How old are you?
43

When did you first start hooping?
August 2008

Would you call yourself a beginner, intermediate or advanced hooper?
Intermediate

How often do you hoop?
A few times a week. In spurts, I do daily practice.

Do you have an indoor hoop space?
Only if I stand on the low table in the middle of my living/dining room. I can hand hoop in the hall.

Is there a hoop group where you live?
Yes, in fact there are several.

Did you start it? No.

Would you say that you are obsessed with or addicted to hooping?
I was obsessed but now I have settled into a happy relationship with hooping.

Have you posted hooping videos? How many?
Yes, I have. 13 of them.

Do you have friends nearby to hoop with?
Yes. A double handful of hoop friends and a lot of my "regular friends" hoop a bit, too.

Do you teach hooping? If so, how many people have you taught?
Informally only. I've taught dozens of passersby.

What kind of songs do you listen to while hooping?
My iPod has an eclectic mix from classical to pop to world beats.

What is your favorite song right now?
Maybe the Stonebridge remix of Lily Allen's Fear...

Do you buy hoops or make your own?
Both. I usually give away the hoops I make.

Have you lost weight since starting to hoop?
No, but I have gained muscle.

What size is your favorite hoop?
Most of my hoops are 90cm

Are you comfortable hooping by yourself in a public place?
Yes, I do it all the time.

How did you learn the majority of the tricks you know today?
Hard to say. Deanne from Hooplovers? SaFire? Friends? YouTube?

Who is your favorite hoop teacher?
I love all my teachers for different reasons.

What advice would you give to to beginner hoopers?
Enjoy! Keep testing your limits. Don't be afraid to try new things or ask for tips.

Do you fire hoop? If not, do you want to?
I tried it once and fell over. I do want to do it again. Maybe for the Japan Fire Festival.

Do own an LED hoop? Where did you get it?
I do not have one.

How much time do you spend on safiredance.ning?
Not as much as I spend hooping.

What was the first trick you learned (besides waist hooping)?
A variety of hand hooping moves, then lifting from the waist.

What is the last trick you mastered?
It doesn't have a name.

What trick so far was the hardest for you to learn?
Not a particular trick, but balance and stability in general are a work in progress.

Which one are you finding is almost impossible to get?
Behind the back elbow pass. I think my left shoulder needs more flexibility.

How many hoopers would you say live in your town/city?
Lots and lots. Tokyo is a big place. There are at least three different hoop schools here.

Have you performed hooping in front of an audience?
Yes.

Has anyone told you you were too old to be playing with a hula hoop?
No. If someone did, I'd hand them a hoop and get them to try it.

What’s the worst injury you’ve acquired from the hoop?
Ripped open my knee & hands and twisted an ankle when I fell with the fire hoop.

Have you ever hooped naked?
Not entirely naked.

Have you been to a hoop camp/retreat? Which one?
I am organising one! Spin Matsuri in Japan this October. http://www.spinmatsuri.com