Location: Port Richey, Florida
Occupation: High School Art Teacher, Artist, Mama
Favorite Hoop:
My favorite hoop is my “Pregnancy Hoop” that I had for my third trimester of pregnancy. I used the prettiest of my tapes so I could make myself feel better about the huge belly it was going around. I weighed 179 at the end and still hooping (really slow….)! I still find myself using this hoop and it brings back very special memories.
Favorite Song to Hoop to:
My significant other, Michael Ratza, is a saxophone musician. Having a jazz dance background, my favorite time to hoop is when he’s at a show playing and I can react and respond to his style. I love that!!! But otherwise when I practice at school with my students, I tend to put on “Joyful Sound” by String Cheese Incident. I find it fitting.
How I started Hooping:
I use to spend my time just sitting or crocheting for the 6 hours I would spend at my partner’s gigs. (4 hours of play and an hour each for setting up/breaking down.) I was usually alone. One of the bands that he was playing in had a lead singer that began dating the most beautiful little hooper, Shellie White. I now had a companion at shows, AND a new hobby to pursue. She inspired me by her flow and positive attitude. She gave me my very first hoop and taught me my first trick, the isolation. I was hooked! I began studying as much as I could on Hoop Dance and joined the hoop community.
I got pregnant in February of 2010 and gave birth to my beautiful little boy, Coltrane, on November 5th, 2010. Being pregnant almost that whole year, my progression as a hooper stalled until January of this year. After the baby, I decided to go full force as a hooper, not only to hoop every day to help lose my baby weight, but to inspire my students to hoop every day as well!
