Conversations with Cyrena Lang

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cyrena Lang. 

Hi Cyrena, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story starts in October 2010 when I traveled to London England and my husband boyfriend at the time put me in my first hoola hoop class. His god sister was a hooping instructor at the time and he told me when we travel for vacation, I’m going to put you in her class. I was excited and thought that I would be really good in the class because I knew how to hoop on my waist, but man was I humbled. I was beyond blown away with all the things you could do with a hoop on your body, so from that point forward I was hooked and I put in my purchase for my first hoop which was handmade by his got sister Tracey. My husband also got one. We did not receive our hoops till three months later. For almost a year I was hooping solely by myself at home. At my new job at the time I met a lady and she was also a Hooper. That was quite life-changing and I had someone to hoop with. During one of our visits to the park my husband met some people that introduced me to local classes in the area. I started taking hoop classes and shortly after that, got involved in a performance troupe called The Hoola Monsters and from that point forward my teacher was creating a program called Hoola Fit. She encouraged me that I should take her program, because I would be an excellent teacher. I honestly never considered teaching, but I took the program and three weeks after I completed it, I had found some studios that I was going to be teaching my classes in. When I first started teaching, I didn’t think that it was going to be something ever that I would do full-time, it would just be kind of a hobby. For a solid four years I taught once a week, Saturday morning 9 a.m. which we still have that class. Consistency is key to making your business grow in my opinion. To anyone who is starting something new, it takes lots of time to grow, sometimes years and for me it took years. I used to maybe have one or two people come to class, sometimes none and it was disheartening. Sometimes I wanted to give up, but my rock, my husband always encouraged me to never give up. So, you might be wondering why do I hoop, why do I love it so much. I love it because it takes me to another land away from problems, away from thought. Every day I say “movement is medicine and it is true.”The hoop has connected me to hundreds of amazing people and super close friends. The hoop has connected me to activities I never tried before such as yoga, acro yoga, yoga wheel, pole dancing and a strong passion for anything that takes me to a handstand. So back to business, I was working for the health department for several years and it became very complacent to me. I really wasn’t happy at my full-time job, but I really wasn’t looking for anything else. To be complacent in my opinion is when you become stale and dead. It’s not good for your soul. One day on the job I had an accident, hit my head on the state car and my patient saved my life. I ended up having two seizures and stopped breathing twice that day. I was then rushed to the hospital by ambluence. I never did return to that job for lots of reasons that were toxic and not healthy for me. Sometimes the most tragic and scary situations that we go through are the most life-changing and positive things that we could ever go through. I’ve shared my story with many and it has helped others make positive changes. Do not become complacent and stay somewhere that you are unhappy. At the time when I realized I wasn’t going back to work for the state of Florida, I had a few interviews, but those didn’t work out. During the time that I was home because I couldn’t drive, I made my once-a-week hobby turn into a few times a week, growing mu business over a three-month period of time before I was able to drive again. During that time, I also got very much involved in an apparatus called The Yoga wheel. My husband purchased the yoga wheel for me and gave it to me February 14th, 2016, and I hit my head the very next day. When I was finally home and recovering, I couldn’t drive anywhere and I spent a lot of time at home, so I got really connected to the lady who made the yoga wheel via social media who was located in England. I would post my progress on instagram and she always shared on her business page. She told me one day I’m going to come to the USA and we’re going to have a workshop. Well, we did that one year later and it was on the anniversary of the day I hit my head February 15th, 2017. It is incredibly special and symbolic to me, because we did not plan it to be that date, because of my injury, but it just happened that way. Every bit and piece of my story happened for a reason. So, I’m getting off track, but long story short we had an amazing Yoga Wheel Workshop, I got certified and licensed that day and I have been teaching ever since. The class has grown and grown; I also make yoga Wheels as well as custom hula hoops. So pretty much the rest is history since leaving the state of Florida. I have been doing my business solely for over 5 1/2 years. It’s incredibly hard work, but I love it. I love bringing joy to people and helping them change their life for the better. My degree is in social work and I still get to share my love of helping people, but differently. I strongly believe that movement is meditation and that helps heal. What I do is so much more than fitness and trying to lose weight or get your body fit, it’s about making the mind happy. I truly believe that when the mind is happy with the internal feeling good the outer shell will shine. In the process your body will get toner, tighter, your balance will get better, you will possibly lose weight if you change your diet, you will get stronger, better coordination, you will learn how to dance, you will meet new people and overall, it just makes you feel so good. I wake up every single morning with gratitude. I’m so thankful that I get to share this joy with everyone I become in contact with. I feel like there’s so many bits and pieces and so much detail. If you guys have any questions I’d be happy to answer. Thank you.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it was not a smooth road, because certain days I would come to class to teach and nobody would show up. My husband has been my constant support and encouragement. If it wasn’t for him, I probably would have given up a long time ago, but I’m so thankful that I didn’t. There were times where I literally went an entire month and did not make $1, that was a struggle, especially when I was doing this full-time. Having your own business is very hard, but I would rather work hard for myself than work hard for someone’s doing something I don’t enjoy.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a hoop dance instructor as well as yoga wheel teacher. I teach multiple levels in one classroom setting and we all learn together. I teach virtually and in person. I make all the props custom. I specialize in helping people get stronger while finding happiness and learning something that they thought they’d never be able to do. I am wholeheartedly proud of my business and all of my students. I feel that my students would be able to answer what sets me apart from others. I get messages every day of how I have changed people’s lives, brought happiness to their life and that they’re so thankful that they have found my classes. I’m definitely an energizer bunny that keeps on going and going. I can tell you this, my goal each day is to inspire and bring joy. I’m truly proud that my business did better than ever in 2020 when we hit the pandemic. I learned how to make my business better, stronger, and grow beyond belief during a really hard time and I’m very proud of that. So many people were so lonely during that time. The hoop and the yoga wheel classes brought happiness to them.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
If you don’t take risks, you will never know and I truly believe it’s important to take risks, but I also believe it’s important to be smart about them. When I left my job and decided to not to go back, I had already had a clientele and my business was already seasoned a little bit. I definitely wouldn’t recommend somebody just quit their job without any plan. But I also truly believe that new doors don’t open if you stay somewhere that you’re miserable, so if you have support or you feel that you can make or take a risk then do it.

Pricing:

• My custom hoops range from $15 to $80.
• My custom yoga wheels are $80.
• Drop-in classes are $15 and class passes are $40.
• Private lessons are $60 before travel, $50 for a virtual lesson.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: dragonhooper.com
• Instagram: @dragonhooper
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DragonHooper
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCRSNIwxne_6a2QalH_e4rMw

Image Credits
Christi Curtis