Winter 2012

Cumberland Winter Faire

Saturday December 3 2011

Beautiful hoops for sale
Cumberland Community Center 10-4 p.m.

COURTENAY RECREATION: (250)338-5371

Community Hoop Jam

Everyone welcome! Lets put on some music and let the free flowing fun begin. Hula Hooping is a fun way to be active, whether you go for the core body workout, to learn new tricks, to play hoopy games, to dance or to relieve stress. Come play in a relaxed non - instructional, inclusive atmosphere. Bring your smiles, your friends or family, your favourite hoop(s) or other spinning toys. Some hoops will be available for use.
Instructor: Tracey Mantha
Sundays January 29 - March 18
11:00 am -12:00 pm
Lewis Centre
Children under 10 no charge
$2.50 Drop in

Mom & Me Hula Hoopla

Step into the hoop and discover the fun you can have together! The focus will be on getting active and spending quality family time together. There’s many ways to be active with hula hoops through upbeat games, learning hoop tricks and simple dance moves. Class hoops are provided or bring your favourites from home if you like.
Instructor: Tracey Mantha
Wednesdays
January 18 - February 8
5:30 - 6:30 pm
Location TBA
$35/4 Sessions, for family of 2

Hula Hoopla

Grace, Strength and Smiles! This class is designed to take beginner hoopers into the world of hooping through fun games, hoop related stretching and learning trick concepts. New or
returning participants can challenge themselves appropriately. Focus on building a strong core body foundation that will enhance the body’s hooping movements and make all those amazing hoop tricks attainable. Be prepared to laugh and have a great time. Hula Hoops provided!
Instructor: Tracey Mantha
Wednesdays
February 15 - March 21
5:30 - 6:30 pm
Location TBA
$50/6 Sessions

 Black Creek Community Association (250) 337-5190

Monday February 6 2012 (PRO-D DAY)

1-2- p.m. Hoopmaking
2-3:30 p.m. FAMILY HULA HOOPLA

Think outside the 'box' - step into the circle and discover all the fun you can have with a hula hoop! The focus is on FUN and quality time together. In this active workshop we'll play creative games, dance, stretch, and learn tricky hoop moves that will 'wow' your friends. Designed with families in mind, this workshop will inspire you with many ways to stay active and keep smiling with this simple circular toy. Hoops provided. ~ages 5 and up with a parent/grown up~

Hula Hoopla (adult)

Fridays (Jan 20 - March 30)
5:30-6:30 p.m.

with Tracey

Lake Trail Neighbourhood Connections (250)334-3168

Hula Hoopla for adults

Tuesdays
February 21 to March 27
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
with Lyndsay Spencer

Cumberland Community Schools (250)336-8521

Hula Hoopla fun and games

Mondays after school

grades 3-6
Jan 16-March 8
with Tracey

30/30 Challenge!

I'm stepping up to answer the the 30/30 challenge issued on Hooping.org.  The idea is to hoop for 30 minutes a day for 30 days.  The challenge part? It's personal. Participants can interpret it individually.  I am challenging myself to core hoop, traditional 'hula hooping', straight up, no tricks.
Here's the deal: when I pick up my hoop, I start jamming, I'm all over the place.  Up, down, all around, on and off my body. It's great fun, but the DIFFICULT part is keeping it around my waist.
Here's some reasons why I chose this to be my challenge:
1. Core hooping gets the heart rate up. It's hard work.  I start to glisten and shine (A true lady calls it perspiration: not sweat).
2. Core hooping is so much safer for the chandelier hanging in my living room. (hoopers, you know what I mean)
3: It is something I can do at home, in my space, in between all that lovely household-goddess-parenting work.
4: There's more to core hoping than just standing there and gyrating.  Once you narrow your focus to a specific area, that focus can be divided and multiplies into many fragments worthy of thorough exploration. For the purposes of my personal challenge, the 'core' is defined as the area of the body below the arms and above the legs.
Here's the breakdown of my daily practice WEEK ONE:

Day 1:
HOOP: 36" 3'4 hoop with gold glitter and black gaffer tape.
MUSIC: Bassnectar "Mystic Groove Compilation"
~I treat each song as a segment and break down the focus within that segment.~
SEGMENT 1: Dance Jam - gettin' into the hoop groove
SEGMENT 2: stillness challenge - waist hoop, no turns
SEGMENT 3: Hip Articulations (hip lifts each side, hip drops, forward and back hip pushes)
SEGMENT 4: Core level challenge: hoop around your upper, middle and lower abs
by changing the speed of your revolutions
Day2
HOOP: same
MUSIC: Beats Antique "electraphone"
SEGMENT 1: Dance Jam
SEGMENT 2: *Chest Hooping challenge (think of a snake as your chest moves in circles - arms up, or arms out, more leg room!!)
SEGMENT 3: Waist hoop no turns (small hip pushes out in all directions)
SEGMENT 4: Waist hoop no turns (focus on feet and stepping)
SEGMENT 5: waist hoop with turns (level changes and expression of upper body)
SEGMENT 6: Waist hoop with turns (control of planes: shifting from horizontal to vertical)
*felt the burn here, wow, powerful!
DAY 3:
HOOP: same
MUSIC: random Bellydance Mix
1: Warm up dance groove
2: waist hoop level changes (squats)
3: squats continued
4: cross current waist hooping, no turns (spin the hoop your opposite way)
5: cross current continued (expressive arms)
6: waist hooping stalls and reverses
DAY 4:
HOOP: Same
MUSIC: Michael Franti and Spearhead
1: Dance Jam
2: Core bumps (pushes up, down and sideways: gaining more control)
3: Chest hooping (arms up/bent)
4: Dance Jam with "S turns" ("S turns" plant one foot and step turn into your hooping direction with the other foot, then reverse, plant other foot and step turn backwards, still in your hooping direction. Try it, it's beautiful!)
5: Stillness challenge (core hooping, no turns)
6: Dance jam (articulate shoulders/ smooth out shoulders)
DAY 5:
HOOP: same
MUSIC: Slammin' Jack 'The Merville Sessions'
1: Dance Jam
2: Dance Jam continued (love those boys' music)
3: Stalls and cross current core hooping
4: Speed challenge, cross current speed challenge (rotate hoop as fast as you can)
5: Hooping squats
6: Chest hooping, arms up, squats and lunges
7: Dance jam!
Day 6:
HOOP: 38" fire hoop with spokes removed
MUSIC: Big Blunt Mix by Alison
1: Jam
2: Chest
3: Core no turns
4: Waist hoop, Hip articulations
5: Waist hoop, Shoulder and arm articulations
6: Dance Jam
7: Speed challenge
DAY 7:
HOOP: 36" Black and Gold
MUSIC: Beats Antique Electraphone (cuz I love it)
1: Dance Jam
2: Waist hoop, Shoulder rolls and turns
3: Core, No turns
4: Core, Hip articulations
5: Core, Shoulder and arm articulations
6: Dance jam
7: Speed challenge

 ~WEEK 2~
This week I did mini 30 minute hooping 'dance jams', mostly in my living room.  Challenging myself the last seven days to intricately explore the core area greatly increased my ability to stay on task, and not do anything tricky. There's not a segment-by-segment breakdown of focus skills this week, just 30 min grooves! That past week of super-focus allowed me to really jam, and get 'free' while waist hooping. 
In fact, there were moments when raised heart rate, serotonin and endorphin levels, and freedom thought-streams let me rise above daily thoughts of dishes, laundry, and lunches and open my mind to greater visions!  In an almost meditative state, the Muse visited and I was flooded with juicy, creative ideas! What fun!
HOOP: 36" black and gold 3/4" has now become my favourite core hooping hoop!
MUSIC: DJ Zach (Peace at Last), 60's Funk Mix, Big Blunt Mix, Tchaikovsky, Sounds From Africa Mix, and one day: the outdoor sounds of my daughter playing with her dog, our hens clucking, birds chirping, and the sound of a working dairy farm (moo).

~WEEK 3~
Bring on the 30 minute dance jams!  Yup, it was another dancy-pants week here at Island Hula Hoopla headquarters.  I am getting into the routine of rising, getting my son off to meet the school bus, and hosting my very own private 30 minute hoopdance party.  Keeping it on the core, of course and thoroughly enjoying the freedom within these limits.  (Freedom within limits: it's a parenting concept I'm applying to this 30/30 challenge)  Imposing the 'core hooping only' rule on myself has added an element of precision to the practice of hoopdanceshimmys or add turns... Being creative, I can use my body movements percussively to accentuate the music.  Not to mention engaging specific muscles for a more defined core!
HOOP: 36" Black gaffer and gold sparkle!
MUSIC: Toots and the Maytals most days, Gotan Project (Lunatico 2006), Delhi to Dublin (Remixed 2008) and Five Alarm Funk (Anything Can Happen)

Fabulous Fall 11

This fall season we're excited to be sharing hooping love through classes, fairs and street festivals.  This marks our 10 year hoopiversary and our 7th year of offering classes. 

The Hula Hoopla family is growing as we introduce Lyndsay Spencer to the teaching team.  Lyndsay will be doing special events and offering weekly hooping classes in Cumberland BC.  She comes to us with an extensive background in Kundalini dance facilitation and yoga, and has been a dream to work with this summer during the Hula Hoopla teacher training process.  She is a very kind, compassionate soul who is ready to rock Cumberland's hoop world!

Lyndsay Spencer joins the Island Hula Hoopla teaching team
photo by Rick Van Hassel

August 26-28 Comox Valley Exhibition "Fall Fair"  Hoop vending booth, movement facilitation and Hoopdance show with The SpinJinny, Lyndsay Spencer and Tracey Hoopla.  We'll have all our class hoops to share for some fun, free community hooping.

September 10 Vancouver's Davie Day street festival   Hoopdance demo, hooping workshop, hoop vending booth and movement facilitation with Rick Van Hassel and Tracey Hoopla.

September 14 Comox Recreation "One Night Affair"   Hoop class with Tracey Hoopla, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

September 17 Black Creek Recreation's Fall Fair   Hoop vending and movement facilitation with Tracey Hoopla.

September 21-October 26 Courtenay Recreation   weekly class with Tracey Hoopla 5:30-6:30 p.m.  Wednesday evenings  (250)338-5371 to register

September 23-November 18 Black Creek Recreation   weekly class with Tracey Hoopla 5:30-6:30 p.m. Friday evenings (no class Nov. 11) (250)337-5190 to register

October 17-December 5 2011 The Abbey in Cumberland weekly class with Lyndsay Spencer email islandhulahoopla@gmail for more info

Summer HoopLove Train 2011

http://www.islandmusicfest.com/multimedia/musicfest-photos/festival-folk/nova-hoops-sk/

The HoopLove Train is coming!  This festival season we're on board to share the circular momentum of Island Hula Hoopla.  The Hoopla action will come in the form of workshops,  roving entertainment,  Fire or Light performances.  Stay tuned to see if we'll be stopping into your station! Woot Woot!

Friday May 13 *Pirate Days* (Campbell River) fire show with NOVA Firespun Performance Arts

Pirate Days Fire Show with NOVA

Friday May 27 *Lasquirkas!* (Fallen Alders Hall, Comox Valley) Character Hoopdance Circus Sideshow
June 24-26 *MadSkillz Festival* (Vancouver) Hula Hoopla workshops and performance
Friday July 1 *Canada Day* (Sid Williams Theater,Courtenay) Hula Hoopla dancers


July 8-11 *Vancouver Island Musicfest* (Courtenay Fairgrounds) Hula Hoopla workshops and NOVA glow show

NOVA Glows at Vancouver Island Musicfest 2011

Sunday July 24 *Hornby Island Recreation* Hula Hoopla workshops

Hornby Island Recreation: Kids hoopmaking!

Sunday July 31 *Nautical Days* (Comox Marina) fire show with NOVA
August 13 *The Big Time Out Festival* (Cumberland Village Park) roving ambient performances with NOVA

HOOPERS BURLESQUE STARLETS, and BELLYDANCERS:  There are some exciting learning opportunities coming when Valentina (Unity) from the Hoop Unit arrives to share her love of dance fusion.  All the way from San Diego, Valentina will be on our beautiful island(for a short time only) to offer two evening workshops:  "HoopDance Fusion" (Monday Aug 15/11) and "Belly Burlesque" (Tuesday Aug 16/11).

Lasquirkas! Circus

I will be adding to the magic of "Lasquikas!" at the Fallen Alders Hall in the Comox Valley, Friday May 27 2011 with a character Hoopdance.
This multi-generational circus troupe features the music of the Bolting Brassicas Marching Band, hailing from Lasquiti Island, BC.  http://www.boltingbrassicas.ca/

The band is accompanied by many zany circus characters: stiltwalkers, jugglers, musical slapstick, giant puppets, dancing marionettes, and more... Curious? Join in the fun!

Regular Show Schedule:
7pm- Vaudeville Show
8:30 Dance with Bolting Brassicas
9:15 Dj Beatfarmer

Tickets are available only at the door and are $15 with a $30 family rate.

Community Hoop Jam is in full SWING!

Every Sunday morning from 11a.m. to noon, we meet at the Courtenay Recreation Lewis Center to play and frolic in circular bliss.  We have the whole gym and sound system to get us moving and grooving.  It's time to activate - not hibernate - so people, let's get a move on, come get your groove on!  Happy peaceful fun lovers of all ages are welcome.  Adult drop in fee $2.50 (goes to the Rec Center~ I am volunteering my time) and kids under 10 are free! Bring your favourite hoops and spinning toys (poi, staff, and flags too) and I'll bring all my hoops (mini to extra big beginner hoops) to play and experiment with.  Let's get active!

(This video was taken last Sunday at the second week of this 8 week HoopJam session. And, my camera has no sound ~ you'll have to join us to experience HoopJam in full force!)

Spreading the Hoopla-Love!

It feels good to share!  I just dropped off bundles of hoops at two local women's and children's charities in the hopes that they will be twirled with joy.

Hooping, for me, is meditation, exercise and always puts a smile on my face.  It can be the best distraction from life's worries, seeming to swirl away my troubles.  At the same time, hooping clears my thoughts and helps focus my intentions.

Sarah Kerr Photography

Who would think that a plastic circular toy could help unlock such happiness?

Hooping has taught me a lot about myself.  The journey from that first day when the hoop * just * wouldn't * stay * up * until now, almost 10 years later: a hoop teacher and performer!  I persevered and found my bliss in the hoop.  I love to share that.

Never give up!  When the going gets tough, close your eyes and surrender to the flow.  You will amaze yourself.

Blessings from inside the hoop and wishes for a New Year of bliss and abundance!

NOTE: Just dropping the hoops off was fun enough, but getting this letter was the icing on the cake!
Hello,

I wanted to send along a thank you for the lovely donation of 5 hoola hoops to our agency, Comox Valley Family Services Association. As a nonprofit charitable agency we appreciate all donations as we have many programs that could not offer enhanced services or resources without the generous contributions of the community.



We will be adding your BlogSpot next week to our web pages as a way of thanks.

The Hoola Hoops will be used with two programs; first our Children’s Anxiety Group to help children define boundaries and secondly with our Healthy Families Group which will use it for rural parent and child activity groups.

A few of our staff, including me had the fun of trying them out & definitely brought us smiles and laughter !


Sincerely and with kind thanks


Gillian


Webpage: www.comoxvalleyfamilyservices.com

Gillian Normandin - Executive Director
Comox Valley Family Services Association (CVFSA)
1415 Cliffe Ave. Courtenay, B.C. V9N 2K6
T: 250.338.7575 ext 227 F: 250.338.2343
www.comoxvalleyfamilyservices.com


"Comox Valley Family Services Association builds on individual and family strengths which support growth and healthy lifestyles"

second thankyou letter received!