Posts Tagged ‘HoopGirl Teacher’

• Reach Out to a Hooper

  Date: 2011.04.26 | Category: Exploring The Path, HulaHoopla | Response: 0

  So while I was writing my last post, I got an email from my hoop sista, eS-Bot.  I wrote to her about where I was in my hooping life and after reading what she had to say, I called her.  We talked for about an hour and the more I talked and voiced my thoughts out loud, the better I felt.  She understands what I’m going through, offered advice based on her own experiences.  I think I know what direction I need to steer myself toward.  My energy, although well-intentioned, has been focused on things that have not served me and I need to move on and focus on things that fill me, not drain me.  Thank you, my beloved hoop sister.

• Crossroads of Energy

  Date: 2011.04.26 | Category: Exploring The Path, HulaHoopla | Response: 0

  Well, I actually got a part-time job doing what I used to do. Floor directing for a live show.  I love it!  Right now I can teach my morning and night classes and still work at the job.  The income will go down because of more driving, downtown parking, montyly fees associated with my job. I still have unemployment for a while longer and I will receive some benefits to sort of make up the difference between what I make at my new job and what I used to make.  whew!  Good thing I worked crazy hours all those years!

  Of course, with new things, come new challenges.  Balancing a mid-day job with morning and night classes, the commute, trying to drive less yet haul hoops and being away from home and keeping up with hoop biz related emails, web things, updating classes, etc.  And right now my VW Bus is having major issues and I am hemorrhaging money between fixing her, paying rent on studios, etc.

  I’m at this crossroad – where to I put my energy?  I had a complete meltdown as I was trying to leave to teach a class.  Couldn’t find the keys that I just had in my hands not two minutes before.  I was going to be late for class.  Totally lost it, yelled, kicked over my cute little black leather foot stool (no damage!), heaved a cookie sheet out the door (that felt good!) but I must’ve sounded like a crazed screech owl to my neighbors and I certainly scared my cats.  WTF?  That isn’t how I want to be as a person.  But I just lost it!  It seems like my energy is so closely tied to money – probably because I’m always on the verge of not quite being able to pay my bills.  I’m forgoing many of the hooping events that I attended last year because of the lack of funds and knowing I need to rebuild my engine.  But those are choices I had to make and it’s not like I can’t go next year.  Maybe not being among all the other hoopers is what’s making me so unnerved.

  OK, so I love teaching, I love my students and want to keep doing it.  Problem is that I don’t have enough students to cover the expense of running the classes.  I assume that is typical when you’re starting out.  I’m sort of paying money to teach.  I know spring is coming and I can see that it is bringing out more hoop students.  I feel I need to keep going until at least June.  Maybe take a break over the summer (last summer was very slow for students) then push again in the fall.  Not sure.  I feel my personal practice has suffered tremendously because, frankly, I don’t make time for it.  I’m teaching 5 classes a week and host a hoop jam.  That’s a lot of being responsible for someone else’s hooping.

  Now back to the money.  I barely make rent on the studios.  I do teach two classes that pay well per hour and I don’t have to rent the space but they are very unreliable.  I feel like I should step away from one because of poor communication within the community center (where I teach) and it reflects bad on my hoop biz.  And the two spaces I rent for evening classes are not attracting students like I had hoped.  But if I drop them, I will likely lose those spaces at those times indefinitely.  So the question is here, who am I renting them for?  Do I keep plugging along and hope that all my flyer passing, web postings, twittering, marketing (such as it is) will eventually get to my audience?   What key element am I missing?  If I give up my studio space only because of money, what would that say about me?  That I’m a smart business woman who knows when to cut her losses? or a quitter?  YIKES!

  So right now, I’m drowning in debt, am struggling with whether I should continue to teach, gaining weight through stress eating.  Yep, my life is not balanced.

  Gotta do some more soul searching and path exploration.

• Winter Hoop Classes

  Date: 2010.12.05 | Category: Exploring The Path, HulaHoopla | Response: 0

  Holy Crap! Lots of classes to choose from.  I got ambitious…I only have a few months left to see if I can make this fly as my main income.  Fingers crossed and COME ON STUDENTS!

  See the HulaHoopla website for full class descriptions, payment information and DISCOUNTS!!!!

  

  Happy Hoopanista

  MONDAYS

  Hula Hooping for Fitness
  Portland Community College (**you must register through PCC)
  SE Center TABOR 102, 2305 SE 82nd Avenue
  1:15pm – 2:15pm

  Two 4-week sessions:
  Jan. 3^rd – Jan 31^st (NOTE: NO CLASS JAN. 17^th)
  Feb 14^th – March 7^th

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  TUESDAYS

  The Bamboo Grove Salon
  134 SE Taylor (Entrance on SE 2^nd between the two potted bamboo plants)
  11:00am – 12:30pm

  Two 6-week Intensive Sessions!

  HoopGirl Workout 6-Week Intensive Beginner Series:
  Jan 4^th – Feb 8^th
  HoopGirl Workout 6-Week Intensive Intermediate Series:
  Feb 15^th – March 22^nd

  Fee: $60 for 6-week series (just $10 per class, $15 drop-in)

  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

  The Village Ballroom

  HoopGirl Workout Beginner I & II (Take I & II in any order)
  700 NE Dekum Street
  7:00pm – 8:00pm

  Two 6-week sessions:
  Beginner I: Jan 4^th – Feb 8^th
  Beginner II:  Feb15^th – March 22^nd

  Fee: $90 for 6-week series (just $15 per class, $20 drop-in)

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  WEDNESDAYS

  Rigler SUN (Schools Uniting Neighborhoods) Community School
  5401 NE Prescott Street
  3:00pm – 4:00pm

  Hooping is Fun! Rigler Elementary School 4^th – 6^th Grade Students
  Jan. 12^th – March 2^nd

  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
  

  Hoopdance Fitness
  Gem Studio
  1110 NE Glisan, PDX
  6:00pm-7:00pm

  Classes start January  and run through February and first week of March.
  See the Gem Studio website for details.
  Fee: TBD

  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

  Multi-level Hoop Clinic
  NW Dance Project Studio
  833 N. Shaver @ N. Mississippi
  8:00pm-9:00pm

  4-week sessions:
  Jan. 5^th – 26^th, Feb. 2^nd – 23^rd, Mar. 2^nd – 23rd

  Fee: $80 for each 4-week session (just $20 per class, $25 drop-in)

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  THURSDAYS

  Over-the-hump-day Hooping with the LooLoo’s!
  The Bamboo Grove Salon
  134 SE Taylor Street
  (Entrance is on SE 2nd Avenue between the two potted bamboo plants)

  Every Thursday TFN
  12:00pm – 2:00pm

  Fee: $3 suggested donation

  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

  The Village Ballroom
  HoopGirl Intermediate I & II (Take I & II in any order)
  700 NE Dekum Street
  7:00pm – 8:00pm

  Two 6-week sessions:
  Intermediate I: Jan. 6^th – Feb. 10^th
  Intermediate II: Feb.17^th – Mar. 24^th

  Fee: $90 for 6-week series (just $15 per class, $20 drop-in)

  ********************************************************

  SUNDAYS

  Hoopdance Fitness
  Northeast Community Center (NECC)
  1630 NE 38th Avenue – PDX
  (If you use the NECC parking lot, please get a parking permit at the check-in desk)

  10:30am – 11:30am

  6-Week Sessions:  January 2nd – February 6th
  $40 Non-Members
  $60 Non-Members + teens (14 & up)
  $20 Members
  $30 Members + teens (14 & up)

  Please visit the NECC Website for payments, membership information and drop-in fees.

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  MONTHLY COASTAL WORKSHOPS

  Newport Recreation Center
  225 Southeast Avery Street
  Newport, OR

  January:
  Friday Jan. 21^st 6:00pm-7:00pm
  Saturday Jan. 22^nd 12:30pm-2:30pm

  February:
  Friday Feb. 18^th 6:00pm-7:00pm
  Saturday Feb. 19^th 11:00am-1:00pm

  March:
  Friday March. 18^th 6:00pm-7:00pm
  Saturday March 19^th 11:00am-1:00pm

  Please register with the Newport Recreation Center for each class.

• HoopTastic!

  Date: 2010.08.18 | Category: Exploring The Path, HulaHoopla | Response: 0

  Holy smokes! Just got back from 10 days in San Francisco attending my HoopGirl Level 2 Teacher Training AND HoopGirl Performance Training.  It seems strange to be back at home and not walking to the studio every morning where I was surrounded by strong, supportive goddesses!  I feel a shift in myself…hard to explain…but this morning I am going to take my boyfriend to my studio and perform for him for his birthday. *prrrrrr*

• Could This Be It???

  Date: 2010.03.21 | Category: Exploring The Path | Response: 0

  Looked at a beautiful studio today.  Will this be my space for hoop classes?
  I did some number crunching and think I will have to fine a part-time gig in order to follow my bliss. dang!
  It’s not the end of the world, just a little reality check.  It’s still an amazing space and could be very inspirational for my students — and me too!

• Gimme Shelter

  Date: 2010.03.18 | Category: Exploring The Path | Response: 0

  I’m sending out good vibes this morning in hopes of finding a wonderful space in which to teach hoopdance long-term. Inner east side would be ideal, weekday evening availability would be lovely. A school gym? A church basement with very, very tall ceilings? I’ve been looking at Portland Parks & Rec, neighborhood studios and dance halls, big-name gym classes, etc. but would love to find that perfect fit. Any parents out there have access to their child’s gym year-round? Is there a new, cozy dance studio I haven’t discovered that needs one more tenant?
  Let’s chat!

  I know I will find that space…the space filled with amazing people spilling exuberant energy out into the room.

  Happy Hooping!