Teaching Hula Hooping to the Blind

The Governor Morehead School for the Blind has started bringing kids on field trips to our hoop jams. It is such a delight!!! It has also been a learning experience. There are some challenges to teaching hooping to non-sighted people and I’d like to share what I’ve learned so far. I also want to encourage others to reach out to the blind to teach them hooping. Obesity is a huge problem among the blind. It’s not impossible for them to go for a jog or to the gym but it ain’t easy. Travel is not a simple thing and mobility can be an issue too. Hooping and poi spinning are both fun forms of exercise that cost nothing and are easily accessible to non-sighted people.

So here are some of the things I’ve learned so far:

1. Go up and introduce yourself. Non-sighted people cannot find you to come introduce themselves. Be friendly and make them feel welcome even as you describe to them where the hoops are, which ones they might prefer, etc. And remember to utilize touch and other senses. You may not be able to lock eyes or let them see your smile but you can give someone’s hand a squeeze and let them hear the smile in your voice.

2. They can’t see the size of each hoop so it makes it hard for them to choose the size they want. It’s even hard to pick one up and tell. You can’t really tell how big or small some hoops are just by picking them up. I have two suggestions for this:

– I sorted our hoops into piles: 1. very large Groove Hoops, 2. smaller Groove Hoops, 3. large Sport Hoops, 4. smaller Sport Hoops and 5. Hand Hoops. Then I placed them in ascending order so that people could know, “Okay, I’ve tried one from Pile 1. Next I’ll try one from Pile 2.”

– You can also guide people into figuring out what size a hoop is by encouraging them to lift it over their head, place it on the small of their back and then try to slide one hand around the hoop’s circumfrence while keeping the other side against the small of the back.

2. “Tell” instead of “Show”. Verbalizing everything and clearly is essential. Utilize metaphors like, “Pretend someone is dropping ice down your back” or “like you’re trying to bump bellys with a friend.” Details are also important. Use your own eyes to notice the little things and translate them. These may include whether your palm is up or down, your fingers closed or open, your arm forward or to the side, the right foot slightly in front of the left, etc. Look for details and include them. Speak clearly (which does not necessarily mean loudly.)

3. Sometimes you have to “Show”. Some moves are almost beyond description — like the Infinity, where the wrist does a figure 8 (either in front, to the side or above and below). These moves can be taught by doing them with the hooper. Explain that you are about to touch them in order to demonstrate a move and how you are going to do it, then stand behind them and place your hand over theirs and do the move together — with and without the hoop.

– For teaching assisted hand hooping (where the hand closes on the hoop each time), hold their hand and describe the circle the hoop should be making around the hand (along the crease under the pads on the palm and then below the knuckles as it rolls over the back of the hand). Trace this trajectory first with your finger and then with the hoop (while you’re standing face-to-face with them doing an isolation so the hoop is not yet spinning freely. This way you won’t accidentally bop them in the head.)

– For teaching basic hand hooping (without gripping the hoop each time), you will be teaching them to release the hoop and move their hand up and down as if they were shaking hands with someone. To do this, stand behind them, place your hand over the back of their hand and pretend the two of you are one hand shaking hands with somone in front of you. Get the hoop going and then slide your hand out so that they keep going.

– Explain that you simply put your hands palm-to-palm in prayer position to move the hoop to the other hand. (I’ve found most people get this without explanation! Unlike sighted hoopers. Interesting.)

4. Sound. Hoops run away. Blind people can’t find their hoop when they lose it because sometimes our hoops circle back and end up behind us. I plan to add some b.b.’s to hoops to help these kids “hear” where their hoop is running.

5. Make sure you give each hooper lots of room. They can’t see each other and this keeps them from knocking each other’s hoops down accidentally. (You can also teach them to joust with their hoops so they learn to recover from accidental bumps without losing the hoop and while backing away from each other to create more hoop space.)

6. Be On the Look-Out. When a hoop runs away from someone, they’re likely to chase it right into the path of another hoop. This is something we can use our eyes to prevent.

I know I’ll learn lots more lessons but this is what I’ve synthesized so far. It’s been a wonderful blessing for me to see these kids hoop. I wish you could see the smiles on their faces. If you have a school for the blind in your area, I encourage you to reach out to them. Hooping grows confidence and good health in everyone. This is a great way to share our passion with others.