It was an effortless act to spin a hoop when I was a kid. What changed??? It's apparently NOT like riding a bicycle where the memory stays with you once you master the balancing act. Help! I need it for flexibility and er, hem, loosing some flab.
There are some gals on youtube who are SO inspiring with this. They've really upped the game of the old school hooping. Just mesmerizing routines! New style hula hooping mixes rhythmic dance elements of graceful body movements while twirling weighted hula hoops around your body in any number of styles...over the arms, tosses, ringing the entire body in fluid swoops from head to toe.
When the hooper picks the right music (and if she's skilled) and the routine is several minutes of flowing movement, it becomes a type of spiritual celebration. You feel some of what she feels. You join with her at one with the music, the hoop, the message. I believe this is similar to what happens with the Turkish "whirling dervishes". (Note to SELF: Research further whirling dervishes) I've only recently come to realize (from Rick Steves' travel show) that a whirling dervish is an actual person who dances around and around in graceful style and flowing garb. I believe it's a "prayer-like" meditation.
Hooping is for all types of bodies (yay!). From the lean, supremely athletic soul with superb body lines, to the not-so-lean (ok, er, the fluffy-group, of which I'm currently a card-carrying member of I must confess). As this person begins to move to the music --the dancing, the twirling, spinning the hoop(s) moving in harmony with the hooper's body movements...it's hypnotically transforming after a few minutes. This regular person transforms into a garden-fairy princess of ethereal grace before your eyes. You wonder, WOW, could I ever begin to express myself as fluidly as she does? My stove-up (as they used to say down here in the south), cranky, fluffy, very rusty body wants to move like that again. Is it possible?
It compares to ribbon-work or other forms of dance where you work with an outside element.
I bought some cheap hula hoops, right? BEFORE I ever watched the first video. Me to self: "You need to see if you can still hula hoop." Self: (after much racous laughter) howls, "Eh?? WOT are you tryin' to do lassie? THAT again? Are ye DAFT? Yer much older now and yer joints often creak. Do you think ye can twirl that bit o' plastic like yer used to? AH, Cackle, cackle, cackle! Good Luck to yer then!" (awww, be silent, SELF!)...Well, I'm quickly finding the cheapy hoops probably won't do (unless you're already an expert, I'm thinking). They need to be weighted. I can see why, as when I tried a few techniques the cheap hoop wobbles, when it needs to be firm.
Sadness...I can't even do the basic twirl around the stomach like when I could when little. YET... BUT, today I managed it for a few seconds at least around my neck -- of all places!
Hey, it's a start.
I'm NOT giving up.
I'm GOING to become a Hooper! And an Archer! Better get busy, times ticking ole gal. Wootz, wootz!
There are some gals on youtube who are SO inspiring with this. They've really upped the game of the old school hooping. Just mesmerizing routines! New style hula hooping mixes rhythmic dance elements of graceful body movements while twirling weighted hula hoops around your body in any number of styles...over the arms, tosses, ringing the entire body in fluid swoops from head to toe.
When the hooper picks the right music (and if she's skilled) and the routine is several minutes of flowing movement, it becomes a type of spiritual celebration. You feel some of what she feels. You join with her at one with the music, the hoop, the message. I believe this is similar to what happens with the Turkish "whirling dervishes". (Note to SELF: Research further whirling dervishes) I've only recently come to realize (from Rick Steves' travel show) that a whirling dervish is an actual person who dances around and around in graceful style and flowing garb. I believe it's a "prayer-like" meditation.
Hooping is for all types of bodies (yay!). From the lean, supremely athletic soul with superb body lines, to the not-so-lean (ok, er, the fluffy-group, of which I'm currently a card-carrying member of I must confess). As this person begins to move to the music --the dancing, the twirling, spinning the hoop(s) moving in harmony with the hooper's body movements...it's hypnotically transforming after a few minutes. This regular person transforms into a garden-fairy princess of ethereal grace before your eyes. You wonder, WOW, could I ever begin to express myself as fluidly as she does? My stove-up (as they used to say down here in the south), cranky, fluffy, very rusty body wants to move like that again. Is it possible?
It compares to ribbon-work or other forms of dance where you work with an outside element.
I bought some cheap hula hoops, right? BEFORE I ever watched the first video. Me to self: "You need to see if you can still hula hoop." Self: (after much racous laughter) howls, "Eh?? WOT are you tryin' to do lassie? THAT again? Are ye DAFT? Yer much older now and yer joints often creak. Do you think ye can twirl that bit o' plastic like yer used to? AH, Cackle, cackle, cackle! Good Luck to yer then!" (awww, be silent, SELF!)...Well, I'm quickly finding the cheapy hoops probably won't do (unless you're already an expert, I'm thinking). They need to be weighted. I can see why, as when I tried a few techniques the cheap hoop wobbles, when it needs to be firm.
Sadness...I can't even do the basic twirl around the stomach like when I could when little. YET... BUT, today I managed it for a few seconds at least around my neck -- of all places!
Hey, it's a start.
I'm NOT giving up.
Lovely :)
ReplyDeleteAye, I still hula hoop rather often. I was re-inspired some time back by this gal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j46ll2_jR7k
and now I do it almost as a meditation - I'm certain there are very old secrets in those repetitive circular/spirular patterns ;)
You're certainly on to something there in the very old secrets in those repetitive circular/spirular patterns.
ReplyDeleteMany thank you for the video link. She is an amazing hooper and lovely. What grace, strength and coordinated talent! Simply beautiful.