Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jane "Electric Blue" on September 5, 2010 at 6:33pm

tee hee hee... .. the stink eye, that a great description.
I don't really have any concrete solutions.
I would probably get some good headphones and put on some good tunes to distract me from the people around.
Maybe sunglasses i always feel more confidant when i'm wearing sunglasses.

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Permalink Reply by Arsyn- Of the Exentrix on September 5, 2010 at 8:10pm

I feel exactly the same way. I hate hooping in populated areas cause I dont want it to seem like I'm showing off. Even when I'm busking it takes me a while to get into it. I have no tips unfortunately :(

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Permalink Reply by GlowBunny on September 5, 2010 at 9:19pm

I agree with Electric Blue, sunglasses are a good option, I'd probably go as far as wearing a hat AND sunglasses! I hoop outside my house when its nice out and I always find myself stopping what I'm doing when a car passes by and then start hooping again when they are out of sight :\ So don't fret, you are definitely not alone with those feelings! I usually get my sister or my best friend to hoop with me so I'm not alone, so maybe trying to bring a friend along will take care of the uncomfortableness or using the hat and sunglasses thing to sort of "hide" but I guess what the best advice should be is to be proud of your hooping while getting the "stink eye" from girls and keep your head held high and pretend they are all just jealous because they probably are :) Oh and uhm boys will be boys, so just think of it that way! :D

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StudentPermalink Reply by spider baby on September 6, 2010 at 8:26am

i too am extremely shy when hooping outside of my house..
i can barely even record myself doing it lol..
i have got to work on this..sunglasses and ipod might help me not notice anyone who might look..lol
i knew i was not alone with this.

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ModPermalink Reply by Martika* of MartikasMysticDesign on September 6, 2010 at 8:39am

I'm happy i went to my college gym. I ran into three other hoopers there and now i have more friends i can hoop with so it doesn't feel so awkward be hoop alone.

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StudentPermalink Reply by Daniela VI on September 6, 2010 at 1:38pm

Guys always make perverted comments and girls are always intimidated by someone who is doing something different and cool. The stink eye thing is pure jealousy . It doesnt matter what you are wearing, where you are hooping or what you are doing, hoop dancing always calls the attention for better or for worst. I think you should just focus on your hooping and let people think what ever they want. Perhaps this is a good oportunity to learn how to deal with public. I mean, dont let the stink eyes get you. Enjoy your passion!

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StudentPermalink Reply by circularlogic on September 6, 2010 at 2:40pm

Ah, I know just how you feel-- I'm really a super shy person at heart & when I first started hooping I thought there was no way I'd ever hoop in public. What changed my mind was Caroleeena's encouraging me to come to Hoop Jam. Being in the middle of a group of hoopers, I no longer felt all eyes were on me, & I could relax a little & jam out. There is safety & comfort in numbers! If there is already a hoop group near you, I'd definitely join it, & if not, seriously consider starting one. (Join the Fostering Hoop Communities group for lots of suggestions on this.) Or if that doesn't grab you, what about taking a hoop class? You might meet some folks who could hoop with you for practice times...

The good news is that the shyness does wear off a little the more you force yourself to "feel the fear & do it anyway." I'm still a little self-conscious about hooping in public but so much less so than I used to be.

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Permalink Reply by CFHoopGrl on September 6, 2010 at 10:10pm

Take extra hoops with you when you go to the park or the gym! Then you can let others play with them. The two comments I get the most are " I could never do that" or "I remember when I could do that!"

I live in Iowa so it seems like no matter what you're doing if it's outside people are going to look at you. As for the snarky people, well, what are *they* gonna do? Go home and watch T.V.? I doubt the couch-surfers a demographic to be feared ;-)

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StudentPermalink Reply by Sofia Alexandria on September 6, 2010 at 10:24pm

I definitely have gotten the "stink eye" a few times especially from girls. They are most definitely jealous. Most of the time I have people so intrigued that they ask a million questions and want to try out my hoops :). I think wearing sunglasses and/or a hat would help. I usually get my boyfriend to come to the reservoir or park with me to hoop. He makes sure no creepy men try to harass me while hooping lol. I think the more you practice, the more confident you will become. Since I started hooping, I have noticed a huge difference in my confidence while doing tricks and my flow with the hoop. Just be yourself and have fun girlie!

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Permalink Reply by Casey B. on September 7, 2010 at 10:30am

This used to bother me too, but I just learned to get over it. Hooping brings me too much joy to get caught up on what other people think. It's pretty much just a given that you'll get a few creepy stares from dudes, and bitchy stares from girls. Whatever, that's not your problem - just turn on some music, jam out and forget about them. They're probably just jealous.

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Permalink Reply by Wendy Settle on January 30, 2011 at 12:01am

When it was warmer out, I'd take my hoops over to invite my neighbor's out into the yard to hoop with me. Pretty soon their mom would come out to try it, & then her friend would come ......but having the kids there really helped. They hoop without any self conciousness at all! 

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StudentPermalink Reply by Jana from Ula Oopla land on September 7, 2010 at 12:29pm

Why don't you try blind folded hooping. It might help. That's how Baxter from Hoop Path started.

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