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January, 2009:

Stretching.

Jan 29th, 2009
by rich.
1 comment

stretch
I’m running into a new wall, the physical limitations of my body. I’ve been a devoted hooper for a while now. I often reach the limit of my own coordination but rarely do I find a physical limitation.

I’m trying to learn how to translate a poi waste wrap into the hoop and I just don’t have the flexibility. Dustin Hubbell is the only person I’ve seen do it and he’s a much thinner man than I am. My flexibility is poor and I’m not a small guy. Two thirds of my back is out of my reach. I have a long way to go.

So I’ve found my motivation to start a regular stretching program. Flexibility has never been an end in itself for me so I’ve so I’ve never committed myself to it. It feels good to be so devoted to hooping that I’m making larger changes in my life.

Pop.. slide… pop

Jan 28th, 2009
by rich.
8 comments

This is demonstration of what I call Pop -Slide – Pop.

I call a “pop” any motion where you are moving the hoop, then suddenly isolate your hand, allowing the hoops momentum to carry it in a full rotation. Does that make any sense? A “slide” is just a hoop shifting in a straight line without rotating.

I also show split time double pop-slide-pop.

screenshot_01

2009 Hooping Schedule

Jan 26th, 2009
by rich.
7 comments

Well I’ve been trying to budget my vacation time and hooping plans for the year. Then I got laid off so it looks like time off won’t be such an issue : )

Feb. 8th – Isopop: Santa Cruz Workshop
Mar. 21st-22nd, San Francisco, CA – Attending Hoop Path SF
Apr. 10th-12th, Bend, OR – NW Hoop Gathering
Apr. 24th, San Francisco, CA – Flow Show, flow arts showcase
Apr. 25th, San Francisco, CA – Temple of Poi Fire Dancing Expo
Apr 30th-May 3rd, Santa Cruz, CA – FireDrums
May 7th-11th, Carrboro, NC – Hoop Convergence
May 22nd-25th, Santa Barbara, CA – Lightning In a Bottle
June 18th – 21st, Carrboro, NC - Hoop Path Retreat
July 9th-12th, Willits, CA – Movement Play
Aug. 31st – Sept. 7th, Black Rock City, NV – Burning Man
Sept. 25th-27th, Santa Cruz CA – HoopCamp

Also, at some point I’ll be doing a workshop in San Francisco that will be called “Hooping for guys who don’t hoop.” More on that soon.

Music..

Jan 23rd, 2009
by rich.
No comments yet

pressha-wompcast-pic
I just found some whompy dup-step that I’m digging. Check it out here.

Music that I’ve been listening to a lot:
Random Rab – Online Exclusives & Rarities, Vol. 1
Evil Nine – All The Cash feat. El-P (GlitchMob remix)

An email I sent to a few friends based on current tribe discussions.

Jan 19th, 2009
by rich.
4 comments

I’ve been trying to write this in a manner suitable for posting but haven’t felt comfortable so I wrote it to (a few friends).

In my personal opinion, I think the current tribe.net environment is great for creating a loving encouraging environment for beginners. I wouldn’t change that.

I do feel we lack a forum for a constructive analytical dialogue. I think even the term “constructive criticism” was ill received in the whole tribe dialogue which is why I’m now using “analytical dialogue”. I want collaborators. I think we need analytical discussion if we want to continue to grow. Effusive praise isn’t a dialogue.

I’ve been carefully reading this thread and Carloeena’s blog (which she reposted in the hooper’s journal and in the hula hooping tribe). I don’t feel comfortable posting my opinions on tribe for fear of offending. That fact alone makes me wonder why we are creating such a delicate environment. Where are we allowed to have an analytical discussion? It seems unwelcome.

When I posted my L.I.B. video, everyone was super encouraging. That was nice. Then Mike Icon, a poi spinner, posted a comment on youtube and gave it a thumbs down saying that I need to control my speed. I was upset and pissed thinking “who the hell is he”. It took me months to incorporate that feedback but in retrospect, that bit of advice helped me grow more than any of the praise (yes I did need the praise too in order to encourage me to keep going). Now I’ve developed a whole theory on high contrast motions, changing speed quickly in order to emphasize the ends of the spectrum, etc.

By only praising on tribe I think were building a lot of fragile egos. In no other aspect of my life would I have taken mild criticism like Mike Icons so poorly. My architecture ideas get shot down all the time. No big deal. I come up with another idea. I continue to create.

Hooping.org isn’t a dialogue; it is what the editor decides to show us. Tribe.net is the only place any dialogue at all happens but it has strongly enforced standards that are conducive to some things and not to others.

The ladies of object manipultaion, Vulcan Tech Blog #5

Jan 16th, 2009
by rich.
3 comments

Khan and Rich, Contact-ish moves

Jan 13th, 2009
by rich.
3 comments

Some contact-ish moves Khan and I have been playing with. Most of the moves here use little or no gripping of the hoop.

2008 Hoopies!

Jan 12th, 2009
by rich.
3 comments

hoopiestrophysmall2 I am very honored to have been nominated for Best Male Hooper and for Hooping Video of the Year in the 2008 Hoopies.

You may cast your votes at hooping.org once in a 24 hour period between now and Friday, January 16th, 2009, at 9:00 PM Pacific Standard Time. This means you can vote as many as five times total, but no more than once per day. Exceeding the number of votes from your IP address within a 24 hour period will cause all votes from that IP address to be disqualified. For this reason if you don’t know if it has been a full 24 hours since your last vote, we’d advise not risking it.

“Grew Up Hooping”

Jan 7th, 2009
by rich.
11 comments

This idea continues to play a strong role in my personal identity as a hooper so I wanted to share the concept.

def. “Grew Up Hooping”
The process of developing as a hooper within a specific environment. This process takes place as a person forms his or her identity as a hooper and tends to leave an indelible mark on his or her hooping style. By referencing where a hooper “grew up hooping” he or she is acknowledging the continuing impact of the social and cultural environment where he or she started hooping.

ex.
I grew up hooping in San Luis Obispo at the park with a few close friends.

How did you grow up hooping?

Isopop: Geometric Hooping, Santa Cruz, Feb. 8th

Jan 5th, 2009
by rich.
4 comments

Isopop: Geometric Hooping
Santa Cruz

This class will explore new moves through looking at the hoop’s relationship to space rather than the hoop’s relationship to the body. We will focus on the geometric patterns created by isolations and anti-spin with an emphasis on high-contrast transitions. You will learn basic anti-spin, anti-spin quadrants, isolation variations, isolation transitions (isopops & isobreaks), working with different isolated points and more. Once we learn different geometries, they can be combined to create new interesting flow patterns. I will also be introducing theories relating to creating 2d and 3d patterns.

2 hr. cost $40
Sunday, February 8th
12:30pm-2:30pm (then on to the lighthouse spin jam at 3pm)
Santa Cruz Dance Company
2800 PORTER STREET
SOQUEL, CA 95073

soldout
If you would like to be placed on the class waiting list, please email rich .

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