Chicago WHD Dancers with Kristen “Tink” McQuillin
WHD Group Dance Choreography for 2012
Hooping.org: How did the World Hoop Day Dance originally come about?
Tink: In 2009 I wondered if there was any sort of unifying thing that hoopers did on World Hoop Day all over the world. As it turned out, there wasn’t, so I choreographed a dance, made a video tutorial and put the dance out there for anyone to learn and perform as part of their WHD celebrations. I accepted video submissions for a final dance compilation after World Hoop Day too and I received 11 submissions that first year. Last year over 300 people did the dance and I edited together 41 videos from all over into one massive dance montage.
Hooping.org: It’s been exciting watching it grow. How has it been watching it grow for you?
Tink: I love that everyone put their own spin on the choreographies in both years and it has been a thrill to see all the variations each year I had never imagined. That’s why I had to continue the project and the dance has a theme this year too – “The Power of Partnership”.
Hooping.org Which reflects on the choreography this year with the section for pairs, right?
More In Depth Pairs Choreography Instruction
More In Depth Pairs Choreography Instruction from a different angle
Tink: Yes, and it is all about coming together to hoop. In fact, we end with partner hooping moves that echo the first section of the choreography that we do solo. I used some ideas from modern dance, rhythmic gymnastics, and lots of hoop tricks to create a dance that has a simple structure and is accessible to most hoopers, while still providing some challenges and new moves and concepts to learn. So far everyone seems to succeed with grace and smiles.
Hooping.org: So the first year we had a theme song by Taio Cruz. Last year we went retro 80′s with Men Without Hats. What’s the story with the song this year?
Tink: We’ve historically run into copyright problems somewhere an wanting to have a song that the whole world could use freely I decided to try to write an original song. Four months later, thanks to the generous help of five talented friends in Tokyo, we had an original song called “Turning Around”.
Hooping.org: Wow. I didn’t know it was original, and it’s catchy. By about the third time I heard it I not only really liked it, I was humming it throughout the day.
Tink: I’ve heard more than one person humming it too so I think we did a good job.
Hooping.org: You did. And you’re on tour right now. Tell us about that.
Tink: Yes, I’m actually in the middle of a “world tour” teaching the dance in person to hoopers in the US, Europe, UK, and Australia. I’ve hit the halfway point of the tour in Amsterdam and for the next week I will be in the UK visiting troupes in Brighton, London, and Glasgow. Then I am off to Australia to teach at Hoopy Happenings, as well as in Bundaberg and Cairns. I’ll be back home in Tokyo just a few weeks before 12/12 so I hope all the hoopers in Japan are practicing without me!”
Hooping.org: I’m sure they are. How have the workshops been going?
Tink: Every single workshop has been a new experience and I am learning as much as the dancers. The variety of hoop communities is amazing – city hoopers and country hoopers, dancers who love freestyle, others who crave structure. The tour has been full of memorable moments, most of which took place off the dance floor: tasting succulent raspberries from the rooftop garden of the food co-op where I taught in Chicago; helping my host in Indiana move beer kegs for a friend; learning a magic rope trick from the son of my host in Maine; playing ukulele and singing with my mother after the Philadelphia workshop. Every day on the tour has been a new adventure.
Hooping.org And here’s to an even more successful World Hoop Day Dance for 2012 – thanks for your commitment to making something global happen on our favorite day of the year Tink. Everyone is more than welcome to join the global community by learning the choreography to and submitting a video for the compilation this year. Head over to Spin Matsuri to download the music and read through the materials and you’re on your way. Meanwhile, here’s some more in depth instruction by Tink on a few of the more challenging areas.
More Instruction on “The Glamazon”
More Instruction on “The Sidekick”
More Instruction for transitioning from the Duo Isolation to Zircle.
Love it! I cannot wait even though it will probably be snow hooping in CO.
World Hoop Day is an extraordinary way to express yourselves through artistic dance. Tink is extending her hooping knowledge to encourage all of you to come together and create a peaceful unity.
Hooping together is harmonic, personal, emotive, transcendent, delightful and energetic. It soothes the soul. On World Hoop Day (12/12/12), I, want you to hoop with as many people as you can, at the same time, in the same area. Do this dance, hoop free style, stand in a circle for world peace. We MAKE a difference and we change the world for good.
with all my being,
Annie OK