Looking for a new way to stay fit? North Richmond hula-hooping professional Krystal-Lee Bush has started-up a new term of hoop dance classes - a first for the Hawkesbury - and reckons once you try hoop fitness, you'll become hooked as quickly as she did.
"I'm so excited to be spreading my passion around the Hawkesbury!" said the 30-year-old mum.
Krystal is the director of Whirlwindz, and has been spreading her love of the hula hoop around the area for a year, teaching adults at Off Centre Dance Co in South Windsor.
She's just about to begin teaching a new set of classes for the year, and touts the fitness style as a great way to release endorphins and learn to coordinate your actions.
"It's a really good stress reliever because it takes your mind off things," she said.
"There are so many health and mental benefits of hula hooping - it's completely changed my life."
She said making new friends and connections through hooping in the Hawkesbury this past year had been "amazing".
"Since hooping, my fitness levels have improved. I used to eat McDonald's twice a day and now I don't. I've lost a little weight. My hand-eye coordination has improved vastly - I used to be really clumsy and now I'm like a ninja," she said.
"Also, my patience has improved. Sometimes it can take three-to-five hours of practice to learn an advanced trick, so it takes time and dedication which in turn has overflowed to being patient in my parenting and my life.
"I can chuck my thongs on and hula-hoop and for that time I'm nowhere else in the world."
Krystal wasn't always into hooping - in fact, she used to work in retail until she went to a festival and someone handed her a hula hoop for a bit of fun.
"I became really good really quickly and practiced every day," she said.
"I found one of my strengths was talking - I can talk to anybody - and I have a bubbly personality, so I decided to merge the two together and start teaching."
Krystal teaches hula-hooping for beginners, and more advanced classes in hoop dance, which includes circus tricks incorporated with dance and flow.
She provides the hoops for her classes, and said the general rule of thumb for learning to hula-hoop was to use a large hoop.
"The bigger and heavier the hoop, the easier it is to move around your waist," she said.
She has performed and taught at Winterfest, Youthfest, Aussie Night Markets, Richmond Marketplace, Zone Bowling, McDonald's corporate events, and numerous festivals and community events.
Her goal is to start a class for children - hopefully next term - and also to get hula-hooping into primary schools and high schools as an elective sport.
"We are a Creative Kids and Active Kids service provider, so parents will be able to use their vouchers to redeem for classes, making it extremely affordable," she said.
Whirlwindz classes begin on Wednesday, May 1 (Advanced) and Thursday, May 2 (Beginners), both at 7pm.
Krystal will be teaching a free workshop at the Hawkesbury Show on Friday, May 10. You can also catch her in Richmond Park for free monthly meet-ups (details on her website).
She is also available to book for private lessons, team-building and corporate workshops, hen's parties and children's birthday parties.
Visit www.whirlwindz.com.au for info.