Ali Padiak | Hooper, Flow Artist, Educator

Ali Padiak

1. Tell us your roots - where were you born and raised? I was born & raised in Chicago, IL. Moved to West Palm Beach, FL in 2015 and currently perform for Rainbow Circus Miami.

 

2. Why hooping? How did the journey begin? I attended my first music festival in 2010 and discovered hooping for the first time. Nothing captivated me as much as hooping did - I had seen poi and staff but I never saw hoop dancing - it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen! I had to give it a try!

 

3. What has the hoop taught you about life? Hooping has taught me so much about life! The power of movement & self-love to learning experiences. Mostly learning experiences. You can learn something new everyday, even if you think you already know it all.

 

4. What's next? How is your hoop life evolving? Well currently everything is pretty up in the air and in Limbo for the year 2020. Since a lot of the events I would be performing for are not happening - gigs are at an all time low. Something the entire entertainment industry has never experienced. Luckily, I can expand on hooping by teaching kids & adults through online classes. I have done a few online performances and interviews. But hoping things will go back to normal as soon as possible! I miss performing for a real crowd so much!

 

5. What aspect of the hoop community do you value the most and what do you hope to contribute to the future of hooping? The aspect of the hoop community I value most is how we are all connected through this circle. We are all so different - come from different backgrounds, lifestyles, cultures, etc. Yet we are all so considerate of one another and we want to help each other grow & learn. I have had some of the most amazing and closest friendships & relationships blossom all from hooping. I hope I can contribute to this community by reflecting what I feel the community has done for me. Welcoming with open arms. I love teaching and embracing the small magical moments hooping has to offer. I hope I can share my knowledge with the community as they have with me.


YouTube: Ali Padiak/alihoopmama

IG: @alihoopmama

TikTok: @alihoopmama

Facebook: Ali Padiak Cirque Entertainment