Tilly Whirls

It was the Sunday before Valentine’s Day and I was reading Post Secret. There was a video on and the song in the video was by a band called Donora. I fell in love with the band and on Monday I started looking for more music by them when I came across the video for “I Think I Like You.”

When I saw the girl in the video I was entranced. I watched it again and again. I HAD to figure out how to learn to do that. I started YouTubing for more videos with hula hoops, then Googling hooping. I came across Hoopnotica’s website and ordered the beginner’s kit (blue and silver travel hoop, three instructional DVDs and two CDs of their own music mixes) plus an extra, regular hoop (the Desert Rose).

I couldn’t wait to get my new hoops in the mail. When my fiance came home I showed him the videos I’d found and talked to him about how excited I was to do it and how “maybe eventually I can teach classes!” He thought I was a little nuts but was thrilled to see me so excited about something outside of work (I’m a bit of a workaholic so he thought this would be a welcome release for me—it is.)

My new hoops came on Saturday night (Feb. 19—my hoopiversary) at 7 p.m. Right before we were to leave for a friend’s birthday party at a bar. Since we were on our way out the door, I opened the box and took everything out, pulled out the hoops and told my fiance to give me a few minutes to at least try out the hoops. It took a few tries but I could keep it on my waist for a few rotations. Yay! I was sad to leave my new hoops at home.

I came back home and the fiance went to bed and I popped in the first instructional DVD. I went all the way through it (mostly just watching since I couldn’t do some of the moves yet), and ended up hooping for about two hours, slightly tipsy, in the middle of the night. I was so sore I couldn’t pick up the hoop again for three days, but I was already hooked.

Since then I’ve hooped nearly every day for at least a half hour. Sometimes for up to three hours. My first public hooping experience was on March 27 at Lake Anne with a three-year hoop vet named Maddy. She’s amazing. That girl has skill. She was so encouraging and friendly and I kept in touch. Now I try to hang out with Maddy at the artisans market while she sells hoops and we hoop together.

To build up confidence and get comfortable hooping in public I’ve hooped a couple times on the town green, have brought my hoop to a couple outdoor concerts, hooped at the park near my house and yesterday hooped at Relay for Life. So far it’s been an amazing journey and I already love sharing it with others. I’m pretty sure I’m hooked for life.

Now, three months after starting my journey I’ve committed to getting Hoopnotica certified over the next few weeks and I start teaching my first hoopdance class in September. I’m anxious, I’m worried, but most of all I’m thrilled. I really feel that this is something that has improved my quality of life and I’ve lost weight—probably about 15 pounds now. I’m making my own hoops, I’m spreading the word, and hopefully I can help other people achieve their own hoop bliss. Or at least have a good time.

So if you’re ever out in Herndon or Reston and see me hooping away, come say hello. I usually have an extra hoop with me so you can even try it out if you want. My classes start on September 15 at the Herndon Community Center so visit www.herndon-va.gov and click on Parks and Recreation and look for the fall brochure. Classes will be about $70 for in-town residents for 10 weeks and $93 for non-residents.

Here’s a video featuring Hoopnotica:

And here’s one of my favorite videos that keeps me inspired to hoop:

Just to show you, EVERYONE can hoop. No matter your age, ability or size. The key is to have the right size hoop. Children’s hoops are for children and we use adult-sized hoops:

Not only have my hoops helped me gain confidence, relax and take my mind off of work, get creative and have fun, but I’m excited that I’m improving my health and body as well: