Caroleeena's Circles of JoyPretty silk fans for a reasonable price
I am teaching Fan Dances at Hoop Convergence. If you don’t have fans, I have found some at my local Asian market. Right now they have the bottom three colors (red, yellow and pink) for $20 a pair. If you’d like a pair, let me know and I’ll pick some up for you before HoopCon. [...]
Pre-Cues in Beat Punctuation
Beat punctuation is the execution of a specific move at a specific point in the rhythm or lyrics. Before we can beat punctuate we have to do three things: – decide the beat or lyric we want to punctuate – decide what move we’re going to do on that beat or lyric – set up [...]
The History of Pullen Park (Home of Raleigh Hoop Jam)
In 1993 I wrote a history of North Carolina for our Secretary of State, Rufus Edmisten. I got to pour through the state archives and learn a lot about our state and our history, especially the history of our parks, and I thought I’d share the story of beautiful Pullen Park, home to the Raleigh [...]
Using Hoopdance Music Videos to Promote Musicians
I love to watch videos of people hoopdancing in their living rooms to music they love. I love to see people tearing it up to music they really get into. YouTube has both enabled us to do this and made it very challenging for us to do this. We have the technology to just turn [...]
Choreography: Tips for Soloists
Before the show, arrive early, go on stage, pick a spot at the farthest point, in the middle, to spot on and anchor. Project your energy there! Take the Stage. When you take the stage, make an impression. Don’t wait til your music starts. Take the stage like a professional. Leave the stage like a [...]
Dance Composition – An Introduction
“Choreography is simpler than you think. Just go and do, and don’t think so much about it. Just make something interesting.” – George Balanchine The following is a synopsis of several aspects of the choreographic process. Over time I hope to elaborate on many of these concepts. This is the framework I plan to work [...]
Choreography: Finding Your Hook, Crafting Your Dance
Dance tells a story through movement. When choreographing a dance, we are making decisions about which story-telling devices to include, how to order our story, where to start, and how to end. For this piece we will deal specifically with the first aspect of choreography, deciding which story-telling devices to include. In other words, finding [...]
Hoop Crafting Tips for Cold Weather
Crafting is alchemy. Having the right tools, the right materials, and the right conditions is key. Even the weather can affect the quality of the hoops we are able to craft. Following is a list of considerations to think about when hoop crafting in cold weather. Tubing: Tubing can take anywhere from several hours to [...]
Impromptu Hoop Playshop near Richmond, VA this Saturday
https://www.facebook.com/events/443106185761403/ Richmond friends I am coming to Richmond on Saturday, February 2nd and the kind folks at Sycamore Rouge Theater in Petersburg, just outside Richmond, have offered to let me use their beautiful theater with great high ceilings to teach a couple of hoop classes while I’m there. Please come and tell your friends. Here [...]
Happy Humbling Hoop Happenings!
The universe is showering me with so many blessings my knees are trembling under the weight of them! I am honored and humbled and awed. (Which makes it hard to write. Awe takes my words away.) I’ve just learned I’ve been nominated by my peers around the globe for two Hoopies! Hoop Instructor of the [...]