Hey beginner hoopers and hoopers-to-be: getchur hoop on this holiday season and new year! I am currently lining up my next six-week series of adult classes for January. Classes will either be a late-morning weekend time, or an early-evening weekday time. Feel free to email me at hoopingpowers@gmail.com with your preference, as I will take […]

Join us at the Palace of Wonders a week from tonight for San Fran’s fabulous songbird slash ukulele-slinger Tippy Canoe to kick off her east coast tour. I, Strange Powers, will be hooping it up whilst throwing down all kinds of delectable dance moves, along with the varied talents of Sarah Azzara, Kitty Victorian, and […]

As part of Performa ‘07, New York’s 20-day biennial of performance art, here’s a shot of 2 out of 20-something synchronized hoopers spinning it up for an hour on Chinatown rooftops. It reminds me of how revolutionary and exciting it felt to me as a kid watching the U2 video where they’re playing a […]

If you don’t already know about the gloriousness that is Glitterama, see and learn for yourself this Friday and Saturday night at the Load of Fun building located in Baltimore’s burgeoning Station North Arts District. Glitterama is a bedazzled fundraiser show for the awesome Fluid Movement community arts group. Come see 10 fabulous variety acts, including Strange Powers’ first non-hoop-dance performance in the city […]

Believe your eyes, this is actually a rather fuzzy but sweet shot of a real live praying mantis on a hoola hoop! My friends Paco, Trixie, Monkey and I were hooping it up one recent afternoon in Baltimore’s charming Patterson Park when we came upon this friendly, zen~ly fellow.

The modern hoola hoop whirl is definitely making its way throughout towns all across the world. This weekend was no exception, as I hooped with and for residents of the suburban mecca in Rockville, MD that is the King Farm Community.  Here’s a shot that photographer Deborah Stanley snapped of me while hoop~dancing the day away.  And for any King Farm folks who are reading […]

Hop on over to DC’s oddly charming Palace of Wonders this Friday night for another installment of Monsieur Paco’s ‘Vive La Decadence’ show, chock-full of faux French accents and fabulous vaudevillian variety. Yours truly, Strange Powers, will be spinning up two wonderful little hoop acts for your viewing pleasure. This $10 show starts at 10pm. […]

There are still 3 more Saturdays of hooping joy to be had in my adult classes taking place at the Load of Fun Studios. The building is at 120 W North Avenue intersecting with Howard (near the colorful bridge by MICA, across from Joe Squared Pizza). Here’s a picture of the view from the awesome […]

I think my toddling, nugget-of-a-nephew Elias may have some spinning competition based on several shots of my baby-friend Mackenzie’s recent hooping exploits. It just goes to show, you’re never too young (or too old!) to get into the sweet revolution~

I am pleased to announce a new and long-awaited series of adult hooping classes on the books in Baltimore set to begin at the end of this month. Sponsored by Fluid Movement, the classes are geared towards novice hoopers, and will cover the following topics: basic waist hooping, neck & limb hooping, transitions, traveling, levels […]

I am happy to see that more and more people are dropping the hula from hooping- and that many of those who are not are choosing to use the spelling ‘hoola’ instead of the more culturally appropriating ‘hula’ term. The two presumably white men from California who patented the ‘Hula Hoop’ in 1958 were said […]

The 2nd annual Virgin Festival which took place at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Track proved to be a thrilling and jam-packed, albeit swelteringly hot weekend for all. From The Police and the Wu-Tang Clan to Matisyahu and M.I.A., there was no shortage of stellar entertainment, and that includes HOOLA HOOPING! We got hundreds of concert-goers happily […]

Here’s a goofy shot from the 2007 Fluid Movement Water Ballet that took place just a few weeks ago in Baltimore City. I am hooping amongst my fellow canines, the Flying Basenjis! Check back in the next couple of weeks for info on my fall Baltimore hooping classes sponsored by the Fluid Movement Troop to […]

Considering what a fan I am of all things that sparkle and glow, it surprises me a bit that it’s taken me this long to hop onto and into the LED (light-emitting diodes) hooping bandwagon. I am thrilled to have this hoop to add to my fancy stock~ A big thanks to sweetheart Jules for […]

Here’s a delightful shot of my new lovebird friends Josh and Jess, embracing in a sweet moment with my gift of wedding hoola hoops in hand. For those of us already turned onto hooping, we know what a great present a hoop can be- but what’s an even BETTER gift, in my opinion, is TWO […]

The second annual and truly ginormous Virgin Music Festival is taking place this Saturday and Sunday (August 4 & 5) at the Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore, MD…but not without a wicked-fun & western-themed HOOLA HOOP CORRAL, to getchur spin on between your favorite bands. Look for me and a few other cowgirls and boys, […]

The lovely Philo Hagen of hooping.org, the ultimate online source for all things hooping, recently interviewed me about the Hooping Powers Revolution. Read all about my hoola hoop musings by clicking here, and please do leave a question or a comment if you are so inclined!

Here’s a sweet picture of a recent work of hoop art along with the artists (some of the young people I instruct at Joe’s) that built it. For those of you who work with small groups of youth hoopers, this can be a nice way to change the pace and encourage team work to put […]

Come on over to the swimming pool at Patterson Park (in Baltimore, MD) this weekend for Fluid Movement’s final run of this summer’s glittery water ballet hit, ‘War and Fleas,’ where you can catch ME as a hoola hooping canine from the wrong side of the tracks. Rather loosely based on Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace,’ […]

For all of you Baltimore hoopers looking to link up and hoop it up on this Saturday’s first annual World Hoop Day, come join us at the Inner Harbor from 3 to 5pm. Feel free to arrive earlier and/or to stay later than said block of time. Also taking place on Saturday will be the […]

The first annual World Hoop Day is fast upon us- in a week from today! This is a wonderful opportunity for all people to build both a global hooping community & more lasting local hoop groups. Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 7, 2007 (7-7-7) as World Hoop Day~ when you can know for sure […]

For those of you who are looking last minute for something special to do tonight, come on down to the freakiest bar in DC, the Palace of Wonders. Tonight marks the kick off of their new monthly French Cabaret, Viva La Decadance~ complete with ze fire performance of Silver Raven, ze very charming Monsieur Paco […]

I just had to share this hoop shot I spotted on the street the other day, from the clever animators over at Pixar, promoting their latest flick to be released this summer: Ratatouille. When I am teaching hooping to little ones, I usually strike up a discussion about all the places and things in life […]

Hooping Powers loves to get parties started the right way: by hoola hooping! Here’s a rather grainy camera phone shot from a recent backyard gathering of a gaggle of ten year old hoopers (and their accompanying moms who, too, were taken by the revolution!). I provide the hoops for party use (and have hoops on […]

Check out the Charles Village Festival in beautiful Baltimore this weekend for a whole lotta fun including a 5K run, parade, artist vendors, and yes, hoola hooping! There’s likely to be some local hooper action on Saturday afternoon- roughly between 3 and 6 pm. Feel free to comment on this post if you plan on […]