If you have spent some time on Instagram or Facebook watching other hoopers and hoop teachers sharing their awesomeness, you might get the sense that they are just effortlessly and naturally skilled and successful.
Do you sometimes feel like you are not getting the full story? Like you are seeing the end result, the shiny bits but not the process (sweat, sparkle and tears) that got them there?
As a community we don’t often talk about the struggle, the journey, the real talk. We see the life changing beauty and are wow’d by the skill/success/inspiration.
So I wanted to send you an honest and open message today. I hope you will find this useful if you are building your skills, your community or you are thinking about becoming a hoop teacher.
Here are some things that no one told me when I started teaching hoops. The not so glamorous but very real side of this wonderful life. Behind the scenes.
1. It can be really lonely.
Sure you get to connect with awesome hoopers, reach out to new people in your community, work with other creatives and develop rich connections. Truly life changing. But a lot of hoop teachers and community leaders fall into the trap of trying to do everything themselves.
Particularly when you are first starting out, it can feel like you have a list of to-dos a mile long and not much support or the funds to hire anyone to help you. It can feel isolating and the struggle can be real.
I spent many years trying to do it all, thinking I was the only one struggling, finding it difficult to ask for help and worst of all thinking that I had to have it all figured out.
It is so valuable to have a group that supports you, understands you and can give you the tips and feedback you need when you need it. You don’t have to do it alone and you certainly don’t have to figure it all out yourself.
2. Hooping and teaching hoop dance are not the same thing
The art of teaching and group facilitation is one that takes practice and focus. Knowing how to break down moves in ways that a range of learners can understand takes practice. Crafting fun and safe classes and workshops that hoopers want to return to takes planning. Developing courses, parties, events, workshops that grow your community and strengthen your skills takes understanding and vision.
I personally had studied for many years as a teacher, taught children and adults in a wide variety of classroom settings for close to a decade and yet when I switched my career from classroom teacher to hoop dance teacher there was a lot of new training and experience I needed to soak up.
Thankfully I had some incredible mentors and wonderful models to support me. I went to as many classes, workshops, events and teacher trainings as I could find.
Hooping and hoop teaching are different adventures. I highly recommend finding mentors, seeking training and going to as many movement classes as you can if you desire to be an experienced and supportive leader. Confidence is key, you need to build it. That takes practice…just like hooping.
3. It takes work.
Yes hooping is fun, playful and life changing for many of us. We are passionate about sharing the hoop love, we want to make a difference in people’s lives, we want to live a creative lifestyle, we want to be of service to something larger than ourselves, we want to teach, share, empower, inspire, create and feel joyful.
Well thank goodness all of those things are rewarding because the flip side is, honestly, that all takes work.
It takes focus, it takes vision, it takes knowing who you are and what you have to share, it takes practice and purpose, it takes refining your skills in hooping, teaching and sharing. It means getting the support you need, doing the training, getting the inspiration, showing up for yourself and others.
It is all worth it!
Thankfully the fears, frustrations and work is balanced out by the connections, the abundance and the joy that comes from following your desires and owning your value as a teacher and leader.
This message is not meant to turn you off your dreams of becoming a hoop teacher. Not at all. It is a message I felt called to share because I know you can overcome any of these obstacles if you are focussed on sharing what you love.
If you want support to move forward with your visions, to be surrounded by hundreds of others hoop teachers so that you are not alone, to get the training and experience you need to feel confident and to be supported to do the work it takes then join me for the next Hoop Love Coach training.
