RAW Awards: Wednesday Moon

Posted on 10 July, 2015

Fire poi. Yoga belly dancing. Martial arts. For performing artist Wednesday Moon, dance and movement are a way of life. Whilst she loves and is influenced by many different types of dance, it’s her amazing hooping performances that have landed her firmly on the Canberra dance scene.

“I first started hooping in 2013,” Wednesday shares.

“I was inspired by local hoopers during practice sessions for a fire show that I choreographed. I love the way that the hoop can move around and off your body, and how you can dance more then one hoop at a time. The range of movement with a hoop is far greater then any other circus prop.”

Wednesday’s passion and commitment to perfecting her hooping were acknowledged recently when she won the RAW Award for Performing Artist of the Year 2014. RAW is an independent indie arts organisation that supports and promotes artists around the world, with a great network in the Canberra community. RAW supports a diverse range of artistic genres including independent film, music, visual art, performance art, hair and make up, fashion and dance. Every year, the RAWards celebrate the best of the best in each category, with one winner from each city chosen by community votes.

“I felt disbelief when I won the award,” says Wednesday modestly. “I had put a lot of effort into the choreography, song and costume selection, however I was up against some fantastic other performing artists. I honestly couldn’t believe that I’d won!”

Performing on stage, sharing her passion with others and taking inspiration from fellow hooper motivated Wednesday to launch her own performance and hoop making business, Luminary Performances. So, just how many things can you do with a hoop?

Wednesday explains that there are several different types of hooping, such as Circus and Gymnastic. The style that she currently performs, Dance hooping, is a meditative style which focuses on fluidity. “I’ve just started learning martial arts – I love the discipline, strength and flowing style of movement found in marital arts,” Wednesday says.

“I hope I can find a dynamic way to transfer what I am learning in martial arts into my hoop dance.”

On the flip side of this gentle, relatively safe style of dance is Wednesday’s daring ability to incorporate fire into her performances.

“I’d played with fire poi and fans for several years, which are slightly easier to control and less hot when dancing with them,” she explains. “Hooping with fire is one of the scariest props! I’ve been inspired by Emma Kenna and Tiana Zoumer at Hoopy Happenings, who can do difficult contact moves with fire, something I’m aspiring towards.”

One of the highlights of 2015 for Wednesday was performing alongside Dream State Circus and members of Warehouse Circus during Enlighten.

“It was amazing to work on a fire show with performers I’d never worked with before,” Wednesday says. “The show gave me a taste of what I would like to do next year.”

It’s inspiring to learn that Wednesday is using her passion for dance as a form of therapy for youth at risk.

“I’ve just accepted a job with The Street University (a youth development community project coordinated by the Ted Noffs Foundation). I’ll be sharing my skills with young people struggling with drug and alcohol-related issues,” Wednesday tells me. Her experience in teaching hooping to adults, with an emphasis on building self-esteem, mindfulness and confidence, will no doubt be invaluable in her new role.

“I’m so excited for the rest of this year!”

Keep up to date with Wednesday’s upcoming workshops and performances, (as well as purchase custom hoops!) on her website, Luminary Performances. You can also follow her on the Luminary Performances Facebook page.