I was 11 when I fell in love with dance. I immediately became addicted to the adrenaline from performing in front of others, whether it be in my living room, a talent show stage or on a football field.
At 21, I was introduced to pole fitness. Falling in love with the risque dance moves and flexible gravity defying tricks, I decided to give it a go. This blog is to simply document my feedback, failures and accomplishments, ALL to better myself! Enjoy!
Mondays are usually a pretty long day, considering there's work and three hours of exercises to follow. This evening I attended levels 1, 2, and 3 of pole, then an hour long cardio class called Hip Hop Booty Pop, followed by another hour of Pole. And if you know me well enough, you know the first thing I did when I walked in the door was get to the stove. Eggs, green peppers, and brown rice. Not sure if it's the best meal combination choice, but it was in my fridge and it's not terribly unhealthy. Boom.
This evening was the first time for me to try Hip Hop Booty Pop, and I tried as hard as my white ass could try. Was I incredibly sexy? Meh. Did I sweat and keep my heart rate up? Oh for sure. So, imagine this white girl in leg warmers trying to "jiggle it to tha flo' ", and there you have it. The class rocked though! I'm already feeling it. I see an Epsom salt bath in my near future. We're talkin, 30 minutes, tops, kind of future. Any who...
Level 1-3 was when I had the most energy, so I took a little video of what we went over. Pretty much just all level 1 things. Although I'm technically a level 3, my classmates, teachers and even Aerial Amy has mentioned recently how important it is to master the most basic tricks to where they just seem, effortless! So, that's what I'm trying to do I suppose.
Below is today's combo, enjoy! Xoxo
Oh, and also...
Tomorrow I begin CAMP HERO! I'll definitely post after that, so yeah.
Yo yo yo, sup sup sup. Today, I feel a little gangster. That's only because a little bit of Amy rubs off on me after each class with her. Her awesome-ness is contagious, and you just excel when you work with her. She scares the grace into you. And you like it. ;)
Today's class was a spinner class. Cat's out of the bag, NO I'm not spinning that cool all by myself. Why did I just give myself away like that, dang it...
Today, we went over the simple straight hold that you see me do before each climb. I found it really hard, and tiring, to maintain a straight frame (none of that feet-swinging-to-the-side stuff) to the pull-up. Then there's the pull-up, Holy balls. That's tough, and I thought I was strong! HA.
I hope you enjoy today's pole sesh and take into consideration...
1.) If you're a non-poler
2.) If you're a NEW Poler
I've been doing this a year and I've gained a lot of strength through cross training and practicepracticepractice
3.) If you're an UPPER level Pole
Teach me your ways. Via anything!
In 2011 when I was 20 years old, I stumbled across a Groupon for a fitness studio in Frisco. I was lured to the coupon by the title, which read ‘$50 for 5 pole fitness class!’. My first thought was ‘Pole fitness? You mean, dancing while also defying gravity- YES.’ Considering I’ve danced pretty much ever since I’ve been able to use my legs, this sounded like a unique and affective opportunity. The only catch was that I was 20, living pay-check to pay-check, working high-end retail management mostly in the evenings. $50 to me meant food AND gas for a week would be budgeted, and I didn’t like that! However, putting my passions (and indulgence first I decided to buy the Groupon, which I’m forever thankful that I did.
During my first 5 classes I learned some of the basic pole fitness moves at the Frisco studio, where I met Claudia Rabago. Her positive energy and helpful attitude made a lasting impression on me, encouraging me to come to class although I was super ungraceful at the sport at the time. (Don’t hate-YOU go try it why don’t ya!) Although I wasn’t a fool proof level 1 pole dancer, I felt confident that I could hone the skill enough to nail some tricks while burning some fat. The 5 entry level classes came and went, but my enthusiasm remained high as ever. So there I was-Intrigued, inspired, and broke. Who wants to spend money on boring stuff like groceries when I could just pay for a pole membership instead?! Sigh... I had to wait for more money to roll in.
Practicing, why yes that's a puppy i'm dancing with!
1 year, a boyfriend and 2 jobs later I found myself wondering about pole fitness. Being a follower of the girls room and vertical fitness Dallas (two of the best and most well-known pole studios in the DFW) I was forced to see pictures of beautiful girls with 6 packs hanging from aerial silks and poles in my newsfeed on the regular and knew I COULD and SHOULD be there doing it, too! All it took was for my boyfriend at the time to say, in his low pitch, cave man, sloth talk to blurt “So uh, that pole fitness thing you used to do-It’s hot. You should like, do it some more”. To give myself some credit, my ex wasn’t a total idiot, you just had to stick around him long enough to realize it. So after bullying myself to quit being a cheapo, plus hearing my man tell me he admired a sexy hobby I enjoyed, I decided to splurge. I indulged myself for my new year. Indulging in fitness is a whole other kind of indulging. It’s like getting high on perspiring and building muscle. I loved it.
Ouch!
The day I gave The Girls Room my credit card information was the day I started attending classes. I wasn’t wasting any time! I bought myself a pair of pole shorts and hopped to it. That’s when I met Deseree, a patient and knowledgeable beautiful young grad student teaching level 1-3 pole fitness classes and workshops at The Girls Room, Irving. With it being my first time attending the Irving location, I was a little nervous about the environment and my classmates. But then again, after a whole year of hating myself for not becoming a member, I decided a few mean girls were the least of my fitness worries. To my surprise, not one girl was catty! I made a couple friends within my first few months and am continuing to build relationships.
One thing I learned about the beautiful women I’ve encountered through The Girls Room is that there’s no medium for normalcy here. I can expect to meet ANYONE at the girls room, varying from shape size and color. Women range from ages 18 to 50 in the pole fitness world, and like dating, in pole fitness age and pant size are just numbers. My skinny friends complain they’re not strong enough, and my curvy friends say they’re not light or graceful enough. Each excuse may be a valid insecurity for someone just trying pole dancing, but in the end it’s just an excuse. Like anyone beginning their fitness journey, ya gotta start somewhere. I see girls in the studio that I’m pretty sure are still drunk from the night before, as well as girls that sacrifice any and all alcohol to better perform for early morning poling. I’ve met teachers, nurses, business owners, stay at home moms, Mormons, atheists at the girls room. Despite the stereotype, I’ve never once met a stripper. And even if I did, it’s no one else’s business, but nearly everyone’s first concern. But let’s not get started on that, we will be here all day… Big girls, skinny girls and muscular girls all have a place in the pole world, which is seriously one of the coolest things about it.
Planking at The Girls Room, Frisco!
Another thing learned at my time spent at The Girls Room is thatnothing comes easy. Just after your first class you’ll be eager to get home for a long soak in the tub to ease the soreness. After your first week, you’ll had accrued a handful of bruises where you’re mastering your first spins. People say “Oh you make it look so easy!” or “I could NEVER do that”, but little do they know us pole fanatics have sacrificed much time, sweat, and perfectly un-bruised thighs to be where we are today. Pole. Is. Not. Easy. It is hard. Trust me!
I excelled through levels 1 and 2, and eventually progressed to a level 3 polerina. Before I knew it, I was poling in-between jobs and seeing my boyfriend every chance I got. If I was driving, I was listening to songs I’d later pole to. If I wasn’t poling or contemplating poling, I was watching pole YouTube videos. I found myself in love with three things: Painting, Pole, and my (ex) Boyfriend. My boyfriend eventually got sick of my newfound talent, as I eventually got sick of him being a cheating little man child. After being brutally dumped by my love of two years, I decided to take advantage of my newfound hobby and consume myself in a world of fitness and positive energy. I couldn’t let the break up break ME, which leads me to where I am today. Still healing, I continue to persevere with my passion for dance and channel my love that was once used on a man, toward something that can never break my heart, the pole!
Thank you for taking the time to read this, your time and consideration means the world.
In the future, you will hear more about my opportunities and future at the girls room.
I look forward to revealing some big secrets soon!
Some videos to feed your boredom.
Don't get too excited, some of these are sloppy tiresome footage of post practice combos.
Today is hump day, oh thank goodness. At least the week is half way over, right? Well the weekdays are for putting in work, in the office and in the gym. "Dance studio counts as a gym?" Bet your butt it does! Just as pole fitness is a sport.
Todays class was at The Girls Room in Irving, taught by AmyHenderson. She's a pole bad ass, and a great teacher. She helped us perfect our climb today, as well as gain comfort in doing our lay backs on the spinner pole. For those reading this that are not familiar with pole, yes the pole spins on it's own. Or the pole can change back into stationary mode with the replacement of a little pin located at the base of the pole. Any who...
I liked todays class because I always find it beneficial to practice climbing. I needed to get my knees re-bruised, anyways. After all, I have to be ready for the Winter Showcase and Toy Drive this Sunday! I am familiar with the knee hold and lay back, thanks to Tricia in Frisco! Amy helped me go further in the exercise by teaching me how to go into a split after my knee hold, love it! I am becoming more and more comfortable doing my split on the pole after just 3 practices.
Two jobs, dance class, and trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle can be a little tiring sometimes. So excuse me while I talk about the bad ass deliciousness I created for myself after dance. Mmmkay. So, It's just eggswithcheese, and baked asparagus. But still, it's so good. I also bagged some up for lunch tomorrow, productive girls say what?!
Alright alright! It's Monday, BOO! Monday is just one more reason to work out even harder, because Mondays suck all the more. And today, I kicked Mondays ASS!
Today, I went to work and did a little flag fooseball practice with my Risk team at Exeter. We are playing in a flag football game on Wednesday as a time-waster to get out of work earlier. Oh, and team bonding of course. We are playing against another group, Credit Review. We are going to cream 'em. *Pictures to come* I got in a little extra 30 minutes of cardio! Man, haave I gotten bad at short distance running. Definitely an opportunity for improvement there! Hi, I like to hate myself publicly.
At dance, we went over: Head stands Hand stands Basic swing Climbing Dancer legs Back bend on the pole
I recorded a little somethin' somethin'. Feast your eyes on the ever famous Crack and Back.
Crack and back is where you keep your legs open in spread eagle while using ONLY your abdominals to make a swiping motion, swiping your butt crack on the pole and tucking in your tail bone with your abs to slide the pole towards your back. Another little tip on keeping an open perspective in this trick, is that it takes a strong core to successfully slide your feet elegantly and get into head/handstand position. You should definitely use legwarmers, you know, if you want you protect your pedicure of course. Or, your flesh on your feet, but whatever. In pole, you shed skin and bang yourself up, in a way your wounds are a sign you accomplished something, or are getting closer.
Here's another little clip, doing essentially the same thing but instead of coming out of the trick into a split, i'm locking my ankles around the pole and sitting up, into a climb. But I have leg warmers and don't want to bust my face, so I simply stand.
That's all I have :( I have been slacking on my dancing this past week, I have no excuse other than i've been going to the gym rather than dancing. I have an extra 20lbs i'm wearing and feel like if I go to the gym instead, i'll come closer to losing that weight. But the truth of the matter is, I have a showcase coming up soon!
**Performances** Raffles**Music**Food**Drinks** Members=FREE Standing Room=$10 VIP Seating= $20"Twas the flight before Christmas" at The Girls Room Dallas! Come out to watch amazing pole performances and celebrate the holidays at the The Girls Room. Purchase tickets online or call 214.821.0123 for more details!
This weeks pole jam sesh was to Marilyn Manson's "Sweet Dreams' cover. Truthfully, I find Marilyn Mansons music to be sexy and full of opportunity for dances. My taste in pole music is definitely the grunge, slower tempo and heavy bass tunes. A sexy song played in the back ground of a sexy pole jam just makes it all the more SEXIER!
So as the title states, critisism galore up in here. I feel like as a dancer, my style is very up-tempo and very lyrical style (created from the fusion of ballet with jazz and contemporary dance), so pole has been a great challenge for me to bring out my inner heavy metal head and combine it with the bad ass moves on the pole.
This FSF (FreeStyle Friday, come on, get with it!) was my 4th attempt! The 3 previous attempts were too huge of fails to post. I'm embarassed to even type that, haha. But, that's what FSF is for - learning and strengthening yourself! We all over analyze the things we do, but that's exactly how we become the dancers we are. That being said, i've been recording about every move I learn in class to later on 1.) REMEMBER the darn move 2.) Critique my performance.
This past week, I attended a spinner pole class and learned a couple moves/little combos and taped them Friday evening at class before my FreeStyle Friday, here they are...
The little combo below was taught by Amy Henderson at the halloween pole dance sesh we had earlier in the week. My goal is to lean back more in my 'Hello Boys' variation so I can more comfortably hold myself.
The clip below was taught to me by Tricia in Frisco and is the first spinner move i've ever really learned. It's very simple and elegant, like I said my back flexibility needs work!
Lastly, this is my Candy cane into one legged basic swing, with a sassy little kick. Candy cane is such a beautiful and powerful trick, it took me a bit to get comfortable with the whole 'running and jumping' motion of it all, but eventually it becomes more fun of a trick to perform, especially when you see the look on everyones faces! ;-)
My goals for the week are to work on my over all technique. No one wants to see some heavy breathing, curved back weirdo spinning around some pole. In order to get where I need to be, I need to be cross training and work on strengthening my muscles. I feel like my core and back flexibility need the most work.
Thanks for reading and if you're a fellow pole sister PLEASE comment some constructive critisim, comments and/or post your own pole blog link! XoXo
