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SCHOOL + COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
Want to introduce something new and exciting to kids in your school or community? Looking for a unique workshop that involves fun, play, exercise, drama and dance? Hoop Empire offers workshops suitable for ages 5+
In creating a learning space to try something different while being physically active and creatively expressive, we encourage children to explore new ways of exercise and movement that involve fun, play and dance. Hooping is a unique way for children to connect with their individual sense of rhythm, strength, coordination and confidence in a group environment.
Drawing on the inspiration and skills of both the circus and dance arts, we offer workshops where children learn a variety of tricks from the very basic saves and turns to more advanced technique and hoop dance moves. We encourage children to take this timeless toy and exercise tool further, to see how it relates to their body and their developing sense of movement.
Ideal for curriculum-based physical education, dance or drama classes, after-school activities, fundraisers, fetes, festivals, school holiday and camp programs or any special event.
Hoop Empire Hoopshops usually run for anywhere between 30-120 minutes and are broken up into the following segments:
- Performance / demonstration: We start the hoopshops with a 5-15 minute performance / demonstration so the kids know what is possible when stepping into the hoopla.
- Warm up: We will take the children through the best ways to stretch before and after hooping.
- Tricks: We teach the basic techniques of hooping and on and off the body tricks.
- Games: We offer a series of games including spin characters in which to explore creative improvisiation while spinning in hoops; hoop-offs where we invite a challenge of who can hoop the longest; musical hoop statues (see below); and throw-ons where everyone gets a chance to throw hoops onto the facilitators building a beautiful hoop skirt along the way.
- Hoopjam/musical hoop statues: We close with a variation of a hoop jam - a time for all to contribute and offer back to the group something that they have learnt throughout the session. Musical hoop statues is about having fun, freezing on the spot, then showing off. The kids love this game! It really gives them the time to play, laugh and watch as each participant demonstrates their newly acquired hoopla.
Variations of this format are possible to tailor the session to suit your individual needs.
