Jonathan Livingston Baxter
In 2005, in Carrboro, NC, USA, Spiral and I were invited to teach a weekly hoop class at a local movement studio (www.balanced-movement.com). At that point, we hd been hooping for several years, but had not taught official, weekly classes. Spiral and I decided we would try to team teach, alternating classes. It was decided that I would go first, and I was happy about that. We made a commitment to each other that we would give the class four weeks, and then, see if there was enough interest to keep the class going longer.
There were four students in the first class, all women in their 40’s, and they were eager to learn. The class went well and afterwards Spiral said to me, “I think you should do the talking.” I was happy to oblige her, because once I began to teach, I immediately felt at home. I had always thought of myself as a teacher, but had never actually taught anything officially until that day. Yet, once class got going, I knew this was something I believed I was born to do. The class filled up over the next months and, eventually, I expanded my teaching to include three classes a week. As my travel schedule has increased, I have had to cut back to just one local class, but it’s still going 9 years later.
Spiral’s performance career took off and in 2006, our paths (amicably) forked. “The HoopPath” was launched and my life changed forever.
In 2005, I was invited to Los Angeles by Anah Reichenbach to teach a workshop on, “Breaks and Paddles.” About 10 or so people came to the class, and when it was over, Anah handed me about $250. I could not believe it! I tried to play it cool, but I was elated! I was a bartender at that time. In order to make that much money, I had to work 9 hours and get home in the early hours of the morning. To add to my excitement, the students in the LA class thanked me profusely! Honestly, I was doing what I loved, so I was almost embarrassed to say, “No problem”, because I would’ve paid them to do it. It wasn’t long afterwards, that I was invited to Portland to teach, and, thus, my “touring” days had begun.