Everyone Just Wants You to be YOU

Caterpillar: Whooo...arrrre...youuuu? 

Alice: Why, I hardly know, sir. I've changed so much since this morning, you see... 

Caterpillar: No, I do not C, explain yourself. 

Alice: I'm afraid I can't explain myself, you see, because I'm not myself, you know. 

Caterpillar: I do not know. 

Alice: I can't put it any more clearly, sir, because it isn't clear to me. 

Who are you? Figuring out who you are is what life is all about. For some of us it comes earlier than others. It can be painful, enlightening and confusing as we are figuring out our true path in life. At The Spin Summit in Colorado I found myself telling people over and over, "Everyone just wants you to be YOU!" I constantly tell myself that! Remind yourself regularly that the most important thing about life is to be truly yourself and no one else. But who are you? That's where it gets tough. At events like the Spin Summit, just like at many other prop manipulation retreats, it can be unnerving to be around so many other hoopers, fire spinners, performers and circus freaks. It's scary to get up in front of people who already know every trick you're about to pull out of your hat. Scary, yes but also makes us push ourselves and makes us better at what we do. It raises the bar. Not to mention being around so many talented people gives us inspiration and much needed outside influence. Giving us new ideas, new skills, new friends and new opportunities for collaboration. Even though in our own mind it might be scary, everyone around you just wants you to be you. And not only be yourself but to SHINE! Own it! There is nothing as amazing as watching someone else be themselves to their fullest potential. I think Marianne Williamson says it best in this quote:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others" - Marianne Williamson

Yoga on the grass with Tina Porter

Hoop Burlesque Class at Spin Summit

Spin Summit was profound. It came at this time in which I am changing and feeling much transformation. I was highly sensitive to all of the amazingness around me :) I was fortunate enough to take emPOWERment Yoga with Tina Porter outside on the grass. She was an excellent teacher. Breathing in the Colorado air, smelling the grass, hearing the birds, feeling the wind and the sun on my skin. It was exactly what I needed in that moment. Walking away from it reset and restored, I felt a type of elation that I am not sure I have felt before. Going from that into Emma's (Kenna Hoops) workshop allowed for some pretty epic hoop revelations. She is amazing. Hopefully I will host her in Southern California one day so she can share her epicness with my local hoop community. I was also given the opportunity to help her students in the back who weren't catching on right away. She was teaching some pretty complicated moves and I was there to help :) That afternoon made me want to write poetry. I was full of words that were bursting out of me. This is what I wrote: "Movement, play, yoga, dance, hoop (LOADS of new moves!) outdoors, grass, wind, trees, birds, breathe, sun, smile, connecting, sharing, learning, playing, teaching, laughing and my mind, my body, my heart is SINGING! Blisssss." 

Hoop Burlesque Class Performing & Rocking It!!!

Both my workshops were great! I taught Hoop Burlesque and Belly Hoop Fusion to some truly fabulous women. The hoopers in my burlesque class were so excited by the routine I taught that they had the idea to perform it in the showcase. I thought that was a lovely idea and we made it happen! Only one day after spending one hour trying something as challenging as hoop/clothing manipulation, these brave women joined me on stage in front of about 100 of our peers. These women rocked it and their bravery inspires me! It has become very clear to me that I have taken on the role as someone who gives people performance opportunities. I do it at home in San Diego with students and troupe members and I also do it nationally at conventions like these!

Hoop Burlesque at "Knickers for Knockers"
Photo by Albertine Feurer-Young

I had fun doing a Hoop Burlesque solo in the show and shocking everyone, just a little bit :) I felt like I was representing the Burlesque community at that event so I truly brought it. If that was these people's first or only experience with Burlesque I wanted it to be something truly memorable. I feel good about it! HERE is a new video from a Hoop Burlesque performance I did in April for the Bourbon Dames Burlesque Breast Cancer Fundraiser "Knickers for Knockers." 

Baxter's Workshop

On the last night of Spin Summit, in the middle of a thunder, lightning, rain and HAIL storm (!!!) Baxter of The HoopPath led us in a blindfolded dance/movement/flow journey. His workshops are always mind opening and this one was no different. If you ever have a chance to experience his magic, please do. I was moving in ways that I never do and it was refreshing. It was weird. Sometimes weird is good. It was a unique experience because everyone at the retreat was there. The poi spinners, contact jugglers, everyone. We were all led on a journey through movement, music and Baxter's philosophy. So much amazing energy! We connected and shared something in that room that can not be described unless you were there. I will now be referring to that night as the "download of the century." We cosmically downloaded straight from the source. It was pure magic.  

Dixon

Right after Baxter was Dixon's violin. Whew! I am not sure if I have ever hooped like that before. There was a safe, supportive container created that was perfect for spontaneous creation. Despite my body's fatigue from traveling, hooping, performing and moving for about 6 days straight (I vended and performed at Cairo Caravan right before I went to Colorado), I hooped my heart out for two full hours! First with Baxter's lead and then to Dixon's amazing music. WOW! He is beautiful. He used a loop peddle and some other electronic devices to make some truly psychedelic, trippy beautiful sounds. So perfect to move to. I was drenched with sweat and feeling amazing by the end of it. I was reduced to tears more than once. 

Hooping on the World of Wonders stage
 in the boiler room!

Cairo Caravan on the Queen Mary went great! I had my hoop booth with Melodia Designs and it was lovely to reconnect with my belly dance family. I performed 5 times that weekend! Wowza! I was on the main stage, outside on the grass with both Danyavaad and Frank Lazzaro as well as on the World of Wonders stage inside the haunted bolier room of the ship. It was a really cool space to perform in and it felt like I was supposed to be there! HERE is a video of me with Frank Lazzaro and Cairo Beats. 

My next big adventure will be in Southeast Asia. I will be exploring Thailand and Singapore because of my fire gig at the Singapore Grand Prix before going to Hoop Camp in Santa Cruz. I will be gone for 6 weeks. Then I will be home for a month or so before I head to the UK to teach and perform at SWHoop and Fantasia. I have tentative plans to teach at the Maui Hoop Fest in February. 

LIFE IS GRAND! I AM SO GRATEFUL and I LOVE YOU!

Belly Hoop Dance at Cairo Caravan on the Queen Mary