This past month us Baltimorans had the great fortune of having the Hoopgirl team (led by the incredible Candice Schutter and JennaLuna) grace us with their presence for the first-ever East Coast Teacher Training. It was truly an inspirational weekend full of positivity and LOVE for all. When I was still living in Seattle and had first discovered the neo-hooping movement around 2005, it was (pictured) Christabel “Hoopgirl” Zamor’s presence online that planted the seed of what would later become my current Mid-Atlantic hooping enterprise. One of the many things that stood out as exciting during the training was the emphasis on cooperation, collaboration, and community-building amongst different hoopers and hooping professionals over the less-than-desirable trait of competitiveness. It is, of course, open and smiling hearts that build bridges and collaborative creations and help more and more folks experience all the goodness within the revolution of the hoop. In addition, it’s also always just fascinating to see how other folks approach sharing their hooping knowledge, style & gifts with others- both the similarities and differences to one’s self. I am pleased to have Hoopgirl to add to my ever-growing list of sweet, sassy, & smart hooper-influences within our global hooping community~