The Story of Hula Dancercise™: From Shattered Dreams to a Global Movement
- huladancercise
- May 14
- 3 min read
Rachel JB Jones’ journey didn’t start with a hoop, it started with a pair of ballet shoes and a lifelong dream.
Originally from Porthcawl, South Wales, Rachel began dancing at just two and a half at her local dance school, where she studied Ballet, Tap, and Jazz until turning 18. At 20, she chose to study the full-time Preliminary Dance Course at Rubicon Dance, a rigorous two-year course designed to prepare her for a professional career.
The Turning Point
Unfortunately, only one year into the course, Rachel suffered an injury to her foot. Due to an incorrect diagnosis, she continued to train and dance on the injury for months. Then came the devastating news that she had a condition known as avascular necrosis, where training on a fragmented bone in the ball of her foot had resulted in a complete loss of blood supply to the area.
Rachel’s dance training came to a cruel and abrupt end. Her dreams were shattered, and her lifetime of hard work seemed wasted.
"I had completely lost myself and was grieving a life I had trained so hard for. I didn’t know what I was meant to do next, because dancing was all I had ever dreamed of and worked towards."
Reconnecting Mind and Body
What followed were two incredibly challenging years filled with prosthetic and orthopaedic treatments, eventually culminating in surgery to end the agonising pain. During her recovery, Rachel was supported by a talented physiotherapist who slowly helped her rebuild both her strength and confidence.
In early 2018, Rachel discovered a weighted hula hoop and thought it would be a fun form of exercise to do from home. She didn't realise then that she was picking up a lifeline.
"The hula hoop changed everything," Rachel explains. "It became my best friend and gave me hope again, a way to exercise and move my body that felt fun, positive, and healthy. It reconnected me with dancing, but in a way that was low impact and kinder to my body. Through hooping, I felt able to express myself again and finally release all of the energy and emotion I had been bottling up for so long."
A Movement for Mental Health Awareness Week
As we mark Mental Health Awareness Week, Rachel’s story highlights how movement is often the best medicine for the mind. She continued hula hooping quietly for years, not fully realising what she had created until the COVID-19 lockdowns.
In March 2020, Rachel’s housemate, Terese, was forced into isolation. From her room, Terese watched Rachel dancing with the hula hoop and was amazed, encouraging her to share it online. On Terese’s first day out of isolation, she and fellow housemate Luigi filmed Rachel and helped create her very first social media post.
Following encouragement from friends to post tutorials, Hula Dancercise™ was born, “Hula” representing the hula hoop, and “Dancercise” combining Rachel’s twin passions for dance and fitness.
A Global Impact
Since launching on 1st June 2020, Rachel has grown a global audience of over 1 million followers. Her content went viral during the lockdowns, receiving millions of views and inspiring people worldwide to stay active during their darkest times.
Hula Dancercise™ has completely changed Rachel’s life. What was born out of injury and disappointment has grown into a hugely positive community, proving that movement can heal both the body and the soul.
Ready to find your own rhythm?
This Mental Health Awareness Week, we invite you to reconnect with your body and find joy in movement again. Whether you are recovering from an injury or just looking for a positive way to clear your mind, our community is waiting for you.
Start your journey: Download our FREE Hula Hoop quick-start guide and shop our weighted hula hoops here.
Learn the moves: Access our latest tutorials and workouts.
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