Beginner Hooper & Poi Inspiration

Just Beginning? First Visualize!

Maybe you’re a beginner hooper and you’ve picked out a prop, and started practicing your first sets of basic moves, it’s helpful and important to get clear with yourself on where you want to go with your flow. Is it performing professionally? Perhaps fire spinning? Contact tricks? Or is it the LED’s that are calling your name? All of the above?

Great! Now why are we doing this? Why is it so important to get clear like this? What if you “just want to flow”? . . . If all you want to do is dance and move with no desire to perform, then that’s great too! However, it seems to be in every flow artist’s heart to grow in some way.

From Poi to Hooping and Back!

First and foremost, I’ll share with you a personal story that got me to realize the importance of visualization. My very first prop of practice was poi. They were borrowed, and at first, I didn’t put much energy into learning tricks, transitions, or even the correct ways of doing things because my heart was drawn to hula hooping; leaving me with no desire to grow much with poi.

When I was gifted my first hoop, the poi were nearly forgotten about. I was ecstatic and dedicated to growing as a beginner hooper but I still didn’t set any goals. It wasn’t until my first burn that I was abruptly shown that there was much to learn, although I’d been practicing for years and felt like a pro! It was humbling, feeling like I had to go back to hooping kindergarten, and picking up the fire poi because the basic tricks I had stored in my muscle memory were feasible in comparison to my hype hooping style.

The point is – Some tricks and transitions simply don’t work when you have flaming wicks on your prop! With SO MANY tricks to learn from, note that not all are fit for every style of performance. Whether you are a hooper, poi, fan, staff, dart spinner or any other, start visualizing your desired outcomes.

As you practice, visualize where you’ll be able to incorporate specific moves and transitions. Visualize flaming wicks on your prop if you want to spin fire. Visualize on body/contact moves for LED and day prop flow. Even if you want to do it all with your flow, visualizing desired outcomes as you practice will level you up quicker than any other method.

Blessings & Abundance,

–Liora Cat of Infinite Comings
A Sacred Flow Art Community Blogger

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