• Have Hoops, Will Travel

    Date: 2010.12.29 | Category: Exploring The Path | Tags: ,,,,,,

    ¡Hola amigos!
    Spent a fantastic, inspiring, regenerative week near Tecate, Baja California Norte in Mexico leading up to, and including, Christmas. *sigh*  The place was called Rancho La Puerta and if you can go, GO!

    Moonrise in Baja

    Baja has a special place in my heart…I’ve traveled there a few times, once via the Green Tortoise and another time via VW bus.  I even have a tattoo of a boojum tree, which is Dr. Seuss-looking plant that grows in Baja.

    Boojum Tree

    Boojum Tree - photo by Stephen Sharnoff

    Brought my travel hoops but devoted most of my time to hiking, stretching, African Dance (kick ass!) and eating healthy, nourishing food.  Heaven.  Met amazing people who were fascinated about my life as a hooper!  Talked about my hooping life, my teaching, my students and how hooping makes me comfortable in my own skin.  I handed out lots of business cards and got people fired up about the upcoming hoopdance class at the ranch.  I was there to visit a fellow hooper and she was going to teach the class, but we were going to perform together. woo hoo(p)!  Great enthusiasm, super fun class and, of course, I picked out music that was incredibly fast.  Oh well, everyone was thrilled by our crazy fast and eventually breathless hooping. And I know for a fact that I converted more than one hoop dabbler while I was at the ranch.

    Hoopdance Class

    Rancho La Puerto Performance

    Later on, my hoop sista and I made hoops that would eventually go to the local kids of the environmental school.  Yay!

    Hoops Ready for Decorating!

    It rained most of the time I was there but I loved the sound and the smells that the rained kicked up. Very earthy and savory.  When the sun did come out I wandered the grounds of the ranch and hooped the Labyrinth – very meditative and joyful.

    Labyrinth Hooping

    Labyrinth Hooping

    Happy Labyrinth Hooper

    And the best part? I gifted two of my travel hoops. One to my hoop sista at the ranch and another to a woman who travels a lot and loved the idea of having a hoop with her despite the fact that she doesn’t hoop.  I received an email from that woman shortly after I got home.  She got delayed in San Diego due to the snow on the East Coast, looked up hoop tutorials on YouTube (as suggested by me!) and started hooping!  She sent pictures of herself and my gifted travel hoop.  Made my heart swell!  She even found a hoop instructor in her neighborhood. Wow!  I’m spreading the hoop love internationally! :-)

    Happy New Travel Hoop Owner!