• Full Name: Michelle Ann Schaeffer                   

• Contact E-mail: michelle@stlhoopclub.com

• Age: 30

• Location: St. Louis, MO

• How long have you been hooping? 3 Years 2 months

• Have you ever been to a hoop dance or spinning event before? 

I have been very fortunate to organize, participate, and attend 4 large scale hooping events in St. Louis.  I have attended many smaller hooping events.  I have produced 3 World Hoop Day events in St. Louis and my organization (the STL Hoop Club) has now donated 300 hoops to local schools in St. Louis.  The schools use the hoops in a variety of programs.  The most recent donation to the Shaw School has five programs in the works. 

• Do you teach classes, run hoop jams, or organize events in your area; how do you connect with the hoop dance community?

YES!  YES!  YES!  I am a hoop dance instructor in St. Louis.  I am the founder and coordinator for the St. Louis Hoop Club.  I also am the founder and coordinator for the Cosmic Collaborative Performance Ensemble.  Info about us can be found at www.stlhoopclub.com.  I earned my hoop dance certification from Hoopnotica and am licensed and insured.  I teach several skill levels of classes regularly at my studio located at 2720 Cherokee- an arts and music space.  I have been branching out and teaching in many local schools in the St. Louis area.  I connect with my community by bringing them jams, events, hoop love, and performances in the STL Metro and the mid-west.   

I produced my first event ever for a friend that lost his leg in a car accident in May of 2009.  It was called Madahooping for Ham.  His name is Dan Ham and the event featured my favorite band of all time- Madahoochi.  And of course there was lots of hooping.  We raised a good amount of money, and he was able to benefit from it in so many ways.  That event and the newly established STL Hoop Club inspired me to become an event coordinator and was a driving force for me to graduate college.  I graduated from Webster University this past May with my PR degree.  There was a time when I never thought I would graduate.  

• Who is your favorite hooper and why?

My favorite hooper right now is Luna Breeze or Brie Blakeman from Kansas City, MO.  This will be corny for her because we are friends :) but she is such an inspiration to me.  Her beautiful form and modern dance interpretation of the hoop in motion is stunning.  She has been so kind to me, giving me support and love to grow as a hooper.  This has inspired me to want to be better performer and teacher. 

• Why do you want to attend our event and what do you want to gain from attending?

I want to attend this event for so many reasons.  I love hooping.  I love connecting with other hoopers.  I love helping communities with hoops.  I think it's great that this trip will include doing work in local schools.  I would love taking part in that project so much.

I want to gain the experience of the experience.  I want to be inspired by others.  I want to see others in action teaching their passion.  I want to gain leadership and life qualities that travel and enlightenment can offer.  

• Please write a short reply about your hoop journey and how life has changed since you picked up the hoop.

Ah... my hoop journey is all about having hoop dreams.  I picked up a hoop at a really beautiful small music and art event called TOCO in September of 2008 in Southern IL.  I was volunteering in the kids area the first time I picked up a hoop- I hooped for 8 hours straight that day.  I was a changed women.  I could not wait to own my own hoop, and saw potential in building a community almost instantly.  It seemed like an activity served best with others.  I felt that if this simple activity could have such an impact on me, it could others as well.  

The STL Hoop Club was started in December of 2008.  We have had a hoop studio for three years next month.  The Cosmic Collaborative Performance Ensemble was created in Feb of 2011 and have 15 members.  I have enjoyed so many amazing experiences involving performance and leadership.  I have been teaching hoop dance for almost two years.  This past June I was honored to perform with and teach hoop dance with Luna Breeze and others at Wakarusa- a large music festival.  I have performed with amazing headlining acts like Beats Antique, Mouth, The Hulk, Groundation, the JBG with Melvin Seals, Spongle, Marty Party, Dirtfoot, and so many more.  I have participated in over 200 events in the last three years.  

I look forward to the future and what hooping and passion will bring me.  I would really love to have the experience of this trip.  I need to win this scholarship to attend.  For me, hooping is about inspiring people.  I hope my story inspires you to vote for me.  I love hooping SO much :) I am going to continue to be a presence in my hooping community and look forward to my many hoop dreams.  I have lots of ideas.  

Thanks for giving me this chance!  Much love-