If by hooped hem you mean it's got that stiff boning in it that makes the hem form big loops, then the best thing to do is to cut it off. Trim off the stiffiner (called "Rigiline"), conserving as much fabric as possible. The, sew in a new hem with softer 1/2" polyester horsehair braid. This is currently popular in both Standard and Smooth dresess, and gives shape to the hem without adding stiffness.

Temporary floats sound like a good idea, too.

One thing about the sleeves: are they snug but stretchy, or tight and restrictive? You need lots of freedom in your arms for American style, so if your sleeves are too restrictive you might want to consider removing them.