By Wendy Binns

I am drinking red wine and eating popcorn in my kitchen with one of my best friends, Julie. She’s telling me about an increasingly popular exercise in disguise – hula-hooping. What? Get fit and have fun? Can I believe what I’m hearing?

To give you some background, I’m an Urban Body Fitness boot camp and group class devotee and also generally looking to try new things to shake-up my routine.

My friend/co-worker Elizabeth Holmes swears by pilates and yoga classes. And, if you know Liz, she is always up for something fun. She and I are intrigued by some of the different fitness classes surfacing in our neighborhoods.

We heard about classes involving poles, hoops and other instruments, so we decided to explore. I’ll tell you about hula-hooping this month and, in February, Elizabeth will report back on pole dancing. Keep an open mind. This is a new year and a new you.

So, back to Julie … we’re in my kitchen and she’s raving about hula-hooping (or “hooping,” as the regulars say). She has been doing this for months now in Rebecca DeShown’s Hoopessence classes at Pera Dance Studio (PeraDance.com) on Collier Road.

With inches lost around her waist and a clearer mind, she can even now show-off with tricks, like swirling the hoop around her arms and shoulders (demonstrated in my living room). Julie told me, “you feel like you are doing something artistic instead of plain exercise.”

Julie’s instructor, Rebecca, started hooping when some friends gave her some hula hoops and she began practicing in the yard and then learned more from DVDs and YouTube. Eventually, the California-based hooping company, Hoopnotica, certified her to teach. Her curriculum and style are all her own, though, and has developed her own brand.

Rebecca says, “I love Atlanta. I knew Atlanta could use something like this. It’s progressive. It’s so good for you physically, but also mentally.”

Let’s talk about the hoop itself. Do you remember the hula-hoop you had as a kid? Mine was thin plastic and rattled as I shimmied. Flash-forward to 2011 and there is a modern version, more weighted and sized to your proportion and skill level. They are in really great stripes and colors that glitter and shine like your newest, most favorite accessory. Once you get hooked on hooping, you probably will purchase your own and there are options to have one custom made.

Here’s how this works. Find a class at HoopEssence.com. Put on some comfy clothes. Get situated in the classroom and shimmy to the music. Give it about 10 minutes to get into a groove (Julie says don’t give up!) and you’ll probably be excited with your progress. I know this because I tested Julie’s out at home.

Hoop Essence offers Hula-Hooping and Hoop Dance classes. The benefits are mood enhancing and stress reducing. And, the classes are low impact, strengthen the core, build-up a sweat and tone muscles – all to music. As Rebecca says, “Get in touch with your inner child, give yourself permission to come out and play.”

Do you have a class to tell us about? Email wendy@atlantaintownpaper.com.