Lolli Hoops in Maine!

As told by: Amanda Heath Walden

I went to my first Lolli Hoops workshop almost two years ago at HoopFest New England. I had only been hooping for a year and she blew me away with trick after trick, yet it was accessible to me as a beginner. She showed us things that I had never seen before and it completely expanded my mind with the possibilities of what you could do with a hoop. My brain was chock full and I couldn’t remember it all. So I took that workshop again during the retreat weekend and this time I took notes and some video footage so I could remember the moves and practice them when I got back home.

Fast forward to two years later and I was SO excited to hear that she was coming to Maine to teach another workshop! I knew to bring my clipboard this time so I could try to remember as much as possible.  

It was a sunny day and a pretty drive to Union, ME for the workshop. I’m bad at estimating, but it seemed like there were about 30 of us at the Thompson Community Center gymnasium.

Lolli Hoops

The workshop may have had the same title (Axis Twists & Flips), but the material was mostly new!  Lolli taught us only a few of the same tricks that she taught us in Summer 2011, and even with those same tricks that I had learned from her before, she had some variations to build on them.  I was amazed that she could teach us so many new tricks under the same class title!  I shouldn’t have been surprised, since she’s been hooping for 10 years!  Wow!

Her teaching style is fast-paced, but very clear and easy to learn from.  She showed moves from the front, back, and sides and would come around if you needed help.  She’s also very friendly and personable, making everyone at ease with her.  But what I love most is her innovative creativity with the hoop!  She does things with a hoop that I’ve never seen before in any videos or workshops.

We started out with a warm-up on the waist, but quickly found out it was not your typical warm-up when Lolli challenged us to hoop on one leg.  A few of the many things we played during the three-hour workshop were breaks, Z-spins and palm spins, coin rolls, chicken/cradle holds, and two beat weave variations.

I left with an overflowing brain, feeling like I have enough material to practice for months to come!

Currently, Lolli is fundraising for her upcoming performance and teaching opportunities at Burlesque Hall of Fame, Show Me Burlesque Festival, HoopCon, R2R, & SWHOOP!Any and All donations are welcome and you can learn more about donating here: Lollipalooza Fundraiser

Amanda Walden has been hooping for almost three years.  She started making hoops about seven years ago, but didn’t start learning hoop dance until May 2010.  Amanda is a hoop dance teacher, hoop maker, and hoop jam host with her business Spin Art in Bath, ME.  She’s also been a laughter yoga leader for the past three years, leading Laughter Yoga Club at Jai Yoga in Brunswick, ME on First Fridays encouraging people to bring more joy and play into their lives on a daily basis.  She runs a typing/transcription home business with her husband, Ken and homeschools her youngest son.