Joy with Hula Hoops
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
By Hoopologie
Meet Cindy Huston, a spirited 44-year-old from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who transformed her passion for dance and healing arts into a vibrant career in Chicago. A graduate in Dance from the University of Iowa, Cindy moved to the Windy City in 2004, where she set out to weave the magic of performing arts into healing practices.
In 2015, Cindy launched her dreams through Yoga Body Elements, a wellness center that embodies her vision of holistic health, and the Chicago Hula Hoop Festival, a celebratory event inspired by a heartwarming experience in India. During a tour in 2014, Cindy gifted hula hoops to students at the Food for Life School in Vrindavan, sparking joy and inspiration that fueled the festival's creation. The proceeds from the festival's inaugural year were donated back to the school, a testament to Cindy's generous spirit.
The first Chicago Hula Hoop Festival was a city-wide affair in 2015, featuring master classes, performances, and an interactive booth that invited festival-goers to hula hoop away. Highlights from Cindy's impressive hula hoop journey include performances with the Fire for Higher troupe, appearances at the Google holiday party, NASCAR Street Race Chicago, and the Pride parade. She also found joy in merging her festival with the Uptown Wellness Festival, expanding the reach and impact of her efforts.
Cindy has a fondness for blending HoopFit and HoopDance, relishing the strength and freedom these styles offer. Her favorite trick, the corkscrew, showcases her playful mastery. While carrying thirty hula hoops to classes is a workout in itself, she encourages students to bring their own or order custom beginner hoops through the festival.
Throughout the seasons, Cindy's personal practice adapts, finding perfect expression in Chicago's spring and summer. Her wellness center, Yoga Body Elements, serves as a haven for hoop practice between sessions, and even while traveling, Cindy ensures a collapsible hula hoop is tucked in her yoga mat bag.
To aspiring hoopers, Cindy advises patience and fun—emphasizing the importance of embracing mistakes and learning with laughter. She encourages seeking local instructors, organizing private hoop events, and improvising to build confidence and share the joy of hula hooping with the world.
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Instagram: @yogabodyelementschicago
@uptownwellnessfestivalchicago
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