Hula-Hooping is not only an enjoyable way to get in shape, but it’s also a viable career option. Professional Hula-Hoopers such as Angie Mackman from HulaHooper.com have made a living from this childhood pastime. Professional Hula-Hooping is not a regulated career, but Hula-Hoop enthusiasts have a few options for gaining credentials and finding work as professional Hula-Hoopers.
Obtain teacher training from a certified Hula-Hoop instructor. Professional Hula-Hooping is not regulated by a national organization, but several independent Hula-Hoop instructors and companies, such as Body Hoops or Hoopnotica, offer Hula-Hoop certification courses. Certification may be necessary to work professionally as a Hula-Hoop instructor or join certain performance groups. If you intend to teach others how to Hula-Hoop, ensure that your chosen certification course covers safety, how to manage difficult learners and how to adapt your classes for different learning styles. If you intend to use your certification as a performer, ensure that your certification course teaches a variety of Hula-Hooping tricks and styles, such as Hula-Hooping with multiple instruments or fire-hooping.
Start a fitness program focusing on Hula-Hooping at a local gym, or open your own Hula-Hoop fitness studio. Some gyms may ask you to obtain group fitness instructor certification from a nationally recognized fitness accrediting organization, such as American Council of Exercise or the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America; other gyms and fitness centers may have their own in-house group fitness instructor programs. If you select an outside program, make sure it is recognized by the Distance and Education Training Council, an accrediting agency acknowledged by the U.S. Department of Education.
Join a dance troupe or traveling performance group that performs routines involving Hula-Hoops. Contact local dance schools and dance-oriented organizations for information on Hula-Hoop dance groups. Some college organizations, such as the University of Vermont’s Hoop Dancing Club, offer options for Hula-Hoop enthusiasts interested in showing off their Hula-Hoop skills and participating in competitions.
Obtain a buskers or performers license to showcase your Hula-Hoop skills as a street performer. Buskers are entertainers who perform in public places while soliciting donations. Street performers flock to popular tourist destinations like New York City and Las Vegas to showcase their unique talents for monetary tips, but these cities usually require street performers to obtain licenses before they can legally perform. For example, cities like Rockville, Maryland, require street performers to obtain a buskers license. Rockville street performers must also obtain sales tax ID numbers if they intend to sell merchandise, and they must renew their buskers licenses every year. Contact your city's department of recreation for further details on your area’s busker or street performance laws.
Tip
Develop a repertoire of eye-catching Hula-Hoop tricks and routines if you intend to work as a street performer, and add music to you routines to provide flair. Place a tip collection container near your performance area, and consider hiring a trusted friend or bodyguard to prevent theft from your tip collection container.
