23rd August

The Playan diary…!

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I woke up still jet-lagged and mildly bewildered at the amount of other surfer’s at my host’s house… a bit of a full on start to the US! I slept pretty badly but I used the opportunity to test some of my equipment – turns out the half airbed-half memory foam bed is pretty comfy! I can never get on with these mummy sleeping bags though, I’m a night thrasher so I normally end up half-out by morning anyway!

My host is a nice guy, I like him – fairly eccentric (like me I suppose), intelligent and kind… with a cat called Mix who can be put into any position (and doesn’t seem particularly bothered about it either). We all had to leave by 8.30 a.m. so he could get to work, so definitely an early start to exploring! today I had arranged a international hoop jam with Vinnie Mansell from LA, I posted it on the Bay Hoopers Facebook page but didn’t get much response, so I wasn’t expecting much. but it was a good chance to meet up with some of Fireworks Collective before we began to head to the desert. Firstly I got lost on the BART (San Francisco’s underground train network – why don’t they light stations better!?) and almost went back to the airport (what a tourist), then started looking for a vegan restaurant in Mission 22nd street that I’m fairly sure doesn’t exist. In the end I gave up and started walking towards Dolores Park, and found a great vegan-friendly place, Boogaloos on 22nd and Valencia. My first taste of american food! Vanilla soy latte! Huevos racheros with scrambled tofu and extra avocado, ermagherd…

Boogaloos huevos racheros!

Hoop jam was in the lovely setting that is Dolores Park. Having never been to San Francisco before, I just picked a destination I’d been told about (I didn’t get much feedback from the US hoopers apart from Vinnie, but he’s not local). What a view! I definitely understand why this was recommended to me. You can see so much from on top of that hill!

Self-portrait in Dolores Park

Dolores Park

Only a few locals appeared, notably Steve Hooptiger, who runs the Bay Area Hoopers FB group, and a few of the collective. We mostly hung around drinking champagne and bad beer, eating cocoa roasted almonds and getting massively sunburnt. Who gets burnt in SF and not the desert? Charlie and I, apparently. After the collective went their seperate ways I hung around with Vinnie and Steve for a few hours, eating vegan ice cream and generally causing a ruckus.

When I got back to David’s later on that night, there was a newcomer, Lindsay from Ohio, who’d I’d been expecting (mwahahaha). Lindsay was a real surprise as she emailed me out of the blue while I was still in the UK – David apparently set us up to surf together thinking we’d get on, and he was so right. She was travelling across the States before heading over to South Africa for a veterinary course. She’s so damn cute!

Mix plays pat-a-cake

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Playa preparations.

I actually said “See you on the other side” to the Fire Troupe yesterday. That’s so f***ing surreal… 6 days I’ll be in San Francisco!

We had a rehearsal last night. A little bit rusty, and my bad shoulder has flared up, but it’s all there and it’s do-able. Now to teach myself to “spot” and stop screwing up would be a good idea! Unfortunately the famed war wound that is my left shoulder is flaring up again – not good. Hoping it’s going to have settled by next week. Flukily enough I have a hospital appointment the Tuesday before I fly, hoping for another steroid injection but not sure if this is going to be the case. It would definitely help…

Last minute preparations so far consist of me moving several items from one pile to another, and writing yet another list. I really don’t feel prepared. Or excited. It’s all a bit… unreal. after all this, I could quite easily not go. I WILL, because my brain is being stupid, but a good percentage of me is saying “you don’t have to get on the flight, y’know.” Either way I have a pile with my backpack, sleeping bag and air bed in, and another of legwarmers. Also have to write detailed instructions for Dav on his return for looking after the animals for 2 weeks… So much to do!

Airing out my wicks, before packing them away….

I’m using CouchSurfing again to save money on my trip, I’ll be staying near Ocean Beach with some other vegans. Pretty exciting! I’m very excited about San Francisco, I don’t even know where to start. Everything in my guidebook looks soooo good. I do have an international hoop jam on Thursday so at least I’m diving straight in to meet people, just not sure if I’m going to know where I’m going! I think I’m going to get up early and explore a little bit of the city so I have a rough idea. I just wish I were going for longer! On Sunday I’ll be meeting with the troupe and riding into Reno, to pick up final supplies before heading down to Black Rock City… and then on to Home…

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Made vegan bakewell tarts for Mum’s birthday this weekend. Nom! Blackberries from my own garden!

Vegan blackberry bakewells

Circus school

Yes, I have been rubbish at posting lately – no excuses I’m afraid, just the usual getting on with things!

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Ok, so my first stop on the blog train… Last Monday I went to a “Be a Student for a Day” at London’s Circus Space – the only UK circus school to run BA and MA degrees in circus arts. I’ve been interested in Circus Space for a while – my friend used to teach there – but it always seemed to be slightly unobtainable, time and money-wise. So despite being broke and lacking in holiday at work I jumped with both feet in, paid my £30 and afterwards felt like I’d been hit by a truck. But happy!

First we were split into two groups doing alternate classes with an ex ballet dancer, Phillipa, and amazing juggler Eddie and a student, Mimosa, from Alberts Instant Circus/So and So circus (currently performing in Camden Roundhouse’s CircusFest, which I’m going to at the end of this month). Our first class was static trapeze – I had no idea the day would be so full on – needless to say I faceplanted 3 times trying to do a “pike” before hooking my legs over, but it was brilliant – our teacher taught us to pose on the trapeze, stand up, hang upsidedown. It was incredible (if not very strenous. The teacher said most trapeze artists run 4km as a warm up daily… I’m not that fit)! Next up was a musicology lesson, where we learnt some choreography from stomp. Despite being an ex-musician I appear to have no rhythm or coordination whatsoever, and so this class was very hard for me. I wish I could dance, it’s so frustrating. But I guess I’ll have to keep at it. After lunch, our next class was juggling, amazing fun. I don’t think the teacher knew what to do with Eddie, already an accomplished contact juggler and normal juggler, so he set about teaching Mimosa 3 ball juggling and Phillipa and I…well, juggling, ha! I was rubbish but so pleased to be learning that I bought 3 balls straight afterwards! Our final class was Acrobatics, where the warm up alone I think nearly killed me. In an amazing room with bouncy floors and walls (ideal room, in life let alone the circus), we practiced tumbling and handstands, attempting cartwheels. I’m sure none of us had done this since we were 8 – it’s funny how phobic you become of hurting your neck, especially when doing backward rolls.

I left the circus buzzing beyond belief, and now I feel torn. I’m at the beginning of my career that I’ve worked hard to create foundations for, and yet my heart is tugging me towards the circus while I’m still young and able…. either way I’m starting a general circus skills class in Hammersmith with Albert and Friends Instant Circus. Also, rather than daily, I’m trying to run 3 miles once a week to build up my endurance and stamina. The training has begun!

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I think the Burning Man preparation has finally started. The Fireworks Collective (the Burning Man fire performance troupe) finally has a theme for choreography, and each regional cell has been given a section. I’m a mixture of extremely nervous and excited (especially as my wicks arrived so I have no excuse). I’m trying to help Zoe organise things as well as I can, but I’m also scared of not being able to pull everyone together in time. The whole business is making everything seem a lot more real, as well as that my friend from the camp I’m staying in, Orphans Too (people travelling to Burning Man on their own) has offered me a ride to San Francisco. Only 4 more months…. and I still have none of the things I need, or am at a level of hooping I feel pleased about. Cue frantic nail biting!!

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Oh, and in 3 days time my dreads will be 6 months old

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And on a vegan note Booja chocolates are amazing!

Legacy XS, whispering Dubstep, miracles, etc, etc

Numero uno: I’m sorry at my rubbish blogging in the last fortnight, I’ve been preparing to move out and sorting out paperwork and all that grown up stuff. But short of moving out and paying monies and stuff that’s all sorted now. I’m moving to Hackney because I’m a cool kid, I’ll have indoor hoop space and a garden, so most definitely quids in.

Numero dos: a miracle happened! Bubba ate 3 times this week, and real food, not protein shake! I might still have 2 pets after all!

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Just thought I’d post an alright video of me using my friend Brad’s community centre, Legacy XS in Benfleet. Its an indoor skatepark with a dance studio on the first floor – we had a jam for about 3 hours last week. All good, and I managed a knee shimmy, but f***ed my left knee up that I ended up going home fairly early. Doh! Hopefully there’ll be more of that – hooping indoors, not f***ing up knees.

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Ri and I officially held our most successful hoop jam ever – with random members of the public joining us in waves despite me putting on d&b and dubstep (although quietly… X mini seemed very quiet this day apart from when Beats Antique were on. Probably trying to tell us something) on to scare them away. But it was all good fun and hopefully brighten up a lot of people’s day. Waiting for Helen Whitcher to show us a promo video made on the day, very exciting!

Rianna and Jennifer

Martha and random folk

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Finally, on a dietary note: I can eat pancakes!

VEGAN PANCAKES

1 banana

same amount of flour as banana’s weight

same amount of soya milk as banana’s weight, plus more to make a more liquid consistency

Mash banana and mix everything up, and fry. Eat. YES! Life is worth living!

Valentine’s Quickie ;) or not… 2 videos!

I had my first hoop of the week this weekend, after not going to Anna Hulagan’s Hoop class on Tuesday (I had Valentine’s off – puke – no, not really, I went to see an amazing play and had vegan sushi – way better than the dates my hoop takes me on). Wow, I’ve suddenly become quite rubbish again! I definitely need a session to practice my core (I will knee hoop…I will shimmy from knee to beyond my chest… I will ankle hoop!) and I also need to practice in my reverse flow – very sloppy. I can pretty much just hoop in the opposite direction with no tricks at all – no good when I start practicing breaks and reversals if I can’t hoop the other way!

I find my main issue with practising the basics is I get far too easily bored. The surroundings aren’t great, and my car park is at an angle – this sounds like a completely lame excuse, but actually the first time I went to a class I seemed to be much better. I guess if you are aiming for a flat plane and at an angle yourself it’s only going to knock everything off-kilter. I do have music now, thanks to the X-mini, which is helping. Some warmth would be nice though! I did realise I can shimmy back up from my thigh by nudging the hoop upwards – it’s just when it hits my knees that its the real problem. I guess maybe I need to give it a big boot up, but my brain can’t seem to coordinate this…I’m still struggling the waist to chest shimmy too. I can’t do it everytime on command and I don’t seem to have gotten any muslce memory telling me how I should be moving either, which is quite frustrating. All of this is annoying, when I keep choreographing in my head and it involves a fully body shimmy. Btw, I’m grinning in the first video because I hit myself in the head really hard, ha!

I did have a mess around though – training is so boring – and I figured out the fundamentals of the behind the back weave, very exciting. If I can stop putting my ass and head in the way we might have a new trick going on! Very exciting…I also need to crack on with more stretches. I’ll never be able to do the splits if I don’t practice 😦

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Found out a bad aspect of being vegan today too. I only ate 2 meals yesterday (bad, bad me), and today, after 2 hours studying with my friend, had such a bad sugar crash my hands were visibly shaking. Turns out I have to keep on like I am at work – eat constantly. I know it’s for a good cause, but at the moment I’m starting to feel mildly fed-up – hungry all the time, difficult to eat out spontaneously, etc. I’ll just have to get used it. Either way, Bliss bars and Nakd bars must be having a massive boost in sales in the London area.

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Yet another cultured week next week, I’m going to see Les Miserables on Monday. Les Mis always reminds me of American Psycho (the book, not the film), so even though it’s really sad I’m sure I’ll still be sniggering (if ou don’t know why, read it! American Psycho is an amazing book!). So already its February and I will have seen The Woman in Black, Les Miserable, and, talkijng of extreme geekdone, but I’ll get to see Patrick Stewart in a play at the Young Vic, Bingo – way exciting as I couldn’t get tickets to see him last time with David Tennant!

Emma Kerr Workshop, World Peace, Winchester…

Sadly after such a brief dalliance my video editing software no longer works, so as with Gail’s workshop, I also can’t make a montage of Emma’s workshop either, boo! I am looking into it but unfortunately next month, as I just took my car to the garage. Same with a few things actually… new portable speakers for hoop jams (£15) and….. my fire kit! I’m getting 4 bendy wicks from bendywicks.co.uk – a real relief as I thought I’d have to import them from the US from Synergy hoops. I’m only going for 4 as I’m a total newb, as it leaves more space on the hoop for me to grip. So hopefully soon I can join the full moon montly spins down at Waterloo…

So first I’ll do a summary of Emma’s workshop, which funnily enough was around the corner from my first ever North London house, in the Factory. I’ve been looking at this space for a while as I’m keen to get into some street dance to help my footwork (dreaming of being the new Baxter… well one can dream anyway!!) but was seriously put off by the prices. It’s a pretty neat gym and space though. I was pretty excited too, a) Emma is wicked, b) her last workshop at Swhoop gave me some pretty cool ideas.

The first workshop was using your feet. This was more literal than I expected, as it was foot hooping! We learnt foot passes from standing, lying down, getting used to passing from hand to foot on a vertical plane, and the shoulder stand. I have done foot hooping before but I’ve always done a half version of he pass, so I finally perfected that. I did genuinely think I broke my nose when hooping on my back. Polypro to the nose 3 times! But I learnt a cool start to get it going with the opposite foot (apparantly courtesy of my friend Clare in Tasmania!), which really seemed to help me. I’ll definitely be practicing more in Summer – too snowy to lay down at the moment! Also linked in with the foot work was an over the back duck in – this is mega helpful to learn and if I can just stick my arm in I will stop hitting the side of my face!

The secod workshop was transitioning with twins. This was avoiding Emma’s usual style of Poi-hooping and using more circus style, with hoops frequently on-body. This involved a lot of knee hooping with one and helicopter with the other – a bit like rubbing your belly and patting your head! Also a lot of lifts/step outs with one hoop, twin vortexing (slightly sickening – actually the whole workshop involved a little too much spinning!), also discovered stalling and floating for the first time (desperately need to work on both!!), twins isolations (seeing as my normal isolations aren’t so hot I really need to work on these as well!). I definitely want to get into more twins work but I think there’s quite a lot I need to work on with one hoop first!

The final workshop was Fancy tricks and flourishes. A lot of this connects in with one of Emma’s other workshops, with Folds – all about getting into crazy grips with the hoop so it unravels in several twists. first up was “twiddling”, where you make a semi-paddling motion with your hand and the hoop passes from the palm side of your fingers to the other side, causing it to spin – when fast enough creating a grip free helicopter move. Another useful trick for the collection was a circus twist – bringing the hoop down from above your head, pinky first, and twisting the wrist over and under and back to above, making a very loud “SWWOOOOOOOOSH” noise 🙂 and then incorporating into different moves e.g. isolations. We covered palm spins (also at Swhoop…. need to practice, I cannot do these for the world). A quick brief on body wraps as well as covered by Gail – although I always think I’m really bad at these but Emma told me they are actually pretty decent, I should just aim for an extra turn around the body, hooray! We also covered escalators, a few folds, wedgie tricks… this workshop was packed with a lot of little goodies to come away and play with! I will try and make some montages once I have editing software again, as it’s usually the teachers wishes not to have the secrets fully divulged but I would love to show everyone a little taste of what they miss out on!

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Another recent change in life – I’ve decided to bite the bullet and go vegan. I’ve always had quite staunch views on conservation and the environment, and after a few friends changing over recently I watched a few documentaries that in short, horrified me. Not so much animal abuse – I am well aware this exists in the world and is wholly unnecessary in the food trade. But the waste of water, land, the fact that in the US a company named Monsanto patented life in the form of soy beans, putting local farms out of business (also that livestock are fed soy beans because its cheaper than grain or pasture). So I’ve decided to do my bit for world good and ditch the animal produce, try and buy organic/small business when I can afford it, and use biodegradable detergents. A lot of people have expressed concern about my health but I already live a semi vegan life anyway (always been a very vegetable-based veggie). After a week of part time veganism my body has started rejecting cheese I eat (cheese being the last bastion of vegetarianism), so I am well on my way. I feel happier already in being less involved with commercial agriculture. I have decided to stick with honey though – in the UK bees are dying out, and if we can find any way to improve their numbers it is definitely a boon. Just a note though – don’t but Spirulina in bread dough. I have bright green bread for work!

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Lastly, just thought I’d share some cool pictures – I went to the original capital of the UK, Winchester – if you are a history buff like me it is totally worth it, looking at a bunch of ancient dead kings. Very chuffed!! (Sorry about the non-rotating image)