Tuesday, June 14, 2011

New Practice Ideas

I am not an innovator. At least, I don't think so. I know a few folks who always seem to have new bad ass hoop ideas for moves, transitions and tricks and I just - well, don't. Part of this comes from the fact that hooping is more about an emotional connection for me these days - something more akin to the beautiful Shakti Sunfire piece that was posted a bit ago. So I always set an intention before practice - 'what do I want to say in this time?" But hooping doesn't happen only in the mind. I just don't think  I was doing enough to bust out of the rut. I need more in my repertoire to 'say' what I need to say. I couldn't just keep hooping like I always did and hope for a magical change - something new needed to happen. 

Yawn. Hoop practice is so boring when
you don't try anything new.
So, yesterday I took all my energy and did a few things a bit differently when I started my practice. For starters I moved into a new patch of my yard. It's obvious that my landlord is desperately trying to understand why grass won't grow in just one circle out there, so I thought I would throw 'em a bone and mooove over to let the grass have a fighting chance. Being in the same damn place all the time certainly adds to the hoop rut and simply being in a new place added a real freshness to the session. 

Next, I decided to start practice without any music at all. Just explore a few moves I have been trying to learn, but have neglected to polish in my efforts to create flowing hoop videos every single time. I was inspired by yesterday's hoop quotes to let my hoop fall again for a change! By not I was limiting myself to my comfort zone. Comfort zone = hoop rut. So I had to run around the yard more to recapture escaped hoops? Big deal. Not knowing the endpoint of a trick meant I could make it up on the fly.


Working in silence, in a new space, with movement instead of moves made for a much more satisfying and fun practice. I let myself stop and think even though the camera was recording. I kept jumping and turning during standby moves just to see what would happen. It was like a light bulb went off. 'Ohhh this is how innovation happens - trial and error. It's not that people are all more brilliant than I am and come up with perfect moves off the top of their heads!" 

Duh. 

From now on I am going to remember my thoughts about Hoop Path when I practice: I have more than I think to give. Change up a few things. Go somewhere else. Don't worry about the endpoint. Don't worry about how it looks. Just move. Flow. Smile.

Isn't that what makes this so much fun? 

2 comments:

Maria said...

I've been in a very "don't worry how it looks" mode, lately. Thanks for the ideas, here, tho...I have a bare patch of grass, too!

Spooky said...

that's right! it's the best feeling to just forget about the camera! heheeh glad i'm not the only one with the dead grass patch. A new, "you know you're a hooper if..."