ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Laura Gutiérrez is a professional hula hoop teacher and performer, and also a psychologist who has been practicing hoop dance for over seven years. What began as a creative outlet quickly became a transformative movement practice that allowed her to reconnect with dance, self-expression, and a deeper relationship with her body. Since then, she has dedicated herself to exploring the intersection of hoop dance, movement, creativity, and personal growth. Laura is the founder of Hula Hoop Academy, a pedagogical project created to make hoop dance more accessible and empowering for others, particularly women and gender-diverse communities. Through her teaching, she combines technical skill development with body awareness, creative exploration, and movement practices that encourage confidence, self-expression, and a more compassionate connection with oneself. For the past five years, she has also worked as a performer and creative director with Orbit Performance, a company specializing in LED and fire performances. Through this work, she has explored multiple forms of stage creation and collaborative performance, including the development of Interstellar, a 40-minute multidisciplinary production. Passionate about lifelong learning, Laura continues to expand her practice through workshops and training in hoop dance, circus arts, dance, and movement education. Her background in psychology deeply informs her teaching style, helping her create supportive, playful, and meaningful learning experiences where technique and authentic expression can grow together.​

WORKSHOPS:

Spiral Pathways -

​This workshop is designed for hoopers who want to expand their hoop flow through the exploration of coin flips, rolls, and circular movement patterns. Rather than focusing on isolated tricks, participants will learn how to transform technical elements into smooth, connected movement. We will explore a variety of coin flip entries, exits, and transitions which can be done in all parts of your body, along with back rolls, elbow rolls, chest rolls, palm rolls, and other rotational concepts that create dynamic and effortless-looking flow. Students will learn ways to link these elements together, develop fluid pathways around the body, and create seamless transitions that can be incorporated into their own style. This workshop is accessible to all levels, as options and progressions will be offered for beginners while more experienced hoopers will be challenged with creative variations and combinations. The focus will be on curiosity, exploration, and discovering new ways to move with your hoop and playing with all of this elements. Participants will leave with new technical tools, creative transition ideas, and a deeper understanding of how to build continuous, organic flow with one or two hoops.

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Flow Architecture -

This workshop focuses on bridging the gap between individual tricks and continuous flow. Participants will explore how to connect movements smoothly and intentionally, transforming isolated techniques into cohesive sequences that feel natural and expressive. Using both one and two hoops, we will break down a variety of transitions, directional changes, pathways, and movement concepts that help create seamless flow. Students will learn practical tools for linking tricks together, maintaining momentum, and developing movement patterns that can be adapted to their own style. Suitable for a range of skill levels, this workshop emphasizes fluidity, creativity, and understanding the "why" behind transitions, helping hoopers build confidence in creating longer combinations and freestyle movement.