Ambassador Spotlight: Alicia (AKA @piggy.pi)

Alicia is a Chamoru woman who embarked on her hooping journey over a decade ago, discovering a powerful form of self-expression and joy. Recently diagnosed as autistic, she is learning to embrace her neurodiversity with love and acceptance. She resides in a charming small town nestled in the foothills of the Cascade Mountain range, where she shares her life with her husband and four wonderful children. When not hooping, she loves knitting and crocheting, working in her garden, and enjoys roleplaying games, both tabletop and online. 

How has the hoop changed your life? Who are you now that hooping is a part of your lifestyle?

I found hooping when I was at a really low place in my life. My brother had been sentenced to life in prison a couple years prior, it’s something that I don’t really talk too much about publicly, but that was the starting point for when my mental illness got a firm grip and I began to spiral downwards. It was right after I had my third child that I felt like I really wanted to do something to just get some movement into my life, exercise and get more healthy. I got this giant weighted hoop from Wal-Mart, and looked up how to use it on YouTube. From there, I found Babz Robinson, Isopuppy, Deanne Love, Emma from HoopingMad, Lisa Lottie. I could go on and on, but I was blown away by all of them. I just knew that this was what I wanted to do.

Last year, at age 37, I was diagnosed with autism and it really changed my life. And as I reflect on when I first picked up a hoop all those years ago, it really brings into focus just how much this art form has helped me. Back then, I didn’t have the terminology to say, “Spinning in circles while connecting with this prop is exactly the occupational therapy I need to help regulate my system.” But that’s exactly what it was doing, and continues to do now. I think about all the strange looks I would get outside of our community when I said things like, “Hooping has shown me how to be brave.” Or, “Hooping has given me the confidence to try new things.” It sounds silly, but it really has impacted me so much. It was like with every new skill with hooping that I unlocked, I would have a parallel breakthrough in my day-to-day life that had nothing to do with hooping. 

How has the hoop/flow/circus/performer community made an impact on your life? I love how diverse and beautiful this community is. Like I said, I found this space when I was in such a bad place, and to be greeted with nothing but love and genuine support was something that I truly needed. I was bullied quite a bit growing up and was raised in a very toxic home, so if I were to tell my younger self that one day, I would be posting videos of myself dancing with a hoop and no one would be calling me names or ridiculing me, I wouldn’t have believed it.

Something that I really love about our community is that I can connect with other hoopers online. Being around other people is a struggle for me, it always has been. Thanks to my diagnosis, I can really begin to understand why and have some self compassion that I didn’t have previously. You don’t have to be someone who goes to every festival, flies to every retreat, performs in front of thousands. Those are all good things, and there’s nothing wrong with being that person. In fact, sometimes I really wish that I was that person, but I’m not. I am an autistic woman who gets overwhelmed very quickly by other people and unfamiliar surroundings. So being able to connect with other hoopers over social media has been such a gift to me. Those artists who do this professionally are amazing and I am always dazzled by them. Hooping is definitely for them. But it’s also for us, the quiet ones who enjoy staying in the safety of our own backyards, rarely venturing out into the great wide world with our flow prop. Hooping is for all of us. And I love that we can all come together in this beautiful space to share our love of this art form.

Who/what inspires you? I'm inspired by nature in so many ways. There’s something magical about being outside on a beautiful, sunny day—it's like the world comes alive. The warmth of the sun on my skin instantly lifts my spirits, and it feels like an invitation to move. When I grab my hoop, it's as if I'm channeling the energy of the environment around me. The sounds of birds singing create a serene backdrop, their melodies blending seamlessly with the rhythm of my movements. It’s almost like a duet between my dance and their songs, each complementing the other. Watching the bees buzz from flower to flower reminds me of the beauty of diligence and harmony in nature. Their busy, purposeful movements inspire me to express my own joy and creativity through my dance. Every twirl and sway feels connected to the natural world, as if I'm a part of something larger. Dancing outdoors not only soothes my soul but also grounds me, reminding me of the simple pleasures that exist all around us. In those moments, I feel free and alive, a beautiful reflection of the vibrant life surrounding me.

What are you passionate about? What matters to you?

In recent years, I’ve been working really hard to connect with my indigenous ancestry. I’m Chamoru, our people are native to the Mariana Islands in the Pacific. My family comes from the island of Guåhan (Guam), which is currently a US colony. Something I’m passionate about is learning my ancestral language, which is in danger of going silent. In the early 1900’s, the US Navy enacted language laws on our island in an effort to force our people to speak English. They burned our dictionaries and banned speaking Chamoru, children were punished and sometimes fined for speaking their native language in schools.

Recently, there’s been a push to revitalize the language and I feel incredibly honored to be a part of this movement. Shout out to @lengguahita and @dihan.dabit on Instagram, our small group has been learning our language together for the past four years, and I’m incredibly proud of all the work they've done to put more Chamoru out into the world.

I’m also deeply passionate about autism acceptance. Since my children and I received our diagnoses, I’ve learned so much about our neurotype. Right now, it feels like autism is having a moment. Many people who fell through the cracks as children are getting diagnosed as adults, myself included.

I’ve been hesitant to speak on this subject due to the pushback from those who don’t understand, often dismissing it as just a trend among a few seeking attention online. To those who might roll their eyes, I encourage you to look up the suicide rates among autistic adults without learning disabilities; they are alarmingly high.

The reality is that I live in a society that is often too loud, too fast, too bright, and overwhelmingly overstimulating. Many of us receive negative messages suggesting we’re simply not trying hard enough to cope, which can feel hopeless and isolating, especially when we’re doing our absolute best. This is why I am so passionate about advocating for autism acceptance. If more people were willing to learn about what autism looks like in adults, we could find better ways to support and empower them, allowing us to celebrate our differences more fully.

How do you define flow state? What does flow mean to you? To me, flow is a state of forgetfulness. It’s a rich and powerful moment when I am so connected with my body and my space that everything else fades away, leaving me to focus solely on myself. It feels as if my prop has come to life, and I’m following its lead in our dance together. In these moments, I forget that I am a mother, a wife, a sister, or a daughter; I am simply me, existing in this space, feeling everything I need to feel and channeling that energy into my movement.   Follow Alicia on Instagram: @piggy.pi