ihoopu

Week 3 in Taiwan

2010-08-09T23:12:00.000-07:00

This is our third week of this adventure here in Taiwan. The festival has started and we had our first show on Saturday.

It was great to get the show finished and present it to the public. A huge relief off everyone's shoulders. The first presentation was a little challenging because there was a typhoon and the stage had to be mopped and dried before we went on. Luckily the stage was covered so we didn't get drenched while performing. The audience however stood loyally under their umbrella's eager to see our show. It was exciting to perform for hundreds of people despite such a storm! The fire performing has been the highlight for most as I don't think they see that very often here.

We continue to work with the community tea

ms for their performance in the upcoming parade August 21st. My favorite experience was working with the professional dance team. It was a groupe of 30 girls between the ages of 9 and 12 years old. They are trained in traditional chinese dance so they were very easy to work with. They presented their choreography to me and then we took bits of a

nd pieces of it and transformed it into something that could be done while moving. They are trained to use ribbons (similar to rhythmic gymnastics). It was a new experience for me to work with such a large group of well trained dancers. This is something I would like to do again...even if communication was difficult at times (my chinese is still....ahh.....err in progress ;)

Now I am working with employees of city hall to create a choreography for the parade. There are 12 men and 12 women. Jeff has been working with the men to teach them very complexe staff moves, and I have been working on movement configurations with the 12 women using fire torches. Tomorrow we will integrate the two choreographies to make one.

At night time we perform one of four shows. On the weekends we perform our hour long 'main show' on the main stage, and throughout the week we do a more improvised street show on 'monkey street'. Lots of fire!!!!

On Monday we went to a beach 1 hour north of here to go surfing. I got stung by a jelly fish and am still recovering! The beach was beautiful though and it was great to get in the water. I am looking forward to coming back to Taiwan someday to explore.

Every day seems to be a new unpredictable day. The scenery is amazing and the people are so kind. It feels very safe here. I will have 1 or 2 days to travel before I go home so I am looking forward to exploring the North west coast of the island and also visiting Taipei. Through working with the community teams my chinese gets a little better every day.

Just learning people's names in challenging because of the tones, however I enjoy this challenge and hope to come back to Taiwan again someday for another project.

Performance

2010-08-08T20:37:00.000-07:00

The Adventure Continues

2010-07-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

Life has gotten quite intense here in Taiwan. We are working 12 hour days and still have a lot to get done before performances begin August 2nd. Each day seems to be epic, and filled with highs and lows for the whole team. Our group choreography is coming along nicely. The theme of the piece is Monkeys, so we have been doing lots of monkey movement research from breakdancing to contact improv so that has been fun. We also got to create monkey masks. This was the first time I have every molded anything with clay. We started out with a big pile of clay and chiseled away, and molded to find our inner monkey. It was amazing to watch the transformation created with my own hands. I really enjoyed the experience of finding the monkey face in the clay.

I am very excited about my new hoop routine that I have choreographed to an original piece of music by Nick Meehan. It is a very dynamic piece filled with all my favorite hoop moves. It is both lyrical and circus, with a space for my playful (monkey) side to come through. I am excited to perform it for the show, and continue working with this piece at the hooping life premiere when I get back to Montreal.

I am directing a huge community project here in Luodong. We have 14 teams who range from trained dance teams, to the farmers association, to city hall. Each team has between 20 & 40 members. Along with 3 of the other circus artists we are creating choreographies using circus props for the parade that will happen August 21st. Yesterday I got to go to an Arts School where I worked with 30 dance students between the ages of 9-12yrs. With the help of their teacher we created a moving choreography using rhythmic gymnastics ribbons and hoops. None of them speak English so it was quite an experience! Luckily I had a translator there to help. I am learning how to count in mandarin and say up, down, right, left, slow, fast, bigger, smaller, from the beginning, all together now. By the end of the month hopefully I will have at least these words down!

This morning we were the rockstars of the Press Conference so we will probably be on Taiwan TV this week promoting the Parade. It is a pretty significant event in the whole country.

I think I am getting used to being here, however every day seems to be a new adventure, and sometimes I have to pinch myself because it all feels so surreal. Most people ride scooters here, and pedestrians definitely do not have the right of way. Aside from the Czech Artists, we are the only foreigners here. Most of us are vegetarian and the locals think that is really strange. The average meal here goes for about $$1.50-$2. We get a food allowance of $5/day so I am trying to curb my coffee habit, because coffee costs about the same as food.

Day 1 with the Circus

2010-07-24T03:48:00.000-07:00

Today is my first full day of work here in Taiwan. I arrived in Taipei on Thursday afternoon after an epic journey from Vancouver to Shanghai, where I spent the night in a hotel. And then a quick flight from Shanghai to Montreal.

Shanghai was interesting and I would like to go back, but I am happy to be in Taiwan, where life seems to be a little more open, and colorful.

Taiwan people are very happy, and I feel like I am in a cartoon. Everything is brightly colored, and miniature... even the cargo trucks. We are staying in Luodong which is on the North East tip of Taiwan. It is a bustling city and we are staying in a temple.

I really feel as though I am traveling with the circus. We are 8 circus artists from all over the world, working intensely together. The work has been divided among us in order to create several numbers for 2 weeks of performing in the street, on the stage, and as the central focus of a parade. The theme is monkeys and there is a whole team of sculptural artists here from the czech republic creating giant monkey characters for the parade.

I am very happy and enjoying every moment of this. It is an honor to work with such talented artists. We had a showing and sharing today of talents, it was one great act after another: contact juggling, clowning, contorsion, poi, hooping, breakdancing, fire dancing and on and on it went.

We will be working with 14 teams 25 people from the local community, developing choreography with them and creating props for them to use. It is wonderful to be able to connect with the local culture.

Last night Michele and I performed at the Dream Community in Taipei. It was a once in a lifetime experience to be welcomed into this local community to perform with fire for a very enthusiastic audience. At the end of the evening they had all the children on stage, with Michele and I performing with our LED Hoops just in front with a Jazz Band playing live in the back. I looked around and thought to myself, WOW, I am so lucky to be here!

recent adventures

2010-07-10T22:19:00.000-07:00

me as a 1920's hula hooper! all gussied up for my cirque du soleil gig yesterday!

Guilty Gunn played an awesome set at PEX Summer Festival. Michele and I got to perform with them. We are hoping to get Nick (right) to come play at the Hooping Life Hoop Jam in August.

Mr. Sparkles, flexin' his pipes!

Centrifugal Bodies

2010-01-13T21:12:00.000-08:00

I am taking a contemporary dance workshop this week with Dana Gingras of The Holy Body Tattoo Dance Company. She has been dancing and choreographing for over twenty years and has developed a whole repetoire based upon the concept of the body flying through space using the centrifugal force. I really enjoy studying with her because like me she is very tall. Sometimes it is said in dance that it is difficult for tall people to move quickly with our long limbs. Dana proves this theory wrong as she flies through the air with such grace only inches from the floor.

So far this is what I understand from her methodology:
Her movement is very fast and near to the ground. One would imagine that in order to execute a sequence of fast movements the most logical method would be to move the body in straight lines (the shortest route) directly from point A to point B. Rather than moving directly from point A to point B, Dana has us move in curbs, circular, and spirals in order to make use of the centrifugal force the help to get from point A to point B using either gravity or anti-gravity (centrufugal/centri-petal). Moving in this circular manner generates momentum, and allows for 'rides' as she calls them. Her choreography is quite complex but once you get it and are able to 'play' within it it is a lot of fun. She also uses fatigue and soreness as a tool. Her theory is that once your body is bruised and sore, you have to come up with ways to move so that you don't agrevate these sensitive areas. You become 'smarter' learning to use your body in a more economical way, releasing more and saving energy for times when it is really needed. The speed of the floorwork sequences also force us to use our feet, performing push/pull actions in order to get the body where it needs to go. These push/pull actions are derived from BMC/developmental patterning. Dana is also big on flow. Today she made a reference to hula hooping, saying that you never want to stop moving...you have to reach each part of the circle to keep the energy going.

Dana uses gyrokinesis as a way to train for her method of dancing. She says that open hips are very important for floor work and allow you to roll through the joints more easily and hence quickly. Gyrokinesis is a great way to cross-train for hooping. All the movements are based on circles and spirals initiated from the spine. If you have ever done chi gong, you may find similarities in the approach to the energetic body. Here is a quote from the gyrotonic website with reference to gyrokinesis 'Fluidity is the key. Postures are not held for long periods of time. Instead, postures are smoothly and harmoniously connected through the use of breath, making exercises appear and feel more like a dance and swimming than like traditional yoga.'

I find all of this extremely interesting and directly applicable to hoopdancing. As hoopers we are used to working with the centrifugal force in order guide the hoop both up and down in space. It is interesting to think about propelling both the body and the hoop through space using the centrifugal force. I am working with these principles in my hoop rehearsals this week and it is really blowing my mind! I am going to have to find some creative ways to economize my energy tomorrow as i am covered in holy body tattoos (aka bruises) from all this floorwork. It is definitely worth it though!

Centrifugal Force

2010-01-12T20:35:00.000-08:00

Water streaming into a shallow dish creates a large whirlpool. As the water drains, intricate surface waves spiral in and out of the center and the entire vortex begins to slowly oscillate, revolving around the drain. The oscillations grow with each revolution until the vortex is so unstable that it breaks away from the drain and a new vortex immediately forms.
www.exploratorium.edu/.../exhibit/whirlpool.html

Holiday Hoop Flow Fusion! Cultivating a multidimensional Hoop Practice

2010-01-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

For me the holiday season represents a time of rest, renewal and preparation for the new year. I have taken this time to take a break from my intense training regimen of the fall of acrobatics, hoopdance and iyengar yoga to shift my focus towards deepening my yoga practice through vinyasa flow yoga (Shiva Rae Style) in preparation for my new job as a flow yoga teacher at Studio Bliss. I have also been reading and writing a lot about yoga, fitness and hooping in preparation for the upcoming ihoopu Teacher Training Program.

I am fortunate enough to be able to enjoy a holiday season filled with abundance, from colorful meals to warm family celebrations and travels from coast to coast. I am starting 2010 feeling strong and fully inspired for all the exciting projects that lie ahead of me. I am grateful for my friends & family, my city and of course my students.

I love the energy and feeling of renewal of each new year. My focus this year is presence and embodiment. My intention is to carry these words into every task, project and interaction that I embark on. It starts with every day tasks however, I hope to carry these principles into my dance, into my teaching, and most of all into my practice of hooping, yoga, and acrobatics.

This has been an extremely enriching process and has made me reflect on the element of fusion. From a young age I have always participated in many forms of dance such as ballet, jazz & tap, played several instruments including piano, violin, stand-up bass & clarinet and played competitive team sports. This combination of arts, rhythm and physical embodiment has given me the strength, flexibility & agility to do almost anything in my life

It is always important to have a teacher or guide when learning something new.
Not having a hoop teacher to guide me in my hooping practice, I sought out mentors in other physical fields to guide me. The main discipline being contemporary dance, followed closely by yoga gyrotonics and pilates.

In the fall my physical practice involved a combination of iyengar yoga, acrobatics, and hooping. In enjoyed this fusion because the acrobatics enabled me to push my limits and boundaries to observe my physical limitations, the hooping allowed me to find flow practice my choreographic skills, and the iyengar yoga created a space for me to replace my body into a healthy alignment, reconnect to the earth and respect my body.

Over the holidays I played with the fusion of hooping, hot yoga and vinysasa flow yoga. I often feel sluggish during the holidays but I found this combination helped open me up and keep me warm and liberated for the coming year. Hot yoga heats the body from the outside and vinyasa flow heats the body from the inside. It is extremely important to cultivate heat in these winter months in order to keep the joints lubricated an maintain our flow as hoopers. I wonder if anyone has ever tried 'hot room hooping'? I imagine it would be slippery, maybe we should stick to generating heat from the inside out!

Looking forward to the first hoopdance class of the session this coming Monday!

Happy hooping!!

Hooping Insights

2009-12-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

photo by KJ Bohème

I had the best hoop session I have had (I think) since Burning Man yesterday. It all started with this song I heard on last.fm (a great source for discovering new music). I listened to the song "vainqueur - elevation ii (reprise)" Saturday night before going to bed and then again on Sunday morning before teaching my class. I had a bunch of stuff to get done Sunday afternoon before my acro-yoga class, but I was feeling low energy and the sun was shining so I decided to go to the park for a hoop session rather than doing my laundry...hey who needs matching socks anyway? I put on my snowboarding gloves and space boots and went out in the 0 degree (celcius) weather to hoop. It was so energizing to hoop in the fresh air (despite the bitter cold wind) and the sun was shining. Inspired by last weekend hooping with Michele & the new song on my ipod I decided to practice breaks and isolations with subtle shoulder movements. I put the song on repeat and hooped like a wild woman for about 2 hours.

It seems since I returned in October from my epic adventure I have been rehearsing for a show or creating a choreography for the purpose of teaching, but rarely have I been hooping for myself...just cause I feel like it.

It is interesting how when we decide to make a career out of our hobby, it often becomes work, and it sometimes becomes challenging to find the innocence and play we once found in the activity...the reason I decided I wanted to dedicate my life to the hoop in the first place.

I like to think that I don't depend on music to inspire me to hoop. But I have to say, it definitely does help. It was also fun to have the challenge of the wind and wearing my gloves, both providing me with obstacles to add to my hoop practice, creating a more complex set of parameters for me to work under. Sometimes more limiting parameters yield higher creativity.

In conclusion, nothing beats hooping outside. Stay tuned for more outdoor hooping adventures! This year at burning man I was always hooping in the dust storms so why not hoop in a snow storm?

Hooping Journal

2009-12-01T15:29:00.000-08:00

photo : vincent shine

Wow! December already! We are so are so busy at the IHOOPU Headquarters making hoops, getting ready for the holidays, working on new choreographies, and dreaming up new workshops to share with all of you!

Another exciting bit of news is that the IHOOPU Blog will now be used to document the IHOOPU Hoop Journal. Julian & I have started keeping hooping journals in order to document our progress in hooping. We would love to hear about your progress in hooping, so please send us news of your exciting developments so we can publish them on the IHOOPU Blog!

And be sure to check back often to see what is spiraling through our heads!

As some of you know the IHOOPU.COM website will be expanding in the New Year to include all of our newly trained team.

We want to hear about your hooping experiences. Please send us any stories you have about hooping, experiences you have had in an IHOOPU class or workshop, adventures you have gone on with your hoop. We will choose some of these hoop tales to be featured on the blog, in the newsletter and on the new website. Please feel free to include a photo of you with your hoop in some amazing place too!

We are also accepting requests for workshops on whatever hooping or hooping related topics you would like. Please send us your requests so we fulfill all your hooping needs!

HAPPY HOOPING!

Upcoming Workshops

2009-11-11T20:30:00.000-08:00

Upcoming Workshops

Level 1 Hoopdance Workshop (Beginner-Intermediate) with Rebecca Halls & Julian Hughes

If you are a beginner hooper or even brand new to hooping this is the workshop for you. We will go over the fundamentals of hoopdance, learn and perfect basic tricks and manipulations of the hoop, and learn how to flow.

Sunday November 22nd
11am-2pm

Pre-Registration Price: $50
Register now by sending paypal payment of to info@ihoopu.com
cheques are also accepted by the post

Last Minute Registration Price:$75

Location: 4416 St. Laurent, suite 302

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Level 2 Hoopdance Workshop (Inter-Advanced) with Rebecca Halls
Twins, Minis & Foot Hooping

If you've got the fundamentals down and want to perfect your hooping technique and learn some fancy new tricks this is the workshop for you! Wherever you are at in your hoopdance journey the Rebecca will help you achieve those tricks you've been stuck on for months. We will be focusing on hooping with twins, minis, doubles hooping, and foot hooping, depending on the level of the group we may even be learning my claim to fame: the hooping headstand!! You will definately leave with some new tricks up your sleeve!

Sunday November 22nd
2:30pm-5:30pm

Pre-Registration Price: $50
Register now by sending paypal payment of to info@ihoopu.com
cheques are also accepted by the post.

Last Minute Registration Price:$75

Location: 4416 St. Laurent, suite 302

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As Promised we have some very exciting workshops this month from visiting instructors all the way from Philadelphia!!

Creating the WOW in your hoopdance with visiting instructor Michele Clark
Saturday November 28th 2-4pm

The single most important WOW factor is you! We will work on creating character, style, and drama. We will learn about how to tie these these conceptual elements into our physical experience along with learning WOW moves and combos. Learn how crazy tricks are created and what principles are acting to make moves into 'tricks'. We will work with single and double hoops.

Contact Juggling Workshop with visiting instructor Jeff Calfato of the amazing Arche Dream Theatre!
Saturday November 28th 4-6pm

Jeff Calafato will be exploring the Basic Fundamentals of sphere
manipulation (Contact Juggling) and the hybridization of sphere manipulation with modern dance/ theater techniques (such as Break Dancing and archetypal mask movement). He will also be covering creative new theories in geometry, studies of the infinite planes on the body, unlocking parallel dimensions of consciousness in the focused now moment, magic illusions and isolations, performance therapy and practice, collaboration and play, the fusion of multiple performing arts disciplines w/ sphere manipulation, opening portals and speaking alien languages, everything you will need to rock the sphere for the rest of your life!

Pre-Registration Price:
$50 for one workshop
$80 for both workshops

Register now by sending paypal payment of to info@ihoopu.com
cheques are also accepted by the post

Last Minute Registration Price:
$75 per workshop
$130 for both workshops

location: TBA...somewhere on the plateau

latest video

2009-11-03T12:02:00.000-08:00

DeCordova from nbmeehan on Vimeo.

HOOP NEWS

2009-09-24T16:31:00.001-07:00

Upcoming Workshops

Beginner Hoop Intensive

New to the Hoop? Want to learn all the tricks but can't make it to weekly classes? Learn the whole 6 week level 1 series in one jam-packed, fun-filled weekend!

Saturday October 10th & Sunday October 11th 2009
12pm-3pm
Pre-registration price $60
to reserve your place send paypal payment to info@ihoopu.com
Day of the workshop: $40 per day or $75 for both days.

Advanced Hoop Intensive

I am freshly returning to Montreal after a 2 month Hoop Extravaganza. Come get your hoop on and spice up your style with freshly acquired west coast tricks! We will be working on advanced hoop tricks, acrobatics, isolations, and twin hooping. A great workshop to prepare you for the visiting teacher Michele Clark that will be coming in November.

Saturday October 10th & Sunday October 11th 2009
3pm-6pm
Pre-registration price $60
to reserve your place send payment to info@ihoopu.com

Day of the workshop: $40 per day or $75 for both days.

***SPECIAL RATES FOR HOOPS WHEN YOU REGISTER FOR THE WORKSHOP***
$40 for a regular IHOOPU Hoop
$30 for a IHOOPU performance Hoop, or 2 for $50!!

IHOOPU Teacher Training

Become a certified Hoopdance Instructor! Learn how to teach the fundamental hoop moves to a group. Become part of the IHOOPU teacher's community with a teacher's profile on the IHOOPU website. This 30 hour training program will prepare you to teach the IHOOPU 6 week beginner series.

Cost: $399
Date & Times:
Friday November 20th 6-9pm
Saturday November 21st 10-6pm
Sunday November 22nd 10-6pm

Send an email to info@ihoopu.com to apply. We will send you the application form.
Space is limited to 6 participants in order to maintain a quality learning environment. Apply early to avoid disappointment.

Spin Cycle Camp 2009, Burning Man

Hotel No Tell Surf Party

2009-09-22T13:57:00.000-07:00

IHOOPU Featured at Nike 6.0 Surf Party in San Diego

Sunday was the sneak peak preview of Taylor Steele's new surf film Modern Collective. We were lucky enough to be hooping at this VIP surf party. Check it out on the Motel No Tell Nike 6.0 Blog.

Upcoming Workshops

2009-09-21T23:34:00.000-07:00

Beginner Hoop Intensive
Saturday October 10th & Sunday October 11th 2009
12pm-3pm
Pre-registration price $60
to reserve your place send payment to info@ihoopu.com

Advanced Hoop Intensive
Saturday October 10th & Sunday October 11th 2009
3pm-6pm
Pre-registration price $60
to reserve your place send payment to info@ihoopu.com

Burning Man LED Hoop Jam

2009-09-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

Shambhala

2009-08-30T14:10:00.000-07:00

OFF TO SHAMBHALA

2009-08-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

IHOOPU is zip zip zippin around! We just completed our 500th HOOP in the Pixie Hoop Workshop! Wow, I don't think I have ever made & decorated so many hoops in one week!
It really was an experience of embarking on a creative process. The first 20 hoops I stayed within the bounds of colors and patterns that I usually make. However, throughout the process my color preferences completely transformed. I got kind of sick of my faves and branched out into other colors of the spectrum, creating all kinds of new designs and color schemes that I had never thought of combining before. And to tape away next to 3 other hoopmakers was also interesting as we exchanged tips and learned from eachother. Our hands got a little achy by the 7th day and we were all dreaming of hoops...which isn't such a bad thing.

We are taking off today for Shambhala. Huliohoop & I have been rehearsing with Taalfiza (the resident pixiehoops DJ) We will be performing at the Labrynth Stage both Friday & Saturday so keep an eye open for us! We are working with material that was initially choreographed for the Tutu Hoop Dolls and has been revamped for a duo. We have also been working on a bunch of new material involving some acro-hoop-yoga spice!

We are very excited to set up the Hoop Shop which will be located in the vendor section of the Festival. Please come visit us because it is going to be quite spectacular with 500 hoops displayed on the walls of our 10X10 tent.

The next exciting even for IHOOPU is the HOOP FLAIR TOUR! Catch up with us in Vancouver, Victoria, Tofino & Comox starting August 17th. Pre-registration is mandatory so sign up now at http://pixiehoops.com/hoopworkshops.html

Nicole (aka Speedy Hoop) of Pixie Hoops and I have been hooping together since 2003. She will assist me in the Hoop Flair workshop as we help budding hoopers find their inner sparkle so they can shine from within their hoop! This workshop is open to all but geared towards intermediate to advanced hoopers. We will be going over difficult moves such as the Hooping Headstand, Jumps & Rolls with the hoop, tosses, tricky hoop dance moves & choreography and lots of upside down hooping!

Sign up now for the Hoop Flair Workshop on http://pixiehoops.com/hoopworkshops.html
Space is limited and registration is mandatory.

See you in the hoop!!
bekasparklehoop

HOOP FLAIR CHRONICALS

2009-07-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the West! Day 1 of the Hoop Flair Tour has begun! I am pleased to announce that while I am away the IHOOPU teachers will continue to teach hoop classes.

Here is the summer schedule:

Mondays & Wednesdays
6-7pm
Parc Lafontaine
with LOLA HOOP

Wednesdays 3-4pm
Panico Studios 5445 de Gaspe
with LOLA HOOP

Fridays 6:30-7:30pm
YMCA du Parc
with KIM MOK

hoop orders
WE HAVE SOME PREMADE HOOPS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE THROUGH LOLA HOOP. OTHERWISE ALL CUSTOM HOOP ORDERS WILL BE PUT ON BACKORDER UNTIL SEPTEMBER WHEN HULIOHOOP RETURNS TO THE IHOOPU HEADQUARTERS.

Keep on Hoopin'

*Beka Hoop*

new LED's for sale

2009-06-30T12:39:00.001-07:00

All the LED hoop parts have come in and construction is beginning as I write this post. Check out the hoop troupe at the Jazz Festival showing off the new LED's to the public, July 9,10 and 11.

Don't forget to buy your iHoopU LED hoop before we sell out. limited supply for the summer.

FREE HOOP CLASS!

2009-06-29T16:24:00.000-07:00

There will be a free hoop class tomorrow 8-9pm.

Come on down and get your hoop on!

8pm
4416 St. Laurent (just south of mt royal)
Studio 302

Please pre-register by sending an email subject line "FREE HOOP CLASS" to info@ihoopu.com
to be sure we have enough hoops for all!

See you then!

tutu hoop doll practice vid

2009-06-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

hey tutu hoop dolls! now you can practice the choreo!

see you in rehearsal tomorrow!

xx

iHOOPu Roadtrip!

2009-06-21T16:31:00.000-07:00

Our hooping weekend of fun! Come hoop it up with us!!

Hoop Jam & Workshop

2009-06-18T20:48:00.000-07:00

Exciting news!

This Saturday there will be a Hoop Jam hosted by teacher trainee Cath Marier!

Come down to Parc Lafontaine and get your hoop on with the Cath and the Montreal Hoop Community! Cath will be sharing some tips on hooping for beginner and intermediate hoopers.

There will be a few hoops available for use but please bring your own if you have one to avoid disapointment!

WHERE:PARC LAFONTAINE (near the statue of Felix Leclerc)
WHEN: SATURDAY JUNE 20TH 4:30-6PM
HOW MUCH: FREE!
WHO: YOU!!
*cancelled in case of rain*

Next Saturday June 27th there will be WORKSHOP!

POI for HOOPERS with Johnathan Poi Spinner Extra-ordinaire!
Many of the off the body hoop moves come from poi. All hoopers could benefit from a workshop that breaks down the fundamentals of poi in order to better understand the mechanics of our hoops. This workshop will help you with your off the body hoop moves, increase your agility and vocabulary with the hoop. Johnathan is one of the most saught after poi spinners in Montreal. We are pleased to have him help out the ihoopu gang understand the mechanics of poi to eventually transfer to poi-hooping.
WHERE: PARC LAFONTAINE (near statue Felix)
WHEN: SATURDAY JUNE 27TH 4:30-6pm
HOW MUCH?: $10 if you pre-register, $15 on the spot
to register send an email to info@ihoopu.com with "poi workshop" in the subject line

Hope to see you soon in the HOOP!

New for IHOOPU ... LED hoops!!!!...

2009-06-14T01:42:00.000-07:00

IHOOPU is now selling LED HOOPS!

OMG!!! BIG SAVINGS when you pre-order by Monday June 22nd

Custom Designed IHOOPU LED HOOP

Choice of Color & Number of LEDs (12 or 18)

Color Options: white, blue, green, aqua, red, yellow, pink, violet, uv, tricolor (color changing!)

Special Price of only $100 (will be selling for $175 - $200 as of June 23rd)

ORDER NOW! info@ihoopu.com

HOOP JAM TODAY!!

2009-06-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

Hey Hoopers,

One of the IHOOPU teachers in training, Kelli Hanrahan, will be hosting a HOOP JAM today at Parc Lafontaine.

There will be music and a couple extra hoops, but if you have your own hoop please bring it!!

cost: FREE
time:4:30-6pm
location:parc lafontaine (the usual spot rachel side of the parc between brebeuf & calixa-lavaillé)

Don't forget about the performance tonight at Studio 303! Come see your fellow hoopers hoop it up!

Buy your tickets online before (saturday) at noon for only $5 instead of $10 at the door! studio 303.ca

Acheter les billets sur le web avant (samedi) midi s'ils veulent profiter du tarif pré-vente à 5$. Les billets seront au coût de 10$ à la porte 30 minutes avant le spectacle. studio303.ca

Hoop to see you there!!

June 13th at 7pm & 9pm : Danse pour tous
A show featuring the evening classes participants : Hoopdance, African dance, Contemporary dance and yogadance.
STUDIO 303
372 STE CATH WEST
3RD FLOOR

I will be peforming with H.O.T. almost every night this week at the Montreal Fringe Festival. 10pm at the outdoor beer tent. Come see me spin my fire hoop!! whoop whoop!

performance class starts June 16th!

2009-06-08T06:20:00.001-07:00

Hi All,

Just a note that the performance class starts June 16th (next week) rather than this week!

Monday Parc Classes also start next week ... because we still have 1 more week @ studio 303!!

See you in the hoop!

R.

June Hoopnews

2009-06-07T20:12:00.000-07:00

May was an exciting month with the Beginner Intensive and Performance Hoop Intensive and of course Hoop Convergence in North Carolina.

As the weather warms up I am beginning to see more and more people with hoops around the city. This warms my heart as you all know how much I love to hoop!

June has started off well, IHOOPU has 4 teachers in training so you will see them helping out around class and jams and eventually teaching some of the IHOOPU classes late in the summer and fall.

We are about to begin the summer schedule which entails lots of outdoor hooping! Look out Montreal we are going to take over the parks!!

The plus side of park-hooping is there are no ceilings to limit the heights at which we can toss our hoops into the sky, the down side being the coming of the rains will mean class is canceled. So pray to the sun gods!! Check below for all the classes going on throughout June & July!

If the weather is iffy, consult twitter to see if class is on or off on the given day.

Summer Hoop Schedule
Wednesday June 10th - Friday July 24th

All park (outdoor) classes are **weather dependent**
check the weather report, or step outside... if the ground is wet class is canceled...or consult TWITTER

Beginner Hoopdance
Mondays & Wednesdays 6-7pm Parc Lafontaine

Wednesdays 3-4pm Panico Studio (starts june 17th)

Intermediate/Advanced Hoopdance
Mondays 7-8pm Parc Lafontaine

Performance Class (with the Hoop)
Thursdays 6pm-7pm Parc Jean Mance
***Starts June 16th***

All Levels Hoopdance
Fridays 6:30-7:30pm YMCA du Parc

Yoga Classes
Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays 12:30-2pm Panico Studio (Starts June 15th)

Tuesdays 5:30-7pm, Kinesphere

Specialty Workshops / Events / Jams
Saturdays 4:30pm, Parc Lafontaine
consult the BLOG for workshop details

Class Locations:
PARC LAFONTAINE: Brebeuf & Rachel
PARC JEAN-MANCE: Rachel & (between Jean Mance & Ave du Parc)
PARC ST VIATEUR: From the Parc Y, head west on st.Viateur till you hit the
parc.
PANICO STUDIO: 5445 de Gaspé, suite 313
KINESPHERE: 1565 Mt Royal Est, coin Fabre

Cost & Packages for Park Classes
Drop-in = $15 / class
1 X week = $12 / class (six weeks = $72)
2 X week = $10 / class (six weeks = $120)
For Studio Classes please consult directly with studio.
If you are registered in a class and we get rained out you can make-up the class on another day within the session (June 10th-July 24th)

Student Performance!

We have a show next week at studio 303. We will be rehearsing all week so if you are familiar with the beginner hoop moves and want to be part of the show let me know!

If you can't be in the show, please come watch!!

Next Saturday June 13th 19h & 21h
372 ste Cath O. Studio 303
Billets Pré-vente: $5 ou $10 à la porte
infos: 514 393 3771 pour plus d'infos

Rehearsal times are as follows:

Saturday June 6 4:30-6pm PARC LAFONTAINE
Monday June 8th 5:30-7:30pm STUDIO 303 (we will work on the piece in class
and then stay later...)
Wednesday June 10th 4:30-6pm PARC LAFONTAINE
Thursday June 11th 4:30-6pm PARC JEAN-MANCE
Friday June 12th 4:30-6pm PARC ST. VIATEUR

Saturday June 13th SHOWTIME!!
performers must arrive at 3:30pm for rehearsal/tech run in the space.

rehearsal LOCATIONS:
PARC LAFONTAINE: Brebeuf & Rachel
PARC JEAN-MANCE: Rachel & (between Jean Mance & Ave du Parc)
PARC ST VIATEUR: From the Parc Y, head west on st.Viateur till you hit the
parc.

Summer Hoop Schedule

2009-06-05T20:57:00.000-07:00

Hello Hoopers!

Summer is here! Time to infiltrate the parks with hoopiness!!

Class is ON tomorrow @ 430pm in Parc Lafontaine. BYOH (bring your own hoop).

Next week we will transition to the summer hoopclass schedule

WEDNESDAY JUNE 10TH-FRIDAY JULY 24TH:

Mondays
Parc Lafontaine
6-7pm Beginner Hoopdance
7-8pm Inter/Adv Hoopdance

Wednesdays
Parc Lafontaine
6-7pm Beginner Hoopdance

Thursdays
Parc Jean Mance
4-6pm Open Jam
6-7pm Performance Hoop Class

Fridays
Ymca du Parc
6:30-7:30pm All Levels Class

Saturdays
Specialty Workshops & Monthly Hoop Jams

Hoop Convergence!

2009-05-10T07:24:00.000-07:00

Hey Hoopers! I am having an amazing time here at Hoop Convergence. I am learning so much about hooping I can't even begin to explain it all. Acro Hoop Yoga, Hoop Choreography, Flamenco Hoopdance........ We had a fire jam last night and I had the honor of performing alongside some of this planet's most stunning performers. Hoopers who had never spun fire also had the opportunity to spin. One of the most touching moments of the whole evening was when one woman went into the fire circle, her first time ever spinning a hoop on fire. She stood there holding the hoop looking absolutely petrified. She looked very hesitant to start spining the hoop standing within the flames, just when she was about to give up everyone began cheering 'spin it, spin it!' Finally she took the hoop to the back of her waist and began spinning it and proceeded to totally rock out with the fire hoop around her waist. Her performance brought tears to my eyes. It was so beautiful.

The workshops have been absolutely amazing. This morning we learned about native hoopdance, followed by a workshop on tandem hooping (two people in one hoop) and then finally a workshop on the chakra system & hooping and sustained spinning. I have had the opportunity to meet and connect with so many great people from all over North America. There are about 10 Canadians here so it is great to connect with people from across our country. My perspective on hooping has definitely broadened. This is such a wonderful community of conscious minded creative people and I am so happy to be a part of it.

lots and lots of hoop love!

R.

HOOP JAM!

2009-05-01T07:02:00.001-07:00

Come out to Parc Lafontaine this Saturday 6-8pm for the Spring Hoop Jam.

We will congregate in the parc near the statue, enter the parc from the Rachel side near Brébeuf and you should see us.

Jam will be cancelled in the case of unfavorable weather (wet grass/rain)

Hoop to see you!

google maps, copy and paste to find us:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=parc+lafontaine+montreal&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hl=en&z=15

2009-04-20T01:02:00.000-07:00

Intensives & Workshops

2009-04-14T09:01:00.000-07:00

Intensives / Workshops

BEGINNER HOOPDANCE INTENSIVE
Learn the Fundamentals of HoopDance in an Intensive weekend. In this workshop we will cover the Basic Hoop Moves covered in the Beginner 6 week series. There will be lots of time and space to practice, you will leave feeling confident with your hoop and be able to show your new tricks to your friends! Excellent for newbie / beginner Hoopers
May 23 & 24
12-3pm
$60 for both days
$35 for 1 day
Registration required. To register send an email to info@ihoopu.com

PERFORMANCE INTENSIVE
Advanced Hoop Moves, Hoop Choreography, Hooping with a Troupe, Performance Skills, Yoga, Flexibility and Acrobatics with the Hoop and Much Much More! A great way to prepare for the Montreal Hoop Troupe Auditions. Registration Required, Space is Limited. Please email me to reserve your place.
Dates to be confirmed based on participant's availability.
Tuesday-Saturday
May 26th to 29th 6:30-9:30pm
May 30th 12-2pm
Registration required. To register send an email to info@ihoopu.com

LEVEL 1 HOOPDANCE TEACHER TRAINING CERTIFICATION
June 2, 16, 23, 30th 2009
Tuesday evenings 6:30-9:30pm (except June 9th)
One weekend intensive June 5th, 6th & 7th

Included in the program you will

Learn how to structure an hour long HoopDance class

Improve your hoop HoopMove communication and demonstration skills

Receive a document outlining the level one IHOOPU syllabus

Learn about Anatomy specific to Hooping

Become part of the Hoop Teacher Network and be listed on the IHOOPU website as a certified Hoop Instructor

Learn how to make your own hoops

Take part in a teaching apprenticeship (weekly ihoopu classes)

**maximum of 6 participants reserve your place in advance by sending an email to info@ihoopu.com

.............en français.................

STAGE HOOPDANSE POUR DÉBUTANTS
Apprennez les movements fondamentales du Hoopdanse dans un fin de semaine intensive. Vous apprendrez les Moves Basic qui sont couvert dans le serie Débutant de 6 semaines. Il y aura beaucoup de temp et d'espace pour pour pratiquer et sentir comfortable avec le cerceau et vos nouveau trucs. Excellent pour les hoopers vierge / débutant
23 & 24 Mai
12 h à 15 h
$60 pour les deux jours
$35 pour un jour
Inscription requise. Pour vous inscrire envoyez un couriel à info@ihoopu.com

STAGE INTENSIVE PERFORMANCE HOOP
Mouvements de hoop avancés, chorégraphie avec le hoop, hooping au sein d'une troupe, habiletés en performance, yoga, flexibilité et acrobatie en utilisant un hoop.
Une excellente façon pour se préparer aux auditions pour la troupe de hoop de Montréal!
Inscription requise, places limitées. S.V.P. envoyez-moi un couriel pour réserver votre place et m'indiquer vos dates de disponibilité. Les dates seront confirmées bientôt, selon la disponibilité des participants.
26-29 mai (mardi--vendredi)
18h30-19h30
ainsi que 30 mai 12h-14h (samedi)
Inscription requise. Pour vous inscrire envoyez un couriel à info@ihoopu.com

CERTIFICATION D'ENSEIGNANT DE HOOPDANSE NIVEAU 1

2 au 30 juin 2009
Les mardis, de 18 h 30 à 19 h 30 (sauf le 9 juin)
Fin de semaine intensive 5, 6, 7 juin
Dans cette formation vous:

Apprendrez comment structurer une classe de hula hoop

Ameliorerez vos outils de communication et de demonstration des hoopmoves fondamentales

Recevrez un document avec tous l'info requis pour enseigner
le programme niveau 1 cours d'IHOOPU

Apprendrez l'anatomie corporel du hula hoop

Apprendrez à fabriquer vos propres cerceaux

Participerez dans un stage d'enseignment (cours IHOOPU)

Deviendrez parti du communauté de professeurs du Hoop

**maximum de 6 participant reservez en avance info@ihoopu.com

Weekly Hoop Classes

2009-04-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

REGISTRATION APRIL 1st - APRIL 11th BY EMAIL info@ihoopu.com

Mondays = Hoopie Days!!
2 classes back 2 back!!

KINESPHERE
1565 Mt Royal East, corner Fabre
April 8th - June 1st (NO classes May 9, 16)
Saturdays 16h30-18h

Session prices
1X per week $90

If the weather is really good we may end up in parc lafontaine just east of the studio on Mt Royal.

YMCA DU PARC
5550 du Parc, corner st. Viateur
Friday Night Hoop Class
As usual the Friday Y class continues
Same Time Same Place
6:30-7:30pm every Friday
Classes are included in Y membership.

**NEW CLASS**
HoopDance @ Studio 303
April 20th-June 8th
Mondays 17h30-18h45
NO CLASS May 11th and 18th
Drop in $15
6 week session price $72 ($12/class)
End of session performance at Studio 303 June 12th
Studio 303 is located DOWNTOWN in the Belgo Building, 372 Ste Catherine W. (corner of Bleury, Metro Place des Arts) third floor, suite 303.

.......en français..........

Les lundis des hoopers!

Deux cours consécutifs!!

KINESPHERE
1565 Mt Royal East, coin Fabre
13 avril - 1 juin (Pas de cours 9, 11, 16, 18 mai)
samedi 16h30-18h

Inscription Requise

Prix :
1 cours par semaine $90

S'il fait chaud c'est possible qu'on se déplace au Parc Lafontaine.

YMCA DU PARC
5550 du Parc
Cours de Hoopdanse chaque Vendredi
vendredi 18h30-19h30
Les cours sont inclus dans l'abonnement au Y

**NOUVEAU COURS**
HoopDanse au Studio 303
20 Avril-8 Juin
Lundi 17h30-18h45

Relâche 11, 18 mai

Drop-in $15
Session de 6 semaines $72 ($12/classe)
Spectacle de fin de session le 12 juin.
Le Studio 303 est situé au CENTRE-VILLE dans l'edifice Belgo, 372 Ste Catherine O. (au coin de Bleury) metro Place des Arts, 3e étage, local 303

Hooping in Le Devoir!

2009-03-29T10:26:00.001-07:00

Check out this recent article in Le Devoir!

http://www.ledevoir.com/2009/03/28/242250.html

hoopDANCE!

2009-03-27T23:38:00.000-07:00

I performed tonight at the last ever Concordia Contemporary Dance Cabaret. I have been part of the dance program for three years but never had the chance to perform at the Cabaret because I always teach my wonderful Friday night Hoop Class at the Y. It was the last one so I decided to make the trek out to NDG.

Wow, I was so impressed! The performances were excellent, and I received some really great feedback from the contemporary dance crowd.

I am working on a new piece at the moment with Classical Guitarist Etienne Simard. We have been rehearsing for a month and will be presenting a show next Saturday at Rad'a. At the Cabaret I presented an excerpt. Unfortunately, Etienne could not be there so I performed to the recorded version of the piece he will play.

It was interesting how different it is to hoopdance to the recording than with a live musician. I feel like the live musical exchange really opens up my dance. Even though my dance is choreographed, it unravels in an endless spiral when I perform it with Etienne. It feels much more alive to be able to converse with a musician through my hoop. With the recording I felt very bound to the choreography and set movements as if there was no room for endless flow. I recommend to all the hoopers out there...if you can hoop with live musicians it is ideal! A guitarist, a drummer, a scratchmaster...whatever music you fancy, just be sure it's something than can be manipulated in response to your dance. Through this collaboration I have found new dynamics in my movement with the hoop.

All the theatre and dance students were dazzled and they all want to try hooping now. Hooray for the growing hoop community!

Montreal Hooping

2009-03-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the ihoopu blogspot!

What an honor it is to be serving the Montreal Hoop Community with upcoming events occurring in the Montreal Hooping Scene.

We just enjoyed a wonderful week with Miss Saturn and Pinkie Special visiting us from New York and France! They generously shared all their trickiest moves with us for a week long workshop at Studio 303. Just the first of many hooping workshops coming to Montreal this spring.

Miss Saturn dazzled us with her extreme control of the multiple hoops, and Pinkie with her sultry slow hooping and burlesque expertise!

It was so great to see hoopers of all different backgrounds and levels develop their hoops skills over the course of the week. Everyone had something to share with the group.

Thanks to Veronique for coming all the way from Gaspé for the workshop and sharing your hoop-poi knowledge with us.

Etienne, great job! I can't wait to see your trombone-hula hoop act!
Caitlin, newbie hooper, ripped it up all week with us!
Nathalie, it was wonderful as always to have your lovely yogic energy and healing hands in the class.
Lore, WOW! only six months into hooping and already doing multiple arm hooping!
Sabine, thanks for your spectacular LED hoop performance and the champagne!
Kelly, thanks for letting us try out your aluminium hoops, definitely a new experience!
Susan found continuous flow with waist hooping, I can't wait to hear about your explorations with your new hoop.
Catherine, welcome to the hoop community, i hope to see you in the hoop once again!
Peter, you were only with us for a day, but you got the Vortex!!

I look forward to hooping with all of you again soon!

Rebecca

new website

2009-03-21T10:49:00.001-07:00

Check out our new website.

http://www.ihoopu.com/

A wealth of information providing for the Montreal Hoop Community!