Blog.... I Have Neglected You!

In the end it turns out that I am not very good at maintaining a blog. I started this blog to share my trials, tribulations, joys, and accomplishments of hooping, but after sometime.... I just stopped blogging.

I still hoop. I still LOVE to hoop. I go through periods of hooping every day, for hours. I go through periods of not giving my hoop a second glance. I still get immense joy every time I learn a new trick, or push my body to do new things. I still get frustrated when I hit myself in the face (or shin!).

The thing that hooping brought me that I didn't expect, were some truly amazing friends. I have met some really awesome women (and men!) that I know will always be part of my life.

I am taking off from Tokyo next week, and continuing my hooping journey in Pittsburgh.
I will try my best to blog more, so I can keep all of you back in Japan up to date on the hooping is going oOoOoOoO Love you all and will miss you. Mata ne!

Current things I am working on with hooping: all tricks and movements in my second current, split level hooping :)

Rainy, Chilly Days Go Away....!

My hooping journey has slowed to a crawl the last couple of months. I live in a very old Japanese house. Japanese housing in general has poor insulation, and my house is maybe the coldest house in all of the Kanto region. Now, I know that if I went outside and starting hooping, I would warm up very quickly. But when I am shivering my room (the heat is on, still cold!)- I just can not muster the motivation to go outside. When I first started hooping, I hooped everyday for at least two hours The last couple of months, I average about twice a week for about an hour. I used to constantly watch hooping videos, and now I watch hooping videos only right before or right after hooping. Hooping has found a more balanced place in my life, then it had at first. It kind of took over everything for awhile. When it warms up again, I am sure I will start hooping more. Today was a bright and sunny day and Christina and I had a great time hooping in Yoyogi. I tried to teach myself paddling without really knowing what paddling was.... amusing to say the least!

Christina, Kristen and I had our performance debut as the Spinbirds this week. We performed for the enlisted wives club on the airforce base and I thought we did great! It was such a fun time. It was so much fun rehearsing with them! They were very patient with me when I came to ur biggest rehearsal day with a raging hangover. Thanks again girls. Love ya!
Dont forget to look for my videos on youtube:
tokyotinkerbellhoops
youtube user name

じゃあ。。。またね！

blogging... blogging....

When I started this blog, I did it because I wanted to share my experience learning to hoop with as many people as I could. I have come to find, that I am actually just not much of a blogger. My passion for the hoop hasn't subsided at all.... but my passion for chronicling this journey has died down tremendously. 

I have found the chilly weather in Tokyo keeping me indoors more, and hooping less. I have only enough room to work on tight tricks, and isolations in my room so I have seen a lot of improvement there. Working on tricks isn't the same experience as dancing and I have found myself missing the dancing so much! Going to class in a nice warm building with my friends substitutes a little, but I cant ever really let go unless I am by myself. 

I arrived in Portland three weeks ago, and was really hooping to meet up with some hoopers here. A combination of jet lag, being absent minded, and a busy schedule as so far made that impossible. I missed a hoop jam last week because I forgot what day of the week it was. I knew the hoop jam was Saturday, but... I didn't actually what that certain day that was happening was Saturday.  It makes me feel like a flake, and flaky people drive me crazy.

When I arrived here, there was a lot of snow everywhere!! I am from Idaho originally, the I dont mind the snow but I was wondering how hoopers living in snowy climates hoop all winter. It has to be indoor hooping only I am assuming. I tried to use my new psi hoops out in the snow at night and my hands froze up after about 5 minutes. Body was ok, but hands started to ache and hurt. I wonder if all of the super amazing hoopers are from warm climates, or have big empty inside places to hoop in the winter?

I miss my Tokyo hoop girls....! Cant wait to see you all! 

Alrighty, I have tried posting a hoop blog three times in the past few weeks, and each time something happens with my computer and it freezes up. Bizarre, huh? How can I get all of the happenings of the last month into one blog?! Bullet point list.

• Tricks I have learned- Not many! Neck hooping –I finally took my neck piercings out-, left arm up and head duck out, forward step through, hinge looking move, consistent eagle –although it starts rolling on my back, I cant figure out how to flick so that it rolls down my right arm first-
• Got an e-mail from Deanne that she was thinking of starting a hoop troupe, and was going to have auditions. Got excited, then got nervous that I wasn’t good enough to be in the troupe.
• Became part of the Tokyo Hoop Stars suddenly and happily!
• Got sick during the most important rehearsal week, but hooped through it.
• Performed at Womb in Shibuya, with the other members of Tokyo Hoop Stars- Deanne, Lady Elle, Stina Sparkle, and Melissa. Had an amazing night, although I got incredibly nervous before I went on. We definitely rocked it, and I feel so lucky that I got to perform.
• Finally, I really want a travel hoop! The weight, and foam make learning some new tricks much easier. With other tricks, the travel hoop makes it more difficult. For the second time ever, yesterday I one legged hooped- jumped back in- then brought it back up to my waist!

I still feel so lucky that hooping as come into my life. I have made some AMAZING friends, and we have been bonding with the more and more every time I see them. You guys are truly talented, I am so happy to travel on this hoop journey with you. -MWAH-

October 13th Hip Hoop Update

Since I practice most everyday, its becoming a bit hard for me to remember exactly what happened each day that I hooped... so I will just start giving weekly overviews as best as I can. Kristen and I hooped in the lovely Arisugawa park. She taught me a great kick it in the air pick up, and for that day, I learned a behind the back pass! The pass has since evaded me, but Im quite sure it will come back soon. I worked on my booty bump a bit that day, and Kristen pointed out to me that I move in an arc when Im bumpin. Its something to think about....

Saturday, I went to a lovely Hooplovers class. I loved the huge space, and the small class size. I really sweated it out that day, and feel like the hoop was spinning around my body for at least an 1 hour 45 min of that 2 hour class. Usually, in the classes I have attended, there is a little more downtime with working on isolations, or talking getting advice on new tricks. We worked on looking sexier with the hoop- what does your face look like? hands? feet? We also did an excercise I loved, where towards the end we were changing what we were doing every 5 seconds. It was tough, but when I got home and looked at the vids of the hoopdancers I really loved, they are consistently changing what they are doing... This is my newest challenge. We also did some hooping blindfolded. It really is a great feeling, you can let go, and let everything just pour out. I cant do that at the park at night, so I was happy to have the chance to do it in class. I also kind of learned how to get into the booty bump position. I kind of have to roll to the right a bit to get it, but its a start. Now... to get OUT of the booty bump...

Onto Sunday, where I went to Nagisa Music Festival and hooped with Deanne... We werent on a stage but we drew a crowd whenever the hoops started spinning. Lots of people wanted to try, and there were extra hoops so they could. I was a little nervous at first for two reasons. One, there were alot of people. Two, I was hooping next to Deanne who is just amazing. Usually, when I am hooping out in public, its with people who are at a similiar level to mine. That being said, I only thought about that before I started hooping and about 2 minutes into hooping. Once I started dancing, my worries just spun off into oblivion. I had a great time dancing to the very funky beats. I dropped the hoop on several occassions. but just smiled and picked it up and started up again. Its pretty easy to keep a smile on your face hooping when everyone is smiling at you. You can feel the hoop love! Thanks D for giving me the chance to come out with you.

This weeks hoop focus--

• remembering to work with both sides of my body, and spinning in both directions


• make the tricks I already know look more solid/fluid, rather than learning new tricks -aside from standing still shoulder hooping, I have to keep working on it bc its driving me a little crazy that I cant do it-


• adding grace, sexiness, thoughtfullness into my hoop dancing...


• 5ish second changes


• ISOLATIONS

Two Weekends of Hooping!

Last Saturday, I gathered with my hooping buddies in Yoyogi Koen. Some people came around 1, some people a bit later. We hooped all day in the park, and it was so much fun!! Love you ladies, thanks so much for coming! We had quite a few people join us for a bit of hooping, so its a good thing there were a couple of extra hoops. Maybe I am a bit selfish, but when I have my hoop, I don't always necessarily want to lend it out to everyone that wants to try it. Generally, I do it anyway, but I am thinking I really need to get at least two extra hoops just to lend out to those who who want to give it a whirl. The next day, I met with Kristen and Yuka and hooped for a couple of hours, but my body was definitely aching from the day before and even though I was trying to give it 100%, I was working at a maximum efficiency of 75%. I did, however by a sari at the Indian festival and spent some time hooping in it. It was beautiful, but a little difficult to hoop in!
I hooped two other times later in the week, working on some behind the back passes and the eagle -rolling over the back trick-. I think my MEGAhoop down on Saturday was a bit much for me. Left my body aching for a few days! Gotta listen to when my body is telling me to sloooooow down.
Today, Kristen, Yuka and I met again and I worked pretty hard on learning some new tricks. In the morning, I was with Nikichan in Chiba, and I successfully did the eagle several times! I was so excited!! So at the park, I worked on that one a bit more. The eagle evaded me in Yoyogi, the eagles prefers to fly in Chiba I suppose. But- at least I know I can do it! The other thing I worked on at the park was one-leg hooping and jumping back in from one leg hooping. I succesfully jumped back in and continued knee hooping TWO times today, at the very end of the day!!! YAY!! I am so, so, so SOOOO happy! It took a lot of hard work, and I have a nasty bruise on my knee from making mistakes and letting the hoop get down too far. The back of my knee is also swollen, but nothing is life threating and I think I will survive.
Other hooping updates-
I think I am going to switch to a smaller hoop for awhile, lots of tricks are easier for me with the smaller hoop. My one handed isolations are getting better! Shoulder hooping is still hit and miss, on days and off days. I still get nervous if I feel like too many people are watching me. I love to perform, used to do it all the time, so I wonder why this is making me so nervous. More practicing in Yoyogi should cure me of this. I really feel my back, arm, and shoulder muscles are getting stronger making many tricks easier. I am also becoming more flexible. aLsO---- I still LOVE HOOPING! Finally, I hope Deanne is having a great time in California, but I miss her and look forward to having her back in Tokyo!

One Week Hooping Hiatus

I decided spur of the moment -48 hours in advance- to head to Taiwan for my four day weekend. I had a fabulous time, but didn't bring my hoop with me. I wanted to take it, but this trip was my first time to travel to a different country on my own, and I was worried the the hoop might slow me down my travels, or be difficult to move around
So today was the first time I got to dance with it in a week. I did have a major break through today! I can sort of shoulder hoop! YAY-HAY! Super stoked!!!! This is the first time I have been able to shoulder hoop at all, without it instantly raising to my neck. I am still in the very beginning, and rough stage of shoulder hooping... looking a bit like Lurch from The Addams Family, but its a start.
I missed my hoop in Taiwan.
Maybe if I plan ahead of time, I can take my hoop on my next trip!

Inside my hooping head... something I would like to share. In Tokyo, I lost touch with myself a bit. It happened slowly, and I didn't even really realize it happened. Hooping has helped me reconnect to myself. Buying more fun and funky clothes again. Cut off my hair, and got a cool dye job. Started wearing more glitter again. And started dancing again... the kind of dancing that makes me feel happy inside, and warms up my heart.

PICTURES
First pic is me practicing the crane in The Martyrs Shrine.
Second pic is of me with Damper Baby in Taipei Tower.