[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5yYug3dQu8]
Last week, Philo Hagen from Hooping.org contacted Spin Matsuri and Hoop Tokyo about judging the next round of his virtual international hoop race. Ayumi and I both agreed to play and within an hour had organised a video shoot, costumes, and a general schedule. We convened the next morning to make our “Welcome to Tokyo” video because it was the only time we both were going to be in the city for the next five days, though we’d each be back before for the online judging. Talk about perfect timing.
Our camera operator, Tijana, and best boy, Chaobang, were our genki support team as we dashed from location to location around Shibuya and Harajuku. They carried bags, followed us with the camera, and helped in every way as we hooped on escalators, in sushi shops, at shrines and in a huge purikura booth. I will never visit Hachiko again without remembering that dogs can’t hoop.
The four of us worked fast and furious that morning. I came home with our footage and spent the rest of the day editing and smiling at our good fortune being able to pull this off so smoothly.
The contest entrants in London, Bristol, Australia, Seattle, Wisconsin and Texas were busy, too, creating their videos that mimicked Japan and embodied grace and beauty in hooping. You can see their entries at Hooping.org: http://www.hooping.org/2011/11/amazing-hoop-race-japan
The judging results will go online on November 8th, so check back with Hooping.org to see who wins this round. They will win a prize of “Tokyo Hoopers Essentials” that I’m putting together, including at least one item that appears in our video.