We had the chance of meeting the beautiful and inspiring Caroline Sanchez, MSN, RN, CBCN, OCN, at the annual Hawaii Hoop Retreat, “In- Depth” on the Big Island of Hawaii. Sánchez is the founder of The Hula Hoop Girl, an Embodied Movement Meditation Practice that guides women to reconnect to their own natural born rhythm while feeling empowered to self-resource and self-express through the transformational power of body play.
Caroline’s natural charisma and positive draw seems to come from a well deep within where she accesses her talent, beauty and ease to match with her intellect, education and experience. She has been an oncology nurse for over 10 years and holds a Masters of Science in Nursing Education (MSN), is a certified Breast Care Nurse, a Registered Hatha Yoga Teacher, a certified One Hoop One Love Elemental Hoop Dance Teacher, and a certified 5Elements Ecstatic Dance Facilitator. Caroline’s Masters Thesis “Hoop Dancing to Prevent and Decrease Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Among Nurses” has been published both in the Journal of Emergency Nursing and the University of California San Diego’s Nursing Journal.
When speaking with Caroline, we understood the depth of her passion to share her love of hooping with those whom she works with and shares a career. As a nurse, she understands the hardships of the working lifestyle of health care practitioners. As a hooper she knows the uplifting satisfaction that results from hula hooping and aims to address it in her article.
She describes, “Encouraging nurses to participate in some form of body play through movement meditation, such as hoop dancing may influence feelings of joy, peace, and self-empowerment.” She continues to define the healthy benefits and mental peace that hoop dance promotes. Stating, “hoop dancing is described as a movement meditation and exercise tool, which requires presence, passion, persistence, a positive attitude, and a feeling of letting go.” Her enthusiasm and involvement in both the nurse and hoop community is palatable.
Caroline’s ecstatic hoop dance flow has been described as mesmerizing, whimsical, sassy, and Graceful. Her life’s work as an Embodied Movement Meditation Educator and Nurse Educator, is soulfully dedicated to guiding women to dance in the center of their joy throughout their lives through the exploration of their own rhythmic expressions, while serving as facilitator for women to feel empowered to share their uniqueness with the world (Sanchez).
We felt drawn to share her story and promote her findings through her deep study and education. Caroline advocates her discoveries by teaching classes in the San Diego area, as well as speaking and performing and a variety of events and festivals. She continues to inspire, educated and motivate people from around the globe. For her complete article, view here. Caroline Sanchez The Hula Hoop Girl UCSD Nursing Journa.Summer.2014
Photo by Cadence Feeley
