Posts Tagged ‘community’

• Episode 5 – I Heart Annie Land, Hooping for Zen & The Spinnerettes

  Date: 2012.03.07 | Category: PODCAST! | Response: 0

  Holy crap! 

  It’s amazing how fast time flies when you’re looking for work and rebuilding an engine.  Wait, is that just me?  I’ve been looking for work since August and it’s getting pretty scary.  I know I’m not the only one and hooping has really helped me keep a positive attitude.  I’d like to think that I’ve been very Zen about the whole brink of financial disaster thing but I actually had a panic attack.  I thought my heart was going to burst through my sternum and splatter on the inside of my mom’s car (I had to borrow hers while mine was in pieces).  No job, running out of money, going way over budget on an engine rebuild, low hoop class attendance.

  So about this rebuild…I drive a 1977 VW Bus.  Love her!!!

  But as with all older vehicles, the engine was getting tired and run down.  Rather than buying a new car or a new engine, I decided to do a rebuild myself.  A friend found an engine in a pick-n-pull this summer and by October I got the guts to start tearing it apart.

  

  Beloved Hoop Hauler

  Long story short, a couple of back-breaking months, a few meltdowns, one or two mechanical snafus and a couple thousand dollars later, I have my glorious camper and hoop wagon running again.  I missed her so much.  This rig hauls all my hoops and can carry everything I need to do a street fair.  And for those of you who sell hoops, you know that size DOES matter.

  Now that it is March, I think I can honestly say that just a taste of sunshine does turn things around.  Interest in my classes has really gone up and I’m starting to sell hoops again.  AND I’m getting more wonderful opportunities to hoop in front of audiences.

  My friend and fellow VW bus owner John Shepski of Fluff and Gravy Records  asked me to perform at the Secret Society in between sets for the Drunken Prayer record release party.  I heard that the Ukeladies were one of the opening bands and got it in my head that I would learn how to play a song on the ukulele and perform it in homage.  Then I was asked to bring a couple more hoopers and come up with a name.  My hoop troupe, The Spinnerettes, were born!!

  There are so many amazing hoopers in Portland and I wanted an opportunity to perform with them.  So my thought with The Spinnerettes was to have several members who could be in several places at once, all representing the hooper community.  Finding an affordable place to practice on a regular basis is in the works.

  In addition to the Secret Society debut, we’ve performed pre and post-play “Circle Mirror Transformation” at the Artists Repertory Theatre.  One of the characters is a hooper and the actress took one of my classes.  Circle indeed!  This is such a gorgeous space and we filled it with swirly light up and down the stairs, on the glass partitioned balconies and spilled into the lobby, giving audience and cast members hoops lessons after the show.

  The following night we performed with our LED hoops on top of the bar at the Kenton Station for their 4th Annual Flaming Dr. Pepper World Record Bash.  The before the indoor flamage began, we performed with fire out in front of the pub.  Gorgeous night for it, too.

  And speaking of gorgeous…(nice segue, right?) Episode 5’s guest is Annie Weinert, also known as Annie Land.  I spoke with Annie at the end of November just before she moved to Utah for the winter.  We met in 2010 at the Hoop Convergence in Carrboro, North Carolina. I was definitely star struck because she was a HoopGirl Allstar.  Her sweet, smiling face can be seen in Christabel Zamor’s “Hooping: A Revolutionary Fitness Program” book and in the HoopGirl “Hoopdance Evolution: Intermediate Volume 1” fitness DVD.  And her talent goes way beyond that.  She also designed many of the HoopGirl Allstar costumes.

  Well, she ended up being my neighbor here in Portland and it was such a treat to get to know her.  There was always something creative and fun going on at her house.  We’d chat about our lives and sip wine or a creative cocktail while she added feathers to my hair, her dog Pickles barking with excitement before cozying up on my lap. Annie created a burlesque costume for my Chica Vroom persona and a sexy pair of ruffled shorts. I’m the proud owner of an Annie Land romper which incidentally, makes my ass look great!  She does aerial silks and makes fun accessories and just fills everyone around her with love and light.  She embarking on another creative adventure so keep an eye on her!

  Find AnnieLand!
  Facebook
  Esty
  Blog
  Annie Performing at a Roller Derby Bout in SF
  Annie Performing at Ruby Skye in SF
  Learn more about all the good stuff mentioned in the Podcast:
  The Spinnerettes
  Fluff and Gravy Records
  Ukeladies PDX
  Artists Repertory Theatre
  Kenton Station

  And this is the televised hoop jam I mentioned in the podcast (better audio):
  HulaHoopla on MORE Good Day Oregon

  Episode 5:

  

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• Episode 4 – Jennaluna

  Date: 2011.12.13 | Category: PODCAST! | Response: 0

  Hoopy Holidaze!

  This year I wanted to make a Christmas hoop for my yard.  Hooper Bonnie MacDougall posted a picture of hers in her front yard in North Carolina and I just thought it was the coolest!!  Well, intentions are always good, right?  I made hoops and I put lights out in my backyard for the first time ever but the two didn’t mingle.  Maybe I can find Bonnie’s picture and post it on the blog for some hoopy joy and inspiration to others.

  I teach hoopdance classes in a ballroom near my home and right now there is a giant Christmas tree filling one corner of the room.  I love it!!!  It has such a festive glow.  I feel like my students are dancing around a Winter Solstice tree. I’m a sucker for the lights this time of year.  I don’t need the gifts or the pressures, just the lights.

  OK, bear with me for a couple more episodes.  I’ve got the microphone figured out NOW but not before I recorded this interview with my friend, Jennaluna.

  

  The Hoopanista & Jennaluna at SpartQuake '94

  She and I go waaaaaay back, the early 90s I think.  I played bass in a band called Gravy back in those days and one of my bandmates taught at her high school.  She sang backup as one of the “Biscuits” (get it???) during our outdoor performance at the end of the school year.

  As I got into hooping, I heard names of these mythical hoopers like Hoopalicious and Spiral and Safire but didn’t know their real names.  One of my favorites names was Jennaluna but I had no idea who this person was.  And during the same time, my friend (Gravy bandmate) kept mentioning that one of his students had really gotten into hooping down in L.A. and San Francisco.  Hmmmm.  I never put it together.

  Then one day, out of the blue, a little email came my way via Twitter from Jennaluna!!!  We connect the dots, made plans to have breakfast together (she moved back to Portland) to meet face-to-face and have been friends ever since. Happy hoopy ending!

  And don’t forget to support local businesses this time of year – that includes your community hoopers!  Buy hoops and t-shirts and other hoop-related goodies to spread the hoop love this holiday season.

  HulaHoopla Hoops for the Holidays!
  And don’t forget the HulaHoopla shirts!
  Jennaluna HoopGirl Allstar Performance
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• Hoop Jam & TV

  Date: 2011.11.17 | Category: Hooping Hub | Response: 0

  Come for a day side hoop jam and be seen on TV!

  Center Space Studio
  420 SE 6th Avenue – PDX
  10am – 12noon
  Fee: $5

  Local TV station, KPTV Fox 12, is sending a reporter and photographer to shoot a segment for their show, MORE Good Day Oregon, which airs weekdays at 9am on Channel 12. They will be at the hoop jam from 10:30am until 11:00am or so but I thought it would be fun to make it a 2-hour hoop jam (10am-12pm) for the heck of it.

  If you do not want to be on camera, you can step out of the room for the taping and step back in when they are done. The segment will air on Wednesday, December 7th.

   

• World Hoop Day Success!

  Date: 2011.11.13 | Category: Hooping Hub, Hooping Video | Response: 0

  Total donations for World Hoop Day (cash and proceeds from hoops sales) = $200!!
  If you could not make it to the hoop jam but still want to donate, please do!!
  World Hoop Day Donations

  Here’s a little video of a moment in the hoop at the WHD hoop jam in Portland, Oregon.
  I used my iPod and free software but you can certainly sense the vibe of the festivities.

• Podcast

  Date: 2011.11.04 | Category: HulaHoopla, PODCAST! | Response: 0

  Hola!

  So I’m gonna try the podcast thing.  I’ve recorded and interview and an introduction and am about to embark on learning how to add music and fix the levels, etc.  Yay!

  Of course right off the bat I screwed up on my introduction and said I won a bottle of TEQUILA in a hooping contest.  It was KAHLUA!

  Fingers crossed that I pull this off and have a podcast for hoopers debuting on iTunes on 11.11.11 – World Hoop Day!  In the mean time, I will do my best to add it to this blog and on my website.