Old School Hooping

Here are some clips I found from the 50s and 60s. Enjoy!

 

Lesson #6: The Vortex

You can learn this trick once you're confident doing the Corkscrew (see Lesson #5).

The Vortex involves moving the hoop from Lasso down to waist height (but not touching the waist), transferring it to the other hand behind your back and lifting it back up to Lasso again in a continual motion.

Again, I will explain this trick for those who hula hoop to their left (anti-clockwise), so if you hula hoop to the right reverse the hand and turning instructions.

Start with the hoop in Lasso in your left hand. Turn on the spot to your left and bring the hoop down over your head to waist height (similarly to the Corkscrew), but do not let go of the hoop or let the hoop touch your waist. Instead, transfer the hoop to your right hand behind your back and, while continuing to turn to your left and leading with the elbow, lift the hoop back up to Lasso.

The Vortex takes a lot of practice (and a lot of hitting yourself in the face)...but once perfected it looks very graceful and impressive.

Lesson #5: The Corkscrew

You can learn this trick once you're confident hooping around the waist and doing the Lasso (see Lesson #4).

The Corkscrew can be learnt in two parts. First moving the hoop from your waist up to the Lasso, and second moving the hoop from the Lasso back down to your waist.

I will explain this trick for those who hula hoop to their left (anti-clockwise), so if you hula hoop to the right reverse the hand and turning instructions.

Start with the hoop spinning around your waist to the left. Place your right hand on the centre/small of your back and let the hoop move over it. Leaving your hand in place, start turning on the spot to your left. Then, when you feel the hoop move over your right hand grasp it and, while continuing to turn to your left and leading with the elbow, lift the hoop above your head so that you are now doing the Lasso.

Then, while doing the Lasso with the hoop in your right hand, start turning on the spot to your left. While continuing to turn, lower the hoop back down over your head to your waist and give it a big push.

This trick is hard to get your head around at first...but practice makes perfect!

Lesson #4: The Lasso

The Lasso is hooping around your hand with your arm held straight above your head and the hoop spinning on a horizontal plain. You can practice this with your arm held out in front of you and the hoop spinning vertically around your hand first, then move onto the Lasso when you're feeling more confident. The aim is to have the hoop spinning as flat as possible above your head.

To come into Lasso start with the hoop in your right hand if you hoop to the left, and your left hand if you hoop to the right. Hold the hoop out in front of you and start to turn in the direction you hoop in, then slowly bring the hoop in towards your chest and up over your head. As you turn and bring the hoop above your head you want the hoop to roll across your thumb and into the palm of the hand. While doing the Lasso the hoop should remain between your thumb and your forefinger at all times! 

Once you're confident doing this trick in one hand, practice it with the other hand, transferring the hoop from one hand to the other. You can also try turning while doing this move.

The Lasso is useful for more advanced tricks, such as the Corkscrew and the Vortex.

Lesson #3: The Tutu

You could do an entire hooping routine with off the body tricks. The Tutu is a good place to start.

Hold the hoop horizontally out in front of you in your right hand with the palm of your hand facing down. Move the hoop across the front of your body and pass it to your left hand (palm also facing down), and then move the hoop behind your body and transfer the hoop back to your right hand (palm still facing down). Continue this motion as if you were creating an imaginary tutu around your waist.

Once you're comfortable with the Tutu move, you can also lift up your right leg (either in front or behind you) and pass the hoop under your leg, then follow by lifting the left. The more flexible you are the more impressive this trick looks, so I recommend stretching beforehand.

Lesson #2: Turning with the hoop

Once you're comfortable and confident hooping around your waist, you can try walking forwards and backwards with the hoop.

You can also try turning with the hoop. If you hoop to the left, start turning to the left and the hoop will move slower (if you hoop to the right, turn to the right). Turning this way will help you with later tricks (I feel like I'm constantly turning in my routines). 

Then try turning in the opposite direction to the way you hoop, so if you hoop to the left turn to the right, and if you hoop to the right turn to the left. This will be a lot harder as the hoop moves faster. I rarely use this move, but it's still fun to try.

Lesson #1: Hooping around the Waist

Hula hooping is not an easy thing to learn or teach (especially in text), so I will try to be as eloquent and straightforward as possible in my lesson posts. Be patient when you're learning a new trick, hula hooping is not a skill you learn overnight. And remember...HAVE FUN!

Ok, first things first. When hooping around the waist you want to be standing up straight with feet shoulder width apart. Hold the hoop against the small of your back so that when you push it around your body it will start spinning around your waist, or the thinnest part of your torso. To give the hoop the best chance of staying up, you want to give it a nice steady push so that the hoop is as horizontal or flat as possible.

Then, imagine that you have a large pencil extending from your nether regions down to the ground, and move your hips in a circular motion as if you were drawing a circle on the ground. Some people find it easier putting one foot in front of the other and moving their hips in a thrusting motion. It works best when you simply don't think about it at all...just let your body get into a rhythm and go with the flow! Find what works for you and eventually, with practice, you can sharpen your skills to have your feet together (looks nicer), and keep the hoop going with smaller, more graceful movements of your hips.

I practiced hooping around my waist for over 6 months before moving onto other hoop tricks. A good foundation will help you with more advanced moves.