History of Hula Hooping From 500 BCE to the 21st Century
No one knows for sure when or where a circle of willow, rattan, grapevines or stiff grasses became a form of exercise. We do know that Egyptian children played with hoops made out of dried grapevines, rolling them with sticks or whirling them around their waist. The ancient Greeks used hoops to exercise. A vase in the Louvre [dated 500-490 BCE] shows Ganymede rolling a hoop. However, there is no evidence that hooping was part of the early Olympics.
Great Britain 14th Century
Hoops were popular in Great Britain in the 14th century as a form of recreation and religious ceremonies. Medical records from the era record doctors treating dislocated backs and heart attacks that were attributed to hooping.
The term “hula hoop” came from British sailors who had seen hula dancing in the Hawaiian Islands and thought it looked similar to the movements of hooping back home. Hooping was again popular in England in the 1800 where children would roll hoops with a stick or spin the hoop around their waist.
Native American Hoop Dance
Hoop dancing is a form of storytelling for Native American Indians dating back to the 1400s. With no beginning or end, it symbolizes the never-ending circle of life. Dancers used dozens of small hoops, typically made of reeds, as symbolic representations of animals such as eagles, snakes, butterflies or coyotes. Their hoop dance uses very rapid movements and the off-body use of hoops to construct symbolic forms around their bodies. Tony White Cloud ushered in modern Native American hoop dancing in the 1930s when he began using multiple hoops to perform stylized dances to weave stories of how life is connected with changes and transitions.
There is an annual Native American Hoop Dance competition at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona.
Hula HoopCraze 1950s
The hula hoop craze of the late 50’s can be traced to Australia, where children twirled hoops made out of bamboo. When the production of bamboo hoops could not meet the demand, Toltoys was engaged to make hoops out of plastic and sold 400,000 hoops in 1957.
Hula Hoops from the 50's were small colorful plastic tubes made primarily for children to play and exercise. Today, hula hooping has come full circle. Children still love them and adults have begun using stronger, larger, heavier hoops for fitness and fun. ... continue reading>> http://www.hulahooping.com/history.html
No one knows for sure when or where a circle of willow, rattan, grapevines or stiff grasses became a form of exercise. We do know that Egyptian children played with hoops made out of dried grapevines, rolling them with sticks or whirling them around their waist. The ancient Greeks used hoops to exercise. A vase in the Louvre [dated 500-490 BCE] shows Ganymede rolling a hoop. However, there is no evidence that hooping was part of the early Olympics.
Great Britain 14th Century
Hoops were popular in Great Britain in the 14th century as a form of recreation and religious ceremonies. Medical records from the era record doctors treating dislocated backs and heart attacks that were attributed to hooping.
The term “hula hoop” came from British sailors who had seen hula dancing in the Hawaiian Islands and thought it looked similar to the movements of hooping back home. Hooping was again popular in England in the 1800 where children would roll hoops with a stick or spin the hoop around their waist.
Native American Hoop Dance
Hoop dancing is a form of storytelling for Native American Indians dating back to the 1400s. With no beginning or end, it symbolizes the never-ending circle of life. Dancers used dozens of small hoops, typically made of reeds, as symbolic representations of animals such as eagles, snakes, butterflies or coyotes. Their hoop dance uses very rapid movements and the off-body use of hoops to construct symbolic forms around their bodies. Tony White Cloud ushered in modern Native American hoop dancing in the 1930s when he began using multiple hoops to perform stylized dances to weave stories of how life is connected with changes and transitions.
There is an annual Native American Hoop Dance competition at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona.
Hula HoopCraze 1950s
The hula hoop craze of the late 50’s can be traced to Australia, where children twirled hoops made out of bamboo. When the production of bamboo hoops could not meet the demand, Toltoys was engaged to make hoops out of plastic and sold 400,000 hoops in 1957.
Hula Hoops from the 50's were small colorful plastic tubes made primarily for children to play and exercise. Today, hula hooping has come full circle. Children still love them and adults have begun using stronger, larger, heavier hoops for fitness and fun. ... continue reading>> http://www.hulahooping.com/history.html
Walls fifth-grader breaks hula hoop record
On May 21, what were you doing for 381 consecutive minutes?
After consuming a muffin and some juice for breakfast, Walls Elementary School fifth-grader Sherrita Paige began the process of breaking a record.
Her means of doing so included a three-pound, weighted sports hoop. The multi-colored device spun around the 13-year-old's waist for six hours and 21 minutes, a feat recognized by Project Fit America as a "Kong Elite" National Record.
The previous mark was set just one week earlier by Amory Middle School's Chelsea Harlow, who, at the time, logged a time of five hours, 54 minutes and 58 seconds.
"I'm very proud of her," said Walls Elementary principal Rebecca Kelley, "and I want to keep encouraging her because she's a great athlete. She's going to be good at track, basketball -- whatever she participates in -- if she'll just keep her head on straight." ... continue reading>>commercialappeal.com/news/local-news/hula-hoopla
On May 21, what were you doing for 381 consecutive minutes?
After consuming a muffin and some juice for breakfast, Walls Elementary School fifth-grader Sherrita Paige began the process of breaking a record.
Her means of doing so included a three-pound, weighted sports hoop. The multi-colored device spun around the 13-year-old's waist for six hours and 21 minutes, a feat recognized by Project Fit America as a "Kong Elite" National Record.
The previous mark was set just one week earlier by Amory Middle School's Chelsea Harlow, who, at the time, logged a time of five hours, 54 minutes and 58 seconds.
"I'm very proud of her," said Walls Elementary principal Rebecca Kelley, "and I want to keep encouraging her because she's a great athlete. She's going to be good at track, basketball -- whatever she participates in -- if she'll just keep her head on straight." ... continue reading>>commercialappeal.com/news/local-news/hula-hoopla