We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shae Nance. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shae below.

Hi Shae, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Hoopologie and The Spinsterz are committed to transforming people’s lives through flow arts. We are a stand for your greatest self expression. EveryBODY can access and benefit from the flow state, and it is our mission to empower you through movement, community, and powerful partnership.

Over the years, Hoopologie has shifted our focus to (1) sharing the true history of hoop dance by highlighting Native American voices (2) bringing the transformational power of hooping to communities that do not have access to it and (3) embracing inclusivity and diversity.

It is important to understand and acknowledge the connection between Native American culture and flowing with a hoop. Hoopologie and The Spinsterz acknowledge that Native American Hoop Dance is a traditional dance form that has been practiced by indigenous peoples of North America for centuries and plays an important role in Native American culture and identity. We find it extremely important to lift up indigenous voices and celebrate their history. We have two Native American brand ambassadors, Eric Michael Hernandez and ShanDien Sonwai LaRance. Both of these artists are extremely powerful voices in the hoop dance and Native American communities.

Lately, a big push of our brands has been to provide hooping to communities that do not have access to it. South and Central America has been a focus of ours. Everyone’s life can change through the lens of a hoop, and we want everyone in the world to have access to this transformational process. This coming January 2025, I will be flying to Nicaragua with a bunch of hula hoops to donate to local children through a Social Circus project called Circus With Purpose. While we regularly donate hoop supplies to communities and events around the world, it really is special to be able to hand-deliver these hoops myself.

Inclusivity and diversity are foundational virtues held by Hoopologie and The Spinsterz. EveryBODY can access and benefit from the flow state. We include everyone in our community, and our diverse team of ambassadors holds these values to their hearts as well.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Ever since I can remember, I have had a strong passion for expressing myself through movement. I am blessed to have a family that has supported this passion from day one. Growing up, I trained dance heavily. I studied ballet, jazz, contemporary, and modern dance. I chose dance over everything else. Eventually, this selfless commitment to dance ended up breaking me – at the age of 17, I was diagnosed with a severe case of anorexia. This diagnosis forced me to prioritize my well-being, and I gave up dance.

Years go by, and I find myself healing through movement. I started a daily yoga practice with my mom during the pandemic. I placed mindfulness with movement, something I was not familiar with before. I found flow arts and hooping; a new way to creatively express myself through movement. I slowly started dancing again, but this time for myself. Not for anyone else.

In college, I stumbled upon a job listing for Hoopologie. I was an excited hooper who wanted to get more involved with the community that I was new to. Melinda brought me on the team with open arms. She has supported my passion for dance ever since I have met her. For that, I am grateful.

Towards the end of my college career at CU Boulder, I joined the dance and theater department. My passion for dance was fully reignited – I had a community to move with, teachers to learn history from, and endless opportunities to create and express myself. Learning the true history of certain dance forms reminded me of my passion for supporting and uplifting indigenous communities. I am constantly learning and unlearning.

Also in college, I learned a variety of dance styles I never had access to growing up. One of these styles is burlesque. Burlesque has been a wonderful healing practice for me – I believe in burlesque as a reclamation of myself and my body. All of these new dance styles and the power of healing through movement have inspired me to study somatic therapy. Movement and dance healed me, and it will heal others.

I am passionate about healing through movement, and I am grateful to have a job where I can spread this passion to others. Movement is a universal language that connects us all, and the hoop is a catalyst to this healing practice and community. At Hoopologie and The Spinsterz, we distribute hula hoops and wholesale hula hoop supplies to spread the contagious joy of healing through movement all over the world.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My mission is to share the joy of healing through movement with everyone. Happiness is the human homeostasis, and moving our body daily helps us achieve holistic wellness and happiness. Here at Hoopologie and The Spinsterz, we sell hula hoops and flow props to stimulate creative expression and provide access to the flow state. The healing properties of flow state are accessible to everyBODY. As the Social Relations Manager, my passion is to provide opportunities to access the flow state to all communities, especially those that do not have the resources to do so.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being in this industry is to feel the community and joy spread all over the world. The hula hoop and flow arts community is a global community – once you join, you will never be alone. My heart swells with happiness when I help facilitate someone’s creative/healing journey by giving them a hoop. My goal is to provide access to the healing properties of the flow state for all humans, everywhere.

Contact Info:

• Website: hoopologie.com thespinsterz.com
• Instagram: @hoopologie @thespinsterz
• Facebook: Hoopologie – The Spinsterz
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hoopologie8364/videos

Image Credits

Photos with fire – Mountain Storm Photography