photo by Philo Hagen

There was a time when I wanted to write a book about the culture of hooping. My initial proposal (before it was, upon the advice of my agent, merged with HoopGirl’s book idea) covered influences and convergences–places where various forms of dance, movement, and music touch on hooping (e.g. bellydance, object manipulation, acrobatics, yoga, hip hop…) It also covered some key personalities: the innovators who have made a distinct mark on the art. I’m not going to name names, but you probably could guess them.

In any case, that wasn’t the book my agent thought would sell, and she was undoubtedly right. We hoopers are still a pretty tiny subculture. My agent said that would be a good 3rd or fifth book on the market on the topic, assuming the movement was catching on, but not a good first book, which needed to be something more akin to a hooping bible, laying the groundwork.

If in the future I do return to the original idea, though, I just spent a week gathering some good fodder for it, at the Spin Cycle Camp at Burning Man. The camp was designed and organized by Rich “Isopop” Porter and his wife Lauren, and built with capable crewmates Grant-Kenny-Ryan–for whom there can’t be enough gratitude. Our shadestars, their coverage drifting slowly with the sun’s progress (and the center post functioning as a sundial to boot!) were perfect, and were the envy of everyone who checked out our camp.

Most of the biggest names in hooping lived at Spin Cycle, and the few who didn’t dropped by a few times and came to our massive jam on Thursday evening. No classes were offered, and there seemed to be a sort of collective sigh of relief at not carrying that particular responsibility, which is always a part of every other kind of hooping gathering/conference/convergence that happens. We were really just there to build community.

Some folks did have performances to do–you’d see them rehearsing with earphones on, or getting themselves done up in their fineries–flowers, leaves, feathers, metallics, whites…–but for the most part there was just a lot of chilling and laughing and hooping, punctuated by hibiscus with agave plus or minus tequila (thanks to S), pickled eggs (thanks to K), unaccountably healthful, freshly-prepared food from the kitchen of (another) K, and non-dairy ice cream and truffles (thanks to R, who secured her place in heaven by bringing such gifts).

The quality of hooping around camp was just over-the-top ridiculous–but I’d have to say I had most fun watching G, whom I’d never seen hoop before, and who really embodies grace despite gender and stature, and M, whose intimacy and imagination with the hoop melts me into a puddle of Desire. I had my own best hoop moment on the full moon Friday night, after we came back from the wedding (there was not just one wedding that went down, but two, among the campmates), when the Light One (L) and the Healer (R) and I took the unwatched stage with our hoops. Weird magic was afoot all that night, and channeled right into our dance.

photo by Philo Hagen

In the hushed undercurrents of the Spin Cycle, there were some old divisions and wounds, some of which found healing; and there were some romances, some of which came to fruition. There was some jealousy, as certain ascendant stars outshone other equally-talented folks. There were moments when I was reminded of the dynamics of high school: the cool kids, the jocks, the hippies, with me and Philo (editor of hooping.org)  feeling kind of like the yearbook and newspaper staff, existing both inside the system, and observing it from the outside.

Overall, though, I couldn’t help but keep asking, as I did of A one morning at Center Camp, what makes hoopers such divinely wonderful people? Is it that hooping draws already-amazing people to it? Or is it that the hoop has a transformational effect on everyone who truly invests in it? A little of both, we decided…and there’s always more research to be done.