hoopdance Archives - Caroleeena's Circles Of Joy

Integrating Armwork into Hoopdance

By Caroleeena January 2, 2015Dance, Gif Story, hoopdance, Uncategorizedarms and hands, armwork, dance, hoopdance, using arms in hoopdance1 Comment

Hoopdance is made up of more than just a hoop moving around the waist. It also includes armwork, footwork, directed gaze, gestures, traveling steps, turns and spins, characterization, beat punctuation, musicality, and, of course, hoop moves. For many hoopers, though, the first question is usually, "What do I do with my…

Building Strength for Pirouettes … Safely

By Caroleeena December 18, 2014Dance, hoopdance, Movementbalance, demi pointe, half demi pointe, hoopdance, pirouette, training, yoga toes2 Comments

Demi Pointe is a ballet term that means to support the body's weight by balancing on the balls of one or both feet with heels off the floor. Being able to lift the heel or heels is essential for pirouettes because you literally spin on the ball of the foot. Having…

Choreography: Tips for Soloists

By Caroleeena March 14, 2013Dance, hoopdance, Uncategorizedchoreography, dance, hoopdance, poi dance, solo1 Comment

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…

Dance Composition – An Introduction

By Caroleeena March 14, 2013Dance, hoopdance, Poi, Uncategorizedchoreography, composition, dance, hoopdance

"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…

Choreography: Finding Your Hook, Crafting Your Dance

By Caroleeena March 12, 2013Dance, hoopdance, hoopdance, Poi, UncategorizedBetty Adorno, caroleeena, choreography, hoopdance, poi dance1 Comment

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.…

The Value of a Hooper’s Training Journal … (and how to keep one)

By Caroleeena August 27, 2012hoopdance, Hooping, Uncategorizedcaroleeena, hoop journal, hoopdance, hooper's journal, hooping, how to make a hoop journal, hula hoop, journal, training3 Comments

Training Journals are great for learning, fun to peruse and full of insight. I love mine and I recommend keeping one. Bring it to classes, workshops, jams, and playdates. A Training Journal helps us cultivate and direct our growth. It serves as inspiration and aspiration, a collection of our epiphanies,…

Why Are Hoop Retreats So Expensive?

By Caroleeena July 3, 2012hoopdance, Hooping, Uncategorizedhoop convergence, hoop retreats, hoopdance, hoopfest, snow flow12 Comments

I remember a time when there were no hoop retreats. I remember playing in my backyard with Patika and AliCat and Christine and Valerie, dear friends and hoopers, all of whom lived a long drive away, and daydreaming aloud, "Wouldn't it be great if there was a retreat for hoopers!?! A…

Directed Gaze – Directing Energy in Dance

By Caroleeena April 27, 2012hoopdance, Hooping, Poi, Uncategorizedcaroleeena, dance, directed gaze, hoopdance3 Comments

Directed Gaze is a dance concept, a way of directing focus, a way of directing energy. We can make people look at things by looking at them. Don't believe it? Go out on any street, stop and look up in the sky. Watch what happens. By directing the gaze, the…

The Beauty of Stillness in Hoopdance

By Caroleeena December 21, 2011hoopdance, Uncategorizeddance, hoop dance, hoopdance, hula hoop, stillness1 Comment

Sustained spinning is beautiful. It is a hoop-related art all its own. And art, heck, Life, is filled with duality. There is black and there is white, there is earth and there is sky, there is up and there is down. So what is the opposite of constant movement? Stillness. I…

Creating Lines in Hoopdance

By Caroleeena December 9, 2011hoopdance, Uncategorizedcaroleeena, creating lines, dance, hoopdance, lines, poi dance1 Comment

In hoopdance we don’t often think of creating lines. Hooping is round and we tend to relate to it with a round mindset. There are many ways we can utilize lines in hoopdance though. We can travel in lines, we can create lines with our posture, our arms, our legs, we…