Article: Ambassador Spotlight: Jeon Eun Seon

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Jan 22, 2025

Ambassador Spotlight: Jeon Eun Seon

I was born and raised in South Korea, a country in the East. From a young age, I had a passion for music and dance, performing at school and city festivals. However, because my parents believed it would be difficult to succeed in the arts, I spent my 20s working in fields far removed from my passions, even though I dreamed of becoming a choreographer. At that time, I lacked confidence, thinking there was no one to support me.

In my late twenties, I began to feel that my life lacked meaning, and I longed to live more fully. This realization pushed me to make a bold decision to break free from the stability of my life, much like the bird breaking free from its egg in Hermann Hesse’s Demian, where ‘the egg is the world. Whoever wants to be born, must destroy a world.’ This powerful message inspired me to challenge the life I had grown accustomed to and pursue a path that felt more authentic to me.

I successfully achieved my goal of becoming a professional pole dancer and instructor, but I often felt constrained by the competitive nature of the environment. While I still love pole dancing, I paused my career with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, I discovered the beautiful world of hoop dance online, which opened up a new chapter in my life. Since 2023, I’ve been working to grow the hoop flow community in Korea by gifting polypro hula hoops and offering free classes to spread hoop love. Currently, I’m also active as a hula hoop dance performer, and I’m excited to connect with this wonderful community.

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

The hula hoop has brought new energy into my life. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced me to pause my career as a professional pole dancer, which had been my greatest passion, leaving me feeling depressed and living a seemingly meaningless daily life. However, when I first experienced hoop dance online, it captured my interest and ignited a new passion within me.

For a few years, I struggled to fully immerse myself in the culture, feeling somewhat disconnected, until something special happened in the spring of 2023 — whether by fate or coincidence. I met my hoop idol and inspiration, Skyflowartist, in Korea. Seeing her flow in person and hearing her stories about hoop dance reignited my enthusiasm and gave me courage and hope. The beautiful bronze-colored polypro hoop from Hoopologie that she gifted me became a treasured symbol of this transformation.

Now, hoop dance has become a vital means of self-expression for me. Through hooping, I’ve become more flexible both physically and mentally, gaining confidence and creativity. I’m grateful to release my emotions through hoop dance and to connect with hula hoopers from around the world online. This journey has brought me joy, and I look forward to continuing to grow as both a hooper and a member of this amazing community.

How has the hoop/flow/circus/performer community made an impact on your life?

This community is incredibly special and has been a significant source of inspiration for me. I’ve learned so much from seeing people with diverse backgrounds come together to dance freely and express themselves through flow arts. Although the hoop community in Korea is still small, my friend, a female magician who is part of the hoop flow community in Korea, has given me practical support by offering me opportunities to perform on her stage and sharing exciting plans for future performances together. Her encouragement has been invaluable, helping me push my boundaries and grow as a performer.

Beyond personal growth, I also believe the flow arts community holds great potential for empowering women by creating job opportunities and fostering entrepreneurship. Many women, including myself, have discovered ways to turn their passion for hooping and flow arts into teaching, performing, and even launching businesses. This community not only nurtures creativity and expression but also supports financial independence and professional growth.

Thanks to this inclusive global flow arts community, I’ve not only expanded my skills but also connected with others who share the same love for hoop dance. I’m now passionate about introducing this joyful culture to more people, especially those who haven’t experienced hoop flow yet, and making it accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Whether through teaching, performing, or sharing my journey online, I hope to contribute to the growth of this beautiful community worldwide.

Who/what inspires you?

I draw inspiration from nature and people, especially my friends in the hula hoop community and the movements of talented artists in fields such as dance, music, and visual arts. When learning new moves or preparing for a performance, the music I love and my experiences in nature provide me with great motivation. Just like flowing water or wind, I strive to incorporate that same fluidity into my hoop dance and flow freely too.

What are you passionate about? What matters to you?

I’m passionate about self-expression and community building. Understanding myself more deeply through hula hooping and sharing that experience with others is important to me. I also find it meaningful to spread hoop culture and provide opportunities for people to enjoy and grow together, whether through classes, workshops, or community events. I hope many people around the world will be able to break free from comparisons and feelings of inferiority to discover the true value of hoop flow culture, gaining mental healing and physical health from it. Furthermore, I wish for people in my country, Korea, to experience more small moments of happiness and for the sad reality of having the highest suicide rate among OECD countries to improve. What matters most to me is creating a supportive space where people can come together, share, and grow, fostering a sense of community instead of judgment.

How do you define flow state? What does flow mean to you?

To me, the flow state means complete immersion and meditation. I believe it’s essential to have alone time each day. When I’m hooping, I lose track of time and feel as if the boundaries of space disappear, leaving just me and the hoop. All my worries and daily stresses fade away. Flow is a time of freedom, expression, and connecting with my true self. Lastly, three words that come to mind when I think of hoop dance are love, alone, together. It’s about finding love in both solitude and togetherness. So let’s embrace love, alone, together. ❤️

Written by Melinda Rider