Why I Love Hooping Idol
March 25, 2011 in Features, Hooposophy
[This week Hooping.org columnist Lara Eastburn wonders if hooping will ever be the same.]
There is no question that the Hooping Idol competition (now in its second week) is something the likes of which we have never before seen in hooping. While certainly not the first video-based contest hooping’s ever had, it is definitely the most remarkable. Not only do I love it — I think its got the potential to add a much-needed and exciting dimension to our community. Here’s why.
First of all (let’s just say it), this is perhaps the first time we’ve seen a platform in which constructive criticism is taking an active and accepted role. When I pulled up Hooping.org on Monday morning to see the 80’s week contenders, and scrolled down to find the judges’ comments … well, I can’t be the only one who nearly spit out their coffee! While we might have guessed that our online headquarters and judges would be true to the Idol formula, I still mostly expected it to take the soft-glove approach to which the community is accustomed. Au contraire. Here was one of hooping’s sweetest, friendliest, and most well-known ambassadors dishing out unfiltered opinion. And may I say, it was refreshing?
Now before you get all riled up, dear readers, let’s remember that this is a contest. With some hefty prizes. It’s not like our beloved leaders are picking random videos off YouTube to critique. Just by throwing themselves “in the ring,” our contestants are claiming for themselves a certain level of skill and savvy. Which I also find refreshing. You go, hoopers! And I must say, I’m downright proud of how they’re taking the judges’ comments. In preparing for this article, I (seriously) scoured the Internet looking for complaints and found none. Those that are talking admit they were taken aback, but find themselves grateful to get personalized direction from some of the most respected performers we have. Hell, I’m grateful for it! I don’t even perform and I found myself taking notes. More eye contact, connect deeply with the song, don’t be afraid.
So my point is that I think the judges’ criticisms have opened an interesting door. Not a floodgate, mind you. A door that could allow for something truly magical to begin and benefit all hoopers who aspire to improve their performance-hooping. As one of those annoying, overachieving academic types, I’ll never forget the first A-minus I received in college. I thought it was the best paper I’d ever written – really, that any graduate student had ever written on the subject. I was dumbfounded at my lackluster grade, and went to my professor’s office hours for an answer. Without even looking up from his reading, he said, “I just don’t want you to ever be under the impression that you’re so good you can’t do better.” Best compliment and advice I ever received. Best teacher I ever had. Right now in preparation for Flow Week, I know that our 15 remaining contestants are breaking through the walls of what they thought was possible for themselves. Refreshing and exciting, my friends.
A Note On “Fairness.” There has been some concern voiced across the Web that the popular/public vote could prove unfair. Here, I’m going to ask you all to suck it up. Our own electoral system, and the lives we lead in general, aren’t fair. Come on, now. This is essentially a game show. It’s supposed to be fun. The most you can do here is participate. Vote, for one. Encourage everyone you know to vote (and you don’t even have to drive them to the polls!). And debate, comment, and blog to your heart’s content.
Am I worried about a slippery slope? Not in the slightest. The hooping community has always excelled at policing itself (almost to an extreme). I don’t believe there is anything about Hooping Idol that threatens the basic, founding, and all-encompassing acceptance of ALL hoopers and hooping styles. The fact that there are folks that can run a marathon in two hours doesn’t stop me – or millions of others – from lining up for local 10Ks. I adapt the pro tips to my leisurely running style and keep on truckin’. Here are a couple other reasons I love Hooping Idol.
It’s Pumping Up the (Video) Volume. I hope another thing hoopers are taking home from this competition is that there is a wholly untapped world of possibility for the likes of hooping videos. You don’t have to be in a competition, or given a theme, to take it upon yourself to expand the boundaries of back-yard practice videos or stage-bound performance reels. In the last five months, Hooping.org has outdone itself in encouraging more creativity from us. The Curvy Hoopers Video Challenge, the Hoop Camp Spirit Dance Video Contest, Philo Hagen’s own breakout “Gotta Hoop,” and the unprecedented originality of the 2011 Video Hoopie Award nominees have all proved that we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what hooping has to offer in cinematic artistry. In my mind, this is one of the most exciting new frontiers for our community as a whole.
It exemplifies the meaning of “Competition.” Unless this is the first article of mine you’ve read, you know I’m an unapologetic wordsmith. And if ever there was a word that fits our community, it is competition. Bear with me now while I restore its proper meaning. “Competition” evolved from this elegant Latin origin — competere. Petere, “to attack, work toward, or strive for.” Okay. But the prefix Com-, it means to do it together. (Think “co-worker” or “cohort.” “Companion” means friend today, because when in Ancient and Medieval times there wasn’t enough bread – pain - your compagnon was the person with whom you shared your paltry meal). In the truest sense of the word, “competition” means to “strive together.” It is markedly separate from “contest” and “rivalry” in this way, because it suggests that competition is uniquely fitted to a group that desires to work together towards a common goal. Yes, it declares a winner in its limited circumstance, but takes no interest in the destruction of the other competitors. “Competition,” is by definition, a spectacular tool that responsible communities can use to produce and encourage the best in themselves.
And so I think now you’ll take me seriously when I say this. Hooping Idol competitors, thank you for putting yourselves out there. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are allowing us all to learn and grow. Judges, thank you for “showing up” in the most meaningful of ways and giving us (for free!) welcome and wonderful and priceless pointers. Hooping.org, thank you for continuing to raise the bar for this community. And community, thank you for participating and welcoming “competition” into our community.
I sincerely hope this is just the First Season of Hooping Idol. Don’t You?
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Lara Eastburn has been dancing in meadows and singing with the moon while spinning in circles for eons at Superhooper.org. Beyond commenting here, you can also discuss this and other topics related to the Hooposophy for living in Hooping.org’s Hooposophy Group and Gorum. Lara is also the planting and gardening force behind discovering our hooping community roots at The Hooping Family Tree Project.
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Sue Wilkinson said on March 25, 2011
Ah, Lara, well put! As usual. It is the most amazing experience really. Extremely hard work, but also a bonding exercise, we Brits are pulling together here and supporting each other. I get the feeling if we had a flag we’d be waving it at the start of our films.
It brings out all the things in yourself that you were afraid of and you have to face them. And once faced, perhaps they won’t feel so bad ever again. My fear of the camera is fading. My fear of posting a video has evaporated and my fear of making a fool of myself is in decline.
I am amazed I entered, (I partly did it out of ignorance of the format!) but I am glad I did. I am flying the flag for the over 40, curvy hoopers and I’m proud of myself for trying.
I think the judges critique is a good idea. We get a bit of both worlds, some reassurance, some fun and some critical and we can learn from it, and not just what was said about our own video but what was said about others. Although I wasn’t able to film in a pretty location this week, it was in the back of my mind all the time. Sadly time constraints did not allow.
But mostly I am enjoying, and exhausted by, the challenge of the competition itself. It requires hours of hooping! Hours. Today is a rest day. I need it.
hooperstar said on March 25, 2011
I haven’t been following and watching the Hooping Idols videos but after reading this I am going to start. I think it would be well worth learning from the bravery and creativity of other hoopers. Lara, I love you explanation of “competition” and its origins. I’m so happy to have found the hooping community – it’s adding meaning and joy to my days.
Hoop So Fly said on March 25, 2011
Laura-
I am also positively thrilled with Hooping Idol. I don’t watch TV and the Americal Idol phenomenon has almost completely passed me by (with the exception of this year’s “pre-season” which featured a local young performer I am friendly with and give whole-hearted support to: GO BRETT!!!), but I had a fear that the Hooping Idol was going to be a rather sugar-coated self-congratulatory diversion at best or a divisive petty cut-throat insane mar on our relationships at worst.
NO MORE.
I thoroughly enjoy the “show”, and agree it is one of the best elements for enjoying the opportunity to build rigor and excellence for ALL hoopers.
I would like to see more hooping battles, personally: something I always appreciated in observing capoiera and break-dancing is the raw focus and one-up-manship of head to head challenges. I’d love to see more of this, publicly. It always sharpens and amplifies my personal flow to hoopdance “WITH” someone else, and the spontaneity of it is grand.
Any who,
THANKS for writing this!!!
Tiny said on March 25, 2011
I think I should make one…
diana said on March 25, 2011
good article, Lara and looking forward to seeing the outcome for the contest. I was pleasantly surprised at the critiques also and was thinking “awww I wish I could have entered this contest just to see what the judges would say…”
trudil said on March 25, 2011
Thank you, Lara. Well written. I agree with your points. I’m also very happy about Hooping Idol and am enjoying every video. And I vote. Can’t wait to see the next round.
Thanks to Hooping.org and thanks to Philo as well.
FringeDancer said on March 25, 2011
Lara=eloquent
rebecca phipps said on March 25, 2011
I agree with Sue! This has been an eye opening experience for me also, we really jumped in with no idea what the competition was going to look like, how the judges were going to “handle” us, or even how to present our hoop skills. This week in particular is going to be super fun to see unfold! Flow is a very broad term with very individual definition! So exciting!!!! The judges feedback was amazing, but ill be honest, and say i was totally taken back, not being used to being critiqued in my own hoop space by anyone other than myself. It is so good to get such amazing advice from such amazing hoopers! It is kind of like a free crash course workshop with all the teachers i cant easily access. I am loving this so much!!!! I cant wait to see where it goes from here!!!!!
Nikki said on March 25, 2011
I like this article! Well said! I am so happy to a part of Hooping idol. I am more critical of myself than any one. I didnt even expect to be picked as a contestant and I was expecting to be eliminated the first round. I love the judges comments, what an excellent opportunity to have such amazing hoopers critique your hooping. It helps me improve and I can keep in mind what they have to say, even if I dont make it to the next round. I love the idea to have competition such as this. It really does push us to bring more creativity with our videos!
SaraBell said on March 25, 2011
Laura–you are an excellent writer!
Maria/HoopME! said on March 25, 2011
Lara~I have to say, after reading the judges comments last week, I was afraid.
One thing I love about the hooping community I’ve come to know online is they way it cheerleads for EVERYONE no matter what their ability or style. I was afraid that Hooping Idol may have us looking more critically at one another, and not in a good way. That perhaps it would make some of us (ya, I”m talking about me) more inhibited.
Your explanation in this post helped me a lot. I love the way you define competition and also point out that the fun of Hooping Idol is just that: Fun. But it’s also something more; a new way to cheer each other on.
I”m off to watch more of this weeks videos and get out my pom-poms!
turningpaiges said on March 25, 2011
This was a beautifully written article but I haven’t seen the judges comments! I’m not sure where to look on this site to find all the hooping idol news. I really want to read them and watch the videos carefully. Anyone who can help will be greatly appreciated… I know I’m probably missing something very obvious.
Philo Hagen said on March 26, 2011
Hooping Idol 80′s Week Videos and Judges Commentary: http://bit.ly/h9txpq
turningpaiges said on March 26, 2011
Thanks!!
SaraFairyFly said on March 26, 2011
well said as always
circularpraise said on March 29, 2011
Excellent column, Laura! Makes me realize how much I’ve been missing by not being on here very often. I’ll have to find time to correct that…