Two kinds of hoop dance
Hoop dance means two different things. One is a Native American storytelling dance that goes back to the 1400s. The hoop has no beginning or end, so it stands for the never-ending circle of life.
In that tradition, dancers use many hoops, often made of reeds, to form shapes of animals like eagles, snakes and butterflies around the body. Tony White Cloud is widely credited with bringing the modern multi-hoop style to wide audiences starting in the 1930s. The Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona hosts the World Championship Hoop Dance Contest every year.
The other is a modern form of hula hooping danced to music. It grew out of the hula hooping of the 1950s and has very little in common with the Native American dance. They are completely different forms.
What flow looks like
Contemporary hooping is freestyle dance with the hoop as a partner or prop, usually done to music. It borrows moves from rhythmic gymnastics, belly dancing, fire dancing, hip-hop and salsa.
- The hoop travels up and down your torso, arms and legs.
- You dance to the music of your choice.
- The more you move your feet and raise your arms, the more energy you use.
Choosing a dance hoop
- Dance hoops are smaller and lighter, about 1 pound for professional hoops.
- A lighter hoop makes off-body moves easier but takes more skill at your waist.
- Some hoops have LED lights for a glow-in-the-dark effect. Fire hoops are for trained performers.