Mykah Smith

1. Tell us your roots - where were you born and raised?

My name is Mykah Smith and I was born and raised in the beautiful islands of the Bahamas. Growing up on this island is a privilege that I neve take for granted and I am so grateful for my home and family.

2. Why hooping? How did the journey begin?

My journey with the flow arts and movement has been a beautiful blessing. I was introduced to hooping by my roommate, at the time, back in 2013 while attending university in Tennessee. I quickly fell in love and shortly after purchased my first hoop at a local metaphysical shop. About a week after I bought the hoop, I met the woman that made it! We became friends and she introduced me to a whole new world and way of being. My hoop and yoga journeys are very intertwined, as I began them both during this time. I would go to flow jams every Thursday and Sunday and flow with my dear friend 3 to 4 times a week. The flow arts has given me so much liberation and has been a lifegiving form of expression for me.

3. What has the hoop taught you about life?

The hoop has taught me that as we move through life we must surrender. In order to access bliss and true freedom of the heart we have to surrender and release our fears and preconceived notions and be open to receive. To me, this is flow state; when we surrender our fears, hopes, dreams, and darkness to Spirit to be used as an offering to all beings, relinquishing control and drop into the higher frequency...the eb and flow of the universe.. Everytime I have tried to engage with the hoop while over thinking and forcing there is no flow, but as I release I find myself in flow state.

4. What's next? How is your hoop life evolving?

My love for movement and the flowarts has brought me so much joy and I want to share that with everyone! I recently decided that I will start teaching beginner masters classes for hoop. I will also be launching my online yoga studio and website in November where I will be offering hatha, vinyasa, rocket inspired and hoop yoga classes. I will also be offering guided meditations, sounds baths, self-care tips and tricks, and so much more!

5. What aspect of the hoop community do you value the most and what do you hope to contribute to the future of hooping?

I have had such wonderful experiences with the international hoop community. I have lived in Germany and Costa Rica and have traveled all over the world. I have made so many flowmies and found community when I literally couldn’t be further from home. The level of acceptance and sense of family that I have found amongst the flow community has been beautiful.

I do believe the flow community is a wonder community of people and we should work hard to fight for our flowies who deserve to live a freer life without rasicm, discrimination and hatred. As a Black woman, I want to raise awareness of pervasive nature of racism and how it colors our lives in ways that we can not even fathom. I want to stand as a representative of black joy and creative expression. I want you little black boys and girls to see me hooping and feel like they belong, feel inspired to create in new ways. I want to make room for Black and Brown girls to earn a living in the flowarts world without discrimination and bias. I want Black flowarts to be accepted for who they are, how they flow and the sacred geometry in motion that they create.