> Welcome to Dreads'n'Hoops Hoopdancers,
Performers, Workshop Leaders (and Dreadlock Creators).
- We are Gems and Frenchy!!!
(Contact: [email protected])
!!!! NEW WEBSITE - www.dreadsnhoops.com !!!!
We specialise in HoopDance, performances & workshops, which include fire-hooping, LED hooping, stilt walking & theatre arts.
Gems is a qualified HoopGirl dance instructor (hoopgirl.com) offering her adult classes around the Midlands and also teaches the art of hooping to children as part of the Just Enjoy programme for Dudley Childrens Services (justenjoy.tv). She danced at Hoop Camp 2008 in California this autumn.
Frenchy has worked with children for over 10 years and currently has a professional role working with challenging teenagers. She has toured this summer with the children's Faerie Folkal Featre as director and actress and has perfomed stilt walk-a-bout at numerous festivals.
Together and individually we have toured our hoop-workshops and performances around the following festivals this year:
7th - 8th June: Mooch with the Fairies Festival, Kent
The Green Festival, Newcastle
14th - 15th June: Winterwell Festival, Gloucestershire
5th - 6th July: Beatherder Festival, Lancashire
19th - 20th July: Nozstock Festival, Worcestershire
26th - 27th July: Global Gathering, Stratford
2nd - 3rd August: Shamania Festival, Lancashire
11th - 18th August: Boom Festival, Portugal
22nd - 25th August: Solfest, Cumbria
30th – 31st August: Mind, Body and Boogie, Bollington
6th – 7th September: Madfest, Conniston, Lake District
13th – 15th September: Waveform Festival, Wiltshire
Frenchy has hoopdanced at Cybernetics (Newcastle) & Concious Monkeys (Newcastle), while Gems has wiggled her stuff at Monster Monster (Manchester) & Fabric (London) as well as at Heaven (London).
They both performed fire-hooping and LED stage-hooping at Illuminaughty's 'Inferno' club extravaganza in Manchester on October 17th 2008 (www.illuminaughty.co.uk)
They also spun L.E.D hoops at Luminopolis, formerly the Synergy Project, on 22 November 2008, at the SeOne club in London. Pictures to be uploaded soon! (www.luminopolis.org)
Gems fire-danced at the Worcester Xmas Fayre 27-30 November 08 as part of the festivities! Both girls danced at a private event on the Winter Solstice and hooped it up at the Monster Monster club night in Cumbria on 27th December 08.
Future gigs include Monster Monster again in February 09 and a conference workshop/performance for a ladies charity in Cumbria!
** Revolutions, individuality and spirit **
HOOPOLOGY by Gems!
Hooping for me is gorgeously challenging….learning, practicing and performing.
To step into the hoop and dance within it, to roll tricks, to develop my skills and actively meditate within its revolutions is an unparalleled joy. I can focus on my own body’s movement, the movement of the hoop, the constant flow of air and energy around me.
*The space within the hoop is only yours while dancing, it is a safe, productive place of exploration, one hundred percent controlled by yourself, your body and your soul*
One important idea in hooping is that of ‘point of contact’ – and by hooping I find I can make contact with myself on deeper levels and with my friends and new acquaintances by sharing skills, experience and smiles. I connect more strongly with my own motivations, and I feel driven to push myself in spinning…to learn, to grow, to dance, to share.
Enjoy the hoop community, become part of it! Relax into the music you’re playing, relax your body, your movements and simply flowww. Hoop with your eyes open, hoop with your eyes closed, hoop blindfolded, hoop in your office clothes, hoop in an extravagant costume, hoop naked, hoop to silence, hoop & talk, hoop to music, hoop to your own heartbeat and rhythm.
Spin the hoop, stall the hoop, experiment with speeds and techniques. Move into an introspective state, move from your centre and heal a weakened, depressed, low and sad mind, spirit and body. Opportunities exist within hooping to rediscover a childlike innocent joy – a joy which the stresses and distractions of adult life have no power to overshadow.
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