Columbia Hoop Troop is back on Facebook

Hey hoopers. After a year on hiatus and only meeting in conjunction with our sister group, the Columbia Hoop Hounds, I'm happy to announce that the Columbia Hoop Troop will begin meeting again for free-form open jams next hooping season! We have a brand new facebook page to help get the word out and keep in touch with Columbia Hoopers. As the season approaches, we'll have polls to help determine the best time, day of the week, and location for our jams, so make sure to 'like' us if you want to get the latest news and have your opinion heard!

Happy Hooping!

World Hoop Day--Intro to hooping

Hey, here is a quick video made for World Hoop Day on 11/11/11. The last half of the video shows new hoopers how to pick out a good starter hoop and gives an intro to waist hooping.







Happy Hooping!

Columbia Hoop Hounds Website

Our sister group, the Columbia Hoop Hounds, has a new website! www.ColumbiaHoops.com

All of their info and updates will be posted there.

Columbia Hoop Troop is still on hiatus and meeting only in conjunction with our sister group, so please go check out the Hounds.

CHT now has a sister group: The Columbia Hoop Hounds!

We are growing!

Because original CHT  founder abi is in China and founder Kalayna is bogged under book deadlines, Gina has started a more active sister group called the Columbia Hoop Hounds.

Find out all the current info and group happenings on FB @ https://www.facebook.com/HoopHounds

Summer Skill Shares/ Jams: June 2011

Columbia Hoop Hounds (sister group of the Columbia Hoop Troops) will be meeting for free skill shares and weekly jams every Tuesday from 6:30-7:30pm at the State House grounds during the summer months!

Want to see what all the hoop hype is about but have never hooped before? No problem, we've got plenty of hoops to share and will be more than happy to show you how! Have you been hooping awhile but are new to the area? Come join us! You'll find plenty of kindred souls in our group. Nothing makes our community more excited than to skill share with someone new. :)

Columbia Hoop Hounds

Tuesdays 6:30-7:30pm

State House Grounds- Sumter Street side

Summer Time Fun

~The Community Drum Circle and Hoop la Moves to the West Columbia Riverwalk~

The summer Gathering of drummers, dancers, and frolicking crazy fun peeps will commence every Friday at the WC River Walk, Cayce side of Gervais Street bridge. Bring your chair and grab a friend to relax, unwind, and give your music or hoop spinning a try. Everyone is welcome and extra hoops and drums are usually available. It's a family friendly event, so no excuses! Hope to see you there!

West Columbia River Front Park

Directly in front of the old New Orleans Restaurant

121 Alexander Rd, West Columbia, SC 29169 Gervais Street Bridge towards State Street

New Summer Schedule

Well, our South Carolina summer is in full swing and heating up. The highs have crossed the hundred mark a couple times, so we are pushing back Tuesday hooping to 7:30 until 9:00 pm to avoid to worst of the heat. We are still meeting on Tuesdays at Finley park in the grass near the stage (if it's raining, we'll be under the stage). Friday's Community Drum Circle will now be starting at 7:00pm and running until 8:30 at the West Columbia Riverwalk in the grass behind the old New Orleans Restaurant. We always bring extra hoops, but don't forget your water. Hooping is a workout, and, especially in this heat, it's important to stay hydrated.

Spring/Summer Hooping

Wow, look at the weather! It's regularly above seventy now (and above eighty too, it seems) so it is time to move the hoop troop gatherings back outdoors. The Tuesday jam will be moving to Finley Park downtown from 6:30-8:00. Look for us in the grass near the stage. Friday's drum circle and hoop-la will be returning to the Casey-West Columbia River walk from 6:30-8:00 pm. We'll be at the amphitheater near the entrance (just listen for the beat of the drums--you can't miss us.)

In good weather, these locations/days should be set for the whole summer, so grab your hoops and come join us!



(P.S. if you don't yet have a hoop, the troop members almost always bring spares you can borrow during the jam. If you are looking to buy a hoop, several of the troop members custom build hoops, so just ask us while you're there.)

St. Patty's Day Hooping

Today the Columbia Hoop Troop marched in the big Saint Patrick's Day parade down in 5points. Now, that was an experience--hooping and walking a parade! Everyone had a great time and we got a chance to expose hundreds of people to hooping. All around good times!


Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

Hoop Troop event at Home Depot

The Columbia Hoop Troop hooped at the Home Depot today for their "Continuing the Dream" community event. We jammed for about an hour and had a great time.

Thanks to everyone who came out to watch!

Winter Home

The Hoop Troop finally has a permanent winter home!

From today until it is warm enough to begin hooping outside again, the Tuesday Hoop Troop jams will be held at the Harbison Rec Center from 6:30 to 7:30pm in the Multi-Purpose room. (106 Hillpine Road Columbia, SC 29212)

Also, Gina and I will be teaching one new trick/move each week (and of course, you are always welcome to ask any member for help with a specific trick.) We are also considering adding some group activities/hooping games to the Tuesday jams. If you have something you'd like to try with the group, bring it!

~Kalayna

First Hoop Troop Meet of the Year

Hey Hoopers,

We haven't been able to secure a warm place for tomorrow's meet (1/5/2010) so unless someone speaks up with a spot, plan to meet at the Horseshoe at 5:30. If we find a space before the meet, we'll post, email, and call everyone we can.

Hope to see you all hooping in the new year!

~Kalayna

abi's Last Columbia Hoop Practice

Reminding everyone that Tuesday is abi's last meet-up with the Hoop Troop. He leaves for Thailand/China on the 29th and will be gone at least a year!

Please come join us this Tuesday at Harbison Rec Center (108 Hill Pine Rd) 6:30-8pm for a final farewell celebration and hoop-la. Just let the front desk know you are w/ the Hoop Troop and they will show you where to go.

Come on guys, abi co- created this network so let's be sure to send him off with lots of love!

-Gina

New Tuesday Hooping Location

Hey everyone,

Gina has managed to work out a deal so the hoop troop can winter indoors. (woohoo--go Gina) We will now be meeting on Tuesdays at Ben Arnold (it's a recreation center) from 6:30-8:00. The address is 1100 S Holly Street Columbia, SC 29205.

I hope you can all make it!
-Kalayna

About the Columbia Hoop Troop

The Columbia Hoop Troop was founded in Summer, 2009 by several local hoopers who wanted to see hoop dance take off in Columbia. The troop's mission is to expose the public to hoop dance and to encourage and nurture new hoopers. Our jams are held weekly and are open to the public. The troop members attempt to have extra hoops on hand during jams so anyone who wants to pick up the hoop has the opportunity. If you have any interest in hooping, ether for the opportunity of self expression, the amazing health benefits, or just because hooping is fun, we encourage you to check out our calendar and come out to a jam!

HOOP TROOP REGULAR/INFLUENTIAL MEMBERS

abi: Founding Member.


abi is one of the founding members of the Columbia Hoop Troop. He first discovered hoop dance at Dragon*Con 2008, and after returning home, became obsessed with it. That Christmas he made hoops for most of his friends and family, forcing them to learn hooping with him. Hooping was nearly non-existent in Columbia at that time, and it took time for him to find and assemble a core group of hoopers, but in Summer 2009, the Columbia Hoop Troop was officially formed.

Also during the Summer of 2009, he joined Alternacirque as a hoop dancer and began performing. Later that year, he abandoned the hoop troop to travel abroad. We are trying not to hold it against him.

Kalayna Price: Founding Member

Kalayna was originally roped into hooping by abi in February of 2009. While initially reluctant--and probably one of the slowest to learn waist hooping--she soon fell in love with hooping for its child-like fun, health benefits, and the social aspect of gathering to hoop. Before the official formation of CHT, she and abi organized weekly open jams on USC campus, pulling in friends, passerbys, and anyone else they could convince to pick up a hoop.

As an author, Kalayna tends to be invited to interesting places and usually takes her hoop with her in the hope of exposing more people to the joys of hooping. Because of this, she's become quite adept at hooping in heels, skirts, boots, and even corsets.







Gina Wolfe: Founding Member

Gina began hooping in May, 2009 when she found hoops in a field during a festival. A month later, she attended Hoop Path, and she was more than just hooked. She connected with abi and Kalayna at one of their open jams. She was the one who pushed for the Hoop Troop to become organized rather than a random meet-up.

In Winter 2009, she began performing with Alternacirque. She is also the founder of Luna Trix, the Columbia performing and teaching troupe.











Rachel Romatoski: Original Member

Rachel joined the Hoop Troop during her time in an exchange program at USC. She brought new tricks and skills to the troupe, and is missed now that she has returned to Wisconsin.

Katie Rubben: Original Member

Also an exchange student at USC, Katie was introduced to the Hoop Troop by her roommate, Rachel. She quickly became a skilled hooper and combined tricks with gymnastics which makes her hoop dance extremely impressive.







Heather: Original Member

Heather is a hooper and a roller derby queen. She's combined the two and performed with her hoop while on skates!

Kay and Rachel:  Members

Kay and Rachel joined the hoop troop after the Super Hooper weekend in November 2009. It has been determined that Rachel is the coolest 5th grader we know.

Kerri:  Member

 Vikki: Member

Kate:  Member

Paul:  Member














**note: if you regularly attend jams and would like to be included on the members page, just leave a comment with a bio and a link to a picture. If you're already listed on the page and would like to add/change your bio, let us know in the comments! Hoop on everyone.

Luna Trix Hoop Performance Group

Luna Trix is Columbia's premiere Hoop dance troupe. We preform for all types of events using colorful sport hoops, LEDs, and fire hoops!

Started by Gina Wolfe in late 2009, the Luna Trix Hoop troupe is an explosion of color, rhythms, high-energy music and amazing hoop dance. Our dancers mix spins, turns, tosses, and faster than the eye can follow tricks together to create beautiful creative art.

It's dance with a hoop but this ain't your mamma's hoop style!

Contact: Gina Wolfe by phone at (803)237-4313 or by email at Wolfenhoops(at)gmail(dot)com