Olive Oyl: Inside The Hoop

It all started for Olive Oyl, aka Olivia Pizzo, at an electronic music festival. “It was May of 2008,” she told Hooping.org. “I saw a small group of hoopers at DEMF here in Detroit and I was mesmerized! I was definitely the ‘Can I play with your hula hoop?!’ girl. I tried it out, the hoop stayed up and then I was hooked!” And now, just four short years later, Olive Oyl’s one busy hooper who is dazzling audiences with her performances, the hoop has become her livelihood with her own hooping business called Harmonic Hoops, and she even scored herself a 2012 Hoopie Award as Fire Hooper of the Year. With so much going on in her hoop world we wanted to know more about her, so join us for an interview with Olive Oyl, our Hooper of the Week!

Shortly after her first hooping experience, she got busy trying to figure out how to make hoops for herself. She explained, “I ended up making my first hoop with my grandpa. I learned off Youtube for awhile until hooping began to grow and there were more and more hoopers to play with out here. I started hooping publicly when I felt comfortable and was getting noticed and asked to do actual performances.”

Hooping.org: So what does your Hooping Life look like now?

Olive: My Hooping Life is blessed and blissed. I live in an awesome little circus center called the Detroit Academy of Kinesthetic Arts (DAKA) where we teach hoop dance, aerial, acro yoga and more. I try to hoop and play whenever I have the chance, since I am so fortunate to have a beautiful practice space. I teach all levels of hoop dance – fitness, beginner, advanced. I perform all over the country – mostly in the Midwest – as a solo performer and in various groups such as Detroit Fire Collective, Cirque du Womp, and The Flow Fairies. Last year I was selected to go on Shpongle’s 2011 US Tour which was life changing.

Hooping.org: And you’ve really gotten into hooping with fire now too.

Olive: Yes, definitely. I perform with a lot of fire – fire hooping, fire eating, fire flow wand. I was so excited to be Fire Hooper of the Year this year! That was so exciting!”

Hooping.org: Obviously hooping changed your life. Can you elaborate on that though?

Olive: I think I’m just going to put this in a list. I don’t work a 9-5 job at a law firm anymore. I am more confident, outgoing, happy, fulfilled. I have another family and a crew of people who understand me and inspire me. I support myself through performing, hoop making, and clothing making. I am 22 and well traveled and free because of hooping. Yes, hooping has changed my life!

Hooping.org: What are you currently working on?

Olive: My “thing” lately has been sustained spinning. I haven’t been working on many tricks, but just seeing how long I can spin. I’ve been focusing a lot of my time in my Cyr Wheel, my bigger circle that spins too.

Hooping.org: I remember when you were just starting out with that at Hoopcamp. Do you have a favorite hooping memory or two to share?

Olive:Burning Man 2011. I was riding around at night on a giant LED rooster art car for a good amount of time until we made a pit stop. We were pretty deep in the playa and I jumped off the car and hooped and hooped and spiraled and probably had the best hoopgasm of my life in the middle of the dark desert on a Wednesday night. Nothing else mattered but me and my sparkly LED hoop. And my home on the playa was of course with Spin Cycle!

Hooping.org So what music do you love to hoop to the most these days?

Olive: Downtempo, ambient spacey songs with some soothing female vocals. I’m a sucker for girl singers! Lately I’ve been getting down to Kuba and Submotion Orchestra.

Hooping.org: Ahh yes, great stuff! What quality do you most admire in a hooper?

Olive: Hoopers are compassionate and immediately like family. I have had some of the deepest conversations with hoopers that I have only met once or barely even know. Something about knowing you’re another hooper creates this instant bond. You do what I do and feel what I feel. In Lak’ech Ala K’in.

Hooping.org: Hoopers are the best. Do you have any advice for someone just starting out?

Olive: Don’t give up!! Try to find other hoopers or flow artists in your area. It helps to be around others doing the same thing. Inspiration and encouragement!

Hooping.org: Anything else you’d like to share?

Olive: I am so full of love and gratitude for everyone that supports me and what I do. I support myself 100% through performing, making hoops and sewing clothes. I run all of my businesses solo, all by my little 4’8″ self. I own/operate Harmonic Hoops making fire hoops and performance hoops. I’ve been making taped hoops since 2008 and fire hoops since 2010. I also run a little clothing line called Harmonic Threads making outfits for hoopers and festival goers. It’s a wonderful life! Thanks everyone!

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