Hooping it up

Remember the days when you could sway your hips and keep a hula hoop in motion with ease? But as an adult, it just falls to the ground in repeated tries.

That doesn’t have to be the case.

Sirkka Aho and Kate McClain, co-owners of Twirling Girlish, a hoop dance fitness instruction company, say this happens because children’s hoops are made from lightweight plastic and are smaller in diameter. Weighted hoops generally are easier to use because they rotate more slowly around the body.

The pair creates adult-sized versions using plastic tubing, vinyl tape for weight, gasket tape for grip and some sparkle for pizazz, making it possible for adults to hoop it up.

"We can make custom-made hoops, embellished with beach glass or with favorite color patterns. We worked out the design to make a hoop that everyone can manipulate," Aho said.

The $30 hoops are collapsible and come with a carrying case.

But Aho warns: "If you are afraid of looking silly, this is not your sport."

"You can expect to look silly for quite a while," McClain added. "It takes lots of practice."

The hoop rotates around the hips by using a front-and-back motion, not a circular motion. ("It can help to keep one foot forward," McClain said.)

Waist hooping burns about 7 calories per minute, or about 420 calories per hour. The additional movements in hoop dancing can burn 600 to 800 calories per hour.

Aho became fascinated with hula hooping after watching some YouTube videos on it about three years ago. She had worked for 14 years as a massage therapist but decided to give it a whirl.

"Once I started doing it, I was hooked. My belly flattened; my core became stronger. I’m more toned and younger-looking, so it’s making me happier and healthier."

McClain has 12 years of dance experience, with a focus on tap, jazz and ballet. "I really missed dance and couldn’t afford to go back, so I decided to try hoop dance. It’s very spirit-lifting and brings out the childlike nature in everyone," she said.

"The exercise is meditative. You need to be present, be in the moment or you will lose your hoop. It will just drop to the ground. We work out lots of things with the hoop — that’s how we got so good at it. It’s a great place to go if you are frustrated or angry. I have friends who do it at work during their breaks."

Both women can be found Sunday afternoons at Hoop Jam in Waikiki. The session provides a weekly opportunity to play, get exercise, learn new things, meet new people and, of course, hula hoop, according to Aho. Hoopers, acrobats, jugglers and other performers go to practice their skills and share their techniques.

During a recent Hoop Jam session, the ladies offered instruction on how to waist hoop, twirl a hoop in each hand above the head, and do some spins.

Melanie Pomerantz, 26, of Moiliili has been taking hoop classes for about a month.

"It’s kids’ play for adults," she said. "My ultimate goal is to be able to fire dance with the hoops. I have a long way to go. There are always new things to try."

Although she describes it as child’s play, hula hooping is not as easy as it looks. "My hips were completely bruised for the first couple weeks," she said.

Melanie Painter, who moved from Nashville, Tenn., to Waimanalo to work on an organic farm, said she always wanted to try hooping.

"I played around as a kid with a hula hoop and knew enough to keep it around my waist," she said. "Once I took a class, everything seemed to come together. I even bought a hoop so I can incorporate it into my daily life."

Painter hopes to devote at least 15 minutes a day to hooping to get in better shape.

"I can’t wait to go back next Sunday and show off what I have accomplished with the tricks they taught me this past week."

The Hoop Jam is a family-friendly event, according to Aho. "It’s a healthy activity for families. It’s fun to see parents giggle and laugh with their kids," she said. "Everyone’s smiling and looks 12 years old with Cheshire Cat grins on their faces. It definitely brings out a childlike joyfulness."