​October 3rd 2014 - Review

SWHOOP open stage

South West Hoop is a big part of the exploding world of hula hooping in the UK. Over the past few years hoop has become a mainstream activity for men women and children of all ages. One of the pioneers of this facinating art form is Gail O'brien, from Northern Ireland. She has taught and inspired a generation of new hoopers to push their vocabluary in dynamic directions in the pursuit of aesthetic through skill. Her debut performance in a cyr wheel at SWHoop was the culmination of an arts funded project that took her all the way to L.A to train with the infamous Sam Tribble of Spinnovation.

 

The relatively new discipline of cyr is an acrobatic tool that requires balance whilst manipulating a large metal ring, often from within it. Obviously with the shape mimicing that of a very large hoop, it has struck the attention of hoopers worldwide.

 

The open stage is a place for emerging artists and new works to be showcased in front of contemporaries. Being a hoop event this means there are mostly hoop acts with a few alternative acts to break it up. These external skills to the hoop world, whilst entertaining, rarely capture the spirit of the hooper. Gail, coming from a strong hooping background gave everyone exactly what they wanted to see; a clear exploration of body and shape in space, graceful manipulation and strong musicality. The sight of the huge hoop threw waves of excitement through the crowd and as Gail's feet left the floor the room erupted into applause and cheering as they watched one of their heroes glide through the air. Gail's excellent stage presence allows her to work the crowd whilst trying to navigate a stage that had a long drop at the front and expensive sound equipment to one side, a daunting task for any Cyr artist. Appreciating the audience before her, Gail couldn't resist the temptation to bring everything back into perspective by managing to hoop the wheel, all 11 kilos of it, a mean feat for someone twice Gail's stature.

 

The trail blazer that she is, Gail is continuing to show us all the way forward both on and off the stage, we will happily follow.