My name is Jean Hooper, and in 2001, a $6.00 hula hoop changed my life.
It was during one of our monthly girls weekends when a dear friend introduced me to hooping. She had bought a hoop to help tone her abs. On my way home that weekend, I started to think about how easy and fun hooping was and immediately ran to Target to purchase one of my own. I began working out 3x’s a week for 30 to 60 minutes at a time! I danced and moved with twists and turns, and all while hooping! I listened to my favorite songs playing on my remote control boom box and would dance and hoop to my favorite music CD’s without skippin’ a beat!
I received an invitation to my high school reunion so I decided to buy the most beautiful red dress from a boutique on Main Street in Venice Beach, CA. It was a body tight, form fitting dress providing no room for flaws or BULGES! My hooping was certainly working. I could tell because I was getting compliments daily from co-workers, people in my apartment building, etc. They would ask me how I did it and I would simply respond with, “a hula hoop!” They would look at me with a surprised look and then realize that it made sense.
At my reunion in Marquette, Michigan, I was in awe of my one night of glory. I will never forget the look on my 7th grade boyfriend’s face, as well as some of my classmates when I walked into the room. Let’s just say it was PRICELESS! I had never felt more beautiful!
Shortly after my high school reunion, I was compelled to start my own company to teach America to hoop. So, November 15, 2001, Hoop’n with Hooper was born (yes, Hooper really is my last name). I just knew that this little toy hoop that had given me so much joy and fun had to be shared with the rest of the world. With the 9/11 tragedy so recent, I wanted to help put smiles back on America’s faces. A six dollar hoop has done just that. The smiles I have seen on the kids and adults I teach is absolutely priceless and those memories will stay with me always. With hooping, you can’t help but smile! It relieves stress, allows you to express yourself, and will bring back the kid in you! What better way to become physically fit than with this new, high energy – LOW commitment activity. It put me in the best shape of my life, and has transformed my mind, body and spirit into living a wonderful, active, and healthy lifestyle. I have never felt better.
Let me teach you the simple and fun steps that I use so you can begin to feel better about yourself too. No matter what age, size, or shape you are, or whether you are male or female, I can teach you how to hoop! Check out my website for the programs we provide. If you love to dance, you’ll love to hoop! At the very least, we’ll make you smile! My dream is to make America smile…with a $6 hoop!
