NEW!! Tutorial from Blue Tornado

This girl was one of my very first hoop inspirations when I started a few years back. Awhile ago she mentioned that she was finished making tutorials - but - I am thrilled to see that she is back with a trick I have been hoping to master for some time now: the knee reversal. 

She breaks it down wonderfully and has just inspired me to get my hoop and give this a try! 

Welcome back BlueTornado.

An Overdue Update

Hello folks,

How are you? I hope that you all are finding yourself in good spirits now that the end of summer is official and we travel into fall.

I wanted to address the slow down, and all-out stop, of posts here lately - though, it may be more for myself. As an avid blog reader and tumblr addict, I feel confused when a fave goes AWOL so I wouldn't want to repeat those patterns.

In the past two months I have moved, made big changes in important relationships, turned 25 and suffered what many call a 'quarter life crisis.' From my observation, it is not uncommon - but OHMYMY does it feel like a ton of bricks hitting your chest: THE FUTURE. IT'S UP TO YOU. WHADDYA GUNNA DO OHMYGOD.

This year was a wonderful adventure of hoop events, farmer's markets, workshops, classes, new skills, discoveries and endless travel. Everything was so exciting. But, after it died down I was left to ask myself - well, what now?

I came to realize that as much as I absolutely love hooping and will never leave this passion, I am looking for something new. I got to explore it to it's fullest, had days where I hooped for 5 or 6 hours; Recorded. Watched. Learned. Now though, I want to learn something new. I want a job. A career?

It's a scary thought for me - and I would guess, many - in this ... sluggish...job market. But it is something of which I am sure.

So in the past few weeks I have been thinking about the future. Now I am exploring it.

...and struggling with insomnia.

I am not abandoning this blog - but I am not going to fill it with fluff. I plan on continuing in the hoop world and will update when events come up and videos or pictures inspire.

Thanks so much for listening. Keep hooping, guys!

-Kym

BreVolvinBliss Flows Under the Big Sky

A Beautiful hoop session in her new home of Breckenridge, Co. 

SushiZume Captures the Light

via Flickr

Hooper Crossing - At the End of the World

This is dedication. 

Via Flickr.

Andre Reyes San Francisco Ballet Hoop Dance

Do I wish I had a context for all of this? Well... yes. The costume and punctuated poses were a bit silly to me (though, I am sure my humble opinion means nothing to a San Francisco professional ballet dancer) but the grace and the transitions were phenomenal. I LOVE foot hooping but it is the most difficult move to transition into - usually I am hooping and then clunk around and TA-DA it's on my foot. 

He pulls it off much more skillfully. I always enjoy seeing hoop dance in a professional realm and this is lovely and inspiring. 

Contact Buugeng Tech Blog

Every move is an optical illusion. I met both of these fine and talented folks at Hoop Fest New England and it's a pleasure to further enjoy their considerable skill.

Wholly Incredible

Via HoopCity

This is a gorgeous custom designed hoop from Holistic Hoops

Spirit's Fire Spin

Via HoopCity

That is a teeny fire hoop!

...impressed.

Why So Slooooooow

Hello Hoopers -

I just wanted to apologize for the slow posting lately! There have been lots of changes now that summer is over (sob) and it interrupts my hoop blogging time. But! I definitely intend on getting new stuff up soon and thank-you guys for your patience!

... real life - why do you always get in the way of internet life?

Hoping you are all having hooptastic times -
KymS

My stand-in blogger is just not cutting it...

Hoop Charmer with Love, at Burning Man

Beyond the Sea

Stunning. 

This seems so dreamy - escaping to the end of the world and hooping your heart out. 

via headyhooping.tumblr.com

Tossing the Light

Via Flickr

Photo Diary: Carry the Stars with You

Photos from today and a few yesterday's ago. 

This morning I knew I wanted to make something and when I saw the (second to last) picture with stacks of glowing lamps (via tumblr), I was inspired to dig out the strings of lights I had purchased for the birthday fort a bit ago. New spaces are hotbeds of inspiration. 

That being said, the 'new' apartment is clearly only new to me and I love that the old-style door knobs look like the talking door handle from Alice in Wonderland.  

As if I weren't in a whimsical enough mood.

I'll always contend that pretending should be a life long hobby and this morning, with the lights properly strung, I imagined bringing the stars inside with me - to sleep under or gaze upon even if it rained, thanks to some finagling with an antique umbrella.  

Never far from my hoop, I squeezed in a short session after the POP(!) POP(!) of lights blowing out signaled it was time to clean up. There are always more photos of me singing along than not. 

The colorful swingset is from a recent trip to Six Flags. 

Wonder if there is a way to recreate that one at home? 

Oh yes, I think I like it here. 

Sunglasses and Smiles

Via Flickr

Everyone is the Show at BM

I am contemplating dying my hair again so this picture makes me very, very happy. 

Via Flickr

Vito Fun Website

Raven Rainbow Gets Back to the Hoop with Impressive Multi Moves

The leg hooping/shoulder hooping duck out at 1:05 is definitely impressive. I have been using my long hair and teeny hoop as an excuse for no longer being able to do duck outs successfully most of the time... but, uh... I think I may have to change my tune now. Dern it. Stunning work. 

Ronina

Saucy, Ronina. Very Saucy. 

Ronina is a French-born hoop dancer, performer and contortionist who

 has been practicing the art since the age of five. 

The Circular Constant

Do you ever feel like you are going crazy when you haven't hooped for awhile? Okay - full disclosure - I feel like I am going crazy most of the time, but it is much more pronounced when I am living sans hoop.  Yes, I think the exercise aspect of hooping impacts the sense of calm I have post spin session - but even when it is only 5-10 minutes I feel worlds better. My conclusion is that this sense of happiness is  from having the reminder that something that exists purely for joy does exist in life (or, in my life.)

So many 'happy' things come with side-effects that make them impermanent additions in life. Heck, even going to the gym (way back when) was something that was 'good' for me and made me happy, but eventually left me with swollen, sore knees and joints and, of course, that often felt gym boredom. I knew it wouldn't be forever. 

Particularly at this time in my life - at twenty five, when the future is confusing and ever pressing, and I feel undeniably grown up, yet not very good at it - it is a blessing to have one thing that I am assured will be a constant in my life. Yes, it's a hula-hoop - but it is something that assures me that I will move forever, be active and learning forever and be able to find a sense of peace within myself despite the rest of life. 

from a brief but oh-so therapeutic hoop session yesterday.

It seems clear that many, many new folks are stumbling into this hoop world of ours - and whether or 

not they will feel the way I do about it (or it will instead be a rather depressing 'thinspo' fad...grumble) remains to be seen, but I hope that it is. Finding constants in anything - people, places, interests, professions - is difficult. Being the control-happy young and confused gal I am, I am glad I found one. 

Smiles, Bangles and Multiple Hoops

I love seeing smiley hoopers. 

via Flickr. 

Circle and Splits

Eek! I can't help it - it just looks so painful! But I am sure it feels like a lovely stretch for the hoop yogi seen above. Oh my, my 

Via Flickr