Handmade Hoops by Peachysteve

Two Beat Weave

Taken from Chapter 3 of
"Hooping"
An Instructional DVD by Peachysteve

The figure of eight draws a circle on one side of the body, crosses over,
draws another circle and comes back to the start.
When the move is repeated it can be said to have a two beat tempo.
When doing a figure eight pattern with both arms the timing can be synchronous (at the same time)
or asynchronous (one is half a beat after the other).
In the latter the hoops weave past each other, hence the name Two Beat Weave.

Actually the two beat weave is a strange move as it's unbalanced. It feels fine until you learn the 3 beat weave, which is a much more balanced move.
The two beat weave then feels incomplete but it's an essential stepping stone in learning the three beat weave and it's also an important concept.
Many complex swinging moves involve travelling two beat weaves.

If you feel confident with the figure of eight in each hand then the two beat weave is not difficult.
The main difficulty is finding the timing to start off.
You can start with your right or left arm, in these examples I start with my right.

I start with both hoops held in fists. I start to push forward with my right arm.
Once my right arm is fully extended my left elbow starts to draw back ready to start the circle. From this point onward, the hoops should remain in opposite positions.
As my first arm carries the hoop across my body, dropping down to my toes, My left arm comes over the top and starts to cross.
By the time my left arm has drawn a circle across my body, My right arm has got back to where it started from.
Here you can see the move run. Notice how the hoops stay opposed as if on opposite ends of a rotating stick.

The images below show the same steps but with more focus on the arms than the hoops.

I start with both hoops held in fists. I start to push forward with my right arm.
Once my right arm is fully extended my left hoop starts to draw back ready to start the circle. As my right hand swoops across, my left lifts over the top of the right.
As my left arm crosses over, My right arm draws a nice big circle (see how far back the hoop goes).
My arms come to be crossed tightly, but then start to uncross again.
My arms are soon uncrossed and ready to go again.
Here you can see the move run. Notice how my left arm always crosses over the top of my right.