Congratulations to the winners of the HoopGirl Hot Moves contest! This was our way of giving some love back to the community for sharing all your beautiful inspiration. So thank you! Since there were only 4 applicants, everyone won something!!!
While all the entries were wonderful, I really felt called to award Sharna first place because of the unusual creativity of her moves. Beautiful!!! And Erica was a close contender, not only for the beauty and diversity of all her moves, but because of her fun and thoughtful presentation style. Congratulations everyone!
FIRST PLACE WINNER: Sharna Rose. Awarded a FREE Teacher Training valued at $700
SECOND PLACE WINNER: Erica Edelman. A $50 gift certificate for redeemable in the HoopGirl online store
SECOND PLACE WINNER: Jessica Sparks A $50 gift certificate for redeemable in the HoopGirl online store
THIRD PLACE WINNER: Natasha Young A copy of HoopDance for Beginners Instructional DVD, by HoopGirl
I love how giving inspires even more giving. Since Sharna already signed up for the upcoming HoopGirl teacher training in the UK, she has passed the gift of a free training onto Erica Edelman, who came in at a close second to Sharna's entries. So Erica, You got the super duper prize of both a gift certificate AND a free teacher training! Instead, Sharna has agreed to recieve a complete outfit from the upcoming HoopGirl clothing line, available in April.
Winners, contact Annie at HoopGirl HQ for info on recieving your award! 415-661-4667
Watch the entries here!
FIRST PLACE: SHARNA ROSE
Please find attached my enteries to the Hot Hoop Move contest. I had big problems uploading my my footage (youtube mashed its quality so I had to send dv quality images - they took nearly an hour for 20 seconds worth of film - this is why the clips are so short.) So I apologise for the unglamourous way that I have presented the films - I hope you can see the moves enough to get the general idea.
Move 1. Flipper (A Reversal) - Start this move from hooping around the knees. Can be done either side but for the purposes of the demonstration I have done it clockwise. You will need to remove your right leg from the hoop when the gap occurs (if you were doing a kick out you would move the other leg) and then you use the foot to reverse the hoop using the knee as a pivot. Reverse the instructions to do this the other way - Its really hard either way and I cant always get it - the music has to be just right - or I don't practice it enough.
www.youtube.com/watch
Move 2. Back around the Summit - Start this move standing upright and lean forward as if you were going to take the hoop behind your back and pop in. If you take the hoop with your left hand then as you come around the right side of your body you need to put your right elbow up and into the hoop, using your body as a pivot push with this elbow and pull back with the left hand. Reverse the instructions for the other side.
www.youtube.com/watch
Move 3. Jack in the Box - Start this move by doing a Reversed Summit. In this clip I start by taking the hoop around my back with my left hand - Instead of reversing the move with the elbow behind the back pop back into the hoop and use your right hand to swing the hoop onto your body (tip - use your left hand to stall the hoop and help with momentum when reversing and turn the direction the hoop is now going in). I find it more difficult to go the other way. You reverse the instructions but somehow my body gets in the way - I think more practice is required by me or it needs more swing.
www.youtube.com/watch
Move 4. Back Heel Flick - Start by standing upright, hooping clockwise, and pass the hoop infront and behind the body horizontally at about knee hight. On passing the hoop in front of the body with left hand use the right heel to scoop the hoop behind and up as high as you can behind your back - use your left hand to push the hoop back on your body as you pop back in. This only works this way because if you reverse the instructions the hoop is passed infront of the body.
www.youtube.com/watch
Move 5. Wind up - Start by standing upright, hooping clockwise, and pass the hoop around the body horizontally in front and behind you. As the hoop comes back around your left side to the front, place your right foot on the far of the hoop and push the hoop around so that it comes over your right side, over your head and release your left foot (you can either hold the hoop with both hands or just your right). Twist the hoop over your body again using right hand and jump out backward from the hoop - take the hoop back around to the right behind you, using right hand, and pop in. Turn. Reverse the instructions for going the other way.
www.youtube.com/watch
SECOND PLACE: Erica Edelman
YouTube Link: www.youtube.com/watch
Moves:
Move 1: Celeste / Luna
Difficulty: Beginner
Notes: This is a fun move that even brand new hoopers can do. The challenge is keeping your balance at the end without hopping, but if you only do a half-turn, then it is much easier (but less fun!) I asked my beginner students to name it, and they came up with either Celeste or Luna, because the end pose looks like those pictures of a lady in the moon.
Move 2: Fun Start
Difficulty: Beginner
Notes: Both this move and the previous move can be done by brand new hoopers. I was trying to figure out the "circus start" move (which I can't do) when I stumbled upon this little gem. Newbie Hoopers love it, because it is a fun and easy way to start hooping, instead of just pushing it around the waist.
Move 3: One Shoulder Duckout from Waist Hooping
Difficulty: High Intermediate
Notes: For a while I was exploring with One Shoulder Duckout variations. I put this move on a video on my website showing those variations but no one ever seemed to pick it, or the other variations, up. This one is pretty fun, but not too pretty. I generally don't do it in performances, because it does not have a high enough success ratio. (i.e. it ocassionally goes flying)
Move 4: Isolation with Turn
Difficulty: Advanced
Notes: This is a new one for me. Lots of hoopers do isolations, but I don't think I have ever seen any add a turn to it. It is difficult, but definitely do-able for anyone who already has a one-handed isolation down.
Move 5: "Not the Matrix"
Difficulty: High Advanced
The base of this move is from last year for me, but the end of it is new. It starts out going from a left shoulder duck-out to a right shoulder duck-out WITHOUT putting your head in the hoop. Now, the new part for me: THEN it goes in front of you (without your head inside, again) to a left arm duck-out. If I can get that last piece to a left SHOULDER duck-out, then I can make the move continous.
SECOND PLACE: JESSICA SPARKS
www.youtube.com/watch
The move: SCISSOR SWITCH
accomplished by stepping out of the hoop while hooping on your knees, and using your outside knee to change currents/directions.
THIRD PLACE: NATASHA YOUNG
I call this move the spin cycle. It's swish into a toss with a spin.
My sister used to do this move when she was a baton twirler. A lot of
off body hoopdancing is similar to baton (warrior, for example) so I
thought I would give this trick a try. It's called a one spin in
baton, but I've seen them do three spins and four spins! What I
learned from watching the baton twirlers are the following:
(1) the higher you toss, the more time you have to spin around before
catching the hoop
(2) you need to throw the hoop as straight up into the air as possible
(3) always spot the hoop so that you are always aware of where it is
www.youtube.com/watch
Christabel Zamor, M.A.
Founder
www.HoopGirl.com
info@hoopgirl.com
415.661.4667
While all the entries were wonderful, I really felt called to award Sharna first place because of the unusual creativity of her moves. Beautiful!!! And Erica was a close contender, not only for the beauty and diversity of all her moves, but because of her fun and thoughtful presentation style. Congratulations everyone!
FIRST PLACE WINNER: Sharna Rose. Awarded a FREE Teacher Training valued at $700
SECOND PLACE WINNER: Erica Edelman. A $50 gift certificate for redeemable in the HoopGirl online store
SECOND PLACE WINNER: Jessica Sparks A $50 gift certificate for redeemable in the HoopGirl online store
THIRD PLACE WINNER: Natasha Young A copy of HoopDance for Beginners Instructional DVD, by HoopGirl
I love how giving inspires even more giving. Since Sharna already signed up for the upcoming HoopGirl teacher training in the UK, she has passed the gift of a free training onto Erica Edelman, who came in at a close second to Sharna's entries. So Erica, You got the super duper prize of both a gift certificate AND a free teacher training! Instead, Sharna has agreed to recieve a complete outfit from the upcoming HoopGirl clothing line, available in April.
Winners, contact Annie at HoopGirl HQ for info on recieving your award! 415-661-4667
Watch the entries here!
FIRST PLACE: SHARNA ROSE
Please find attached my enteries to the Hot Hoop Move contest. I had big problems uploading my my footage (youtube mashed its quality so I had to send dv quality images - they took nearly an hour for 20 seconds worth of film - this is why the clips are so short.) So I apologise for the unglamourous way that I have presented the films - I hope you can see the moves enough to get the general idea.
Move 1. Flipper (A Reversal) - Start this move from hooping around the knees. Can be done either side but for the purposes of the demonstration I have done it clockwise. You will need to remove your right leg from the hoop when the gap occurs (if you were doing a kick out you would move the other leg) and then you use the foot to reverse the hoop using the knee as a pivot. Reverse the instructions to do this the other way - Its really hard either way and I cant always get it - the music has to be just right - or I don't practice it enough.
www.youtube.com/watch
Move 2. Back around the Summit - Start this move standing upright and lean forward as if you were going to take the hoop behind your back and pop in. If you take the hoop with your left hand then as you come around the right side of your body you need to put your right elbow up and into the hoop, using your body as a pivot push with this elbow and pull back with the left hand. Reverse the instructions for the other side.
www.youtube.com/watch
Move 3. Jack in the Box - Start this move by doing a Reversed Summit. In this clip I start by taking the hoop around my back with my left hand - Instead of reversing the move with the elbow behind the back pop back into the hoop and use your right hand to swing the hoop onto your body (tip - use your left hand to stall the hoop and help with momentum when reversing and turn the direction the hoop is now going in). I find it more difficult to go the other way. You reverse the instructions but somehow my body gets in the way - I think more practice is required by me or it needs more swing.
www.youtube.com/watch
Move 4. Back Heel Flick - Start by standing upright, hooping clockwise, and pass the hoop infront and behind the body horizontally at about knee hight. On passing the hoop in front of the body with left hand use the right heel to scoop the hoop behind and up as high as you can behind your back - use your left hand to push the hoop back on your body as you pop back in. This only works this way because if you reverse the instructions the hoop is passed infront of the body.
www.youtube.com/watch
Move 5. Wind up - Start by standing upright, hooping clockwise, and pass the hoop around the body horizontally in front and behind you. As the hoop comes back around your left side to the front, place your right foot on the far of the hoop and push the hoop around so that it comes over your right side, over your head and release your left foot (you can either hold the hoop with both hands or just your right). Twist the hoop over your body again using right hand and jump out backward from the hoop - take the hoop back around to the right behind you, using right hand, and pop in. Turn. Reverse the instructions for going the other way.
www.youtube.com/watch
SECOND PLACE: Erica Edelman
YouTube Link: www.youtube.com/watch
Moves:
Move 1: Celeste / Luna
Difficulty: Beginner
Notes: This is a fun move that even brand new hoopers can do. The challenge is keeping your balance at the end without hopping, but if you only do a half-turn, then it is much easier (but less fun!) I asked my beginner students to name it, and they came up with either Celeste or Luna, because the end pose looks like those pictures of a lady in the moon.
Move 2: Fun Start
Difficulty: Beginner
Notes: Both this move and the previous move can be done by brand new hoopers. I was trying to figure out the "circus start" move (which I can't do) when I stumbled upon this little gem. Newbie Hoopers love it, because it is a fun and easy way to start hooping, instead of just pushing it around the waist.
Move 3: One Shoulder Duckout from Waist Hooping
Difficulty: High Intermediate
Notes: For a while I was exploring with One Shoulder Duckout variations. I put this move on a video on my website showing those variations but no one ever seemed to pick it, or the other variations, up. This one is pretty fun, but not too pretty. I generally don't do it in performances, because it does not have a high enough success ratio. (i.e. it ocassionally goes flying)
Move 4: Isolation with Turn
Difficulty: Advanced
Notes: This is a new one for me. Lots of hoopers do isolations, but I don't think I have ever seen any add a turn to it. It is difficult, but definitely do-able for anyone who already has a one-handed isolation down.
Move 5: "Not the Matrix"
Difficulty: High Advanced
The base of this move is from last year for me, but the end of it is new. It starts out going from a left shoulder duck-out to a right shoulder duck-out WITHOUT putting your head in the hoop. Now, the new part for me: THEN it goes in front of you (without your head inside, again) to a left arm duck-out. If I can get that last piece to a left SHOULDER duck-out, then I can make the move continous.
SECOND PLACE: JESSICA SPARKS
www.youtube.com/watch
The move: SCISSOR SWITCH
accomplished by stepping out of the hoop while hooping on your knees, and using your outside knee to change currents/directions.
THIRD PLACE: NATASHA YOUNG
I call this move the spin cycle. It's swish into a toss with a spin.
My sister used to do this move when she was a baton twirler. A lot of
off body hoopdancing is similar to baton (warrior, for example) so I
thought I would give this trick a try. It's called a one spin in
baton, but I've seen them do three spins and four spins! What I
learned from watching the baton twirlers are the following:
(1) the higher you toss, the more time you have to spin around before
catching the hoop
(2) you need to throw the hoop as straight up into the air as possible
(3) always spot the hoop so that you are always aware of where it is
www.youtube.com/watch
Christabel Zamor, M.A.
Founder
www.HoopGirl.com
info@hoopgirl.com
415.661.4667