My Daughter’s Hoop Face
February 3, 2012 in Fresh
[Hooping.org columnist Lara Eastburn gets schooled.]
When I watch my daughter dance, I study her face. Her dance face is markedly different from the furrowed brow of concentration she adopts when she’s coloring – well, now that her teacher has told her she’s not allowed to color outside the lines. And it’s quite separate from the pride that creeps across her lips when she’s succeeded in reading a difficult word – that is, now that she knows she could get it wrong. I study my five year-old’s dance face because it is the extension of a body that hasn’t learned it’s supposed to be doing anything in particular. The only measure of the “correctness” of her dance seems to be what feels good. And it all feels good. I mean, dropping the hoop is her favorite part. “Why, baby?” I ask. “Because I get to start all over again, mommy!” And then, in a tone that suggests she thinks I was born yesterday, “And it’s funny.”
Navi likes to play a game she calls “Hoop Class.” She’s the teacher, of course. And she’s hard core. She wants me to be really good. But not the Wow I just rocked that song kind of good. Hers is a Let’s be so silly we trip over our own freakin’ feet kind of good. Awesome parent that I am, I want to be attentive, take her instruction seriously, encourage and empower her. I find myself concentrating on the lesson, preparing myself to mimic the new “move” as she throws the hoop in the air and runs to position herself under it. And then realize I’ve missed the point completely. Again. Because the point was to bonk yourself in the head and then do a roll on the ground, laughing hysterically in celebration.
I’m momentarily tempted to indulge a tinge of sadness. Am I even capable of being a good student in this class? Is it too late for a grown-up to “get it right” when getting it right means forgetting that there even IS a getting-it-right? Pshaw. No way. Why? Because I’m a hooper. And because I’m a hooper, I can get closer to the kind of abandon my daughter enjoys than any grown-up’s ever gonna get. As my daughter’s genius class helps me remember, there aren’t any rules in my dance. I don’t have to hold my hands a certain way or train my feet to point or flex. I don’t have to master the latest move, drill my barrel rolls, or watch my planes. I can. If I want to. If it feels good. But I certainly don’t have to. In my daughter’s class, all I technically have to do to succeed is find my dance face.
To drive the lesson home, I imagine myself performing at the next big hoop gathering. I walk on stage, throw the hoop in the air, run to position myself under it, bonk myself in the head, and then roll on the ground laughing hysterically. The crowd erupts in thunderous applause. It’s a standing ovation – the best performance of the night. Because I look out at the audience and realize we’re ALL wearing my daughter’s dance face. As far as my instructor Navi is concerned, we all get a gold star plus smiley face!
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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 Forum. Lara is also the planting and gardening force behind discovering our hooping community roots at The Hooping Family Tree Project.
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rainedancehooper said on February 3, 2012
gawd, how I miss those years of dancing with 5 yr olds! thankfully there’s the hooping community to keep us laughing hysterically. Thank you Lara, again, and I’ll give you a wild round of applause!
Abby said on February 3, 2012
I love this, Lara. There is something so precious and fleeting about being young enough that you have not yet learned to be self conscious and self critical. When you can just lose yourself in silly and express yourself with abandon. It reminds me of being a kid and spending hours in my room drawing and painting and how different it felt from being in art college and suddenly comparing myself to all the other students and worrying about not being the best. Hooping is such an awesome way to get back some of that freedom and playfulness. Your daughter sounds so adorable!
BHoops said on February 3, 2012
Viva la happy face! Kid’s give with all their heart, maybe if we adults follow in their tiny footsteps we too can find an inner happiness that radiates joy from within. I love the inspiration of the muse and meaning of your article. One of your best
jazzyvegas42 said on February 3, 2012
*Sharing!* <3
Hoopasaurus said on February 3, 2012
I know exactly what you mean! I watch a 4 year old and have recently shown her how to try and hula hoop, she doesn’t care what tricks are cool , she just enjoys shaking her booty inside the hoop and spinning around in circles with it. I think we can all learn from articles like this…that and the simple minds of children.
missstrange said on February 4, 2012
Dancing with little ones is the best! After hooping with a 7 yr old girl once she wanted to play “trainer” (she played my personal trainer) at a house performance for her parents birthday. OMG She had me running laps, doing sit ups and running up hills. It was fun to warm up with a 7 yr old bossing me around. lol All smiles the whole time for both of us!
luluhoop said on February 7, 2012
Love it!
stephanie said on March 2, 2012
Love this one–a reminder we all need!
danielle said on April 14, 2012
I want to come to class!