Well here we are in a new year. Before I look at my goals for the coming year, I want to look back at how far I've come in the last year. I am proud to report that I have learned a lot. It's easy to forget that when we don't check in. I have scaled down from a big hoop to a small hoop. I still like my big hoop better but I am a better hooper for being able to use a small hoop. I have pretty much mastered shoulder hooping in both directions and I've gotten much better at chest hooping also. I've also gotten a lot better at dancing with my hands. Dancing in general actually. I also began hooping on my feet in 2007 and I hope to move from that into doing back walkovers while hooping in 2008. So, much progress. On top of that, I have deepened friendships with my hoop buddies and made lots of new hoop friends. I also really upped the ante for myself as a hoop performer. I had some really big gigs and I've learned a lot about costuming and presentation and performance in general. Finally, I taught a lot of classes in 2007 and did a really good job of spreading the hoop bliss. All in all, 2007 was full of hoop blessings for me. I am grateful for it and for all of you who have helped and supported and inspired me along the way. Thank you.
For this month, I am going to be concentrating on kicking one leg out of the hoop. I have a long way to go with this trick so every time I hoop, I plan to practice it at least once.
How about you? What did you accomplish in 2007? And what do you plan to practice in this first month of the new year? (Remember, the key to all resolutions is to keep them attainable. I recommend setting only ONE goal a month. That makes accomplishment much more likely and helps you focus better too.)
For this month, I am going to be concentrating on kicking one leg out of the hoop. I have a long way to go with this trick so every time I hoop, I plan to practice it at least once.
How about you? What did you accomplish in 2007? And what do you plan to practice in this first month of the new year? (Remember, the key to all resolutions is to keep them attainable. I recommend setting only ONE goal a month. That makes accomplishment much more likely and helps you focus better too.)
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Raleigh
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Tue, January 1, 2008 - 6:46 PMMy goals:
--Work on dancing to different styles of music. I have a tendency to have problems with hooping to some music, but I know I need to be able to hoop to anything.
--Leg hooping. Dammit I just cant bring it up once it gets to my knees.
--Finding a new way to get the hoop from my thighs to my hips. The way I know works, but I know there's better and more graceful ways to get it.
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Wed, January 2, 2008 - 3:34 AMWell I learned to hoop in 2007 so that's a pretty big accomplishment for me! I had never hula hooped before! I've now moved down to smaller sized hoops, though still large by many standards, and I'm loving every minute of it. Hooping has allowed me to really explore music and my own ability to move. Before this I was wondering what would happen next. Being 44 I was starting to feel stiff and didn't get enough exercise. Now I am much more flexible and I can't stop moving. I have also met some wonderful people via Tribe which I think is a marvelous resource for sharing, caring people.
My goal for January had better be chest hooping. I'm so poor at it. Also to practice shoulder hooping every time I hoop and to include a go at my reverse current for shoulders which is currently totally not working. That will do. First I have to get rid of a horrible chesty cough and temperature that has hit me from somewhere. Today I don't think I could pick a hoop up let alone spin it! -
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Wed, January 2, 2008 - 4:21 AMOh poor one! Get well soon.
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Wed, January 2, 2008 - 8:21 PMI'm so glad you mentioned looking at the whole year! That made me realize that this time in 2007, I had never heard of hooping. Later in January I saw a LiveJournal post advertising a class, I took the class, and the rest is history! (This December I had my first performance, very exciting.)
January goal: Keep hooping (I haven't made much time for it lately) and maybe work on kickstarts.
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Wed, January 2, 2008 - 10:34 PMPROMOTION(!) fueled by daily dancing!
I'm starting to teach classes this month and I can feel the whole city getting ready for the revolution! My goal is to keep up my energy with daily practicing (even tho my body wants me to hibernate, and even tho my living room is small, and even tho...) to remember WHY I do this!
007 (double oh seven) was pretty sweet...but 008 has THREE hoops in it!
lovelovelove -
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Wed, January 2, 2008 - 11:18 PMTechnically 008 has FOUR hoops in it!
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Thu, January 3, 2008 - 12:37 AMI began my adult hooping life in mid-2007...basically starting over from scratch. Looking back, I've come a long way. I've pretty much mastered waist, hip, shoulder, and chest hooping in both directions, though I have to transition from waist to chest via the shoulders. I haven't figured out how to get the hoop over my boobs without using my arms yet. I can knee hoop in both directions, and can sometimes bring one leg out in an arabesque, but bringing the hoop back up still eludes me. I've learned a few tricks, too...bringing the hoop from waist to overhead and back down with either hand in either direction, bringing it up, flipping it over and bringing it back down (clockwise only, so far), and twirling it around the body. That one goes better counter clockwise, but I can do it both ways.
I've also learned to make my own hoops, and have spread the hoopy-goodness to many of my friends. I even managed to teach someone who has always wanted to but never (not even as a child) been able to hoop to hoop!
This month's goal is pretty much the same as last months...to make time for hooping. I don't want to forget all that I've accomplished in the last year. -
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Unsu...
Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Thu, January 3, 2008 - 2:18 AMMy 2007 New Year's resolution was to make a year of videos documenting my progress. I began on my 37th birthday last Jan and went to Nov with Hooping Vlog. My camera died a few weeks ago while I was filming the last Vlog and dancing to My Chemical Romance's "Black Parade", which is just weird.
I have enjoyed moving my hooping inside to my living room for the winter. It has made me work on all my moves slowly and deliberately especially taking time to equal out my reverses.
I'll be 38 in a few days, I can't say it doesn't frighten me but the hoop has made that lurch towards 40 a lot more manageable.
My ultimate goal is to find a way to produce a hooping show.
My goal this year is to get another camera and continue trying to capture some of the hoops magic with my lens. -
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Thu, January 3, 2008 - 6:15 AMCaroleena - you are so inspirational! Thanks for pushing our limits and making it a point to set monthly goals. As for 2007 - well, I started hooping last year. So, that - in and of itself - was a huge accomplishment. It's amazing to think of how far I've come in 8 months. I started out barely able to keep a hoop up around my waist. Now, I've mastered shoulder hooping, bringing it from the legs all the way up, vertical hooping (which I had a lot of trouble with in the beginning), behind the back pass, and I'm working diligently now on my reversals. I also got a PSI hoop as my Christmas present - which has added a whole other element to the excitement of hooping.
In January, I plan to work on kick starts and the one leg out kick... I've done it a couple of times successfully (luckily, capturing it on tape)... here's a video, in case you're interested in seeing where I'm at with it: youtube.com/watch
I also want to spend more time on hooping in the opposite direction. But my biggest hooping goal in '08 will be to obtain my HoopGirl teacher training certification. I'm doing the three day workshop with Christabel in June & I'm SO EXCITED! I'm also very much looking forward to meeting you all at the upcoming conferences :)
Happy New Year, you guys!
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Thu, January 3, 2008 - 7:52 AMI'm with a couple of the guys on here in that I only started last year, so have much to learn yet, but this month in particular, I'd love to learn how to step IN to the hoop. I can get out, but not back in - if anyone wants to offer advice, please do so (maybe point me to a tutorial?).
For the year ahead, I'd like to get lots better at everything! I think I'll be working on my dancing and reversals before I neglect them any more.
I also had a PSI for Christmas, so extra dimensions all round (and I got Melodia Pants too, which just top the festivities off asstastically!) -
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Thu, January 3, 2008 - 9:20 AMI started hooping in spring 2006
by spring 2007 i was able to keep the hoop up for about 5 rotations--I basically suck
however I havent given up
it looks like waay too much fun and the fact that I cant make it work just says i need professional help
and so Im starting 2008 off by taking hoop workshop
my goal for 2008 hoop-wise is to do it
find a class that fits my schedule (we have 1 teaching hooper in town)
and do it!
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Thu, January 3, 2008 - 5:31 PMMy 2008 hooping goals:
- To start logging all the moves I do. I learn a move or create one....then I completely forget them. I think keeping a journal and list of moves to integrate into my practice will surely help me take it up to the next level.
- Transitions! To focus more on transitions to help me out with flow.
- To improve my lower hooping skills. (My poor knees.) -
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Fri, January 4, 2008 - 3:24 PMThis is a great idea - I have a draft saved in my email where I continually add any tricks I have learned and it is SO helpful because I, too, forget a lot of the tricks I've learned or the variations. Sometimes I skim through the list to find something that I haven't done for months so I can see if I'm able to do it!
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Fri, January 4, 2008 - 2:25 PM2007 for me has been the year in which I discovered the fun of hooping and ordered my first two hoops and learned all I can do now (which is a hell of a lot for half a year of hooping).
For this month I'm totally going for CW hooping (my non dominant direction) including music. Tonight it was the first time I put music on with clip on speakers on my street where many people pass so I felt even more 'looked at'. But I wasn't too unsure and just ignored all and everyone while looking ridiculous because I look like a total beginner trying to hoop CW.
Anyway there is big progress.
Knee hooping CW is a big disaster.
But chest hooping worked a few times for a LOT of rounds and I could even swing it from CCW to CW to CCW and so on for a few times.
Plus shoulder hooping is getting to a point where I 'get it'. I can't do it yet but for a good 4 rounds it goes and I am getting better at making the hoop touch ALL of the four contact points (in stead of only my arms as before).
It's the second time now that I notice that music makes me feel so much less annoyed when things go wrong or take a long time. It makes me feel more confident, less bothered by passing people and just more happy in general and importantly I can go on for a longer time! Even with this cold (it's about 0 degrees and I literally hoop with one top on because it's easier to hoop with less clothes on, though I wear gloves) I continue for a long time now because the music makes me feel energized and strong willed and less annoyed. :D
Also I found out Jamiroquai has a nice hooping rythym.
So I'm really happy with that.
+ I ordered (I know it's insane but it costs less in total to order all together because of extreme shipping costs to my country)
- two aluminium circus hoops to practice hooping with 2 hoops (that is going to be difficult especially with such advanced hoops but I'm sure I'll learn how to deal with it and I already developed a preference for lighter smaller hoops)
- an infinity collapsible hoop
- a spinsterz fire hoop (holistic fire hoop seemed a bit too expensive to me and this one is considered a good one as well at least from what I've read on the fire hoop topics here and on the fire hoop tribe)
In a bit of time I'll have 6 hoops and all very different. :P
I think it's about time I can honestly say I am a hooper now huh? ;-) -
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Sat, January 12, 2008 - 10:32 AMyooo, just practicted the CW hooping for a while, went really well. As for chest hooping I'm near the point that I can do it as long as I want but not completely yet. (still falls down a lot)
Shoulderhooping great progress: I really got the groove of it and managed to go for I don't know how many rounds but something like 25 so I'm sure before this month is over I can make it to the 'as long as I like' level.
Knee hooping CW I only practice for a really short time and not too much because it's not good for my back when I bend over all the time to pick it up, place it around my knees etc. By the way it's a disaster anyway and I think it might be better to focus on knee hooping again by summer when I can knee hoop without pants on so it will be easier. BTW getting the hoop up from knees to waist for some reason I am completely unable to do. But this month I'll focus on CW hooping so I'll leave that part for a later time.
I also practiced stalling and FINALLY understood what it was and got the hang of it too. I heard the term before but never really understand what was meant because it seems people call it by different names or the other wise around different things are meant by the term + there were not really video tutorials on it it seemed, it just sometimes 'happened' for a few seconds in a video. + I always thought it had something to do with beam me up or it was an extended version of it and now I understand it is a good 'trick' to do after beam me up, it's a nice transition but it's not the same..
Anyway I can do stalling now around waist and chest with hands and move it up and down meanwhile. I also tried the chest stall talked about in another topic, which almost worked but not completely yet. I am positive I can do it in a short time.
I'm particularly happy about the shoulder CW though, it is starting to feel 'natural'. BTW does it sound really weird if I tell you that I think CW chest or shoulder hooping is easier for me then waist hooping? For some reason the waist hooping keeps feeling really unnatural, like it's going to fall down any moment and I have been practicing that way longer than the chest or shoulders... I can only do it for a short time and cannot walk or move in any direction while doing it. And have to place my foot in a certain way and not move them or put them different....:P Stupid... -
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Sat, January 12, 2008 - 5:04 PMYou ask if it's weird that you can do something in your non-dominant current easier than in your dominant. No, I can get the hoop from my waist to my chest and hoop on my chest in my non-dominant current, but not very well at all in my dominant current.
Some things just seem to work better in different ways.
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Wed, January 16, 2008 - 4:46 AMWOOOOO. Hooping CW goes weeeeelll!!!! I don't know how I got there but in like 10 minutes of hooping I managed to hoop CW around neck and reverse currents. I can hoop around the chest CW and hold the hoop most there most of the time, though it takes more effort than the other way around. I immediately 'got' the shoulderhooping CW and managed to reverse it to CCW and back. (though that one is still very wobblyhobbly). AND I gave it a whirl around my knees and got it turned 5 (!) turns CW. Normally I don't get it further than 2.
So WOOO for me. :D
Happyyyyy so happpyyyyy yeeeh -
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Wed, January 16, 2008 - 4:56 AMYay for you! One of the reasons I encourage people to hoop in both directions is that you have understandings in your body that you wouldn't otherwise. Hooping in your non-dominant direction makes you better in BOTH directions. Wait til you see have quickly your learning accelerates now. Congratulations!!!
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Fri, January 4, 2008 - 2:53 PM2007... what a year. I first saw some ladies hooping on Halloween of 2006, at the PEX Halloween party. It took until June of 2007 for me to get my ass in gear enough to locate the tubing and make my first hoop. On Halloween of 2007, I went to the PEX Halloween party in a honeybee costume with a matching black and yellow hoop... and I hooped my ass off in front of a large group of people for the first time. The past six months have been a tremendous amount of fun... and working with the hoop has totally expanded my ideas about movement and dance. I've always been a very upright dancer... everyone always told me that I should study ballet... and hooping has introduced me to movement in different planes besides the vertical, heh.
My goals for 2008 include continuing to discover my own style of hoopdance... purchasing and safely playing with a fire hoop so that I can do my first burn on my 21st birthday in May... getting to know the amazing hooper girls in Philly, from whom I can learn so much... and most of all, finding the time between work and clinicals and my internship with my herbalist to hoop and get happy.
As for January? Well, I just had my wisdom teeth yanked out of my face, and life gets crazy with no days off until April starting tomorrow. But after settling into my new schedule and healing up from the surgery, my goals include...
- CCW shoulder hooping, CCW leg hooping. Whoo boy, have I neglected my weak side...
- shoulder barrel rolls, more than one in succession CW.
- behind the back horizontal pass and pop-up. Almost have it smooth.
- continue to work with my smaller, 39" hoop until totally comfortable.
- enjoy it. Hooptime is equal to downtime until graduation, and I'd better be liking every second of it! No nasty frustrated self doubt thoughts this month, nosiree.
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Fri, January 4, 2008 - 4:57 PMI learned a lot this year, but I think the most important thing I learned was how important it is for me to have daily practice, and to forgive myself when it doesn't work out that way.
For January, let me see...I think my goal this month is to make a couple lighter hoops to challenge my reliance on the momentum of heavy hoops. I'm glad to have learned to use heavy hoops of all sizes because I think there's good strength-training to be found there, but they can be limiting for keeping hand-hooping in planes, and I just really think I'm ready to start playing with lighter hoops.
So...I'm gonna make one lighter one with tape, I think, and one with no tape, but with holes in it (all inspiration from Baxter for the latter). -
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Sat, January 5, 2008 - 10:07 PMhi hoopies (or hoopers? is there a favorite term?) i'm new to this tribe & also to hooping & oh god, i love it. (does everyone feel like sharing the joy w/ the world or just silly me?)
i started a few mos. ago & have already hooped w/ fire!!!!!! (we did it on our last class of the "semester") it was so f*#^in' great!
my 2 kids (girl-age 9, boy-age 6) LOVE it- my daughter came to a few classes & my son can knee hoop like a maniac! it is so intuitive & yet challenging. i start lesson again tuesday (yay!) & need to leard how to keep it around my chest & legs and throw my head in & out (i can do the arms, but get too cautious when my face is at risk!) there's so, SO much to learn!!!
i have hooped in public a bunch & really want to bring this to kids especially. i think my girl scout troop (yes, being a leader is another '07 first) will all be hooping by the summer!
suerte,
mel!nda -
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Sun, January 6, 2008 - 10:13 AMthamls again caroleena for having a useful thread that keeps me accountable...
i too, tho saw hoopers in the past didn't dream of trying it until aug. '07...so, in those past 5 months i discovered a whole new way of life. i don't think i ever feel into something so completely like the hoop. the music, exercise, dance, friends i've met and come to love has been incredible.
i too, would like to practise every day, and weeks went by when i did. but, the rain has slowed me down. if i go more than 3 days, i get REAL irritable..as a mid-life hooper i want to be an inspiration for all us late bloomers out there, that we can do it.
since, i'd never had a hoop as a kid, i was sure i couldn't master a rotation...i have a video from aug. and one from early december that astounds me how far i've come. but, even tho some of it natural ability the rest, like anything in life has been sticking to it...once you find something you enjoy, it's like go for it, no matter the age.
i am almost bi-directional competent, except for waist to shoulder on the less dominant side. i can do it w/ the big hoop, but still struggle w/ the medium one...but i'm pretty solid in waist, shoulder, chest and hands off hooping in both directions.. i am dedicated to accomplishing that non dom shoulder move this month.
i am dancing and using my hands, but have to start throwing the hoop more and haven't started those moves of stepping into the hoop or kicking it up....i've stayed "grounded" long enough and need to let the hoop leave my body.
i also am learning the shoulder rolls? (names are still confusing) and pizza toss?
our hoop group has decided to put together a dance troupe and that will be a big challenge...but we have secured a practise place and will be working on a routine by one of our own here in tribe who has been instrumental in keeping my goals on track...
we continue to gather and hoop together at the park weekly, but for today, (rain, sigh) with the local drummers. that attracts crowds who are all interested in the hoop dance, and the kids love to play w/ the hoops. plus hooping in public helps to prepare us for moving into choreographed routines...and, it isn't a competitive, awkward or showy. it's all so natural. and the pleasure to watch someone say., "i ca't hoop", to "look at me, honey did ya get that on video" is so satisfying.....
so, thanks to all of you for your inspiration...
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Sun, January 6, 2008 - 1:40 PMPretty much what Victorio said, for general goals... and for me I'll add don't quit after <2 months this year, that was just plain dopey; to think of all the time I wasted. :-P
For specifics, it'd be swell to figure out how to move around a bit while hooping without the hoop dropping; feet get cramped just standing there! ;-) That will be my January goal.
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Tue, January 8, 2008 - 1:20 PMIt was really helpful to read the threads in this post and think about hooping in the perspective of an entire year. It is easy to get down on yourself for not practicing, not progressing, or whatever. When I think back to all that I accomplished in 2007, albeit slowly, I feel proud of how far I have come and I am reminded that it takes time, love, and dedication.
I have not been practicing very much in the past few months. I have been living out of suitcases, traveling, and without a proper personal space to practice. I miss my old living room! I am currently couch-suring so, one of my goals for January is to seek out new spaces and get practicing again. Wherever I have been and wherever I go, I carry my love of hooping...I should be able to make this work!
More specifically, my hoop goals for the rest of the month are feet hooping, practicing my non dominant direction, and flowing better with shoulder hooping. I would also like to be able to get my leg back in the hoop after hooping with one leg. If anyone has any pointers on this one, I would love the help.
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Sat, January 12, 2008 - 6:43 PMIn 2007 I learned how to hoop. It was my first "hoop year."
In 2008 my goal is to hoop more regularly and to focus on flow, to use it is time to not be accomplishing anything specific. For me, this is probably the biggest challenge out there.
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Re: January 2008 Practice Goals
Wed, January 16, 2008 - 6:48 AMCaroleena...thanks for the motivation...
i really want to locate a serious hooper in new jersey area...
its difficult to keep the vibe high here on my own... i miss the nc community..
so my practice is to find someone to practice with..to deepen the practice. the spirit allows so much on ones own, then you need others..
p.s. a full circle is looking damn good.
