I think it's Day 43, something like that. Still going strong. Some days the spinspiration is there, other days it is lacking. I find the best way to find it is to start with one movement, and focus on that. It usually grows into something else by the end of it. I'm trying hard to not get discouraged. Some days I'm so happy with how I am doing, and other days I feel like I will never be as good as I want to be. On those days I try to look back at where I started and remember how far I've come. It helps to see that I'm leaps and bounds from where I was in the beginning, so there is only one way to go and that is up.
The Hooping Game. It's on Facebook. It's pretty cool. Read about it here on Hooping.org: The Hooping Game
I thought this was such a neat concept so I wandered over there to check it out. I figured I'd join the page then check out a few videos to see if I felt confident joining the game. It took me a whole of 5 minutes to decide to jump in. Ack! Totally scary putting yourself out there like that, but my logic is that the only way I am going to get better is to challenge myself and step outside my comfort zone.
The Hooping Game is kind of like homework. There is a bit of pressure to get your video in within a certain time frame, and I felt a little like I was in school again. And I don't deal well with pressure, I get easily stressed out. The first song I got was so not what I would ever hoop to, and the beat was way too fast for my turtle speed hooping. I stressed out all afternoon about how I was going to hoop to that song and not look completely ridiculous.
I could not film my videos at home because I knew my husband would lose it if I played that song over and over again while he was around, so despite being completely exhausted at the end of the day I packed up my hoops, music, and camera and headed to the Y where I could focus and have more space.
I filmed two hooping videos for two songs I got challenged with, and while I did not feel like they were particularly great as I had trouble with the fast beats, I certainly did have fun. And the challenge had me all pumped up at the end, you know that rush when you finish your assignment and are relieved that it's over? Yeah, that kind of thing.
I also hooped harder than I probably ever had. By the time I was finished dancing to each song I wanted to keel over and just lie on the floor panting.
I spent the evening wondering what people would think of my videos. I am easily the most novice hooper on the page from what I have seen so far (but I have only watched a sliver of what has been posted, I can't even keep up with the rate people post vids there!), so I know I am not the only one. Still it's a little unnerving seeing all these amazing hoopers rocking out, and knowing that I'm not quite at that level yet.
I can totally see how these challenges improve one's hoop dance though, and I am going to keep up with it for a bit so that I can get better.
Everyone over there is so nice and supportive, that I felt fairly good posting my videos today knowing that no one was going to criticize them. I would put them here, but it's still telling me there is an error uploading and I'm not sure that will ever get sorted.
On to the next item of hooping interest in my life. I started a FB page! Find me at Hoopla Hula Hoops. It's where I can post my hoops for sale, and share any hooping info and videos with the people I connect with.
And in further, most exciting, hoop news. I got tickets to Hoop Path Puri-fire in Toronto with Baxter! I'm still a bit in shock, and am actually really nervous. But totally excited as well. It is 3 days of workshops and I still can't believe I am going.
Onwards and upwards 2014!
