ooping or “Hula-Hooping,” or “Hoop-Dance” generally refers to manipulation of and artistic movement or dancing with a hoop (or hoops). Modern hooping has been influenced by art forms such as rhythmic gymnastics, hip-hop, freestyle dance, fire performance, twirling, poi, and other dance and movement forms.
Hooping is part of the greater spectrum of flow arts, which are playful movement arts involving skill toys that are used to evoke the exploration of dynamic, flowing, and sequential movements. Technically, hooping is a form of object manipulation and therefore shares some lineage with juggling.
In its modern incarnation as an art or dance form, and form of exercise, the practice of manipulating a hoop is referred to either as “hoop dance” or simply “hooping”. Hoop dance artists commonly refer to themselves, and the greater hoop dance community, as hoopers.