Photo courtesy of Ignacio Pérez Pérez.
There’s no way to put this delicately. Sometimes I stand on the street with a bunch of friends and strangers, and then, with a giant plastic hoop around my middle (and occasionally a leg or an arm, but never my neck, because that hurts), I dance like I think I can.
Remember that childhood driveway pastime? Hula hooping? Well, we’ve got it. It started as a friend’s brainchild, and then there was purchasing of the right kind of polyethylene tubing, and the PVC pipe to join it together, and then there was sawing, and soaking of the polyethylene to soften it, and jamming the two ends together. And voila, an adult-sized hula hoop you can stand out on the street and rock out with.
We hula in plazas and parks, and though sometimes we’re as few was two or three people when we start, usually by the end of the session, we’ve tempted at least 30 onlookers to give it a try. Last night in the Plaza de Armas, some kids from Patin Urbano (a rollerblading group) popped by, and we all ran out to them with hoops, which they dutifully spun, and later used to jump through for tricks. I guess when you get people on the street doing peculiar things, they gravitate together.
Here’s a video short put together by Ignacio Pérez, a Venezuelan friend of the hula and performance artist living in Santiago. If you know me (and even if you don’t), you’ll see me running around in there. My favorite part is when I go zooming by kick-jumping the hoop at about 1:52. The footage is from a couple of weeks ago, from Plaza de Armas, Parque Forestal and from Parque Bustamante, though Plaza de Armas really is the best spot we’ve found so far.
From Ignacio Pérez Pérez on Vimeo.
So far we’ve had people from Chile, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, Canada, the US, Norway, England and Ireland, and from about ages 1.5 (just playing, kids seem to really get this at about age 5, not before) to about 65, and families with up to six kids popping by to borrow the hoops. It’s all terribly buena onda (good-spirited), everyone has a great time, and the main goal is just to have fun, which often seems perplexing to passersby.
Love the video! The scene with the street dog ignoring the woman hula-ing next to him–priceless! So Santiago.
Looks like great fun.
Hey Sally, you should come out sometime and play! And yes, this is one of the very sweet stret dogs that is mellow and that I hope lives a long, and peaceful life. No cyclist or roller-blader chasing for him. Hope to see you out there one day!
This is just awesome 🙂
You know you’re welcome anytime, richard!
I second that – completely awesome!
thanks, Anil! and for the retweet. I was off the grid for about 20 hours, and came back to that. I have a hoop in my house for those too shy to try on the street for the first time. The only catch is, my house is very far!
I’d bring my one year old if it were in the day….
we have done it during the day before, maybe will again. I’m sure N would be a star. Also, happy birthday to him!
What a shirt by the way…you know which one. Not too many people can pull that off.
talk to your friend. Yeah, you know which one!
Wuoooo!!! I have been living in Santiago since ever and I didn’t anything about it!! It’s look so fun.
Hugs!
well, it just started. Like the group on facebook and come by anytime!
I just can’t do it, despite trying many times. My hips just don’t move well enough to properly keep the hoop aloft. Sounds like a fun group activity though!
it’s not hips, you haven’t been taught well enough. It’s mostly legs. Someday we’ll meet up and I’ll show you my dorky, jerky way of doing it that works pretty well! Thanks for chiming in, Mr. T, it’s been a while!
we want to play! hey, the fb link here is broken; i’ll log on to FB to look for you. What’s up with this three day weekend thing?? i just heard about it. krap. where should we go?? i’m going to comb through your blog for ideas… I love your blog.
oh no! I’l try to fix it. In the meantime, looks like tonight (thurs) it’s on, though I’m not entirely sure I’ll be there. Look for Santiago Hula (or maybe SantiagoHula) on FB, and you’ll find us!
also what three day weekend thing, this one? It’s día de la raza and don’t forget that the last weekend this month is a four-dayer (día de los muertos). Thanks for the blog love!
Oh now that is some fun! The participant in the floral print shirt – that one has some moves. Kudos!
The event is his brainchild, and yeah, he’s got some moves, plus great clothing choices! Come by and say hey!