On Saturday afternoon at Buffalo State’s Student Union the inaugural Hoopathon took place. The event combined fitness and fun for hoopers of all ages while raising donations for some local wellness and medical research facilities.
Upon my entrance into the Mildred A. Campbell Social Hall at the college I was greeted with a crowd of children, teens and adults hooping. The beats of the Dynamic Drum Arts of WNY with Grace Turner set a good tune for the hips, and bright sunlight coming through the large windows filled the place with optimism and joy.
Building on the reemergence of the hula-hoop trend, the Hoopathon came just in time for local lovers of the hoop.
Hardly a summer day goes by where Bidwell Parkway remains hoop-less. Many evening events in Buffalo strive to feature the flaming hula hooping skills of the Pyromancy Fire Performance Troupe, where hula hooping becomes a little more thrilling than usual.
“Hooping is quickly becoming the newest and hottest fitness trend. And no wonder. Hooping is highly beneficial for losing weight, increasing overall energy, stimulating organ function and improving mood,” said Melissa Campbell, Hoopathon organizer.
Campbell, also owner of Filigrees Gallery & Boutique, expressed pleasure at unknowingly exposing people to art. In addition to being the Hula-Hoop capital of Buffalo Filigree’s also sells jewelry, art and hosts musical events.
“Under the guise of fitness and fun we are also feeding them art. Hula hooping is so closely related to creativity and a lot of people don’t really realize it,” she said.
The event featured a hula-hooping decoration station for kids, unique hooping designs by Amber-Dextrous Hoops, health conscious vendors, zombies, and live music to hoop to throughout the day.
Amber Dextrous herself vends at local events and markets, sells her custom hoops on etsy.com and performs and teaches hooping at BikeorBar.
Funds were raised for the Wellness Institute of Greater Buffalo, the Buffalo Public School’s Physical Education Department, and the Center for Personalized Medicine at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.