The idea of spinning a large ring on your body is at least 2500 years old, using bamboo or other materials. Many native cultures had dances like the Native American hoop dances, from the Navajo Nation and many others.

The modern plastic form was pioneered in Australia, and reached mass adoption in the 1950s sold by Wham-O. It became a fad, but although its popularity has waxed and waned, it has always retained a base level of interest.

Modern dance has also incorporated the device. Once plastic hoops appeared, the rise of firehooping and LED hooping was inevitable.

Here are some hooping videos, all youtube links.

Dancer with two firehoops

Stage dancer

Street performer firehooping for crowd

LED hooper with 6 hoops