achancetodance-fundraiser-blog

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We are really delighted and super greatful that 'The Lucie Blackman Trust-Missing Abroad' Have kindly offered to pay for our return boat tickets to and from The Isle of Wight. Please visit their website and see for yourself just what an incredible job they really do. Thank you very much! We are very greatful to you. Links: Website: http://www.lbtrust.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lucie-Blackman-Trust/1564356393829429

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The Circus Tree Here are some images of very much loved adopted tree which overtime I have name 'The Circus Tree'. Here is where I go and practice hoop dancing, aerial hoop and my custom designed 'vortex aerial hoop which to start of with was the key attraction!. Its a space which over time I have created and I am met by lots of new shiny smiley faces and wonderful encounters from all different walks of life and of all ages. The First image reminds me of a great day surrounded by children on their school holidays. Lots of happy children!! The second Image is of my daughter 'Mary' and I practicing our aerial skills. The third image represents a miraculous press release shortly after meeting a photographer from The Independent and The Guardian Newspapers. He saw me hanging upside down as he was walking down the pier for The isle of Wight Festival in 2014. The Forth Image is The Circus Tree in all its natural beauty! I feel so incredibly grounded when I am playing under my tree. This was also where our orginal Pinned post video was filmed by Richard Morel. The Circus Tree. | The Tree of Light and all Things Bright. Location: Western Gardens, Ryde, Isle of Wight.

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My Interview with 'That's Solent TV. Please open link for full viewing. I had a really great time and I am so grateful for the opportunity to express on film a little bit more about our project, a snippet of my personal background, connection with this project and why It means so much to me to be able to give children in Romania a chance to Dance, exploring creativity through play! It was rather windy but I am so very glad the weather remained on our side. Special Thanks to That's Solent TV reporter 'Dale McEwan' who interviewed me. I have since been Invited into the live studio on my return from Romania with updates. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Links: Website:http://www.thatstv.com/

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Following my interview with the 'Isle of Wight Radio' where I taught some of the lovely ladies from the station how to hula hoop, I have since been approached by 'That's Solent TV- Freeview Channel 8' for a further interview. The Interview was to take place under my rather special Tree (circus) at Western Gardens, Ryde, Isle of Wight on Saturday 2nd of May! To say I was surprised and somewhat overwhelmed by the interest I have received is an understatement. Wow! Excitement!!! Links Website:http://www.thatstv.com/

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Following our sponsorship application to GoPro, we were informed it would be very unlikely our application would be seen in time, giving the little time we have left. Like all things, it has to go through a process (understandably so) when eventually it would be up for consideration. Since, I have tried to reach out to a number of shops on the Isle of Wight asking to maybe see if they would like to offer us a discount on a GoPro camera. I am so thrilled and happy to say that 'Island Photo Center' have kindly excepted and have given us a very lovely discount. We now have a GoPro Camera, 2x large memory cards and all the fixtures to attach it to our hula hoops for the children to be filmed' in their moment' of joyous play and expressive dancing. Thank you Island Photo Center for your kind offering and support. We are very grateful and look forward to sharing with everyone on our return some of the captured special moments whilst we are teaching the Children in Romania! Photo Island Center: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Island-Photo-Centre-Ltd/320622754656275?fref=ts website: http://www.islandphotocentre.co.uk/

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My name is Gina Steliana and up until the age of 9 years old I lived in Romania where for a short time like most children, I lived with my birth mother. I believe we lived a lifestyle that lay somewhere between travelling gypsies and refugees. We moved a lot, and on one unfortunate day,aged only 3, I became separated from my family, and simply never saw them again. A Romanian woman found me and delivered me to the local orphanage.

That woman continued to visit me every weekend for the six years I lived at the orphanage. When I return to Romania beginning of this summer, I will see her once more. I was one of the more fortunate children in Romania and was adopted by an English family that live on the Isle of Wight, where I now live with my beautiful daughter.

There came a time when I had my own child, Mary, and she was 3 years old herself. I was shopping one day in a major chain store, and whilst she was away visiting relatives I wanted to buy her a token gift for her return. I was in a rush, and my eye was caught by a hula hoop, and also by some cheerleading style pom-poms. After some thought, I chose the pom-poms and went to pay and leave. Suddenly, whilst queueing, I was seized by a strong feeling that I had made the wrong choice, and left my place to run back and switch to the hula hoop. I had no idea, in that second, what a defining moment in my life that choice would quickly become.

Mary and I played with the hula hoop often and to this very day it continues to bring us much smiles of joy. To me, it was infectious and before I knew it I was even playing with it during her absence which is when I began to learn to hoop dance. Whilst I was dancing with the hoop I discovered something magical – that in those moments, a bubble of space appears around you, within which you have absolute control. As you focus within that bubble, everything else fades out, including all your stress and worries. There is only you and the hula hoop.  It was then that I realised  my soul purpose in life. An epiphany if you like.  “I have to give this feeling of escapism and freedom to children in Romanian orphanages”.

I began to research about the history of hoop dancing, and watched videos and talked to other hula hoop dancers across the world. I learned of the health benefits of hoop exercise, and how it can help hand-to-eye coordination and balance as well as flexibility, not to mention the benefits and impact it can have on you psychotically. Soon I owned my own business, and was teaching the art of the hula hoop to people from every walk of life – I’ve played with tiny children, taught in schools and young offenders as well as adults who simply wanted to do something positive for themselves. I’ve danced for huge crowds on foreign beaches, performed shows throughout festivals and I have also helped others raise charity funds here on my little island home. Now, for the first time, I need the help of others and so I’m reaching out to you all in the hope that you can help me to realise a dream.

I have a plan in place to take my gift back home. I have been in contact with both the woman who found me as a child all those years ago, and some orphanages in Romania, and in May this year I will be travelling back to visit some of those orphanages and start our teaching project giving some of the children in their care ‘A Chance to Dance’. I’ll be taking hoops everywhere and leaving them as gifts when I go, so they can take what I teach them and continue to enjoy it. I hope to give at least some of them that space, that bubble, where the whole world falls away and  only their playful dance remains in the hope that it will make even the slightest difference to their lives.

I’m a single mum, and although my dancing brings me money, it pays our bills and nothing more. My daughter and I live simply, but very happily, in a home full of laughter, love and creativity. There is an orphanage waiting for us right now, and when I go Mary will travel with me too, and see first-hand where I came from. If I am to fulfill this vision, I need to fund our travel to, and stay in, Romania as well as material costs for hoops. The costs are material only – I make/decorated every hoop by hand myself, and none of the funds I ask for is payment for my time in any way – these hoops are made with love, not profit, in mind.

If you can help me with whatever support and funds you can, I promise you two things. The first is that I will continue to write updates as and when I can to tell you all how things are progressing, and then when I go I will write of my travels and where possible take pictures so you can see with your own eyes the good your support and money has gone to. The second thing I promise is that, having once been one of those orphans myself, I know this adventure will bring a lot of joy and fun to children who desperately need it, along with the chance to hear this same story I’ve just told you and realise for themselves that good things really do come to those who wait, and that for every one of us, there is always hope.

Thank You

With Love and gratitude 

Gina Steliana

Credits:

Filming & Production By Richard Morel http://richardmorel.tumblr.com/

Music By David Nyman

I would like to personally thank all the children and families that were able to come and play with us making this film possible. 

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Some lovely images of two small girls who I met during my hoop dance practice today at Western Gardens, Ryde, Isle of Wight! They were an absolute delight to watch whilst endlessly playing and trying to work out what my sparklyplastic circles can do! They were so captivated and in the 'in the moment' that I gave them each a hula hoop of their very own to take home! The magic Circle! Its MAGIC!!

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Today I have applied for a 'GoPro' sponsorship in the hope that we may be able to capture children of Romania dancing inside a hula hoop on a GoPro camera which will be attached to the hula hoop! Please please keep your fingers crossed for us everyone! It would be a dream come true if we are able to be sponsored. Dear Universe... "Ask and You Shall Receive" The Law of Attraction...

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I was given the chance to teach some of the lovely ladies from the Isle of Wight Radio how to hula hoop! Excellent participants and great giggles too! Thank you Isle of Wight Radio for having me. Full Video Link~ https://www.facebook.com/isleofwightradio/videos/vb.290713220369/10155497556200370/?type=3&theater

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https://twitter.com/iwightradio/status/590877700438503426?s=04

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"A wee chance to dance in Goa" My Friend (Hoop Sista) 'Lorna Chandra Lunar' recently gave children in Goa a chance to dance on her travels there. Amazing Lorna!!!! "Hoop smiles, with some stallholders children, on their rare and short break from work".

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My name is Gina Steliana and up until the age of 9 years old I lived in Romania where for a short time like most children, I lived with my birth mother. I believe we lived a lifestyle that lay somewhere between travelling gypsies and refugees. We moved a lot, and on one unfortunate day,aged only 3, I became separated from my family, and simply never saw them again. A Romanian woman found me and delivered me to the local orphanage.

That woman continued to visit me every weekend for the six years I lived at the orphanage. When I return to Romania beginning of this summer, I will see her once more. I was one of the more fortunate children in Romania and was adopted by an English family that live on the Isle of Wight, where I now live with my beautiful daughter.

There came a time when I had my own child, Mary, and she was 3 years old herself. I was shopping one day in a major chain store, and whilst she was away visiting relatives I wanted to buy her a token gift for her return. I was in a rush, and my eye was caught by a hula hoop, and also by some cheerleading style pom-poms. After some thought, I chose the pom-poms and went to pay and leave. Suddenly, whilst queueing, I was seized by a strong feeling that I had made the wrong choice, and left my place to run back and switch to the hula hoop. I had no idea, in that second, what a defining moment in my life that choice would quickly become.

Mary and I played with the hula hoop often and to this very day it continues to bring us much smiles of joy. To me, it was infectious and before I knew it I was even playing with it during her absence which is when I began to learn to hoop dance. Whilst I was dancing with the hoop I discovered something magical – that in those moments, a bubble of space appears around you, within which you have absolute control. As you focus within that bubble, everything else fades out, including all your stress and worries. There is only you and the hula hoop.  It was then that I realised  my soul purpose in life. An epiphany if you like.  “I have to give this feeling of escapism and freedom to children in Romanian orphanages”.

I began to research about the history of hoop dancing, and watched videos and talked to other hula hoop dancers across the world. I learned of the health benefits of hoop exercise, and how it can help hand-to-eye coordination and balance as well as flexibility, not to mention the benefits and impact it can have on you psychotically. Soon I owned my own business, and was teaching the art of the hula hoop to people from every walk of life – I’ve played with tiny children, taught in schools and young offenders as well as adults who simply wanted to do something positive for themselves. I’ve danced for huge crowds on foreign beaches, performed shows throughout festivals and I have also helped others raise charity funds here on my little island home. Now, for the first time, I need the help of others and so I’m reaching out to you all in the hope that you can help me to realise a dream.

I have a plan in place to take my gift back home. I have been in contact with both the woman who found me as a child all those years ago, and some orphanages in Romania, and in May this year I will be travelling back to visit some of those orphanages and start our teaching project giving some of the children in their care ‘A Chance to Dance’. I’ll be taking hoops everywhere and leaving them as gifts when I go, so they can take what I teach them and continue to enjoy it. I hope to give at least some of them that space, that bubble, where the whole world falls away and  only their playful dance remains in the hope that it will make even the slightest difference to their lives.

I’m a single mum, and although my dancing brings me money, it pays our bills and nothing more. My daughter and I live simply, but very happily, in a home full of laughter, love and creativity. There is an orphanage waiting for us right now, and when I go Mary will travel with me too, and see first-hand where I came from. If I am to fulfill this vision, I need to fund our travel to, and stay in, Romania as well as material costs for hoops. The costs are material only – I make/decorated every hoop by hand myself, and none of the funds I ask for is payment for my time in any way – these hoops are made with love, not profit, in mind.

If you can help me with whatever support and funds you can, I promise you two things. The first is that I will continue to write updates as and when I can to tell you all how things are progressing, and then when I go I will write of my travels and where possible take pictures so you can see with your own eyes the good your support and money has gone to. The second thing I promise is that, having once been one of those orphans myself, I know this adventure will bring a lot of joy and fun to children who desperately need it, along with the chance to hear this same story I’ve just told you and realise for themselves that good things really do come to those who wait, and that for every one of us, there is always hope.

Thank You

With Love and gratitude 

Gina Steliana

Credits:

Filming & Production By Richard Morel http://richardmorel.tumblr.com/

Music By David Nyman

I would like to personally thank all the children and families that were able to come and play with us making this film possible. 

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HOOP HOOP HOORAY!!! On Saturday the 25th April. I shall be street performing with my many shiny hula hoops to fund-raise for our Project. There will be an opportunity for the whole family to come along and have a go at spinning some pretty sparkling hula hoops! Learn how to keep the hoop spinning! Have a go at learning some impressive hoop tricks! There will be face painting by the lovely Sienna From Sienna Design and balloon modeling by the talented Clare from Twisted Inflations. Location: The square, Ryde High street ( Between Hobbs Jewellers and The Castle Pub) Time: 10am -12 pm We are counting on sunny spells so please keep your fingers crossed for us We welcome all support and shiny smiley happy faces through all weathers! Hooping makes the World go round!

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"so in love with my new hoop courtesy of ‪#‎hoopfinity‬ & the beautiful Gina Steliana..this hoop was bought not only to enjoy but to donate funds for a very special venture so please check it out on 'hoopfinity' and 'Romania's chance to dance' page and perhaps donate or buy a gorgeous stunner of a hoop like this one!" Lucy Filder

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As Part of my Island based Hula Hoop Dance business, I am now also offering you the chance to have your own custom made hula hoop. 50% of all profits will go towards our fundraising project. If this is maybe something you would like to invest in, please contact Hoopfinity where guidance will be given in customizing your own personal hoop. Last date orders : 6th May 2015 Links: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hoopfinity/431136893621431

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We are very pleased and honored to have been invited for a live interview at the Isle of Wight Radio On Wednesday 22nd April. 10:30 am. Please Tune In! Link: http://iwradio.co.uk/