From starting out as a classic kids’ toy to becoming more popular with adults as a means of fun and fitness, the hula hoop has truly come full circle.
And it’s not only circus enthusiasts and music-festival hippies putting hoop to hip these days. Celebrity fans range from Zooey Deschanel to Michelle Obama, while a growing local “hoopster” scene has inspired this weekend’s first hula hoop festival in Dubai.
Dubai HOOP Fest, organised by The Evolve Company, a local initiative that specialises in the areas of arts, culture and communications, brings hooping expert Paola Berton from Vicenza, Italy, to lead all levels of hoopers, from expert to hoop-curious, through intensive skill-and-drill workshops. There will also be hoop “jam sessions” and other activities promoting creative movement.
The event offers a chance, irrespective of age, occupation or skill level, to return to carefree childhood play and self-expression; learn a cool, new skill; and sway away the week’s stresses in an artistic and all-inclusive atmosphere.
Berton, 33, began hooping six years ago and it wasn’t long before she launched the full-fledged hooping community in Italy, the Italian Hoop Connection, now in its fifth successful year. She is also a regular teacher at Europe’s biggest hoop conventions.
Her love of the practice is evident in her many YouTube videos, where she captivatingly spins, twirls, bobs and weaves and even performs acrobatics, moving the ring around her torso, arms, legs and neck.
“I live for performing, but what I love most is teaching, and in the two days at HOOP Fest, I will bring you into a journey, into my vision of hooping,” says Berton. “I will share all the tips and techniques I know and also create situations in which you can find your own personal style, and that will stimulate your creativity.
“It will be intense but well balanced, with a lot to learn and experience and a lot of fun.”
Berton, who is HulaFit certified, will also add a cardio-jammed hooping workout to the programme and sell her own hoops.
Event organiser Naghmeh Manshadi, who also gathers hoopers at the weekly Friday Ripe Market in Zabeel Park, teaches hooping across Dubai with Ragini Nagu. As part of Dubai HOOP Fest, the pair are offering a Hoop/Partner Yoga Workshop.
These types of community events are what Manshadi, who is British-Iranian, lives for.
“When I moved here, I felt there was a lack of community activities, although so much has changed since then,” says Manshadi, 30, who moved to the UAE from London in 2010. “Back then, I wanted to socialise with people in a healthy way, take part in alternative activities that didn’t involve dining or visiting the mall. With this in mind, The Evolve Company was born, a platform for creating and building a community, which in turn is nurturing self-development through inspirational art and cultural programmes.”
• Dubai HOOP Fest runs from Thursday, April 23, to Saturday, April 25, at A4 Gallery in Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz. Full-weekend tickets are Dh1,000, or Dh200 for Thursday evening only. For observing only, Dh50 for adults and Dh25 for kids. To book, contact 055 241 3389 or evolveeventsme@gmail.com. Keep up with this and other Evolve events via www.facebook.com/evolveco
artslife@thenational.ae
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
RESULT
Arsenal 0 Chelsea 3
Chelsea: Willian (40'), Batshuayi (42', 49')
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
