Eric Hernandez: Award Winning Hoop Dancer, Cirque du Soleil Performer, TEDx Speaker, & Emmy Award Winning Filmmaker
Eric Hernandez, a proud member of the Lumbee Tribe, is an esteemed Native American hoop dancer with over 20 years of experience. Mentored by Terry Goedel, Eric’s skills took center stage as the lead in Cirque du Soleil’s Totem, touring over 17 countries. A recent TEDx speaker, his mission is to challenge stereotypes and spread ancestral wisdom about Native Americans through the art of hoop dance. Now, Eric brings his story to the screen as the writer and director of Courage, a powerful short film inspired by his real-life journey of learning hoop dance from his Uncle Terry. Courage is a tribute to the strength of cultural storytelling and the importance of reclaiming identity through tradition.
Eric is a featured speaker at the the attendees of the 2026 Utah Native American Summit.
