Stay In the Hoop

HELLO BEAUTIFUL HOOPERS Celebrate Outdoor Hooping Season! Expand your practice with a new style of Hooping. Try something new! Minis? Isolations? Inspiration is key and is all up to you. Have you ever observed children on the playground? They create games and worlds simply by using their imaginations and most importantly, they could care less who is watching. They run, jump, climb and swing their little hearts out, not because they think it’s good exercise; just because they are having fun! As the season changes, embrace your inner child and get outside and use your imagination to try something new. Experiment with our New 007 Hybrid HoopCollection. The possibilities are endless, as long as you are having fun doing it! Keep Hooping! Gabriella Redding CEO & Hoopmamma   THE SCOOP Check out this little piece of inspiration, filmed on location in Costa Rica! Gabriella explores the tiny changes that occur in our style and flow when we make changes to what we already know. This month's Scoop addresses grip, or how tightly we hold our hoops with our hands. Great advice for new and advanced hoopers alike!   WHAT'S HOT NOW The 007 Hybrid Collection Are you ready for a challenge and to use your imagination? Well use your hidden skills, and challenge yourself with the 007 Hybrid Hoops. The Alias & The Agent No 9, are the perfect transition from the beginner hoop. Featured prominently in the Hoop Technique DVD now sold through Hoopnotica, these hoops are a must-have. So...Be Daring! Be Bold, and take your hooping to the next level. Made by hand in Venice, CA by artists who love their work, and pay attention to the details of superior hoop craftsmanship. Hoopnotica Is Spring Cleaning! Spring cleaning is never fun....unless there's a sale involved!  Help us make some room at the Hoopnotica Headquarters by CLICKING HERE!

HELLO BEAUTIFUL HOOPERS As I have mentioned before, "Hooping is Simple- Not Easy". We are all fascinated when we see one hooper really own their space; hooping in an effortless whirl of beauty and bliss. It is often intimidating, even for advanced hoopers, to be confronted with a series of moves or tricks that we don't know (yet). One of the most beautiful things about Hoopnotica is that every hooper recreates the same move to be their own! This month I invite you to learn more, by changing up your practice. Stop focusing on what you already know, and open your mind to new ways of hooping. Maybe you will find this opening by varying the size and weight of your hoop, or by investing in a new level of instruction. Take a class with an amazing hooper that you LOVE to watch on YouTube, or grab one of the new Hoop Technique DVDs in the HoopStore. We look forward to sharing both spring and summer filled with love, friends, and new hoop skills. Keep your practice fresh, and you'll keep Hooping! Gabriella Redding CEO & Hoopmamma   THE SCOOP JOIN US! Learning to teach Hoopnotica is a great way to fight the recession; get fit; and inspire others! We're here to support you in deepening your practice and sharing the hoop love wherever you find yourself. Our Certified Teachers enjoy discounts on Hoopnotica products; press mentions; and an in-depth understanding of how to safely instruct and support the growing interest in this evolving trend in fitness and self-expression. Please consider joining us at an upcoming Hoopnotica Teacher Training. Its the perfect gift for yourself or a friend who loves to hoop. Our program will strengthen your skills as you learn our acclaimed and effective instructional language, and gain the confidence to teach this transformational practice to anyone at any time. Upcoming Teacher Trainings: Ubud, Bali, Indonesia ~ Levels 1 & 2 Monday & Tuesday, March 28 & 29x, 2011 New York City ~ Levels 1 & 2 Friday, April 9 - Sunday, April 11, 2011 Saint Louis, MO ~ Levels 1 & 2 Saturday & Sunday, April 23 & 24, 2011 Rochester, NY ~ Level 1 Saturday, May 15, 2011 Garden City, MI ~ Levels 1 & 2 Saturday & Sunday, May 21 & 22, 2011 Los Angeles, CA ~ Levels 1 & 2 Saturday & Sunday, May 28 & 29, 2011 Winston- Salem, NC ~ Levels 1 & 2 Saturday & Sunday, May 28 & 29, 2011 Birmingham, AL~ Levels 1 & 2 Saturday & Sunday, June 11 & 12, 2011 Oahu, HI ~ Levels 1 & 2 Saturday & Sunday, June 25 & 26, 2011 More dates coming soon! Visit the calendar and register online here! Email Jocelyn Gordon with your questions:  jocelyn@hoopnotica.com   WHAT'S HOT NOW We're so excited to offer the Hoop Technique DVD set to you this month. We have been obsessed with Rich Porter and Vivian Hancock AKA "Spiral" ever since we attended their intensive workshops. Check out the Free Spin this month (below) for a preview of their two disk DVD set, produced to both inspire and instruct. This DVD is perfect for hoopers who have been through the Hoopnotica program, and are looking for new ways to explore space and movement within their practice. The Survivor We're all fighters in this lifetime, and each of us faces challenges that threaten to take us down at different points. This hoop is a dedication to each of us as we navigate through the challenges of life, using our Hoopnotica practice to let off steam. When things get tough- don't take it out on the people you love the most. Hoop through anything, with "the Survivor". The newest hoop in our collection, the Survivor is wrapped with earthtone camo, a ribbon of brilliant sky blue mirror, and is finished off with a sweet teal grip tape. Made by hand in Venice, CA by artists who love their work, and pay attention to the details of superior hoop craftsmanship. This hoop is shipped full size; is 41" in diameter; weighs just under 2 lbs; and is great for both beginners and advanced hoopers alike. The Aries The sweet and charming charisma of those born under the stars of Aries is alluring and attractive. But under the surface, the Aries hooper has a tendency to build up feelings unexpressed. These feelings, if left to their own, can increase in pressure and cause this normally very chill sign to be just a bit intense. Find balance and harmony with a hoop practice inspired by the power and audacity of the ram: celestial golden sparkle is tempered by blue star-crossed prismatic tape, and finished with the clarity of teal grip tape. Each Aries hoop is created with care and love by our hoop makers in Venice, CA. The hoop weighs just under 2 lbs, and is shipped full-size. This hoop is great for any hooper with a brilliant heart, and a hot head to cool...but of course, we don't know anyone like that.   HOOPER OF THE MONTH CONTEST WINNERS! A few weeks ago, we announced that we were giving away a distance learning certification on the Hoopnotica Facebook page. We didn't expect to receive over 200 entries... but were absolutely THRILLED to review them. The contest called for hoopers who were interested in being trained in the Hoopnotica curriculum, and felt that in becoming certified they could do great good in their communities. We asked why they wanted to become certified, and what they would do with it if they won. We chose three winners, and seven runners up, whose stories we will be featuring in the coming months. For a complete list of runners-up, keep an eye on our Facebook page- become a fan today! Name: Vicky Hallenbeck Location: Winston-Salem, NC Occupation: Church Secretary Favorite Hoop: For travel, my favorite hoop is my blue break-down Hoopnotica hoop, which has journeyed many miles with me. Favorite Song to Hoop to: Traveling Light by Joel Hansen and Sara Groves In Her Words When I first saw hoopdance on the internet, it swept me off my feet with the beauty of it, and the desire to become part of it. Even though I’m old, uncoordinated, and have health issues, I found that nothing can overcome focused desire. So I got a hoop and ordered the Hoopnotica DVDs. Over the past 2+ years, through a journey of faith and hooping, I have lost over 100 pounds, and continue to chip away at the poor habits and inactivity that led me to such poor health. Like everyone who takes up the hoop, I have become a kind of ambassador– a circuit rider of the hoop, reaching out in friendship to hoopers whenever I meet them, encouraging others to take up the hoop, and sharing the joy of the sport wherever I go. Every time I see someone’s face light up with delight when she manages to get the hoop to rotate a few turns, it feeds my soul, and heightens my own joy. Becoming certified will help promote hooping as legitimate exercise. Thank you for this tremendous opportunity.

HELLO BEAUTIFUL HOOPERS As I roll through the month of February, I can’t help but think about the general expectations of Valentine’s Day. We often associate Valentine’s Day with celebrating your love with your significant other over dinner, awaiting the “surprise” delivery of flowers to office or place of business, but I believe that we should change the meaning of Valentine’s Day, and celebrate the love that you have for yourself and everyone significant in your life. Find love within yourself and do something that makes you feel good; whether it is hooping to your favorite song, or spending time with friends, or giving to those in need who need a little love and support right now. Many of us fixate on having a love interest to make us feel complete, instead of remembering that we alone are important and valuable. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could grab our hoop, and center ourselves, and remember that life is supposed to be good, with or without a “love interest” on Valentines Day? As I contemplate love this month, I have decided to focus on how spreading love and appreciation makes everyday better. Loving myself, my hoop, my friends, my family and doing good for those less fortunate is far  more important than focusing on one day. As you go forward for the rest of this month, I invite you to reflect on your choices. I invite you to activate within you a commitment to give and receive love in every moment not just on Feb 14th.  Make it your intention to “be the change you want to see in the world.”  Activate this commitment in your heart and watch your world change in miraculous ways! Hoop Yourself Happy, Gabriella Redding CEO & Hoopmamma   THE SCOOP Certified Instructor Jen Moore, and her husband Keith lost 235 lbs through their Hoopnotica practice. They were featured on the Today Show's "Joy Fit Club". Click here to watch the story of their incredible transformation. Jen and Keith Moore appear on WHEC news in Rochester. Jen and Keith Moore appear on WHAM Rochester. Lori Corbin of ABC7 News, Los Angeles, filmed Hoopnotica class and interviewed Gabriella Redding, aka Hoopmamma. American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the University of Wisconsin release a study on theefficacy of Hooping for fitness. Finally! The medical community agrees with what we've known all along Hoopnotica offers an intense core conditioning cardio workout that lets you melt fat while having FUN! Hoopnotica Certified Instructor Morgan Hembreefeatured on NBC News, Philadelphia. Real Simple Magazine features Hoopnotica's Travel Hoop!   WHAT'S HOT NOW In your hoop, it's all about YOU. The new hoops featured this month are the Aquarius, the Pisces and The Swoop Package (Sweetheart and the B-Boy!). Each one is handmade by artisans here in Venice, CA, created with your happiness in mind. We make these hoops one at a time, with care and love, knowing that each one will arrive in the hands of hoopers who will appreciate our outrageous attention to detail. Why? Because WE LOVE YOU. I know...it's really simple. Then again, so is hooping: "SImple, not easy." Hoopnotica is taking the world by Spin! Our US teacher trainings are attracting wonderful groups of hoopers ages 19 through 65, and we look forward to learning more about the international hoop community.  Become a leading edge hoop educator and join us at one or all of these amazing locations.  Thanks for sharing the details with your hoop associates around the world. International Hoopnotica Teacher Trainings: Amsterdam ~ Levels 1 & 2 with Jacqui Becker Saturday & Sunday, February 19 & 20, 2011 UK ~ Levels 1 - 3 with Jacqui Becker Friday, Saturday & Sunday, February 25 - 27, 2011 Ubud, Bali, Indonesia ~ Levels 1 - 2 with Jocelyn Gordon Monday & Tuesday, March 28 & 29, 2011 Register online here. Email Jocelyn Gordon with your questions:   jocelyn@hoopnotica.com

HELLO BEAUTIFUL HOOPERS I just returned from Costa Rica, on a fabulous tropical holiday. In the far reaches of the world (miles away from cell service and Wi-Fi) Santa is not really doing much to support his season. In fact, the only reminder that the “Holidays” are upon us were evidenced by the sparse decorations we saw in the Liberia airport. Nothing else- no Christmas lights, no stockings, no snow…. And you can forget about a Menorah. It was as if Costa Rica had elected to ignore the holiday spirit entirely, and I had escaped to land where it doesn’t even exist. Now that I think about it carefully, I really did do just that- escape. Escape = relaxation. Tropical drinks, bonfires, and lots of hooping = TOTAL bliss. Through beach and rainforest; over bridges and through rivers; I hauled 10 full size hoops, 4 sets of minis, 3 hybrids, 2 Fireflies (and a partridge in a pear tree?). And now here I am, on a plane from Miami to Los Angeles… where the holiday hustle and bustle has almost reached its peak. It is from my seat in 18A that I would like to remind you, please remember to hoop. Take the time this season to escape to your own tropical paradise- one that serves your body, mind, and spirit. Let your hoop be the tool that brings you there, no matter where your holiday travels take you. This months’s Scoop is a dedication to supporting YOU. We are truly grateful for all of the love and support we receive from you, and want to give you lots of reasons to share that love with others. From contests and giveaways to both Twitter and Facebook updates, we are committed to being your team in “Hooping through the Holidays”. Whether you hoop for weight loss; performance kudos; or just sheer FUN- the answer is YES: you should take [your hoop] with you. This Holiday edition of the Scoop has everything you will need to do it in style. Pura Vida! Happy Hooping! Gabriella Redding CEO, Hoopnotica Inc.   THE SCOOP Okay, we've ALL been there: you know HOW to make your body do the move you are working on, but it just isn't happening. You've watched the instructional chapter in the DVD; you double checked it on You Tube; and your grandmother just nailed it herself in the back yard. Thought #1: I CANT do this. Thought #2: This is impossible to do: my body doesn't work that way. Thought #3: I don't really NEED to learn chest hooping/hip hooping/ angled arm weaving. Who cares, anyways...? Answer: You, my friend, are a LIAR. It is YOU that deserves to achieve your goals in your practice, and YOU that is getting in your own way. So can the small talk, and keep trying! Take a video of yourself, or have a friend do it. It does not need to be professional; a simple Flip or camera phone will do the trick- and watch yourself objectively. Still stuck? Send that video link to Hoopnotica for critique, just like Suzanne Burke did (see below)! Suzanne is working on some challenging upper body work- watch and see if you can spot what she is/is not doing right in this video, and then read through the provided critique in the section below. We're all in the same boat here- and perfect practice makes perfect! We will feature a new video every month in the HoopScoop. If your video is chosen, we will critique in for FREE. Can't wait? We'd be happy to critique it personally with you. To learn more, click here. TravelHoop included instantly with online orders. *Order by 12/17 for pre-holiday delivery.   WHAT'S HOT NOW Hooping for the Holidays - TRAVEL EDITION: How to Train, Plane, or Coach with Your Hoops in Tow Full Size Limited Edition Hoops: Train: Depending upon the crowd shuffling in and out of the train, a full size hoop can be hand carried. You’ll want to position yourself near the door, preferably against a wall in the train. It is pretty difficult to hoop while inside the train- people could be hurt, and that is never fun. However, rocking a full size hoop over one shoulder is a sure fire way to create conversation, so enjoy! Just make sure to hold on, or sit down. Plane: Unless you are travelling by private jet, it is impossible to carry your full size beauty on the plane with you. Opt instead to wrap it in bubble wrap, label the heck out of it with a sharpie or otherwise, and tape it to death: you’re gonna have to check it. Always bring a Hoopnotica TravelHoop with you as a back-up, and carry that one on the plane. Make sure to pack extra bubble wrap, tape, shipping labels, and pair of scissors for the return trip. Coach: If your car won’t accommodate your roundest friend, strap it to the roof. We have found that HoopStraps do a great job in a pinch, but bungee cords will also work. If you love your hoops, we recommend wrapping them ahead of time in paper or fabric- many a winged insect will meet their fate up there. Just sayin’. LED Fireflys, or other Hoopnotica LED: Train: Curl it up, sling it over your shoulder. Make sure the battery is charged ahead of time, and that you remember your charger. Plane: Follow directions above, and carry it on. You definitely DON’T wanna lose this amazing hoop! TSA tip: make sure to have the battery with you and handy at all times- sometimes security guards want to see that it truly is what you say it is. When you get to your seat, your Firefly will fit easily in the overhead compartment of the plane. Coach: Curl it up, sling it over your shoulder, stick it in the trunk. Make sure the battery is charged ahead of time, and that you remember your charger. If you think it is going to be too hot in there, bring her into the cab, and buckle her in. Mini Hoops: Train: If they don’t fit in your bag, sling em over one shoulder. You might consider tying them together, or using a HoopStrap to carry them. Plane: Easily fit in the overhead- why run the risk of checking them? You can always hit up Target for items if your hoop is lost, but you’ll have a hard time replacing your minis! Coach: These puppies are easy- pack ‘em anywhere. Don’t forget the roadside hoop sessions! Hybrid, or other kid-sized hoop Train: Carry it on your shoulder, tuck it against any available wall. Plane: Because it is too large to pack and too small to check, this is the trickiest of all travelers. The fact is, TSA just doesn’t know what to do with this one. It won’t fit on the belt for screening, and doesn’t appear to be dangerous… but how will it fit on the plane? Answer: have confidence that it will slide right behind the last seat in any section of the plane, or they can put it in the first class coat closet.  Go forth and conquer: it is a matter of finding the security guard/flight attendant that believes in you. Really; where there is a will, there’s a way. If that doesn’t work, feign tears, claim the hoop is your profession and livlihood ("I won't SURVIVE my family without it!") Coach: trunk or back seat. The TravelHoop is the best way to go. Conveniently offered at most CVS stores across the WHOLE country beginning 12/15, if you are in a pinch, you can always grab one on the road. And tell ‘em Gabriella sent ya.   HOOPER OF THE MONTH Nominate yourself or a friend to be Our Favorite Hooper! Send us a pic and your story HERE. If we choose your story, we'll send you out a beautiful Limited Edition Hoop! This video says so much about the potential for a healing Hoop practice. I, like so many of you, have truly been touched both spiritually and emotionally by my experiences in my hoop. This video was circulated and sent to me by a tearful co-worker. Hoopnotica is honored to name Lissa hooper of the month. We celebrates you, Lissa... an average-skilled Hooper with am above-average style and grace, using her hoop to find movement and joy in her life. We ALL can relate to your feelings, knowing that everyone at some point gets overwhelmed by the world around us, and it can threaten to take us down. Our hooping practice, and community, can truly "bring us back to center" as a way that Western Medication cannot rival. Hoopnotica loves you Lissa! You are an inspiration and a LOVELY dancer. Thank you, thank you, thank you....

HELLO BEAUTIFUL HOOPERS Its all about YOU, my friend. Recently, I have taken a real interest in our Facebook page- if you are not signed up as a fan, I suggest that you consider it. This last month was almost side-splitting as stories of hooping bloopers and pics of girls hooping on trampolines rolled in. It's absolutely one of the most fab uses of Facebook I have ever witnessed. We're running a contest this month for a $50 gift certificate: Submit your holiday travel photo on (planes, trains, and automobiles!) and enjoy how uniquely wonderful it is to be a part of this wonderful community. Post them directly to our Facebook page and we will announce a winner on December 15. As the winter sets in, it becomes more and more challenging to motivate, right? Even now, as I sit in my hotel room in New York, I have no desire to go outside. Luckily, there is a hoop group meeting INSIDE later this afternoon... POOF! Excuse-be-gone. Wherever you are in the world, there is likely a place to gather and hoop. Look online, join FaceBook... and don't let the season be an excuse you use to put your practice on hold. The Holidays are right around the corner; your hoop is your partner in staying positive, cool, and collected. Because in the end, it's all about YOU. Happy Hooping! Gabriella Redding CEO & Hoopmamma   THE SCOOP Hoopnotica Kids UNITE! Because it's all about (little) you, too! Teaching kids Hoopnotica is fun and easy. Embrace the family holiday parties this year with a fun way to bring the family closer  together- there is nothing better than a good ole fashioned family hoop off! Plus it's a great way to wait for the bird, or to help it all digest after your meal (before collapsing in front of the tube for a few hours of the Twilight Zone Marathon)! Check it out! We feature great KidTribe DVD's (featuring MissKellee), and kid- size hoops on our rockin' new shopping experience, just for kids! We'd love to see more pictures of little hoopers this holiday season; look for contests on Facebook, or nominate your favorite little one for Hooper of the Month!   WHAT'S HOT NOW INTRODUCING THER HOOPEROLOGY COLLECTION! Stay tuned for the year of the Hooper; an astrology-inspired journey into a collection that makes YOU the center of the universe; quite literally! This month we present to you The Sagattarius, as a tribute to our CEO Gabriella's upcoming birthday! We will be releasing a special hoop honoring each subsequent sign the month before their stars align into place...Happy Birthday, to all our upcoming Sag Hoopers! NEW CLASSES! Hoopnotica studio now holding classes 5 days / week in our Marina Del Rey/ Venice, CA in our Pop-Up Studio! Click here to see the schedule! TEACHER TRAINING Classes are being planned all over the globe! Here's a preview of the schedule, for more info click here!

HELLO BEAUTIFUL HOOPERS Last month was so stressful, that I began fantasizing about moving to a remote town in the middle of nowhere, changing my name to Sally Ann, and working in a local truckstop and / or burger joint. My circumstances are not all that different from anyone else; we ALL have stress in our lives, right? Along with those stresses, I am sure we all have our own "happy place" we can escape to. Mine just happens to include a cute pink uniform and a plastic name tag. My world got better when I saw a sign (literally- it was on a bus stop): Breathe as you chop. Relax as you sautee. Let your baking be blissful. Enjoy each meal with your family by letting each step be a joy; not a chore. I remembered how much I love to cook, and how little time I had spent doing just that over the past few weeks. Chopping vegetables, as silly as this may sound, actually relaxes me. There are many things that I like to do, but wasn't making the time to do. In this way, I was cutting myself off from enjoying my life, and making excuses out loud about "how stressful" this and "I hate" that. Often times, life is about the story we tell ourselves.... we create our own realities. This month I encourage you all to find happiness in what could otherwise be interpreted as "work". Whether it is chopping vegetables, or shopping for office supplies... enjoy the process. If you are looking for another way to calm your mind and spread happiness through your world, look no further than your hoop! Take it for a spin, and remember how simple life's pleasures can be. Happy Hooping! Gabriella Redding CEO & Hoopmamma   THE SCOOP Heart & Soul magazine features a Hoopnotica Workout spread starring our own Hoopnotica Master Trainer, Jocelyn Gordon. Jocelyn is conducting a number of teacher trainings throughout 2010 / 2011. Click here to check the schedule! The South Florida Sun Sentinel featured a story on hooping which quoted our master trainer, Jocelyn Gordon. Celeb trainer and fitness personality wrote about Hoopnotica in an article about hooping for weight loss on Examiner.com. The Harvard Post wrote an article on the hooping trend that featured hooper Heidi Delisle, who is spreading the hooplove through Massachusetts and beyond. Pegasus News shares a video of Hoopnotica certified instructor  / Studio Hoopnotica director Jackie Hesley hosting a Hoopnotica Hoop Jam in Texas CalorieLab.com featured Hooping as a great way to burn calories and whittle your middle. Hooping works for losing inches and shedding fat! We are actively looking for teachers to support the growing demand for Hoopnotica classes. If you are interested in Teacher Trainingprograms, please let us know!! We have opportunities both Domestically and internationally.   WHAT'S HOT NOW Check out the newest Limited Collection inspired by late Summer nights and hot desert blooms : Introducing the Nightblooming Jasmine and the Desert Rose! Get 'em while they're HAUTE! We are SO excited to announce the release of our final installment of Hoopnotica DVD instruction- number 4! Get ready to kick it up with -Angled Arm Weaving and Spins -Angled Corkscrews -The Barrel Roll -The Vortex -The Drop Out ...and so much more! This 45 minute program is an inspirational tool for Hoopers who are practicing at an intermediate level, and are looking for new and challenging additions to their practice*. Using these new skills, you will find yourself burning upwards of 600 calories an hour, without really thinking of your practice as a “workout”. Sound like fun? It IS. Buy it NOW In the Master Hooper Set! Or  HERE on it's own HOOPY HALLOWEEN CONTEST Hey Hoopers - we have another fun contest for you! Hoopnotica is looking for the best Halloween costume incorporating hoops! Upload your Halloween pictures to our Facebook page. Email your submissions to pr@hoopnotica.com on or before Sunday, November 7th. We'll post the photos to a Halloween album, and then our fans will vote on their favorites throughout the month. We'll announce the winner in December's Hoopscoop Newsletter. The happy hooper will be rewarded with a limited edition of his or her choice. HOOP HAPPENINGS October 10th - World Hoop Day is tomorrow, Click here for a list of events happening across the globe! October 20th - Tune in to Access Hollywood's new show, AH Live, to see Hoopmamma on TV! TEACHER TRAINING October 16th & 17th  -Level 1 & Level 2 in Miami, FL October 23rd & 24th - Level 1 & Level 2 in Carrboro, NC November TBD - Level 1 & Level 2 in Los Angeles, CA. (On-Line Sign up Coming Soon!) December 11th & 12th - Level 1 & Level 2 in Honolulu, HI January 22nd & 23rd 2011 -Level 1 & Level 2 in Baltimore, MD February 5th, 6th & 7th 2011 - Levels 1,  2 & 3 in Philadelphia, PA February 26th, 27th & 28th  2011- Levels 1, 2 & 3 in Nuneaton, UK February / March 2011 - Berlin, Germany. Dates and location to be announced!   HOOPER OF THE MONTH Name: Babette Granone Rickard Location: Lomita, California Occupation: Super Mom and MS Society Supporter Bio: California nativie, Babette is 42 years old, married and happily hooping it up in Lomita, CA. She is married with a 16 year old son, Tanner. Favorite Song to Hoop to: "White Rabbit" - by Latin Headhuntrz How She Started Hooping: Babette recently participated in a cross county road trip with her best friend to bring awareness and to find a cure for Multiple Scolorisis. They had never hooped before but thought it would be fun to buy hoops, and on their trip, make stops along the way to hoop it up, and make contact with the MS support offices in different cities. Being a survivor of MS herself, she finds it difficult to follow though with her health and fitness goals due to dibilitating symptoms and side effects. Suprisingly, Hoopnotica's classes and DVDs have needed only a few modifications to make hooping fun for her. The hoops are sized just right for comfort and ease. Babette is proud to say her Hooping for MS Awareness trip was a great success! She's getting pretty good at hooping, getting in shape, and having a blast doing it! Hooping Goals: To create a Hooping class for the MS Society Favorite Hoop: Hoopnotica's Hybrid. It's smaller and lightweight so it fun and easy to do tricks Fun Hoop Facts: Babette likes to hostess hoop parties in her huge backyard where 30 hoopers can all spin at the same time! Favorite Hoopnotica Teacher: Jackie Hesley from Studio Hoopnotica.

HELLO BEAUTIFUL HOOPERS My Summer travels have brought me to Italy on a vacation with my family. Weaving in and out of piazzas, eating everything under the Tuscan sun... friends, I must admit that I have eaten gelato every single day for the past two weeks! The ONLY thing that is keeping me from blowing up like a balloon is my Travel Hoop. I break it out once or twice a day, and twirl to the sound of any music I can find; I love hoopin' to a good "squeeze box" (accordion); or the sound of church bells in the distance as I hoop it out in front of the pizzeria before dinner. Fortunately, I brought a second hoop along with me on my travels, and have been able to share the love with others who have never seen our style of hooping before. Ahhhhh.... che bella! And back at home... We're thrilled by the overwhelming support of our recent So You Think You Can Dance "National Dance Day" Facebook video challenge. Congratulations to Super-Hooper and Hooper of the Month Emily Belke for winning with over 130 votes on her fabulous Hoopnotica video. We are very inspired by Emily's talent and enthusiasm for Hoopnotica. Way to go, Emily!  THANK YOU to everyone who participated, we enjoyed watching each and every one of your submissions. Watch Emily hoop it up below. Based on the success of the National Dance Day contest, we are excited to announce a new contest this month - "Where's the Hooper?" -  and this time there will be FIVE prizes. Read all about it below- good luck! Arrivederci friends, and remember what HoopMamma says: Travel with your TravelHoop, and you can eat all the gelato you want! Stay tuned for my "End of Summer Slim Down" next month, just the same...! Happy Hooping! Gabriella Redding CEO & Hoopmamma THE SCOOP July brought tons of great press to the Hooping community! Shape Magazine featured a story on Marisa Tomei's new HoopBody Hoop and DVD. Congrats to Marisa - she learned from the best (us!). The New York Times featured Hoopnotica Certified Instructor Sheryl Wilson's Fitnotic Post-Natal Hoopnotica class in a story about fitness activities for new moms. If you are ever in the New York City area, be sure to drop in on one of Sheryl's classes! The Mayo Clinic released a story on the health benefits of hooping. AOL's "Thats Fit" blog featured a write up on the Hoopnotica workout, and Fit Bottom Girls did the same! The Arlington Connection featured Hoopnotica Master Instructor Jocelyn Gordon's class in Gateway Park. The Shreveport Times featured Laurel Richie's Hoopnotica class at Lotus Studios in Shreveport, LA. A Hoopnotica Garden was the main attraction at Hollywood hotspot, Palihouse, exclusive "Hotter Than July" events. Photos and event coverage can be found on The Daily Truffle and on Huffington Post. Joys Jam covered our National Dance Day contest with a lovely write up. Thanks for the support! WHAT'S HOT NOW Hoopnotica is offering a variety of discount packages to suit the needs of every hooper. Pick up a Start Hooping Now package for the future hooper in your life. Know an expecting mom? Give her a Preg-O Pregnancy Fitness E-Booklet. Want to give Minis a spin? Pick up our Complete Hooper package. All of our packages offer significant savings from our a-la-carte pricing! WHERE'S the HOOPER? Based on the huge success of our National Dance Day video contest, we've decided to bring another fun and challenging contest, "Where's the Hooper?" So - here's how it works: Hoopnotica has cleverly hidden the above pictured blue & black "Hooper Girl" logo throughout www.hoopnotica.com. Hooper Girl can be found on 6 separate pages of the new and improved Hoopnotica website. We won't give you any clues - you have to comb through our site to find her! The first 5 hoopers to email all six links / screenshots to pr@hoopnotica.com will win a free HOOPER tank top and Hoopnotica water bottle. We will announce the results in next month's HoopScoop. Ready, Set, GO! SHARE THE LOVE! There has never been a better time to train with us! Become a Certified Trainer, and join our team! Mark your calendars for the below Teacher Trainings. Additional dates and cities are being added regularly! Upcoming teacher Trainings •    August 14th - Washington D.C. Teacher Training - get certified in our nation's capitol. (One 1 space left!) •    September 11th & 12th - Rochester Teacher Training - spaces are filling up quickly! •    September 25th & 26th Chicago Teacher Training - a fantastic training in a great city. •    September 25th & 26th Dover, NH (Boston) Teacher Training - our newest on the books! •    October 16 & 17 in Miami, FL - Miami, need we say more? •    October 23& 24, Carrborro, NC Teacher Training - Check out the fantastic space Hoopdrum Flowjo HOOPER OF THE MONTH Nominate yourself or a friend to be Our Favorite Hooper! Send us a pic and your story HERE. If we choose your story, we'll send you out a beautiful Limited Edition Hoop! Name: Emily Belke Location: Wisconsin Occupation: Student at Roosevelt University (International Studies major/Poli Sci minor) Favorite Hoop: Pink & Gold travel hoop for going to the beach/park, but I can't wait to get a Malibu Dream! Favorite Song to Hoop to: "Candyman" by Christina Aguilera How She Started Hooping: An old housemate of mine was a hooper. I had no idea what the body could do with a hula hoop. After watching my housemate play with her hoops, I decided to make a few of my own and practice.  I never thought I'd be able to do it since I'm not athletic, graceful, or coordinated, but I loved it too much from the start to ever give up on it. Other fun hoop facts: I try to get at least one person to try out the hoop each day. I've helped roommates, neighbors, and strangers with hooping, and it's prompted me to save up for Hoopnotica instructor training. Almost nothing can make me happier than hooping. I'm also super excited that my National Dance Day video inspired my mom to get in the hoop! Other fun hoop fact: I give all my hoops names!

HELLO BEAUTIFUL HOOPERS July is all about Independence, Fireworks, Family, and good old American fun. The Hula Hoop is the ultimate symbol of classic Americana, and what better way to celebrate your patriotism than by enjoying a healthy Hoopnotica practice. In the spirit of celebrating hometowns across America, we are proud to introduce our brand new “Staycation, Baby” collection of limited edition hoops. Hoopnotica named these three hoops for neighborhoods in and around our hometown of Los Angeles. Pick up a new limited edition to enjoy in your backyard or at your favorite beach or park this summer. Team Hoopnotica is excited to announce the return of some of your favorite limited edition hoops. Each month, we'll open the Hoopnotica Vault to bring you a hoopy blast from the past, available in limited quantities of just 100. This month's featured hoop is the Belle Aire! Click here to get yours before they're all gone! Happy Hooping! Gabriella Redding CEO & Hoopmamma   THE SCOOP Health Magazine featured a six page Hoopnotica workout in it’s July / August issue.  Our Stargazer limited edition hoop is pictured throughout.Pick up our Level 1 DVD to learn all of these moves and more! Better TV featured celebrity trainer Andrea Metcalf practicing Hoopnotica with our CEO, Gabriella Redding in Central Park. The Los Angeles Times pictured hooper Diana Hobstette showing her Independence Day spirit at the Santa Monica Fourth of July Parade. Our “American Girl” hoop is pictured!   Hoopnotica Certified Instrucor, Melodye Wintermute’s  hoop fitness classes were featured in the OC Register! Check out uber-cool blog Squirrel Hobbies, who covered our Grand Opening event with a fabulous photo montage. Our partnership with HealthCorps is still going strong. Please continue to support this partnership through the purchase of a branded HealthCorps Hoop. Look hot in the hoop this summer, AND support a great cause! We are actively looking for teachers to support the growing demand for Hoopnotica classes. If you are interested in Teacher Trainingprograms, please let us know!! We have opportunities both Domestically and internationally.   WHAT'S HOT NOW Meet Malibu Dream, Topanga Daze, and the fabulous Belle Aire, back from our “vault collection” in a limited editon of just one hundred. HOOP HAPPENINGS Hoopnotica studio now holding classes 6 days / week in Marina Del Rey! Click here to see the schedule!   July 11^th - Hoopnotica is hosting a Hoop Jam afterparty for the LA Hoopers event on Saturday. Come to our studio in Marina Del Rey for drinks, snacks, and glow hooping once the sun goes down!  RSVP here! July 17th & July 20th  - Hoopnotica is hosting Miss Rosie’s workshop, “Opening to Your Grace - Exploring Physical Freedom & Expression
for Hoopers & Fire Dancers” on July 17th and 20th at our studio in Marina Del Rey, CA.  Sign up soon as space is limited! NEW - L.A. Teacher Training: We are hosting a Level 1 & Level 2 Teacher Training and certification at our brand new Los Angeles studio on July 31^st and August 1^st. Click here to reserve your spot, very few are left!   More Teacher Training Opportunities: July 24^th and 25^th in Nuneaton, UK; August 14^th in Washington D.C. and August 21^st and 22^nd in Seattle, WA. Reserve your spot now – we expect to sell out!   HOOPER OF THE MONTH Nominate yourself or a friend to be Our Favorite Hooper! Send us a pic and your story HERE. If we choose your story, we'll send you out a beautiful Limited Edition Hoop! Name: Niki Leondakis Location: San Francisco and Kimpton Hotels worldwide! Occupation: CEO, Kimpton Hotels Favorite Song to Hoop to: “Wipe Out” by the Surfaris How She Started Hooping: At Kimpton's annual general managers meeting, new employees must stand in front of a room of colleagues and compete in a "hoop off" as the song "Wipe Out" plays in the background. One year, Kimpton hired a hula hoop expert to teach the staff. Ms. Leondakis was so inspired after an hour-long lesson that she went home and continued practicing. "I thought I was fit but I woke up the next morning and my abs were so sore," she says. She now supplements her workouts, which include running, weight training and yoga, with hula hooping four times a week. – as quoted from The Wall Street Journal

HELLO BEAUTIFUL HOOPERS Summer officially begins this month, temperatures are rising, and celebs and fitness fanatics are taking to the hoop to look hot this summer. Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Aniston were spotted having a hoop-off in Hawaii, Oprah.com wrote about Hoopnotica as a fun outdoor fitness activity, Good.is interviewed HealthCorps students about Hoopnotica’s fitness curriculum, and InStyle Magazine recommends Hoopnotica as one of the best ways to look great in a Bikini this summer. The Hoopnotica office is buzzing with new developments. We are proud to announce that we’re opening the first ever Hoopnotica Studio in Los Angeles, CA. Having our very own studio space means that we can host Hoopnotica classes 7 days a week! If you’re interested in attending, or if you are a Hoopnotica certified instructor who wants to host your class at our studio, visit our “classes” page for more info. Our partnership with HealthCorps is still going strong. Hoopnotica has participated in several “Highway to Health” festivals over the past few weeks. We love bringing the joy and fitness benefits of Hoopnotica to teens and families across the country.  Please continue to support this partnership through the purchase of a branded HealthCorps Hoop. Look hot in the hoop this summer, AND support a great cause! Keep Hooping! Gabriella Redding CEO & Hoopmamma THE SCOOP InStyle Magazine featured Hoopnotica as one of the "10 Ways To Look Great in a Bikini" Us Weekly pictured Marisa Tomei hooping with her Hoopnotica TravelHoop. She learned from the best! (us!) Our Preg-O hoops were featured in the Café Mom Blog. Good.is filmed our HealthCorps Hoopnotica Hoop Jam at Canoga Park High School. Andrea Metcalf wrote about Hoopnotica in her Oprah.com blog! Seventeen Magazine posted a video of Hoopnotica CEO Gabriella Redding doing Hoopnotica in their offices on our recent NYC press tour. Healthy Bitch Daily wrote about Hoopnotica's fabulous health and fat burning benefits. Hot and Healthy Living wrote about doing Hoopnotica for a flat stomach. Business Makers Radio interviewed Hoopnotica CEO Gabriella Redding.   WHAT'S HOT NOW The HealthCorps Hoop This year, we've chosen to work with Dr. Oz. and his non-profit HealthCorps^®. In addtion to fundraising on efforts on behalf of the organization, Hoopnotica classes will be offered at HealthCorps high schools across the country. All proceeds from the sale of this specially designed hoop go to HealthCorps^®. This hoop also includes the DVD of your choice. You can choose from Beginning Level 1 or 2, or our Intermediate Level 3 DVD. Bring the joy of Hoopnotica to high schools around the country and get yourself a super cute hoop while you're at it.   HOOPER OF THE MONTH Nominate yourself or a friend to be Our Favorite Hooper! Send us a pic and your story HERE. If we choose your story, we'll send you out a beautiful Limited Edition Hoop! Name: Emily Millen Hooper Since: 2009 Age: 23 Location: Los Angeles, CA Occupation: HealthCorps Coordinator Favorite Hoop:The HealthCorps hoop of course! Favorite Song to Hoop to: I work in a high school, so we've all got Beiber Fever “I first got started hooping when Hoopnotica came to my health fair that I put on as part of my job as a HealthCorps Coordinator at Canoga Park High School. It's a great workout and the perfect alternative to the mundane P.E. class exercises that all my students hate. I purchased a bunch of hoops for my students and implemented "Hooping Wednesdays", where we take the hoops outside during lunch on Wednesday and hoop with a DJ spinning jams for us. The kids LOVE it, and they'll follow me around campus asking to go grab the hoops out of my office. They're definitely a hit at my high school. I'm all for anything that gets my students moving!” I'm so honored to be hooper of the month! Hooping is such a great way to connect with my students, which is definitely my favorite part of it. Also, my mom once won a hooping contest at summer camp and my little dachshund Stewart's favorite trick is to jump through a hoop for treats, so hooping clearly runs in the family!