She & Him are back with their second album being released on March 23rd. The duo consisting of singer/actress Zooey Deschanel and indie-folk star M. Ward have a video for their new single entitled "In The Sun" too that has them going back to school like Rodney Dangerfield. Ward is the leading man who plays hard to get, while Deschanel portrays the girl who is helplessly in love with him. A lot of dancings seemingly inspired from Disney's "High School Musical" series are featured in it. Also, there is a scene when Deschanel shows off her hula hooping skills and Ward does a solo performance with his guitar. Watch the video below:

Hooping.org last spoke with the New York Times in 2004 for a story primarily focused on New York hoop instructor Loren Bidner: "According to hooping.org, a Web site for people interested in Hula-Hooping, there are classes like Mr. Bidner's in nearly a dozen cities across the country, and a handful of companies have begun to market hoops specifically designed for adults." Only a dozen cities? A mere handful of companies? Oh how far we've come! And The New York Times today took a much broader snapshot of hooping for fitness - from Academy Award winning actress Marisa Tomei (pictured with Anah "Hoopalicious" Reichenbach) to Michelle Obama, from Hoopnotica to Gaiam, from Susan Guralnik in California to Jonathan Baxter in North Carolina - there has already been a veritable hooping explosion - and we look forward to showing hoop skeptic Neal Pire just how wrong he can be. Gaiam, the company that brought yoga to gyms, schools and local communities, has shot a hooping workout video with Tomei that is scheduled to be released in May, prompting writer Sean Hamill to call Tomei the "Jane Fonda of Hooping." Marisa's response? "I’m not even going to go there. I’m just a girl with a pink hoop.” Full story: The New York Times.

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Round and round go the pounds according to 46-year-old hula hoop fitness instructor Allyson Makiej. Based in Lowell, Massachusetts, Makiej is introducing students to hula hoop training as the latest exercise regimen targeted to tone muscles, gain balance and lose weight. She uses a three-way approach to fitness: yoga, hula hoop movements and natural foods nutrition. “The combination of those three for me has been phenomenal,” she said. She also introduces the hula hoop regimen to women who are having gatherings and parties. She has taught classes at hospitals, bariatric weight loss groups, even birthday parties. She says hula hoop exercise can also improve one’s self-esteem. Full story: Taunton Call

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At Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, it's law school staff members that are teaming up to host free, weekly hoopjams on campus. "The hula hoop is a good workout because it's fun, so people stick to it," said Colleen Clish, Assistant Registrar at the law school. Clish, has already lost five pounds and the hoop group is only a month old. Officially an intramural sport at Hamline, the group of six members is looking for more staff and students to join them. Local resident Paige "DJ Hoopster" Wagner (pictured) is making custom hoops for the participants. Full story: Hamline Oracle

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