Twisted Orbit – Bags & Valentina Orbit – Artist Profile

When did you begin your journey into the flow arts, and how were you inspired to start?

Valentina: I started to belly dance when I was 12, I also started performing while still 12 years old, about 6 months after I started belly dancing. I have been dancing and performing ever since! It all began b/c my mom started taking belly dancing classes and drug me along. About 10 years later I went to Burning Man for the first time and came home vowing to take up fire dancing, vegetarianism and never wear a bra again (lol). I went to the local San Diego Burning Man Decom and met HoopCharmer who was standing on the dance floor with an LED hoop. I asked if I could try it. It took me a couple tries but then I got it. I happened to be camped next to some hoopers at the decom who let me borrow their hoops, I hooped the next day for 8 hours straight. I went home, ordered a hoop from Hoop Girl and literally never put it down once it arrived.

Bags: I was given juggling balls for Christmas at quite a young age. I started really getting into juggling when I went to university and discovered a circus club frequented by lots of fun jugglers and spinners. After university I wanted to travel so I taught juggling, poi and staff at an American summer camp in Pennsylvania. It was here that I really discovered how much I love teaching children juggling and spinning. I started taking it more seriously as a career and I went to circus school in Bristol called Circomedia ,which was hugely enjoyable. Later, during a circus project in Thailand, I started hooping after being inspired by the wonderful Choi Tse. Hooping has since pretty much taken over my life 🙂

What do you love about the experience of performing?

Valentina: I love giving a piece of myself to people. I believe it is healing, transformative, inspiring and just plain fun to watch performance. I love being a part of that for people. Baring myself and my soul, my deepest most creative expression.


Bags: Money’s nice.

How has being a part of the flow community touched your life? How can the flow community make an impact and how do you see yourself being a part of it?

B&V: The flow community has made it possible for us to travel the world! We feel embraced and supported, encouraged and accepted by the hooping and flow arts community in a way that has allowed us to travel the world teaching and performing! We think the more that flow arts spreads, the more people find a hobby that is healthy, collaborative and empowering. The more people engage in these types of activities, the more peaceful and happy the world will be. We are a part of this because we teach and travel teaching / performing, spreading the hoop love!

What advice would you give to someone just starting their flow journey? Which tutorials or guiding principles helped you along the way?

Try all the things. Find local clubs/meets. Go to juggling/spinning conventions. Play. Explore. Share. Obsess. Do all the things, all the ways. Learn something then teach it to a child. Watch all the videos. Try and think critically about what you like and what you don’t like and develop your own style over time. Practice, practice, practice then practice some more. Try and make it your own then give it to as many people as possible. Have fun. 🙂

Where do you aim to hone your skills in 2017? Have you taken on any new props or specialties recently?

Valentina: poi, partner poi, more floor work / arm balances in my hooping – splits, bridge, handstand and one handed cartwheels – yippee!
Bags: I’m working on my double staff and staff juggling, my triple poi and my triple fire hoop.