Happy Hula Hoops: Morgan’s Teaching Journey

Hello fellow hoopers and flow artists alike! And  for those of you who are new to this spinsational world… welcome! I am a proud alumnus of the Hoola-Fit program and owner of Happy Hula Hoops, LLC. I was so fortunate to have been able to take part in Abby and Casandra’s very first Hoola-Fit Hoop Dance Teacher Training back in 2011. The program instilled the inner confidence that I needed in order to outwardly hoop shine to my fullest potential.

Since completing my Hoola-Fit certification, I have been able to share my personal joy of hooping with so many people through professional performances, custom hoop creations and of course, instructing basic and intermediate hoop dance in the Orlando, Florida area. I specialize in providing private hoop dance lessons on a one-on-one basis.

Over time, I found that while many people really enjoyed hula hooping, they just weren’t ready to step out into the world and hoop for all to see. Building hoop self-confidence is what I focus on with each of my students. It’s really a reciprocal learning process, and by paying attention to detail, I learn how to be a more effective instructor with every student that I teach.

For me, hula hooping is a way to share an expressive art form that translates outwardly from deep within oneself. Hooping is precious like a brightly shining pearl; it’s a way of life for me and to many of my fellow hoopers around the world. I was curious to find out what “hooping” meant to my students, so I asked for their participation in this blog post.

When I asked this of my very first student, Ashley Painter, she responded:

“Hula hooping has definitely helped me be more social. It has led me to making many new friends and reaching out and getting more involved with my community. It prompted me to start a club in my school as well as my local community and be much more social and able to put myself out there. Performing has also greatly raised my confidence. I used to be terrified to be up, in front of a crowd, but while hooping, it’s different.  Now, it’s one of my favorite things. I have also definitely seen the physical benefits. I’ve never been one to play sports or go to the gym, so finding something that is fun and a great form of exercise has been fantastic. I am now reaching out to other sources such as yoga and acrobatics to further tone my body to help with hooping. Hooping has become such a huge part of my life and a definition of who I am… I can’t imagine life without it.”

I am so incredibly proud of Ashley and her hoop transformation. Over the summer I had the amazing privilege of hooping with Ashley on stage at the House of Blues in Orlando. While on stage, I noticed how confident she was and how brightly she shines. Words can’t express how happy I am to witness her growth, and I am excited to see how her individual hoop path develops.

Another student of mine, Kristy Henns, expresses that, “Hooping really DOES make me happy!!” and I can’t agree with her more! Finding happiness through hula hooping is what started my personal hoop journey. My student, Jayme Mizelle, says “My hoop is my dance partner.”

One point that I teach is that the hoop leads you; you don’t lead the hoop. Once you’ve learned how your hula hoop interacts with your body, you can  then work with your hoop to do some pretty amazing things. I am very proud and grateful for each one of my students, past and present.  I am especially proud of their individual courage in trying something new and different.

You can learn more about my personal hoop journey by visiting my website and liking my page on Facebook.

If you have any questions or are interested in hoop lessons or getting a custom hula hoop of your own, please email: happyhulahoops@gmail.com.

Happy Hooping!
Morgan