The latest spin: Hoop Happenings blog

Race weekend Sunday 'cheer-hooping' fun

2012-05-28T12:19:07Z

Robyn, Trish, Bryana, Rebecca cheer-hooped the marathon and half-marathon runners

This weekend was Race weekend in Ottawa. On behalf of the WBIA (Westboro Business Improvement Area) I assembled a small but mighty team of hoopers to cheerlead (with hoops) for the marathon and half marathon on Sunday morning, May 27. We were stationed at the corner of Island Park & Richmond Road, so that we could cheer the marathon runners heading a few blocks further west to Athlone Ave, and the half marathon runners, who would turn down Island Park heading to Scott Street.

The elite marathoners flew through not long after 7am, followed by a steady stream until about 8:45. Overcast skies made for ideal running and hooping weather. Shortly after 9:15, the half marathon runners appeared, and their numbers were huge. The clouds lifted and the temperatures rose, making it warmer for runners (and hoopers) but lovely for the growing crowds of spectators at our area. Families with strollers, cyclists and others packed the roadsides, cheering, high-fiving runners and clanging their cowbells. It was inspiring to see all ages of runners working so hard, and gratifying to see them smile, cheer or thank us for our hooping! :-) Our little corner became a bit of a hoop hub, with children and adults giving it a try with our extra hoops.

We felt like we'd run our own marathon, hooping hard for almost 4 hours. I still had to return to Dovercourt to teach my two Sunday morning classes, and was pretty depleted by the time they were done.

Thank you to Natalie Hanson of the WBIA for asking us, and giant thanks to Robyn Brehaut, Bryana Katz and Rebecca Lantz for their enthusiasm, energy and hoop skills.

The Official Dudes of Hooping Calendar 2013

2012-05-24T17:12:51Z

Support a good cause and have a year's worth of hoop dudes to gaze upon!

Rich Porter of Isopop is fundraising for the 'SpinCycle' at Burning Man by selling calendars and taking donations, and is reaching out to hoop communities to spread the word and help out.

The SpinCycle is a large shaded space on the playa dedicated to hooping and music; it costs money to provide sound and power. They are shifting to a solar power system, which while environmentally superior to the diesel alternative, is also costly.

The DOH calendar will feature such hooping luminaries as Rich Porter, Khan Wong, Rainbow Michael, Nick Guzzardo, Malcolm Stuart & more. You can find the details and links to purchase the calendar here on Rich's Isopop site >>

Hoop Jam Fri. May 25, 7-8:30pm at Dovercourt

2012-05-24T14:26:52Z

Hoop Convergence 2012 hoopers assembled at the Weaver's Market in Carrboro, NCThere will be a hoop jam this Fri. May 25 at Dovercourt Recreation Centre, 7-8:30pm.

I'm just back from Hoop Convergence 2012…5 days basking in the company of about 150 hoopers. Here's a photo of part of the Convergence gang getting ready to parade from the Weaver's Market in Carrboro, NC to the Arts Center to take in the spectacular Performance Showcase last Saturday night.

Hoop Communities are pretty special; let's celebrate ours :-)

If i can pull together the equipment in time, i'll try to do a slide show at the jam of my 400-or-so photos from Hoop Con.

Hoop it up Fri. May 11, 7-8:30pm at Dovercourt

2012-05-09T19:54:47Z

Come one, come all to our bi-weekly hoop jam. Celebrate last week's super moon, the tulips, the spring-like weather that's finally here… whatever turns your crank and makes you happy.

As always, we'll have hoops and music. See you there!

Hoop Jam this Friday April 27, 7-8:30pm at Dovercourt

2012-04-25T16:54:08Z

Come whirl with circular objects or other spinny things this Friday. At any given moment, you may see big hoops, small hoops, mini hoops, twin hoops, tandem hoops, gyro-doops, square hoops, poi, or acro yoga. We'll have tunes & hoops, and a space that's warm & dry (unlike last week's outdoor mini-jam in the rain at the Rideau Centre!).

Jenny has suggested some blind folded hooping towards the end of the jam, so this might be a good opportunity to channel Baxter, don your blindfold/ bandana and tap into your inner self. If you haven't tried it before, hooping blind is highly recommended. :-)

Awesome weekend of hooping with SaFire!

2012-04-18T03:58:13Z

Sandra Sommerville aka SaFire, teacher extraordinaire and creator of the huge online community, HoopCity, visited Ottawa last weekend. She attended our regular Friday night hoop jam and delivered a 4 hour workshop on 3D hooping on Saturday afternoon at Dovercourt Recreation Centre. A full house of hoop enthusiasts explored hinges, spins, contact flips, and wraps in a workshop that was jam-packed full of cool moves and expert breakdown.

SaFire graced us with an inspiring demo at the workshop's end, wowing us with her technical prowess, playfulness and fluidity with both single and multiple hoops.

Check out some photos from the workshop (The Flash slideshow won't play on iPhone or iPad, but you can click to view the photos in a larger size on Picasa) >>

Big Hoop weekend: Hoop Jam & Safire's 3D workshop. Boom!

2012-04-12T18:33:53Z

Hoop Jam is Friday the 13th of April, 7-8:30pm at Dovercourt. If the spirit moves you, dress in superstitious themes.

Also, Safire's 3D workshop is Sat. Apr. 14, 2-6pm at Dovercourt. Should be loads of off-body fun! Registration is via HoopCity. See you there. :-)

The Hooping Life Ottawa - wow, what a night!

2012-04-02T01:41:10Z

We had a great turnout and a full evening of hooping fun! Here's the slideshow of photos from last Fri. Mar. 30, 2012. Photos by Tiana Kluchert (www.littlepixels.ca) and Trish. (The Flash slideshow won't play on iPhone or iPad, but you can click to view the photos on Picasa).

The Hooping Life movie, this Fri. March 30 at Dovercourt

2012-03-26T03:35:19Z

The countdown is on for the Ottawa Screening of the Hooping Life at Dovercourt this Fri. March 30, 6:30pm (movie at 7:15pm, hoop jam to follow)! In addition to the movie and jam, there will be door & raffle prizes of great hoop merchandise. Click for the poster (pdf).

Tickets ($15) can be purchased in advance from Jenny, Trish, Sophie, Brigitte, Bryana and Robyn as well as by phone (613-798-8950 ext. 0) or in person at Dovercourt; they will also be available at the door for $20.

This is the perfect opportunity to mingle with local hoopers, learn about the origins of the hooping phenomenon and give it a whirl at the jam. Come out to celebrate & support the Ottawa/ Gatineau Hoop community!

EMC The News interview with Rebecca Halls

2012-03-26T03:29:44Z

Kristy Strauss of EMC The News for Ottawa West interviewed hooper Rebecca Halls during her recent visit to Ottawa, where she taught a Floorwork and Choreography workshop at Dovercourt Recreation Centre to local hoop aficionados. The article made the front page of the current issue; you can read it online here.