Summertime rolls…taking my show on the road.

Performing with Lucent Dossier ~ photo by Siouxen Kang

~Sept. 30, 2009~Well, once it got rolling, it seems the summer has flown by. Following Floydfest, I entered video editing mode and have 99% finished self-producing my first hoopdance instructional DVD, a comprehensive foundational lesson in the art of hoopdance. I’m excited to announce that this content-rich DVD will be available in hard copy and via online download *very* soon. I couldn’t have done this without the boundless assistance-and patience- of my dear friend and superfabulous video/photographer Jim McGuire-in whose studio the video was shot and on whose system it was edited.  Please sign up for my newsletter to get the latest information on the DVD release, as well as workshop & performance dates, hoop tips and event information.

Speaking of events, I’ve been up to my grateful ears in amazing experiences of late…after getting the foundational DVD (pretty much) done, I packed up my things from my place in Vermont (where I’d been training circus for the last year at the wonderful New England Center for Circus Arts) and headed across country to perform, teach and look for my new home. My first stop was in the Hamptons, to perform as part of the Vau de Vire Society.  Then it was down to my home state of NC to see family and friends and pick up supplies for the journey. Spent a couple days in Colorado before heading to the Burning Man festival to celebrate and create.

This year’s burn was full of responsibility.  My highlight performance was with Lucent Dossier for the El Circo show, for which I performed both contact juggling and fire hoop (see picture above). Outside of multiple performances were photo and video shoots for my upcoming foundational-advanced hoop instructional DVD, a collaborative project with Roch Porter of Isopop…

Hoop Technique. This DVD is- false  modesty aside- guaranteed groundbreaking. To get a taste of the potential, check the promo image on our website…and be sure to sign up for the latest info on it’s upcoming release.

Isopop & SpiralHoopDance present: Hoop Technique ~ photo by Barry J Holmes

So, after dusting off from the playa, I was off to perform at the Symbiosis Gathering held at an amazing location in Yosemite National Forest. I performed throughout Friday at the beautiful Shrine-built Forest Stage, doing hoop and aerial hoop acts as part of Circus Metropolus. On Saturday I accompanied Coco Rosie’s powerful set during the day and had one of my most satisfying , elevating and powerful flow performances in a long time to the hip hop beats of DJ Drez, who continued to rock out on his own after backing up Myka9 and Abstract Rude. Love me some hip hop.

After Symbiosis it was off to teach and perform at the second annual Hoop Camp in the mountains of Santa Cruz. This is a beautiful event bringing together 140+ hoopers from all over the globe to learn from and connect with each other, surrounded by majestic redwoods. I performed and gave tips on sustained spinning technique and co-taught the double-fire hooping workshop.

Yup, it’s been a whirlwind. I’m so thankful to be able to travel the world performing and teaching. It means the world to me to share my art and, hopefully, inspire and uplift as a result.

Performing with EOTO at Floydfest 2009

~Aug, 5, 2009~Wow! Thanks to everyone who came out to support for Floydfest. This was my sixth year working this beautiful festival off of the Blue Ridge Parkway in southern Virginia. I was happy to share the new acts I’ve been working on, opening for the fabulous Yard Dogs Road Show on Friday night with my hoop dance routine, doing aerial fabric before Toubab Krewe on Saturday, and lyra before Railroad Earth on Sunday. It’s always a heartwarming experience celebrating with the Floydfest family.

I will be teaching two hoop workshops in August- one in Easthampton, Mass at SHOW Circus Studio on Saturday, August 15 from 2-4 pm.  Another will be in Wantage, NJ on Sunday, Aug. 16, details forthcoming on my hoop website.

Then I’ll be headed west to train at the Boulder Circus Center for a spell. Looking forward to being back in Colorado!

~July 1, 2009~July 2009 is shaping up to be a busy month of performance and teaching. I’m shooting a beginner hoopdance instructional DVD this month, teaching 2 workshops (July 8 and 22- more details can be found here ) , performing aerial fabric, lyra and hoop dance in Maine on July 11 as part of Cirque du Flamingo, hoop dance in Vermont on July 14, and performing both my aerial acts and hoop dance for my 5th year at Floydfest, July 23-26 in Floyd, VA.

More information on hoop dance can be found at www.spiralhoopdance.com