FWM: What led you to start BringtheHoopla?
I was born and raised in Shelton, CT, and graduated with a BFA from the
University of Hartford’s The Hartt School of Music. After graduation, I
moved to NYC to pursue my dreams in music theatre. After a decade in
New York, I wanted to create experiences that allowed me to embrace
the things I was passionate about including building a small business in
my community.
I gravitated towards the things I loved. In 2011, I co-founded
BringtheHoopla, an educational fitness company that provides high-
quality programming to children of all ages while using our handmade
hoops as the main tool for play, learning, and exercise. Then, to shine a
light on other small businesses and to build upon the revitalization of my
hometown’s Downtown, I co-founded Celebrate Shelton, a private city-
wide effort that focuses on community arts engagement by producing
no-cost concerts and community events while highlighting local artisans,
food trucks and non-profits organizations.
In the past years, Celebrate Shelton has helped to ignite Downtown
Shelton by bringing over 40 festivals and events to Veterans Memorial
Park as well as creating a monthly Downtown Handmade Market for 3
years. BringtheHoopla is currently running in 100 public schools in the
New York tri-state area and we have worked with over 32,000 students
in over 250 schools and 160 towns.
FWM: Tell us about BringtheHoopla.
Our mission has always been to create programs that inspire creativity through movement. Through our custom-designed weighted hula hoops, we design programs that are aligned with state and national academic standards Hula hooping is exercise, and creating a program students enjoy is paramount in making physical activity a regular part of their routine. Our goal is to bring the fun back into fitness while focusing on the recurring impactful themes that we face at all ages. Self-expression in the arts positively affects mood, function, cognition, and behavior. Self-expression plays a significant role in developing our capacity to relate to others and engage in deep relationships. Our team members maintain a positive, safe environment where children are comfortable exploring movement and creative expression through hooping. We connect with each student and offering guidance or encouragement boosts their confidence and motivates them to want to learn and actively participate in our program.
Instructor Laura Foote is teaching a class
What differentiates your fitness programs from others?
Our team of educators at BringtheHoopla believe in the power of hula hooping and positive physical activity and we build specialty curriculums that focus on ELA, STEM, STEAM, and Arts in Motion. We create unique programs for schools and municipalities so that kids are having a truly holistic experience of the body and mind.
Everyone can hoop. And if you don’t think you can, we will teach you! The benefits of hula hooping are endless: Hooping is a positive and fun activity that intergenerational families can enjoy. Hooping burns up to 500 calories per hour. Hooping is heart-healthy. Hooping increases energy develops balance and coordination and improves flexibility. Hooping helps with posture, endurance, and overall core strength. Hooping calms the mind, relieves stress, and promotes laughter.
When you incorporate the health benefits of hooping and apply what we do in a classroom setting, students feel pride and success while mastering new skills.
“Creativity changes form and is about taking risks, ignoring any doubt you have and diving into what feels right.” Explain.
Creativity throughout one’s life is ever-evolving, a work in progress. I think the hardest part of staying consistent within your own creativity is not getting in the way of your own self. As business owners, as bosses, we want to make the right choices for our team members, our clients, our families, for our own selves, but we get caught up in the everyday craze.
Creative risks lead to innovation. We aren’t always speaking of major, over-the-top ideas. At the heart of all big ideas are small changes: the minor influences that shape a new concept, or spark a fresh process.
Taking risks builds creative confidence and the real power of creativity is the ability to imagine and build something new; the willingness to risk failure but to commit to real growth. So for me, being creative is at the center of everything I do and believe in.
FWM: Tell us about the recent custom programs.
In March 2020, when we entered a global pandemic, we had to dive in and pivot our entire business model. We wanted to stay connected to our students and community partners while maintaining effective programming with the continued positivity that was needed more than ever. Within 4 days, we offered free virtual programming through our social media outlets as well as adapted all of our curriculum to continue online programming. Our team members trained on multi-online platforms to accommodate all schools. I was overwhelmed, although not surprised by their commitment and the school’s appreciation for our work.
During this time, we had the ability to expand our custom program options. Our most recent program, Arts in Motion utilizes the National Core Arts Standards which support the development of artistic literacy in young students. These standards promote the arts as communication, creative personal realization, culture, history, a means to well-being, and as community engagement. Students participate in the discussion and in arts-based activities that include mindfulness, dance, and painting…and of course hula-hooping.
We have also recently strengthened our Early Learning curriculum, a hoop-centered program designed for children ages three to five. It supports and aligns with the Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards. The Early Learning curriculum utilizes Hoopla Hoops as a tool to promote physical activity and offer developmentally appropriate learning experiences that inspire imagination and creativity.
FWM: How much fun is BringtheHoopla for parties and special events?
We can’t figure out who has more fun at a BringtheHoopla party, the kids or the adults. Everyone has a blast. We supply our custom-made (hula) hoops in 5 different sizes, the sound system, age-appropriate music, and two dynamic team members and get everyone into the spin! Our party packages include basic hooping instruction, games, and hoop dance choreography.
For special events, such as festivals or end-of-year celebrations, our Hoopla Zone is a huge hit! We create an interactive activity area where all attendees can flow in and out of the space and it includes demo performances from Hoopla team members, mini-classes, one-on-one instruction, and an all-inclusive Hoopla Jam. We provide all the hoops and fun on-the-spot instruction for all ages and levels.
My personal favorite is the Deluxe On & Off Body Technique and Trick Class because it is incredible to watch skill sets grow so quickly or watch a new “hooper” fall in love with movement and the concept of hooping.
FWM: What is your vision for your company in 2022?
My vision for 2022 is to continue to expand to become THE physical fitness initiative in school and after school across the New York tri-state area. We pride ourselves on building relationships and we greatly value each of our partners. This expansion is quite exciting and my first goal of 2022 is to roll out our Pre-K Loyalty Membership to create a big impact within early childhood learning centers while keeping programming affordable and sustainable for all.
