One of my Christmas gifts this year was, much to my surprise, a hoop.
Not a hula hoop, mind you. Er, well, sort of a hula hoop. The shape is the same, but the size and usage are a little different, and the nomenclature has changed. If, like me, you’ve been completely ignorant of the current hooping renaissance, you can click on over to hooping.org for clarification, or check out the main page for the documentary The Hooping Life, which contains an extensive list of links to other sites about hoops, hooping, and hoopers. You can even, if you’re so inclined, learn to make your own hoop.
Still perplexed? Check out this hooping routine, one of the many available on YouTube; note the cat’s enthusiasm.
As you can imagine, I am tickled pink: I have a hoop! Never mind that I’m a) not a good dancer, and b) clumsier than Tonks on a good day. It’s a new year, and by golly, I am going to shatter that mousy librarian stereotype by ordering a few instructional DVDs, and, perhaps, a book. My plan is to learn a few hoop moves, then write another post later in the year reporting back on my progress…or lack thereof.
Look out, Cirque du Soleil–here I come! Now only one question remains: does this new adventure make your heroine a hipster hooper? Hmmm.
Any other hoopers in the house?
Leigh Anne
Eleventh Stack 
Now don’t laugh, LAV, but I was a young lad during the original hula hoop era (late 1950s, arghh!) and STILL remember my outrage/frustration at not being as accomplished at “hooping” as my older sister, Helen.
Of course Helen had a slightly thicker, bright yellow hoop, and it had a much “stiffer” rotating action than my flimsy, thinner mint green hoop.
To this day she denies this, but she would never trade-off her hoop for mine when we were in competitions at our elementary school playground!
Kirby, I’m not laughing – what a great story! Thanks for sharing. :)
LAV
My good friend starting hooping, then moved to North Carolina, where she quickly became suspicious of the hooping cult that seemed to be beckoning her from all directions. Fortunately she soon found her THING, aerial silks dance. You could be upside down in no time.
Amanda, LOL – let’s not get carried away here. ;) Seriously, that’s so neat. Isn’t it a wonderful, exciting world?
LAV
Happy Hooping!! :)
Thanks Philo!
LAV