The hula hoop has emerged as an instrument of world happiness and the centre piece of a great party planned for Dec. 2 in Campbell River.
The event is World Hoop Day and the cause is disadvantaged kids around the globe who need a little healthy fun in their lives.
Jenny “Hoopnosis” Koropecki, a local hoop dance instructor, is organizing the event at Quinsam Community Centre.
“Campbell River is the only registered community on Vancouver Island that is hosting a World Hoop Day,” Jenny says. “Cities all over the world, like Vancouver, will be hosting a World Hoop Day with the goal to bring positive health and joy to less fortunate children.”
Koropecki says 100 per cent of the proceeds from the Campbell River event will go the World Hoops Day charity. She started teaching hoop dance four years ago here and has wanted to bring World Hoop Day to Campbell River since day one.
There will be two DJs, Cory Jesmer and Marcel Marechal and lots of performers including: Max the Juggler, Boogie the Clown, Lulu Tingle the fire dancer, Karina Strong from an emerging Nanaimo circus called Vesta Fire Entertainment, Tracey Hoopla from Courtenay, Spin Jinny who belly dances while hooping, local belly dancer Tricia Campbell and, of course, Jenny Hoopnosis herself.
Children are welcome from 6 to 8 p.m. then adults only from 8 to 10 p.m. There will be a cover charge of a minimum $10 donation per adult and $5 for kids. There will be prize draws and refreshments.
“Everyone is to come and enjoy,” Koropecki says. “There will be no chairs or tables, just wide open space to hula hoop the entire time.
“There will be different vendors selling fun little things that hoopers generally like, as well as hoop rentals so even if you’ve never tried hula hooping before you can take one out for a spin.”
World Hoop Day is a registered non profit organization that supplies its “hoop ambassadors” with funding and hula hoops to distribute to schools, orphanages, villages and camps around the world. “They build custom gorgeous dance hoops and they are brought to children around the world who live in poor conditions and would not ever be given the opportunity to receive such a gift,” Koropecki says. “Each “hoop ambassador” teaches the children many fantastic tricks and how to use the hula hoops before leaving. So then the children are left with a circle of joy that will provide positive mental and physical health.”