November 2011 - Caroleeena's Circles Of Joy

Raleigh Hoop Jam and Drum Circle Etiquette

By Caroleeena November 28, 2011Uncategorizeddrum circle, etiquette, raleigh, raleigh hoop jam2 Comments

Over the last three years our jam has really grown. Each week we have new hoopers and new drummers and I thought it might benefit us all if I shared a gentle reminder about drum circle etiquette and group consciousness. We're very blessed that we've never really had any issues and…

Fire Poi on the Super Moon in Jacksonville FL 2011

Fire Safety, Fuels and First Aid

By Caroleeena November 28, 2011Hooping, Poi, Uncategorizedfire safety, first aid, fuels, license to burn

Contrary to what you may have read in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, we humans are not very combustible. We are mostly water. With the exception of our hair, there is not much on us that is predisposed to going up in flames. What is flammable is fuel. Once you know…

How to Start a Hoop Jam

By Caroleeena November 28, 2011Hooping, Uncategorizedhoop jam, organize a hoop jam, raleigh hoop jam

Hoop jams are an excellent way to build hoop community. They create a weekly opportunity to hoop, play, commune, get exercise, learn new things and get your dance on – almost like a festival at home. To create a hoop jam: - Recruit a Coordinator and Volunteers: These folks will scout…

Overcoming Plateaus and Releasing Inhibition in your Dance

By Caroleeena November 27, 2011hoopdance, Hooping, Poi, Uncategorizedovercoming. plateau. release inhibition3 Comments

Plateaus happen to everyone. They happen in terms of excitement, motivational energy and that joyful high feeling that you get when you dance. Be comforted in knowing that they happen to everyone, in every hobby, throughout life. Then pick up your hoop and get back to hooping. Plateaus are good for…

Power-Full Posture

By Caroleeena November 27, 2011Hooping, Poi, Uncategorizedcaroleeena, posture

When you slouch, your shoulders roll forward, your head droops, your general appearance becomes that of a person who is afraid of taking up space. Physiologically, the diaphragm becomes compressed, breathing becomes constricted, energy is restricted. Yoga teaches us that our chi, or energy, flows most effectively when we extend and…

Alina Kabaena Rhythmic Gymnastics Tutorial

By Caroleeena November 25, 2011Hooping, Uncategorizedhoop, hooping, hula hoop, rhythmic gymnastics, tricks

It is hard to find a rhythmic gymnastics hoop tutorial online, let alone one by a gold medalist, but Alina Kabaeva, Russian olympic gold medalist in rhythmic gymnastics (and, weirdly, Vladimir Putin's mistress) has a hoop tutorial on YouTube. It's in Russian and is translated into Japanese but you can pick…

Playing with Beat Punctuation (and Pah!)

By Caroleeena November 25, 2011hoopdance, Poibeat punctuation, caroleeena, dance, hoopdance, poi dance2 Comments

When I dance with my hoop, I emphasize different places in the music with my hoop or my body. If the tempo of the music moves from fast to slow, my movement moves from fast to slow. Where the melody rises and falls, I also tend to rise and fall. And…

Vaudevillian Hoop Rolling

By Caroleeena November 24, 2011Hoopingboomerang roll, hoop rolling, hula hoop, rhythmic gymnastics, vaudeville, vaudevillian hoop rolling4 Comments

When I was in Japan, I got to briefly study Hoop Rolling with Naomi, director of Japan's Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation and a rhythmic gymnast since she was nine. Naomi could make a hoop roll and return to her in many unusual and inventive ways. Most of us are familiar with rolling…

How to Make Sock Poi (with stuff you have in the house right now!)

By Caroleeena November 23, 2011Poicaroleeena, craft, create, diy, make, poi, sock poi1 Comment

Poi come from the people of the Maori tribe of New Zealand. Poi translates to "ball on string" and that's literally what they are. The Maori make them by taking a small square of cloth and pouring flax seed into the center, then tying the corners of the cloth together with…

Putting the Dance in Hoopdance

By Caroleeena November 17, 2011Hoopingcaroleeeena, dance, fingerwork, footwork, handwork, hoopdance, hooping1 Comment

I enjoy studying many different kinds of dance. I find that every kind of dance informs and adds elements to my hoopdance. I take classes in everything I can, rent and buy videos, take workshops at festivals, ask my friends who take classes to show me things, watch videos and So…