My first hoop teacher and beloved friend, Jonathan Baxter, dancing with his first hoop, made in 2001 by Julia Hartsell Crews. That hoop is 5 feet across! They were not playing in those days! HoopPath Retreat, 2009. photo: Marta Sasinowksa
My soul brother Kimowan Metchewais who took me to my very first hoop class. Exactly two years before this photo was taken, he had lost all movement on his left side following surgery for a brain tumor. HoopPath Retreat, 2009. photo: Marta Sasinowska
The first in a series of photos taken of me by the great meditative flow art pioneer, “Burning” Dan Gordon-Levitt, at Firedrums 2010. It was the first and only time I ever met him, but the impression he left was eternal. Photo: Burning Dan
One of the ways that Dan impressed me the most was that after he took these photos, he sent all 100 of them to me in an unlocked zip drive, knowing I could have just used them all with or without his permission. He refused to be paid for the photos, but merely asked that I choose 3 or 4, give him photo credit, and link to FlowTemple.org, the spinning school he helped found. Glad to do it, brother. Firedrums 2010. photo: Burning Dan
I have extra love for this photo because it features one of my life’s greatest hoopspirations, my spin sister Vivian Spiral, , hooping twins in the background. Firedrums 2010. photo: Burning Dan
The last photo in the series–Dan had been trying to capture a certain angle and moment where my hair spread out fully in the early afternoon light. And as soon as he got it, he knew. Firedrums 2010 photo: Burning Dan
The mission of Flow Temple, which I wrote out and brought, along with a picture of Dan, to the very first Open Space Meditation Jam at the Brooklyn Lyceum in late fall 2010. While we were spinning, the photo of Dan caught fire and burned almost entirely away. We felt like he had come to dance with us.
Meditation Jam at the Brooklyn Lyceum , upstairs. I fell in love with this building the first time I walked into it. And you can see why.
My brilliantly talented friend Katherine Blackburne , twin hooping at the Brooklyn Lyceum. If you haven’t seen her paintings, you’re really missing something…click on her name!
My graceful student Carolyn, melding with her hoop at the Meditation Jam. 2011.
Baxter’sworkshop at the Brooklyn Lyceum, February 2011. Downstairs.
Another lively, hoopful moment at the Lyceum. 2011.
Three amazing women: Carolyn (foreground) Katherine (middle) and Ryan (back). My life has been graced by dancing with them.
A tiny window into the powerful loveliness that is my former student Ryan Elwood
Right shoes after 6 months of hoopdance.
Left shoes after 6 months of hoopdance. Kinda need to practice what I teach, don’t you think?
My adorable goddaughter Lucy. The girl can swing a hoop!
What I do. Someone painted it on the side of a building in Florida!
Once she starts to move, nobody can help filming the world’s favorite hooper (and mine too!) Brecken Rivara. This shot always makes me smile!
Flanked by Carrboro Hoop Tribe: Natalie, Baxter, & Cathy. These people have shaped my life as a dancer and as a human being.
All the following photos were shot by my amazing and wonderful friend Anna Blackshaw. Many of them as you will notice appear as the background shots for this site. We include some of the others here for your hoopful enjoyment. photo: Anna Blackshaw
