Posts Tagged ‘HulaHoopla’

• 4 More Years of Hoops in the White House

  Date: 2012.11.07 | Category: Exploring The Path, Hooping Hub, HulaHoopla, The Spinnerettes | Response: 0

  Well, where do I start?!!
  First off, YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Congratulations, Mr. President.

  

  Our First Lady Hoops!

  The First Family will be hooping in the White House for another 4 years. *happy sigh* Yeah, I know. Lots of work to do. Hopefully he’ll be kicking ass and taking names this term. No more non-partisan shit. That didn’t work so well. But I digress…

  Hooping! yes, I’ve been hooping and have reached a strange crossroad. It’s been the one thing I do that makes me happy and has kept me sane through the unemployment, the financial disaster that is about to become my life. Folks are always amazed that I’ve remained so calm. Since I haven’t missed a mortgage payment, I haven’t hit full on panic – yet. But I am not making money doing what I love and I’m starting to struggle with that. If I end up counting on my hoop classes and hoop sales won’t that make my passion a burden? I’ve been feeling like removing the hoop making aspect of my business – getting the tapes and tubing out of my home and enlist someone else to make all of my hoops. It feels good when I think about it but if I don’t make them myself, are they really HulaHoopla hoops?

  I took a couple of workshops recently with Brecken and Luna Breeze and it felt SOOOOO good to be the student again. I want to grow and pass that one to my students. My classes are still fun and rewarding. The rent is killing me but I know I actually have a good deal on the place where I teach. I think I need to ramp up the promotions.

  And then there’s performing. I’d love to do more of that. Maybe get some corporate gigs with The Spinnerettes. Hmmmmmm….

  I can’t be the only hoop business owner who has struggled with this. Maybe I need to start a collective where we can brainstorm, share our stories, help each other out.

  I know I need to write more on this blog – I’m starting to feel better already!!!

• 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:

  

  Podcast: Play in new window | Download

  Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

• Hooping at Buses by the Bridge

  Date: 2012.01.20 | Category: HulaHoopla, Performance | Response: 0

  Holy cow! Made a very special journey to Lake Havasu, Arizona this past weekend to be with friends and Volkswagens (by other passion!).  Lots of hoopers down there too so I got to do what I love and got a little TV time on the local station.  Thank you TV45!

  

  Lake Havasu Sunset Hooping

  

  My Lovely Hoop Assistant, Heather

  

  TV45 Interview

  
  

  Watch it here.

  And if you’re curious, here’s information on Buses by the Bridge.

• HulaHoopla on MORE Good Day Oregon

  Date: 2011.12.09 | Category: Hooping Hub, Hooping Video, HulaHoopla, Performance | Response: 0

  We did some hooping at Center Stage Studios on November 29th. KPTV interviewed me about hooping during a hoop jam and put this nice package together that aired on December 7th.

  Watch it here!

  

  View of our hoop jam.

  

  Hooping From Below

  

  Interview with Steph

  

  Happy Hoopers!

  
  

• Podcast – Take 2

  Date: 2011.11.05 | Category: HulaHoopla, PODCAST! | Response: 0

  

  Podcast Artwork!

  I’m learning more about this podcast stuff and my ass is killing me!  Too much time on the computer.  ugh!  Turns out that I cannot add posts to a page – I had set up a separate Podcast page on this blog.  So it will be like a regular entry when it starts.  I’m researching on where to host it and how to upload it so it can be found on iTunes.  So much detail!  But good news! It’s done and hoop sister Christy Taylor created the artwork from my logo, the font it was created with and a photo of me and my two hoop mammas (Merilieu & Nectar) at Burning Man.  Ties a lot of cool stuff together.

  If you have a hooping website or any graphic art needs you can contact Christy at christymtaylor (at) gmail.com.

• 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.

• HulaHoopla T-shirts & Tanks

  Date: 2011.04.01 | Category: HulaHoopla | Response: 0

  Got my first batch of HulaHoopla shirts.  Pretty awesome!

  Contact me for sizes and prices.

  

  Ringer T-Shirt

  

  Black T-Shirt

  

  Moss T-Shirt

  

  Black Tank

  

  Moss Tank

  
  

• Video of the Day Honor!

  Date: 2011.01.19 | Category: Exploring The Path, HulaHoopla | Response: 0

  OMG!  We are the Video of the Day on Hooping.org!

  

  Hooping.org Video of the Day

  Big thanks to Philo Hagen at Hooping.org and Jayson Ramos for video taping and helping Saluern (eS-Bot) editing the footage.

  View the video here.

• Have Hoops, Will Travel

  Date: 2010.12.29 | Category: Exploring The Path | Response: 0

  ¡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 - 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!

• 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

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

  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)

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

  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)

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

  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.

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

  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.