wrong way to get started but the most important thing i think is to have fun and dont take it too seriously or think too hard about it. when i just let go and have fun with it everything seems to flow and transition better :)

as far as isolations go, im not too great at them, but im getting better, i finally realized you have to use your arm strength to hold the hoop up in one plane and keep your arm straight and its actually your shoulder rotating combined with holding the hoop in air that makes it spin like it does. im working on doing it slowly and gradually getting faster as my arm gets stronger and my muscles get used to the motion.

also one more thought... sounds crazy but it helps-- try turning on some music while you hoop and just go with the music, and/or maybe try making a video, i found it helpful to watch myself hooping so i could see when i look a little silly and when the moves are flowing a bit better..
Hope this helps :) happy hooping ;)

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Permalink Reply by Tangled Macrame on June 7, 2009 at 7:37am

Isolations definitely take practice, practice, practice. I like your video suggest as well. However, when the camera isn't available (or when it's making me scared!) I find a spot where I can see my shadow against a wall, so that I can watch my isolations.

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Permalink Reply by SaFire* on May 19, 2009 at 5:28pm

Hey hun,

Remember this: There is no wrong way to learn hooping. Your own path is going to create your our style of hoop dancing.

My classes follow an order that seems logical but generally there is not specific order you have to learn in. Obviously some moves that are closely linked are easier when learned in order... kind of like walking before we run but overall you'll piece the puzzle together in the end.

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Permalink Reply by l "lady lamb" to the inz on May 20, 2009 at 1:48pm

well i started off w you tube myself and just did the onesi knew i felt comfy w at teh time.the isolationtook me months i just didnt understand what they were doing lol* one of my fav tricks now. but there really isnt any way to say this is what you do at one month some people ina month are still trying to walk and hoop some people are doing behind the back tricks. just depends on your speed of learning and what you take in when you find.

with flow i think thats something just comes as you do it. ive been hooping for a year and sometimeswhen i hoop imlike dang i have no flow. my advice is to do what feels natural to you. keep watching vids to inspire you and love yourself and the hoop.

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Permalink Reply by Mad Maxine on May 20, 2009 at 9:29pm

Welcome to hooping! You are struggling with the same thing that probably everyone else out there struggles with. Flow.
If you haven't seen it yet, check out this topic:
http://safiredance.ning.com/forum/topics/contemplating-flow

Transitions and flow are complicated. Almost too complicated to write about. But some of the things I learned at the Northwest Hoop Gathering included:

1) From Khan-- Do some flow exercises by picking three moves and try connecting them together. If you only have two moves, you only get two combinations: A to B, or B to A. if you have 3 moves, you get lots of combinations: A to B to C; B to A to C; A to C to B... etc. One of the things this exercise will teach you is how to think about a set of tricks. If you have three tricks in totally different planes (vertical, horizontal off-body, and horizontal on-body), then connecting them becomes more complex. You might need to figure out a transition move.

2) From Anah-- Consider getting really comfortable with all the tricks you can do while hooping in one plane. For core hooping you can learn to waist hoop while doing a whole lot of other stuff with your body. Use your legs to dance. Do arm movements. Bend forward, backward, and sideways at the waist and keep the hoop level. Hoop on your legs. Learn to change the angle of the hoop by leaning or pushing on it with your body. THEN start working on tricks that involve grabbing the hoop and lifting it off your body. Once you get it off the body, figure out what you can do with the hoop wherever it ends up. Start tying things together.

3) DON'T BE AFRAID TO JUST GRAB THE HOOP! It's okay to stop the hoop and move it to some other plane. If you can do it gracefully by making the grab-and-change move all swoopy and pretty. Or hang onto the hoop and start spinning around while you change the plane of the hoop. But I encourage you to learn to do reversals and breaks. Expect bruises.

Most of all, keep doing your research! It sounds like you're kicking ass. Have fun!

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Permalink Reply by spider baby on May 21, 2009 at 9:13am

once again you are a fountain of info..thanks

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Permalink Reply by Ishkara on May 21, 2009 at 11:53am

Great post!

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Permalink Reply by Mad Maxine on May 22, 2009 at 12:50pm

glad to be of service!
:)

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Permalink Reply by Lulu Hoop* of Spiraling Within* on May 21, 2009 at 2:53pm

Sounds like you're doing great, Caylee. You've learned some hard moves in a very short time. Like people have already said, everyone takes their own path through the hoop. I think alot of it has to do with personality and what your body and soul is craving at the time. :-)

I started last summer, all by myself in my apt learning from Tribe and YouTube. I wasn't in a rush, I was enjoying being a novice (after years of being a BD instructor). So I spent months just working with my waist/hip hooping and bringing the hoop off and on my body. I put on music and jammed out, working my way through all the possible movements I could do with my hoop within those moves. I practiced hooping front/back v. side/side, twisting my torso from one side to the other while hooping, travelin forward, back, side, around, up, down and all over. I practiced turns, both with and against the hoop, and dancing in different planes: flat foot, knees bent, on toes, ect.

I also made sure to do everything hooping in both directions. Balanced hooping is really important, both for your body/health and for your dancing. So if you haven't already worked with that, get to it! :-) You'll thank yourself later down the road.

So for me, my goal was not learning tricks but gaining complete control and connection with my hoop. It was a great expirience for me and really helped with my foundation and my flow.

Around month 4 I decided I was ready to get tricked out. And I added chest hooping and a few new fun things. Once I joined SaFire's classes, my hooping really took off. And I've been having a blast! It can get overwelming tho, when you want to learn so much, it's hard to find the time to really practice and work with the new moves to really get them. :-D

Good luck with your journey, whatever it may be!
Happy Hooping!!

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Permalink Reply by Caylee on June 6, 2009 at 8:52am

Thanks guys for all your input :) You are all totally inspiring.

I was just wondering if I was to start safire's online classes where should I start? Should I still start at seeding? or should I join a series that might challenge me a bit more? where did you start - and what experience did you have before? hm......

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Permalink Reply by Lulu Hoop* of Spiraling Within* on June 6, 2009 at 2:30pm

I'd start with the seeding series. There is a lot of info there! You'll learn stuff you didn't know and the stuff you already know, you'll still learn stuff to help you out with flow and improvement. Plus you can always upgrade later! :-D

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