A battle of the dancers at San Francisco's Decompression 2012!!!
So much energy and fun!
What is Decompression?
"Before the playa dust has completely settled and our heads have stopped spinning, many gather in the months after Burning Man to "decompress" by taking one more communal plunge into the depths of what we found so affirming and memorable at Burning Man, sharing playa art, performances, theme camps, photos, videos and stories from the playa. We re-connect with family and friends, and collaborate to create new art. Decompression is, at its simplest, a reunion. But more significantly, it is a powerful way to bring Burning Man inspiration to our home towns!"
Last year at this time I was returning from a magical experience! I attended HoopPath, a yearly retreat that incorporates hooping workshops, gatherings, and a fire ceremony in Carborro, North Carolina.
This upcoming weekend is HoopPath 6 and I am very sad to not be joining my hoop tribe.
"The HoopPath is a hoopdance curriculum founded by master hooper Jonathan Baxter. The HoopPath method stands out in this new, dynamic movement modality as a unique blend of rigourous technique and deep introspection." -via www.hooppath.com.
I came upon HoopPath (HP) very early into my hoop journey. This type of hooping has such a personal, spiritually level to it for me in improving and expanding my hoop dance. So when I learned of the retreat, I jumped at the chance. Before I'd even arrived there, I had made new friends online! It was exciting to meet up with hoopers from all over the country, to meet the local HP tribe and to immerse myself in this hobby that has become such an intricate part of who I am.
Going back through my notes, photos and journaling during the trip, I was immediately transported me back to the previous year. The opening/welcoming dinner that first evening and hearing what was in store for the weekend from our instructors: Bax, Ann, Khan & Rich.
Meeting and rooming with these three lovely ladies: Cally from Wyoming, Jane from Florida
& Kaydi from Indiana.
We had a lot of fun together and still keep in contact.
The poolside party, with Meagan from Pennsylvania and dancing at the bar with Ria from New York.
The morning guided meditation of soothing music and introspective words.
"It's [hooping] an inward journey that starts with an outward expression of love."
-Jonathan Baxter
Our transportation, the bass thumping, neon lit "pimp bus". A cool bus driver and LOTS of dancing.
Yes, dancing on the way to more dancing!
photo credit: Kaydi McMahan
The workshops that were exhausting, enlightening, and energizing. Incorporating the theme "For The Love" into authentic movement. Remembering that you either move towards fear or love.
Learning to be vulnerable, to be present, to get over yourself and to be authentic. Your authenticity can be a gift.
photo credit: Kaydi McMahan
The evening at Beth's home, meeting in her meadow and dance barn.
hippies sign photo credit: Kaydi McMahan
The bonfire, the kava blessing, the sharing amongst our colorful mini tribes,
dancing to live drums into the darkness, and learning to fire hoop.
fire hoop pic credit: Marta Sasinowska
Hoop Church.
video credit: Shon Nelson
All culminating to the Hooper's Ball, dressing up fancy, dance off's and collaborations.
Staying up all night waiting for everyone to depart back home, one by one.
photo credit: Kaydi McMahan
This trip reaffirmed the importance of hooping to me. The journey of self healing, self awareness and self expression that the little plastic hoop has and continues to take me on. I am so grateful that it came into my life and to the friends and teachers that I have met along the way. I am sad that I won't get to be a part of the experiences happening this year but know I will be there in spirit and hope to reconnect at the next HoopPath event!
But this video, Shifting Levels, blew me away when I first saw it. At this point, he'd been hooping for less than a year O.o
Nick Guzzardo, from Castle Rock, Colorado, very quickly picked up the art of hoop spinning after he saw it at Burning Man in 2009. He now is a hooping superstar that teaches classes all over, was awarded the Newbie Hooper of 2011 and was nominated Male Hooper of the Year in 2012. He has a fun go-go style dance and rocks the head hooping! I was so nervous and intimidated to go to my first hoop workshop in Boulder cause Nick was gonna be there. But you know what? He was so nice and even hooked my phone up with a hula hooping cat widget :)
A very awesome and visually trippy dance film by Swedish artist and designer Erika Janunger. At first I was unsure of what I was watching but by the end of the video I was in love. The dancers, Mallin Stattin and Tuva Lundkvist, seemed trapped in gravity defying rooms. Erika was the set designer, director as well as composed the music and lyrics for this performance. You can check out more of her videos here or her website here.
I bought one of these levitation sticks or Flow Wand at Return to Roots last month. I've been practicing with it along side my hoop. Its a lot of fun and am learning how to control it with smaller, more precise movements. It's fun when you get in a flow and the momentum gets going. I'd eventually like to get a longer string on it and work more on the non-string hand illusions. Here are some of the video's I've come across that are giving me inspiration:
I love Erin's hoop dancing. It's so graceful and precise, like a ballerina.
Her silhouette videos are beautiful.
This slow motion video was so emotional and quickly became one of my favorites.
Also, dancing in the rain?! Awesome.
I am looking forward to the three day weekend! I am a week away from leaving to vend at Return to Roots (R2R) in Pennsylvania. I have so many projects to finish up. I am excited and anxious to debut all the products Cally Chavez and I have been working on. I will blog more about it next week and the weeks following while we are out on the road!
This is Baxter and he is one badass ninja hooper. He started The Hoop Path out of Carrboro, NC. His style is very meditative and he encourges you to practice blindfolded, a techinque that I have used a lot. I took a workshop from him in January and was instantly welcomed into the hooping family. I excited to be "going home" at the end of the month for the Hoop Path retreat in North Carolina for many days (and nights)of workshops, dancing and craziness!!
This is Beth Lavinder and she is my favorite hoop dancer! She has such grace and ease when she hoops. It seems like she just instantly feels the flow. And I love how when she drops the hoop, it's no big thang. She picks it back up and dances on. Beth inspires me to let go and just dance! I had the pleasure of meeting her at the HoopPath Deep Water Tour in Colorado earlier this year. She was so nice and made sure this orphan hooper felt welcomed and included.
In this video it's filmed from the perspective of inside the hoop. It has such a beautiful dream quality. Please be warned though if you get motion sickness, this video may not be for you ;)
