pm me with yr cell again, i know of some peeps to hook you up.

glad to see you back

you know im down

Ya'll should start a weekly spin jam! They're an excellent way to build hoop community. We recently started a weekly hoop jam in Raleigh and it is an amazing success. We've been doing it for ten weeks and we have from 4-8 drummers each week, sometimes more, and 15-25 hoopers, also sometimes more. It seems to be growing each week. Here's how we made it happen. Then you can do it too if you'd like.

First, we had to find a place. My friend Rebecca and I went to several public parks and we ultimately chose Pullen Park. Pullen Park is a park that has a lot of kids during the day but is pretty quiet in the evenings. It has a big, flat place where we can hoop and no houses around to complain about the drumming. There are picnic tables, a water fountain and a big shady space. I asked the manager of the park if it would be okay if we had some drummers and hula hoopers meet there each week and he gave us his okay.

Then I solicited drummers. I contacted the Raleigh Drum Circle as well as local drummers I knew and asked them to help out. Turns out, they loved it! They love drumming for dancers and were anxious to get together and, so far, there have been more every single week.

Then I posted an announcement on the Raleigh at Play tribe, the Raleigh Hoops tribe, the yahoo groups for Carolina Bellydancers, Raleigh Drum Circle, Caro Burn and on Craig's List. I also put up posters around town at the colleges, the Whole Foods, places like that.

I also take flyers with me to any music thing that I take my hoop with me to hoop. I gave out 30 last Saturday at the Budweiser Outdoor Music Series, which brought out at least 10 new hooprs this past week. Also, bring fliers to each jam so that people who come can give them to their friends. Make sure you invite passers-by to play too. One person who comes every week with some extra hoops to share. That's all it takes to start a hoop jam. That's how Spiral and Jewels started the jam in Carrboro also.

I recommend bringing beater hoops to share that are dedicated just to the jam. At least 10 of various sizes. This way, people in the park can play. But be prepared to sell people hoops too or tell them how to make them when they get into it. I didn't do this to sell hoops but I've sold a lot of hoops since turning people onto hooping at the Hoop Jam.

The Raleigh Hoop Jam is Wednesday evenings from 6:30 til dark. It's nice to have something to do during the week. Also, folks travel a lot on the weekends so it's harder to get people to come then I think. Plus, the parks are full of kids on weekends! I love kids but I prefer to hoop with at least as many adults as kids.

So, that's how we did it. Ya'll should consider it too. Then you'd have a regular playdate and anyone passing through could also drop in if they knew it was a regular thing. I'm happy to offer any insight I can to help you get started.