Jessica McIntosh stripped down to a black leotard with an itsy-bitsy sheer skirt. She jumped up and down a few times to get her blood pumping. That day it was 30 degrees outside as the junior public relations major prepared to hula hoop in front of the Bell Tower. She grabbed 12 multicolored hula hoops, holding them around her waist. As she looked down at the ground, she began vigorously swinging her hips. The colors quickly meshed as they slid up and down.
Before she can even remember, McIntosh started hula hooping in front of the television in her parent’s living room. Her brother would yell at her to stop because she was interrupting his leisure time.
“My parents have always encouraged me to hula hoop,” McIntosh said. “For fun, I would entertain [them] by putting on little shows.”
McIntosh described herself as a “closet hula hooper” when she first came to Ball State. Due to the little available space in her dorm room, McIntosh resorted to other areas within her residence hall to practice her talent. She used Studebaker West’s gym and study room for practice.
“Once I started to hoop around my dorm, people started to notice,” she said. “So, I decided to do something with it.”
An avid YouTube and Facebook user, McIntosh uploaded videos of herself hula hooping for her family and friends to enjoy. After checking her Twitter feed one day, McIntosh noticed a need for hula hoop girls at Neely Fest. This is where she landed her first paid gig as a hula hooper.
Shortly after Neely Fest, McIntosh scored a few other hip-swinging performances at bars, such as D Luxe and Be Here Now, and the Homecoming talent show where she won first place in the Freelance category.
Although McIntosh has done a few professional gigs, she believes it is a great stress reliever and workout.
“Hula hooping is everything to me. I just love it,” McIntosh said. “There are workout videos on the Internet, and it has been proven that one can burn 300 to 600 calories.”
For those who think all hula hoops are the same, McIntosh clarified that they’re not. Wal-Mart may sell a variety of colors and sizes, but there are different categories, weights and designs of hula hoops. Depending on these characteristics, the large, circular rings can become pretty costly.
McIntosh has 25 hoops that range from $30 small hoops to her $150 LED hula hoop. For her next buy, she plans on getting a fiber-optic hoop which can range between $300 to $500.
Whether McIntosh is exercising or performing, she has to put some thought into which hula hoop to use. When entertaining, McIntosh uses a smaller, lighter hula hoop so her muscles don’t get tired after hours of performing.
When she’s not studying or working, McIntosh tries to hula hoop at least four hours a week. When learning a new skill, like a hand or leg movement, McIntosh doesn’t stop until she has aced it.
Although she may be a little biased toward this hobby, McIntosh encourages everyone to try it.
“Seriously, try to frown when you hula hoop,” she said. “It’s impossible.”
McIntosh’s next performance will be from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. April 26 at the East Side Bash between Noyer and Studebaker West.
