Sirenna Beyer: Out of the Hoop Closet
Sirenna Beyer is a Kansas City hula hoop performer and teacher, better known as KC Hoop Girl. A registered nurse turned realtor, she taught herself to hoop from online videos and went on to audition for America's Got Talent. We talk about her five-year double life, her first gig at Macy's, going viral, and teaching "Never Hoopers" of every age.
Two LED hoops on stage.
Introduction
I found Sirenna while I was looking for people who came to hooping later in life.
Her website describes her as a "Registered Nurse who transformed to become a Realtor that's Disguised as a Hooper!" I'm not going to lie, that line did a lot of the work. I wanted to know who was under the disguise.
She picked up her first hoop at 58, taught herself from online videos, and now runs KC Hoop Girl in Kansas City: classes for everyone from three year olds to her Hoopersize Me seniors, parties, and shows in LED wings. Somewhere along the way, she auditioned for America's Got Talent.
This one's for anyone who has ever said "I can't hoop" out loud.
Let's dig in.
From Nurse to Realtor to Hooper
Jess: Before any hoop came into it, what were you like as a kid? Were you always the one dancing round the kitchen, or did that side of you show up later?
Sirenna:
Watching old childhood videos, I realize I was full of energy and often seeking the spotlight.
Jess: You worked as a nurse and then went into real estate. What did those jobs teach you that you still use when you're performing or teaching?
Sirenna:
Nursing taught me to assess needs & take care of people. I learned the art of crafting a meticulous patient care plan. When I transitioned into real estate as well as when I launched my hula-hooping business, I realized those same planning skills applied perfectly to entrepreneurship. I used that exact framework to build my business plans, and I still use it today to design and coordinate my hula-hoop parties and live performance shows.
Jess: Your website calls you a "Registered Nurse who transformed to become a Realtor that's Disguised as a Hooper!" So how did the hooper finally get out of disguise?
Sirenna:
I was a Top Salesperson in real estate for 35 years, but for five of those years, I was living a double life. I hid behind the fictional character "KC Hoop Girl" because I was worried my clients would think I was distracted, and that my competition would use it against me. I worked around the clock to sustain both careers, constantly winning top agent awards just to prove I could wear both hats. Eventually, my love for hooping outgrew my fear, and I officially came out of the "hoop closet."
The response was incredible. Instead of losing business, my worlds collided in the best way possible: real estate clients and competitors started joining my hoop classes or hiring me to perform, and the hooping community began trusting me with their real estate needs.
Hooping in a street parade.
Teaching Yourself to Hoop From Online Videos
Jess: Do you remember the very first time you picked up a hoop? What happened, and what made you keep going?
Sirenna:
I was at Walmart, saw a rack of hula hoops, and bought one on a whim. The week before, I'd been completely mesmerized by a video of a young woman hoop dancing, and that's what inspired me. The second I tried it, I was hooked. I've hooped almost every single day since!
Jess: Were you self taught, or did someone take you under their wing? And what was the first trick that made you feel like a proper hooper?
Sirenna:
I learned on my own through watching online videos. It took serious grit and endless patience to stick with it, but my commitment kept me pushing forward. That difficult self-taught journey is what inspired me to launch in-person classes, so I can give others the hands-on guidance I wish I'd had. I felt like I was doing some seriously cool tricks when I mastered hoop isolation moves and lasso lifts.
Doubles with LED hoops.
On Stage: From Macy's to America's Got Talent
Jess: What was your first paid gig like? The nerves, what you wore, what went right and what went wrong.
Sirenna:
My very first gig was at Macy's Department Store, where I was hired to model their sportswear line while hula-hooping. At the time, my trick repertoire was pretty limited (I could only hoop on my waist and legs) and I was worried I wasn't skilled enough. To make up for it, I brought extra hoops so the crowd could join in. It turned out to be a massive hit! The patrons absolutely loved the interactive energy, and Macy's ended up inviting me back to perform every other month.
One-handed LED hoop at a gala.
Jess: You've done New Year's Eve at Ameristar, weddings in LED wings and a 1950s Harvest Ball. Which gig is the one you still tell people about?
Sirenna:
I'm incredibly grateful and absolutely love every single performance I'm hired to do. Seeing the crowd smile and hearing the applause never gets old. While every show is special, a couple of highlights truly stand out. Auditioning for America's Got Talent was a once-in-a-lifetime experience; performing for a live audience of thousands with the cameras rolling made me feel like I had reached the pinnacle of my career. Another favorite is performing on New Year's Eve at the Ameristar Casino. It's an upscale venue and there's no heavy prep or complex planning involved. I just get to show up, freestyle hoop, and absolutely rip it!
Jess: I loved the photo you sent of you with a hoop at AGT. What's the story behind it?
Sirenna:
An unexpected repost by influencer Eggs Tyron completely changed my trajectory. After giving him permission to share one of my videos, he swapped the audio, and the post exploded. It quickly went viral, catching the attention of major creators and celebrities like Jamie Lee Curtis, Amy Sedaris, and Mariska Hargitay. The momentum didn't stop there: scouts from America's Got Talent spotted the video while scouting Instagram for new talent. They reached out and invited me to Pasadena, California to audition live. It was an unforgettable, whirlwind experience that I will always cherish.
At America's Got Talent in Pasadena.
Teaching Kansas City to Hoop, From Three Year Olds to Seniors
Jess: You teach everyone from three year olds to your Hoopersize Me seniors. Who's the most fun to teach, and who surprises you the most?
Sirenna:
My absolute favorites are the self-proclaimed "Never Hoopers", the ones convinced they could never do it. I love knowing that I'm about to change their lives and I have a perfect track record.
Ball toss in a group hoop class.
Jess: What do you say to someone who tells you they're too old, or too uncoordinated, to give it a go?
Sirenna:
I tell them I'm going to change their lives in 5 minutes and I've never failed to do so. The big smile I see on their face happens instantly & says it all. They always want a photo too.
Balloon kicks, mid-hoop.
LED wings out with the class.
Looking Back
Jess: If you could go back to the day you got your first hoop, what would you tell yourself?
Sirenna:
This is going to change your life in the most dramatic & positive way.
The KC Hoop Girl crew.
Jess: And finally, velvet or stripes?
Sirenna:
Velvet cause I love a smooth ride.
Outro
Five years of keeping a hoop habit quiet from her real estate clients... and then they started turning up to her classes.
I loved that bit. The thing she was worried would cost her business ended up pulling her two worlds together.
And the Macy's story. Limited tricks, worried she wasn't good enough, so she brought extra hoops and got the crowd involved. They asked her back every other month. That's a very good performer instinct, and a very good teacher one too.
Her favourite students are the "Never Hoopers". Five minutes, she says, and she hasn't failed yet.
If you're a Never Hooper yourself... I wouldn't bet against her.
Resources & Links
Sirenna Beyer, KC Hoop Girl: classes, parties and performances in Kansas City, at kchoopgirl.com
America's Got Talent: the NBC talent show Sirenna was invited to audition for live in Pasadena (nbc.com)
More hoop chats on Bubble Bum Banter: Lisa Lottie, Marawa the Amazing, and Caytha Jentis on starting circus in her sixties, or browse the whole series.
Something Velvet
Sirenna went velvet, because she loves a smooth ride. Strawberry Dream is powder pink and lilac stripes with a touch of crushed icy velvet, so you get a bit of both.