New "KaHooLaw" Hooping Classes Are Building in Popularity

Hula hooping has been a popular children’s pastime for decades.

Although it looks simple at first, it’s easier said than done. Hula hooping requires coordination, balance and strength, especially if you want to master it.

Local instructor Michele Balch Ferreri just started her classes, called "KaHooLaw" hooping. She is slowly acquiring new students each week, and I was fortunate enough to be able to attend her classes and experience it firsthand.

Because of my unfortunate lack of coordination, I thought Hula hooping would be pretty much impossible for me — in fact, I was expecting it to be a complete disaster. However, after one class with KaHooLaw hooping, I was surprisingly proven wrong. By the end of it, I was almost able to hoop like a pro.

Ferreri started her classes this summer but she has been Hula hooping for much longer. She got started it with it a few years back after a car accident — she used Hula hooping to get back on her feet and help her at work.

However, soon it became much more than just a hobby for her.

“While I really enjoyed the work, I felt like this was my passion," said Ferreri.

"And if I can show other ladies how fantastic hooping is, that is what I want to do.”

As soon as she realized this, Ferreri decided to learn more about the benefits and different activities involved with Hula hooping. She went down to L.A. to get certified by Hoopnotica and used their DVD pack to learn more moves and workouts with her hoop.

“They told me that I had the perfect personality to become one of their instructors, and asked if I was interested in becoming certified. I didn’t even know there was certification for this, so I was like, 'Sure, sign me up.'”

So far, she has about three classes; akids class, ages 6-plus, and two adult classes. They're limited to about 15 people. In the fall, she will also start a cardio dance classes that combines the Hula hooping moves with workouts.

Additionally, she will start a class for kids ages three and older.

Right now, classes are held at Kottinger Park at the corner of Kottinger and Bernal Avenue, but in the winter, they will move to the . They will appear in the city of Pleasanton’s recreation guide soon and as well as the city's website.

Both the adult and children’s classes are fun, challenging and entertaining from beginning to end. Ferreri always starts her classes with a few warm-up exercises with the hoop.  

After that, she teaches basic Hula hoop skills and some advanced tricks as the students progress. During our class, she covered basic hula hooping skills and techniques, tricks spinning the Hula hoop in your hand and some exercises.

Some came more easily than others. The hoop went flying out of my hands many, many times when I attempted the spinning tricks. But in the end, I was able to get to the hang of it.

“I joined the classes to support Michele and because it’s a fun workout,” said Emily Thompson, a student in the adult class.

“It’s also because we wanted to get sexy abs,” added Cherissa Puchta, another student.

The children’s classes are very similar to the adult classes, but with fewer breaks.

Ferreri mentioned that the children seemed to catch on a lot faster than the adults. One girl in her kid’s class, Lexie, refused to take a break and was easily Hula hooping while walking all over the park.

She had participated at the KaHooLaw hooping booth at the First Wednesdays Street Fair in Pleasanton and she liked it so much that her mom decided to sign her up for it.

Ferreri’s classes are a success with adults and children. She is hoping to get involved with other places in Pleasanton and perform at birthday parties and other events.

She is performing at the Pirates of Emerson haunted theme park at the , which takes place in October. She will perform every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  

“I saw the joy people had with it, and thought that is amazing and then I read about all the health benefits you have with it," she said.

"It’s a great meditative kind of release and you can really just lose yourself in the hoop. It’s a full body workout; with Hula hooping you are combining everything because it’s constantly asking something new of your body. Seeing all the cool, sexy, neat moves people can do is fantastic and it inspires you."

For more information on classes and how to sign up, visit the website or check out the Facebook page.