Class Information
ONE Gathering – Helping a Great Cause
Hip The Hoopla is performing
and helping support a wonderful group:
The Stronghold Society
Artists, Dancers, Drummers, Hoopers, Spinners, Humans: Please come join us at the ONE GATHERING Sat. July 6th at the Denver Skatepark (20th & Little Raven). Rock band Trickshot will be playing at 11:15am & Hip The Hoopla* performs with them. Elevated Color did the banners.
Free-benefit supporting the Stronghold Society is why we’ll all be there ♥ www.StrongholdSociety.org (check them out and learn and help, no matter where you are 🙂 )
*Please note: Hip The Hoopla class will be :15 EARLIER from 9:45am-10:45am on Sat. 7/6 at Red Elephant Workshop.
Info: https://www.facebook.com/events/154394748083964/
RSVP for class on Facebook, e-mail or call: www.facebook.com/HipTheHoopla, Che@HipTheHoopla.com, 303-980-6295
And keep up with more hooping info at www.HipTheHoopla.com
Blessings ♥ ~Ché Rippinger, Chief Hooping Officer
Please visit www.ElevatedColor.com for more info on printing, color management, services, products and social media assistance for your business.
One Convertible Collapsible Hoop?!
NEW Custom Convertible Travel Hoop!
♥ WooHoop! Finally I taped my OWN hoop…and created a new design masterpiece*! (Bad a** hematite–rrrrr!)
*It’s a full sized hoop–that Collapses–AND converts to 2 mini’s!!! Ya know you want one!
~Ché Rippinger of Hip The Hoopla 🙂
♥ Come check it out Saturday 6/27 at 10am Red Elephant Workshop in Denver! “OOOOH, AHHHH!” is the pre-4th theme
♥ All things Hooping info: www.HipTheHoopla.com
♥ Hoops & Ordering info: www.HipTheHoopla.com/hoops
♥ June Class info on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/events/312088945592725/
Contact Che@HipTheHoopla.com or 303-980-6295
Success in Chest Hooping: Tips And Tricks
Many people find chest hooping challenging. In a recent comment on Facebook, a hooper commented: “I swear, learning to chest/shoulder hoop is going to be the death of me.” Hope not, but here are some helpful…
Hip The Hoopla tips, tricks and techniques to get you more successfully hooping on your chest, quicker!
Three tips (plus some other helpful hints, too) I use in my Hip The Hoopla class, will help — and FYI, most of my beginners even get it pretty quickly (and a performance video example below):
1. Begin in your warm up with chest isolation movement–without your hoop. Good positions for this are either seated cross legged, or standing with knees in a good bend (abs in, head & spine lifted, pelvis tucked in & under). I like to place hands on upper thighs and use them to push into my maximum chest extension. Move/slide/hit each position: front, right, back, left a few times. Then smooth it out into a solid circle…with your sternum (bottom center of front ribs) leading the movement & connect the points. Speed the chest rotations up and then repeat and reverse that in the other direction (make sure to keep your shoulders parallel to the ground–they are not part of the chest isolation).
2. Start spinning your hoop above your sternum with your arms up and out of your hoop and just get the chest isolation going (while turning!).
3. TURN in the direction you hoop is spinning (and keep turning!). This is not only one of my favorite “recovery” methods to get the hoop back up the body (gravity makes it easy to move it down), it combines well with the other two basics:
Speed up your hoop (not waist/hip) “rotations” or “beats” as I call them–as you are focusing on using two contact points, ie., ‘front/back’, ‘side/side’, etc.
And Duck in (with a little speed wind up).
Important Distinction: When you are hooping on your core (waist/hips) you are NOT circling your body to get the hoop moving. (Way too much work…but if you really want to, knock yourself out!) Just a simple forward & back, or side to side motion will do.
…But…When you are chest hooping (above the breast line), you ARE rotating your chest!
When you want to get your shoulders inside the hoop with your chest hooping, your shoulders will be doing an alternating shoulder shrug (right shoulder up towards right ear, left shoulder to left ear). The shoulder shrug is done–WITH the chest rotations–help keep the hoop up on the chest. (Keep turning!)
When you have chest hooping you can challenge yourself to 1. Not turn with your hoop 2. Chest hoop on your knees (on a soft surface or with knee pads if you can), or 3. Seated (cross legged or seated on your knees).
Helpful tip: Definitely consider what hoop size you use. If you are working with a smaller lighter hoop, chest hooping may be way more challenging for you than trying with a bigger heavier one. (Smaller hoop=you need to go faster/speed up, Bigger hoop=slower so you can catch up/recover more easily)
Getting specific information like this, is just one of the many reasons having a good class or teacher is really important. We can give you great hoop and technique advice, for your particular needs. And we can help you with ideas in the moment, based on what you are doing. You can tweak, correct, practice and get the moves quicker and with greater success and happiness.
With Hip The Hoopla, I like to teach with laughter and joy. That usually makes even challenging or frustrating things much easier to get!
***ALSO, please remember in your hoop practice (and as a metaphor for life):
You don’t have to get 100 of anything in a row for you to have the move. One or two successful rotations really do count when it comes to muscle memory and brain success 🙂 Keep practicing!!!
Thank you Rachyl Frank for your inspiration 🙂
♥Hoop love & blessings ♥
~Ché Rippinger, head hoopstress at Hip The Hoopla based in Denver, Colorado
Please contact for classes, coaching, hoops & performances. 303-980-6295 Che@HipTheHoopla.com www.facebook.com/HipTheHoopla www.HipTheHoopla.com
Here’s two video channels to see Hip The Hoopla in action (more performance and tutorial videos soon): www.youtube/HipTheHoopla and www.youtube/ToucheToon
And here is a video example of my chest hooping from one performance (chest hooping at about :46 and 1:12)
Che Rippinger of Hip The Hoopla performing-example of chest hooping
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP9AaDxjIfY
June Hip The Hoopla Schedule, Specials + Performances
June is Heating Up with Hip The Hoopla!
Whoo-Fire-Hoop! Che Rippinger of Hip The Hoopla fire hooping at The Spin Summit 2013. Amazing professional photography by Don Searle Photography (This album on Facebook)
JUNE 2013 Hip The Hoopla Classes:
6/1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25 & 29**Classes Tues. 6:30pm & Sat. 10am.** (Several fathers enjoy Hip The Hoopla classes-how about bringing yours to a class?)
SUPER Summer June Specials:
♥Hoop ALL OF JUNE for just $50! (That’s about $5 a class!!! Save up to $85!!!)
♥Drop In and TRY: “BRING A FRIEND for $10” (you and a friend can come for $10 each, save $5 each!) (RSVP encouraged!)♥
♥ **HOOP LOVE UNLIMITED SUMMER SALE!** 30 days for YOU for only $60-UNLIMITED ($135 value-save $75! Good for 30 days from purchase date & you can ALSO Bring A friend for $10 per class!)
+CELEBRATE SUMMER!! Custom Hoops, Classes, Private lessons, Coaching, Performing, Merch, Gift Certificates, etc.
+Personal coaching sessions available (phone or in person!)
…RSVP your classes AND order your custom hoops now! ♥
**Please RSVP to guarantee your Hip The Hoopla class spot. Private lessons and coaching are available, too.
If you need a custom hand-made professional (hula) hoop, please call or e-mail to order (303-980-6295 & Che@HipTheHoopla.com).
More info on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HipTheHoopla
And visit Things That Glow to see the Hip The Hoopla hoops selection in stock! Things That Glow 918 W 8th Ave, Denver CO 80204, 303-751-GLOW.
Upcoming Performances:
♥ Che Performing at Lannie’s Caberet
Wednesday, June 19, 2013, 8pm
Ché of Hip The Hoopla joins the stage lineup with Belle Diva Dance. Come one come all to our “Mythic Summer Circus” at Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret! June 19th 8 PM, tix only $12.00! It will be EPIC!
Ché was recently seen in Bellies on Fire! And Boulder Creek Festival after the Boulder Boulder.
Please “Like,” visit often & recommend Hip The Hoopla on Facebook for schedule, updates, news and cool videos. http://www.facebook.com/HipTheHoopla
Also find us on Yelp! http://www.yelp.com/biz/hip-the-hoopla-denver
…and LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/company/hip-the-hoopla
…and YouTube http://www.youtube.com/ToucheToon
…and another one on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/ToucheToon
…and Pinterest http://pinterest.com/hipthehoopla/
…and Twitter http://twitter.com/hipthehoopla
Recommendations & testimonials are very appreciated. ~Thank You 🙂
We appreciate your interaction and connectivity!
♥ ♥ ♥
2013 is such a great year to Get Your Hoop On!!!
♥ June 2013 Hip The Hoopla ♥ www.facebook.com/events/312088945592725/
May 2013 Hip The Hoopla Classes & Performances
May Is HOT with Hip The Hoopla!
MAY 2013 Hip The Hoopla Class Schedule: 5/7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, 28 (NO 5/4-Spin Summit)**Classes Tues. 6:30pm & Sat. 10am.**
Whoo-Fire-Hoop! Che Rippinger of Hip The Hoopla fire hooping at The Spin Summit 2013. Amazing professional photography by Don Searle PhotographyUpcoming Performances:
♥ Che Performing at Casselmans-Bellies On Fire show
Saturday, May 25, 2013, 8pm-11pm
Casselmans Bar & Venue Denver 2620 Walnut St, Denver, Colorado 80205
♥ Ché Performing at Boulder Creek Festival
Monday May 27, 2013, 1pm on the Dance Stage
**Please RSVP to guarantee your Hip The Hoopla class spot. Private lessons and coaching are available, too.
If you need a custom hand-made professional (hula) hoop, please call or e-mail to order (303-980-6295 & Che@HipTheHoopla.com).
More info on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HipTheHoopla
And visit Things That Glow to see the Hip The Hoopla hoops selection in stock! Things That Glow 918 W 8th Ave, Denver CO 80204, 303-751-GLOW.
Shimmy, Shake And Slide with Hip The Hoopla
♥ Happy Hip Shakin’ Weekend! ♥
Shake your moneymaker with Hip The Hoopla 4/27 at 10am class (Theme: “Shimmy, Shake and Slide”…In honor of the Elevation Belly Dance Festival weekend), at Red Elephant Workshop: 214 Sante Fe Drive, Denver, CO.
Class Schedule ♥ Class information
RSVP your class spot: Che@HipTheHoopla.com or 303-980-6295 or on Facebook.
And come out with us and TRICKSHOT @ Rodzilla’s Roadhouse, 4/26/13, 9pm-1am ♥
NEXT Week is SPIN SUMMIT! Here’s your link to register NOW:
http://thespinsummit2013-HipTheHoopla.eventbrite.com/
Improve Your Skills–Take a Workshop!
Want to fuel your creativity or jump your skills to a new level?
There are many training options…
1. Take a workshop!
Many instructors travel around. Find them, connect with them and see what their schedule is. If you’re not on it, reach out and offer to help host them in your town. You get so much out of in-person instruction and connect with your fellow friends and peer community.
Recent Example: Vivian Spiral’s “Dancing on The Edge: Wheels, Rolls, Traces and Spirals” held at the Boulder Circus Center in Boulder, Colorado. 
2. Go to a conference/retreat/camp.
This may be as simple as a one day excursion or a week or more of intense learning. Travel may be involved, unless you’re lucky to have it in your neck of the woods. You may have an excuse to plan a vacation getaway halfway across the globe to expand your horizons. Or even in your own backyard.
Example: The Spin Summit, Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 2-5, 2013. Click here to register! 
3. Learn Virtually.
From YouTube videos to dvds to personal coaching via Skype, there are many ways to connect with some phenomenal teachers all over the world. Prices range, but spending a little more on personal tutoring can make all the difference in catapulting your know-how.
Examples: www.YouTube/TheSpinSummit and
www.YouTube/ToucheToon and www.YouTube/HipTheHoopla
Whatever your path to learning, the key is to take any steps to get there. You can find what works best for you by trying something and seeing if you like it. Hoop On!!
~Ché Rippinger is the owner, instructor and performer of Hip The Hoopla—humorous hoop dance fitness. She offers group and private classes, coaching, thoughtful critiques, performance tips, custom made professional hoops, jewelry and costuming. For more updates and “hoopspiration,” please follow on Facebook www.facebook.com/HipTheHoopla, (and Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn, too!).
April-Hop Into Spring and Into a Hoop!
Hop to some Spring Hooping with Ché Rippinger and Hip The Hoopla.
Rejuvenate your inner child…who really wants to dance, play and giggle a lot more! Taught with positive, happy encouragement, you’ll be hooping so much easier than you ever thought. Whether you are a beginner or a pro, there are always creative techniques to increase your skills and accelerate your happiness and health. Laughter & dance-adapted yoga are included with a sprinkling of belly dance, and both on and off-body hooping. Classes are Tuesdays at 6:30pm and Saturdays at 10am~RSVP’s are highly encouraged to guarantee your spot. Private lessons and coaching sessions are available. Discounted 5 & 10 class packs are still available, or you can drop in for $15.You are welcome to bring your own hoop(s) or borrow one at class. You can even order your own custom hand-crafted (with love) pro hoop. In-Joy your Hoopy Spring!
Here’s April’s specials:
https://www.facebook.com/events/470185283052777/
Also, here is a recent video for some Hip The Hoopla “Hoopspiration”…
http://youtu.be/pCyfhuHjUt8
For More information, please call 303-980-6295, e-mail Che@HipTheHoopla.com and visit (and Like) us on facebook www.facebook.com/HipTheHoopla
Hip The Hoopla March Madness
Happy Ides of March & St. Patrick’s Day!
Blessings~Ché of Hip The Hoopla
Class theme Saturday 3/16 at 10am “Twist”
Info: http://www.facebook.com/events/419603358134654/
Super Cool Things To Do In Denver
Denver Has Hooping, Belly Dance, Aerial, Flow, Fire, Circus, Burlesque and More!
Did you know the WOW factor that is our Denver Mile High city (all 5280 feet) hosts all kinds of unique performing and learning feasts? We have a huge community of Hoop dancers, belly dancers, aerialists, flow artists, fire performers, circus presentations and a bustling burlesque community, too!
You don’t have to wait for Cirque du Soleil to set up the big tents for big bucks, either (though they always do a phenomenal show).
Here’s a few unique Denver Area Location Finds, which should be on your radar, even/especially if it’s off the beaten path:
Lannie’s Clock Tower Cabaret (in the heart of downtown Denver downstairs in the infamous Clock Tower Building)–with Naughty Pierre and some luscious shows including burlesque, aerial, comedy, jazz and even drag queens!
Boulder Circus Center (Boulder, Colorado)-flow artistry in the form of shows, classes and more. It’s a two-story building in Boulder built by jugglers and fostered and supported by a huge community of creative people.
The Fusion Factory (Denver, Colorado)-Incredible artwork, artists, shows, parties, and festivals. Home to the Denver Costume Collective and artist potluck nights. Fire spinning, lights, dj’s, original art, body painting, preparation for Burning Man and Apogea (Colorado’s version of Burning Man) are just some of the things you can find at this corner building in Denver warehouse district.
The Mercury Cafe (Denver, Colorado)-an eclectic mix of live music, dance lessons, performances, poetry readings, film screenings–not to mention a sustainable restauant and bar that supports local, fresh healthy delicious organic food with a unique bohemian, elegant artistic atmosphere.
And for some Mind Blowing Events that are eclectic, artistic…and so very far from boring:
Elevation (Golden, Colorado)-an annual experience that brings together amazing belly dance, music, costumes, workshops, shopping and more eyeliner, bindi’s, bellies, glitter, leather, tassels and tribal costumes, than is probably legal.
Spin Summit (Colorado Springs, Colorado)-an annual flow community gathering of international & national & Colorado instructors, performers, healers, creatives & vendors which include such genres as hoop dancing, fire dancing, poi spinning, contact juggling, staff, flow wand and many other things you’ve probably never heard of!
Colorado Raindance Festival (Georgetown, Colorado)-a new Rocky Mountain fundraising festival held at Shadow Mountain Ranch in the historical mountain community of Georgetown (where the infamous Sonic Bloom Festival is held).
Sample, Enjoy and Share these… you just might set off an avalanche of interesting!
~Ché Rippinger of Hip The Hoopla is a hoop, belly, sword and fire dancer. She teaches, performs and coaches, plus creates lovely custom hoops in the Historic Sante Fe Arts District, at Red Elephant Workshop in Denver, Colorado. Connect with her via e-mail Che@HipTheHoopla.com or phone 303-919-9280 to schedule your next bout of creativity! Also follow Hip The Hoopla on Facebook for healthy happy tips, hoopspiration, class news & flow jams.
Ché Rippinger is also the Social Media Marketing & P.R. Consultant for Elevated Color, an industry leader, well-known Fine Art prints shop, color management and G7 Certification Expert, in Denver.