Teaching should create a spark of knowledge and passion within each student. Anyone can stand in front of a class and demonstrate-teach. Anyone can learn and instruct poses, routines and fancy techniques. It is a unique person who can educate and inspire.

By the time I write this blog on the Betty Hoops website, there will be a few more hoop businesses that have popped up in this country. People hooping for a few years will decide to start teaching classes. Fitness instructors will buy a hoop from the sporting goods store and try to figure out how to use it in their classes. I get calls every month from people who have taken classes and gotten hurt from either an under qualified instructor or a hoop that was too heavy (3-8 pounds)

I like to teach routines that make sense. Everyone understands differently and brings a special part of their experience into their style of teaching. I have documented over the past 11 years, all the contraindications that a unilateral rotational sport can have. Hooping is fun and can make a person feel strong, sexy and graceful but to teach the integrity of motion can change someone’s life.

Congratulations to; Sally, Gloria, Cher, Jean, Jen, Jaime, Connie, Heather, Natalie and Sheila for completing the 20 hour training course. All certified BHDT instructors will continue to test through web video and practice by teaching throughout their communities. All women live in various parts of British Columbia and will be teaching either to Seniors, children or as a form of fitness to the general public.

A HUGE thank you to Sally Whilbley, my host teacher, travel guide and promoter. She single handedly organized all class and training locations as well as took care of sign ups, private instruction and press. She also connected me with a lovely couple who offered their cottage as free lodging for me. In between the 4 classes a day, Sally, her daughter Marie and Iwould go back to her hoop factory/garage and make hoops.We made about 100 hoops in the 10 days I was there.

We were lucky to have a space on a county fairground where we had use of the main lodge, barn and outdoor areas. The first evening the trainees joined a public class. We had 20 people hooping their way through the 4 Rhythms and the ultimate obstacle course. Next we talked about how we would style the 4 Rhythms into a program meeting their specific needs.

The following day we worked on proper alignment and muscular- skeletal integration. We then demonstrated the common mistakes and used methods to quickly correct them. This is crucial to being a good teacher. We studied where people hold physical stress in their body and how we can use the hoop as a tool to alleviate this. We taught each other the warm ups, 4 Rhythms and freestyle.

The next day began with a 30 minute trance dance while hooping. We closed our eyes and journeyed within the hoop’s vortex. This was empowering to all as their mind-body connection deepened and their body started to develop muscle memory of how to move correctly while hooping. It also allowed everyone to feel that the hoop could spin with little control. This brought us into another dimension where we became the rotation rather than trying to control it.

Each trainee led the class through urban, African and jazz infused beats. This musical styling for different demographics and teaches them how to guide one into the rhythm and melody found in various music.

After lunch break, we had a special guest come for instruction. Kate, lovely woman who was challenged with Multiple Sclerosis, had set up some private instruction. She had seen a t.v. segment on how my program is a form of therapy as well as fun and was looking for an inspiring workout that could strengthen her core. I told her that I would do the best I could to create some routines with the hoop that would be safe and effective for her. She walked in to the barn with a cane and a huge smile. She was funny and totally confident and excited to play within the hoop.
We were all in awe of her strong will and grace.

The ladies help me set up a rope which hung from the ceiling. I have used this support for patients with a weak lower body. This technique has been successful for people with partial paralysis and very weak muscles and coordination. They basically hold onto the rope which stretches and stabilizes their upper body. I pin pointed the areas in her lower body that se needed to hold an awareness on. Pressing the outer crease of her feet into the floor would help her knees from buckling, pulling the lower abs in toward the spine would give her a stronger feeling of balance and practicing a lateral thrust from the core and pelvis would help develop proper body mechanics prior to using the hoop.

Sally suggested she sit on the yoga ball and Jean sat behind her, holding her hips as support. Gloria and Cher held onto her arms incase her arms got too tired from holding the rope. We began with simulated movements to get her feeling balanced from her core rather than from her lower body. We practiced the side to side and back to front motions. I then swung the hoop around her waist so she could feel how much force would be pushing and pulling her spine. She quickly accomplished a few rotations so we removed the ball as support.

Keeping the spotters on each side of her, we removed the ball so that she could stand up and hold the rope. I spun the hoop around her and she practiced both side to side and back to front motion. Ina short time, she had hooped about 6 rotations. There were tears and laughter emanating from the barn for the whole hour!

We invited Kate and her partner to sit in and watch the teacher trainees instruct their first public class in the outside field. I turned around to see her hula hooping without a cane or a rope! We were all so excited over this achievement. She now has safe techniques to use at home that would help with her mind-body connection, core strength and coordination, increase bone density, boost her immune system and increase circulation.

I took the last 2 days off to kayak, horse ride and see the whales. Everyone I met was not only generous but interested in using the hoop as therapeutic exercise through dance. It is quite refreshing leaving the small ski town of Aspen and visiting a place where people are involved with building community, sharing their wealth and opening their minds to new concepts.

I can’t wait to return to BC in October for a refresher course and to teach through the school systems. My next stop will be NYC and CT this November.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 28th, 2009 at 11:51 am and is filed under Hoop News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.