I went to my friend’s house one day to workout with her. I was so disappointed when I got there and she wanted me to hula hoop with her, instead of the workout that we usually did. 
You see, I NEVER could hula hoop my whole life and this little plastic circle had been such an embarrassment for me. She insisted that I try it again and let her see what I was doing. I reluctantly took the very large hoop from her, (compared to what I had seen at local stores) and did my thing. Sure enough, I did everything right, or so I thought, and that hoop just “hit” the floor! I mean, I picked it up, moved my hips in a large circle, somewhat tracing the hoop, and it went around me one or two times and fell! I hated hula hooping! I could do “Tahitian and Hawaiian” dancing, why couldn’t I hula hoop? I felt “stupid” yet again because of this plastic toy.
Then my friend smiled at me, looked me in the eye and said, “I know what you’re doing wrong. Just move front to back this time and try it again.” I was thinking, yeah, right, like that would ever help me, but I did what she said and to my surprise … the hoop stayed up on me a little bit longer! Oh my gosh! This was the best I’d ever hula hooped in my life! So she and I took the hoops into the backyard with her children and we played. I still didn’t quite get it right away. I had always danced “in my hips” so I had to struggle to make myself stay in this “front to back rhythm”. I just wasn’t feeling it; it wasn’t my “natural” movement or “flow”. Meanwhile, she was trying to learn all of this crazy stuff like taking the hoop on and off her body! Can you imagine? I couldn’t ever imagine myself doing any of that stuff!
Days went by and I got a little bit better but I still wasn’t “into” this hooping thing. I really didn’t see what she was so excited about? I practiced hooping in my dining room from time to time and almost broke my nose trying to “lift” the hoop off my body! Really, I had a green railroad track bruise across the bridge of my nose for weeks! :) I kept getting all “pretzeled-up” trying to learn this move, but I was determined to “get it”! Still, I kept trying to learn. I valued the time I had with my friend when we could get together and I was trying to learn this so that we could have something fun to do outside!
My friend went on to invest in her own “hooping” and training, and became “HoopGirl” Certified, so I enrolled in her first class series. She made me an offer to take the class as her assistant so that I could be a part of this training for free. I was grateful and said, “Yes!” right away! I wanted to give back to her and be the best assistant/friend I could be. She asked me to help those that were struggling a bit more to learn, like I had experienced. So I eagerly helped those students grasp what little knowledge I had of hooping and in doing so, I happen to miss learning some of the tricks. Not a problem with her, she was great with me and asked if I would like to assist again in the next class! As I studied the tricks I had missed before in her next class series I started catching on quicker and quicker each time. Now … I had the “bug”, I really enjoyed “hooping”. I would never have even tried this without her loving kindness, her gentle spirit of sharing and giving, and the instruction that she gave me.
Next thing you know, my friend took an opportunity to leave the area and handed me a class to teach. I wasn’t great with the tricks part at this point as I was still learning and growing myself. So I began with a “Hoop Fitness” class. I taught the basics of waist hooping in both directions and moving around while hooping. I added a few tricks here and there to the class as I mastered them and continued to practice what she had taught me at home.
Months later, the time came when I decided to get certified myself to take my dance and my students to the next level. I researched around a bit and I signed up for “Hoopnotica®” Training. The DVD and the Training Book came in the mail so I could practice before taking my training in Washington, DC. I LOVED this method! 
I loved the grace, the flow, and the ease of the tricks. This was “my style”. It fit my personality and my dance style and it felt like I had found my rhythm! I couldn’t wait to fly to DC for my class.
Finally, the day arrived and I was driving my sister’s little “smart car” down to Georgetown for my class! I was SO excited and a bundle of nerves all at the same time! I walked into “lululemon athletica” where they directed me to the studios upstairs. There I met the lovely, Jocelyn Gordon, my Trainer! She had such warmth, a glow, and a genuine kindness about her. I felt relieved. I was a little overwhelmed thinking about this 8 hour training and testing. Hoopnotica® certainly made a great choice when they picked her! As soon as class started I couldn’t stop smiling! I just knew that this “style” was for me! I just knew that “this” was what I wanted!
Well, class went well, I passed my test and became a Hoopnotica® Certified Instructor! I still LOVE the grace, the style, the flow, and the ease of learning and instructing this curriculum! It is a great part of my performance style as well! I am a “Traveling Instructor” for Hoopnotica®, responding to requests as they come my way, and loving every minute of sharing this with others! Hoopnotica® is my “choice” of hoopdance styles and this is the basics of my hoopdance story!
Note: To request a Hoopnotica® workshop in your area, please go to the “Contact Us” tab and fill out the form. Please make note in the comments that you would like to have a workshop in your area. Thank you!
Written by: Sue Ann Bacher a.k.a. “Hoop Diamond”
July 24, 2010, Revised July 25, 2010.
Copyright 2010 Hoop Surround. All rights reserved.
“May your hoop surround you with peace, love, and joy!”
