We recently connected with Abby Albaum and have shared our conversation below.

Abby, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

When I first started hoop dancing back in 2007, there were hardly any resources available to learn. So, I found myself on You Tube, which was pretty new at the time, and hoop dance tutorials didn’t yet exist like they do today. I watched videos from hoopers all over the world, in an effort to dissect every move; then I’d running outside to practice. I witnessed these beautiful dancers go into a flow-like state as they performed amazing tricks, and the hoops appeared to be floating effortlessly. I was captivated by the art form and wanted to tap into the movement meditation aspect of it, too. I practiced daily until I mastered the foundations and was eventually able to put moves together without conscious thought – and this is when the real magic happened.

I quickly became obsessed with hooping and the way it made me feel. What I didn’t expect was how it impacted my mental health. Just prior to starting my hoop dance journey, I was diagnosed with clinical depression. And, through this practice, I began to heal. It helped me learn how to be in the present moment and express myself creatively. There’ve since been studies linking hoop movement meditation with healing from depression and anxiety.

I actually have a list of ‘Foundational Move Tutorials’ on my site hoola-fit.com, which I consider to be the most essential to developing a well rounded hoop dance practice. And for me, the obstacles that initially stood in the way were time (I worked a corporate job back then and had a long commute to/ from work) and lack of resources. Today, anyone interested in hooping can jump online and sign up for virtual classes and teacher trainings at hoola-fit.com or check out countless free hoop dance tutorials on You Tube.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I’m a Play Professional who thrives on creative self expression through hoop dancing, writing, art, and mental health advocacy. I started my first business (Hoola Monsters) in 2008 after discovering the joys and mental health benefits of modern day hoop dance. This art form transformed my life in major ways, and I knew that I had to share it with others. So I started selling my handmade hoops at the Saturday Morning Market in St. Petersburg, FL., which is the largest Farmer’s Market in the Southeast US.

Then, I opened my hoop shop on ETSY, which is now the longest-running handmade hula hoop shop on the platform (hoolamonsters.etsy.com). I created a performance troupe, and started teaching people about hoop dance movement meditation. From there, Hoola-Fit was born, which I’m definitely proud of. I currently train hula hoop fitness instructors through this American Council on Exercise-Approved curriculum. It’s my mission to get hoop dance classes in gyms all over the country by inspiring, educating and empowering more hoop dance teachers.

Some performance accomplishments include: appearing on America’s Got Talent, being featured as a hoop dance expert in media outlets nationwide, performing for the Tampa Bay Rays and the Tampa Bay Bucs. Working with kids is another major passion of mine – and I do everything from summer camps, after school programs, community rec center workshops, library events, birthday parties and more.

I’m a certified Youth Fitness Specialist, and in addition to Hoola-Fit, I teach Kids Yoga, Kids Fit and Cardio Kickboxing. When I’m not writing or in the gym inspiring people to get healthy, you can usually find me in my craft room making jewelry which I also sell at craft shows, farmer’s markets and festivals.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

A time when I most definitely had to pivot would be when everything shut down due to COVID-19. I’d spent more than a decade building a business that centered around vending, group fitness classes, and special event entertainment. When all of my events and classes were cancelled, I panicked and started sending out resumes (I have a degree in public relations and worked in marketing for 8 years before starting my business).

But the thought of going back into corporate America was motivation to think outside the box. I’d neglected my ETSY shop – mostly due to the fact that everything I sell is handmade and I was having trouble keeping up with my in-person events and online sales. Now that the events were all cancelled, I poured my heart and soul into the ETSY Shop. I added about 75 new products, updated my shop policies and started some online advertising campaigns.

Then, I launched the online course for Hoola-Fit (up until this point, my trainings were always done live, in person). I also taught online classes for beginners looking to learn the basics. I pivoted by putting a lot more time and energy into online sales, and fortunately – It worked! My ETSY shop now makes up a huge part of my income, as does the virtual/online components of Hoola-Fit.

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to introduce the healing benefits of hooping to people all over the world. I never would have imagined that a plastic circle could transform my life in such major ways, so I feel like it’s my duty to share it with others. I credit my hoop dance practice as a major healing tool from depression (along with dietary changes, therapy, yoga and meditation).

As a mental health advocate and survivor of suicide loss, I wrote a book to share my story. I’m currently in the editing phase and seeking publication.

Contact Info:

• Website: hoola-fit.com, hoolamonsters.etsy.com, hoolamonsters.com
• Instagram: @hoola.monsters, @hoolafitness
• Facebook: facebook.com/hoolamonsters
• Youtube: youtube.com/hoolafitness, youtube.com/hoolamonster

Image Credits
Fire Fans: Light of the Moon Photography Gold Images: Wild Artistry