hoop thoughts evolving

i hadn't hoooped much in the past month because I saw it as a really one-dimensional practice as opposed to poi, which are naturally multi-planar and dynamic.

then i saw Hadria Beth's video with my daughter, and we were INSPIRED, and i thought, OK, time to upgrade my skillz. but i also stubbornly wanted the skills to evolve naturally from the core gyrations, as opposed to "studying a trick and trying to emulate it through trial and error." so i put on some good music and every time i wanted to get up and spin, i forced myself to grab a hoop (and go counterclock) instead.



the first thing i realised is: poi has quick recovery from "bops"... hoop recoveries suck, cause the thang drops all the way to the ground. here are the things i thought i could naturally pick up with the practice still being "fun" without too much technical intrusion:

1. hooping to the rhytmn -- this is proving far more difficult than i could imagine. the dang hoop has a mind of its own!

2. clock to counterclock and back again, smooth direction changes

3. DONE - pirouette in same direction as the hoop, so that the relationship between hoop and hooper stays static (the hoop "sticks" to your body in this mode, its pure centrifigal force that keeps it on your body.

4. control the hoop's altitude on the body, i.e. upper chest, belly, lower hips, etc.

5. hoop while running (thanks for the AWESOME visual, carolyn!)

6. hoop while standing on one leg (this direct from my tree yoga practice, see below)

finally, i have foresworn shirts for hooping. the sticktion of hoop to flesh is unparalelled (well, i haven't tried latex yet...)... AND, i LOVE the feeling of that hoop rubbing on my (perpetually sore and cracked) ribs through thin layer of flesh.... better than many massages i'd had!