Monica Foletta, aka Hula Bella, is a professional Hula Hooper who will be leading two exciting workshops at the festival on Saturday the 11th of May!
10:00am – 11:00am: Get Hula Hooping with Hula Bella
University of Wolverhampton
Suitable for ages 16-25 | Pre-booking is required – click here to book your place.
Make a hula hoop and learn the choreography of hula hooping with Monica Foletta, aka Hula Bella! From Southern California, Hula Bella has been hula hooping for over a decade – find out her story of how she became a professional Hula Hooper and how she stands out as a Deaf performer. Learn how to develop your personal style, using your hands and body movements in this workshop, plus pick up some hula hooping tricks!
1:00pm – 2:00pm: It’s Hula Hoop Time!
University of Wolverhampton
Suitable for ages 11-16 | Pre-booking is required – click here to book your place.
Join in hooping with America’s professional Hula Hooper – Hula Bella! Learn how to master a Hula Hoop using your arms, elbows, wrists, knees, nose and more. Hula Bella will share some tricks for you to try out. Keep practising your hula hooping skills when you get home and show your family and friends!
If you are joining the Film & TV Awards Gala and the Late-Night Party, get ready to be awed by her incredibly hula-hooping skills!
Tickets are required to access the Saturday events. Have you got your tickets yet? If not, get yours here!
Meet Hula Bella, a seasoned performer from the vibrant city of Los Angeles! With over 13 years of experience as a professional Hula Hoop and Fire Eating Dancer, she brings a mesmerising blend of skill and artistry to the stage. She has been a certified Hoop Dance teacher since 2016 and clinched victory at Deaf’s Got Talent in 2021!
Her captivating performances have graced diverse venues, from the eerie setting of the Monster on Haunted Ship Queen Mary for Halloween Season in Long Beach, CA, to the electrifying atmosphere of festivals like Coachella and Burning Man. She’s not just limited to hearing festivals; she’s also shined at Deaf events across the globe, including Festival Clin D’œil (twice), the Summer Party in Munich, and the Della Awards in Berlin, among others. From productions like being part of the Omnium Circus fall tour in 2023, where she dazzled audiences as both a Poet and Hula Hooper, to intimate gatherings at small organisations, communities, and Deaf schools throughout the US, Hula Bella’s talent knows no bounds.
Beyond her fiery, fearless persona as a performer, Hula Bella is a seasoned Graphic Designer Artist with over 20 years of experience. During the challenging times of COVID-19, she seized the opportunity to expand her repertoire by delving into roller skating. She even hosts monthly ‘ASL SK8 DAY,’ bringing together her love for American Sign Language and roller skating in a unique and inclusive event. Hula Bella’s journey is a testament to her boundless creativity and unwavering dedication to her craft. She is an advocate and challenges the daily norms to understand it’s essential to be inclusive and have Deaf Individuals everywhere!
Come along and say hi to New York Times bestselling author, Nyle DiMarco!
If you have a copy of his book ‘Deaf Utopia: A Memoir – and a Love Letter to a Way of Life’ – bring it along to Deaffest and ask for his autograph!
Date: Saturday 11th May 2024 | Location: University of Wolverhampton | Time: 3.00pm
Saturday tickets are available to buy online until 3.00pm on Saturday 11th May (subject to availability).
| DEAFFEST 2024 STANDARD TICKETS – CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS | |
| FRIDAY TICKETS SOLD OUT | |
| B) Saturday 11th May Daytime – Adult (age 16 and over) ticket | £20.00 |
| C) Saturday 11th May Daytime – Young Person (ages 5-15) ticket | £10.00 |
| D) Saturday 11th May Daytime – Under 5s ticket | £0.00 |
| E) Saturday 11th May Evening – Film & TV Awards Gala (including Late-Night Party) ticket | £50.00 |
| F) Saturday 11th May Evening – Late-Night Party ONLY ticket | £25.00 |
| SUNDAY TICKETS SOLD OUT | |
Deaffest 