My Hooping: How it All Began and Where it is Now

Me with my very first hula hoop: a $5 Walmart hoop covered in duct tape

As a child, I never liked hula hoops. I tried to do it and I never could. I actually refused play with them or to learn how to do it and gave up. Then, I found myself face to face with hula hoops again at age 25 on New Year’s Eve, 2011. My friend and I decided to goof around with some children’s hula hoops and I was not good at it. I tried it again with a group of friends about a month later and failed pretty badly once again. I had lost interest at that point. I had no motivation or reason to keep trying. Then, one day I went to Walmart and ended up purchasing a $5 hula hoop. I got it for my dogs to jump through for exercise and stimulation. When I got home, I put together an elaborate obstacle course for them. I tried picking them up and passing them through it. I tried throwing tennis balls through it, in hopes they would follow. They didn’t want anything to do with it. They were actually scared of it.

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A few weeks later on April 1st, I noticed that hula hoop wasn't being used for anything. It was just sitting there. I decided to pick it up and try it out again. I had a determination about me that I never had before. As I was still struggling, I looked up “how to hula hoop” on YouTube. That is where I realized that the world of hooping was more than just rotating around the waist. I quickly found tutorials on many different moves and techniques. I saw Shakti Sunfire's Boulder Colorado Dance video and fell in love with how hoop dance looked. It was magical. 

After finally keeping it up on my waist, I moved on to my first trick, called the “lift-up”. I worked on that one for weeks. I had read that a heavy hula hoop was easier, so I went on to cover it in two layers of duct tape. The hoop was starting to dent, bend, and kink throughout learning. Shortly after, I discovered that I was using the wrong hoop. I found out that my hoop needed to be at least 40 inches in diameter, with thicker tubing and a heavier weight. I was going to purchase one, but my creative side took over and I decided to make my own instead. My husband and I went to the local hardware store and bought 50 feet of irrigation tubing, connectors, vinyl tape, and colored duct tape. We made one for each of us and found it much easier to learn.

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At this point, I was discovering just how huge the hooping community was, spanning across the entire world. I knew I had found what I loved to do. For the first time in my life, I knew the group of people I fit in with. I began taking pictures and videos of myself hooping to share my experiences. I got a good response right away. I began finding other “hoopers” on facebook and building friendships. The first set of hooper friends I met around 2-3 months in were great at first, but ended up treating me badly. I went through a really hard time from this but I did not give up. Those people motivated me to be better than I ever imagined I could be.

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I have struggled with severe depression and anxiety since I was about 15 years old. I had tried everything to get it under control. It ruined many of my days I could have spent functioning and happy. I mostly lived my life in a negative, sad, tired and pathetic way. I didn’t care to connect with other people or make friends. I was angry at and jealous of all people that were able to function normally on a day to day basis. That was before I discovered hooping.

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I quickly began to realize that this hula hoop discovery was MUCH more than just something to keep me busy. It became the one and only thing that has made my depression and anxiety tolerable. Exercise is great for depression and anxiety, but this was much more than that. It was my exercise, hobby, escape, positivity, confidence, happiness, belonging, relaxation, challenge, health, motivation, inspiration, and my ambition. I am now turning this amazing part of my life into a career.

2 years and 4 months later:

Although throughout the years I was bullied, discouraged, broken, and hurt, I became a success story. I refused to be a victim to anyone who wanted me to fail. I used the hurt and turned it into proof that they were wrong. I wanted them to see me succeed, despite their great efforts to break me down.

Now,

I am sponsored by Citiva Creationz LED Hoops and Indika Creationz Clothing. 

I am a top paid writer for www.hooptricks.org. 

I have over a year of experience in performing and teaching hooping. 

I have taught classes at 3 locations so far. 

I have performed at over 20 different events. 

I have been partnered with YouTube with over 30,000 views and 435 subscribers. This means I am paid for certain videos and amounts of views on my channel.

Thank you to anyone who has been part of my success. Whether you have supported me or tried to make me fail. Either way, you helped me.