Craving that Bobbi style
It seems to me lately that all my favorite pole dancers studied at Bobbi's pole studio. Bobbi herself, Felix, Amy (I think I read somewhere she studied there), scarletthoney I found here at Veena's, to name a few - they all have this fluid quality to their movement, so sexy and feminine! It's amazing. Whenever I find myself admiring a pole dancer, I find out she was trained at Bobbi's shortly after.
It's like the moves and tricks are the same moves and tricks, but when they are performed by the Bobbi girls, they turn into art. Sexy art.
So this is my question to all the Bobbi girls out there - how did you train? What do they teach you? Did you do any excercises that you can share with us? Did they put mysterious pink powder in your water to make you move like that, and if so - how can I lay my hands on some?! How can I become a Bobbi girl, although I'm stuck here in the other side of the world?
Yes! I too watch videos on Youtube ....like the performance... and then will find out the dancer is from Bobbi's. Famous in the pole dance world. I also found on Youtube, a "Bobbi's Talk Show" format. (Don't recall the link, but if you search Youtube....I am sure it can be found. )The dancers talked about the studio and dance moves. The dancers were friendly, funny and energetic. Lots of personality. Glad you posted this thought. Looking forward to see if anyone from Bobbi's responds : )
I must add....did not know Scarlethoney trained or works out at Bobbi's. @Scarlethoney....your videos are great to watch. I have posted so.....if you are out there and can find the time....please share tips/thoughts on fluidity....or anything? Will be fun to hear from you: )
Sorry, I have never trained at Bobbi's but I love to watch her since she's so graceful and seems so friendly too. I guess you know that there are three instructional DVD's from Bobbi's pole studio? It's not like learning IRL of course, but maybe they could be helpful to watch if you like their style. One of them have a floor work section in addition to moves and combos.
Also, just the latest days the YT-channel belonging to Bobbi's pole studio in Singapore have posted some vids with advice from Bobbi herself. Have a look:
Headrolls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9Co...
The Tic Toc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvVK...
Correct splits in heels
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&a...
I didn't know Bobbi has an instructional DVD, thanks!
I only trained there for a short time (1 year) but that was the year I made the most progress in my pole abilities - not just tricks but transitions, flow, grace and a bit of attitude ;) I don't know what it was.... mainly the teachers are all so encouraging and each focus a lot on technique (I got told off for climbing the pole ugly by Cleo LOL) and they LOVE their headrolls and floorwork. when I met Bobbi I remember her teaching me how to aerial invert gracefully and explaining that each move is differnt to each person, so learn how to perform each move your own way. But that still doesn't explain how each bobbi dancer dances the same yet unique to themselves .... I'll just wait for scarlethoney to reply lol
I personally think it's the environment, teachers and pupils that maintain that 'bobbi' image, you're taught straight from beginners to strut around confidently and even if you couldn't do some moves you'd have some killer floorwork to 'fill'
Oh gosh, thank you so much girls for the compliment. :) Yes Bobbi's is a fantastic studio to train at... I trained there for my first two years of pole, it got me hooked! And these days I pop in occasionally for casual classes, because I just cant stay away! So I definitely have a lot to thank them for. Well Bobbi's is a studio that really pushes the dance factor. Every 8 weeks they teach you tricks and dance choreography, so you are not only learning techniques, but also a routine that you can rock out to... I think that is what makes it so fun. They like to push boundaries and get a bit naughty, so the routines usually have plenty of head rolls, body rolls, booty bouncing and floorwork.
As far as technique goes.... They are HUGELY obsessed with poining toes (understandably so! Its now one of my pet hates - flexed feet *shivers* lol). They teach you that sexy strut walk by telling you to drag your toes along the ground, and don't lift your feet too high, no stomping!. They like dynamic dances - always use multi-levels (floor and up) and work to the music... if it slows, you slow, if it speeds up, then climbs, inverts, tricks would probably ensue. They are very musically diverse.... one term you may learn a rocknroll routine (I remember doing 'Welcome to the Jungle' Guns n Roses) and the next may be something slower. But definitely a lot of sexy rock n roll. (We also did Free your mind by Envogue - Oldschool - loved it! :)
Look, I wish there was some magic powder they could sell commercially for all you lovely ladies overseas. haha. But I think watching your fave dancers, mimicking their moves and adopting their techniques will help you become more fluid. ALso, repetition, practice, and confidence... these make a huge difference to your style....
At Bobbi's as you get to more advanced classes, they allows students to improvise the choreography a bit.... At the end of the song we freestyle and just bust out. Its so much fun and I think its a great way to get us all to start interpreting the music and expressing. I noticed Tracee at Body n Pole is about to start classess that work on finding your freestyle.... I think its a great idea. I mean, I would be more than happy to share qualities of dance/style/fluidity that Bobbi or her instructors might have, but ultimately I think we have to find our own unique style, so that we stand out. And so that we are true to ourselves. But yes, certain little techniques can definitely improve fluidity - I hope this helped!!!! :) xoxoxo
I think I ordered the vids from the studio's homepage!
I forgot to add: WHen they teach, they teach in combos. SO they will teach you several dance moves/tricks all in one flow... So after repeating the 8 second/16second combo over and over, fluidity just comes nturally. Nothing is static, its all one piece.... no starting and stopping kind of thing.... I think that makes a huge difference. Join a few moves together, then work on them as a whole. Much smoother effect.
I think the boobis girls are amazing,i just got a couple of her dvds cant wait to watch them :)
I just had a workshop with Cleo...and it's easy to see where she come from. I think that what is particular is the fact that they are not just train to pole but also to entertain...Autralian girls seem to really enjoy the sexy side of pole dancing and i just learn to hae fun with those hair flip...be prepare to see some of those in my next video.
My bf ordered the Bobbi's videos for my birthday and they still haven't come. It's been two months. =(
@scarletthoney Thanks! What you say about learning in combos makes perfect sense. I will try practicing like that at home.
In our school, all the teachers had professional ballroom dance training, so they aim for a slightly different style. It's not bad, but the process doesn't seem to be as effective as it is in Bobbi's. I think it may be the element of repitition as well as the combos - we always learn new tricks and stuff, but in the intermediate/advanced lessons, we don't repeat them enough or make sure to put them into a routine, so we hardly ever get a chance to dance with them to a whole song.
@tiggertail I call it the Australian school of pole dancing. I.e - you have the trickster school of pole dancing, that is divided between the strength-based tricksters (zoraya, chinese polers etc), felxibility-based tricksters (Rebeca starr, Jenyne), and there is the austalian school of pole dancing that is more focused at actually dancing and is more sexy and fun :)
To myself I call them the Australian gang ;)
@kasanya: It seems you should contact whoever you ordered from, two months are a lot. Was it from the studio's homepage? I remember they shipped mine to Europe very quickly, but it's something like two years ago now.
Thanks @ Scarlethoney for the in depth reply. I understand what you mean about one way to become more fluid is to just practice and go for the combos. Fun to read from someone who really knows about Bobbi's. In reading more about the studio I also found a previous video you posted where you are actually practing at Bobbi's studio. Fabulous : )
You are welcome girls. I always love to chat! :) This will be much better though; an interview with Bobbi herself! Check it out: http://chwennyland.com/2012/05/08/t...
Thanks Scarletthoney for linking to the interview post! :) I thoroughly enjoyed that chat with Bobbi.. was hella intimidated before I met her but she's lovely in person! Btw here's part 2 of that interview, where Bobbi shares about her past experience as a cabaret strip tease dancer in Japan! Its got some rockin' vintage photos of her too:
http://chwennyland.com/2012/05/10/t...
So I'm a Bobbi's girl too, from the Singapore studio. (Thank GOD they opened a studio here!) I'm not very advanced yet but I love every minute of it here. And yes, everything that Scarletthoney said is spot-on!
I also think what helps is that we all get to invite our friends and family to come watch us perform during our end-of-term graduation performance every single term. We basically perform the routine we've spent 8 weeks learning, and it's always super super supportive and fun. So that also helps cultivate the awareness of having an actual live audience.
Lol about magical pink powder.. hey if they sold any, I'd def drink it!! ;)
For me, its not just the Bobbi's girls I love - I love all the Aussie dancers! OMG, they are all so talented and freaking gorgeous!!! I love how they put on a show from start to finnish! Just watching the Ms Pole Dance Austrailia promo vids make me want to pack up and move there for a year. My own Eat, Pray, Pole journey!!!
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE bobbie's girls!!! Besides being gorgeous on and off the pole, who can resist that sexy accent! The hubby and I have talked occasionally about moving to New Zealand, and if it ever happens I will definitely be taking lessons over there. :)
Love their unique sexy style! I was so lucky to have a private session with Cleo when she visiting Hong Kong, only only learnt some new flexy tricks but some sexy floorwork!!!! I even applied the working holiday visa to Australia just to have classes at Bobbi's, hopefully I can find my own style combine with their little sexy secret =)
I think the biggest thing w/ Bobbi's studio is that she allows for each student to exude their inner self. A lot of studios in the US just haven't mastered that art. Some still try to be too conservative, while Bobbi really lets those girls let their hair down:) Love bobbi's studios!
Maybe it isn't fair to say "a lot of studios"-but just rather wanted emphasis that bobbi's style isn't as conservative as what we have here in the states.
I am learning pole at Bobbi's. Here are what I think are the reasons for the "Bobbi style":
Most of the instructors seem to have some kind of dance/performance background
You learn combinations of moves
The studios have mirrors on most of the walls, and the instructors tell you to check yourself out in them;-)
There is emphasis on pointing your toes, and landing gently on your feet - especially as all the levels except beginners are taught in heels - although heels are optional. Personally I find I can't yet invert wearing heels because of course it makes your feet heavier ;-)
Probably the fact that you learn a routine in every level of classes at Bobbi's also helps (and week 8, the last week of term, you are encouraged to dress up, and invite friends and family to come and watch.
In summary, I think probably it's the emphasis on the "dance" aspect and joining combinations together that makes the difference. The dances incorporate head rolls, "stripper push ups" and sexy moves in between the combos.
There is a "Bobbi TV" channel on you-tube.
Oh, one other thing I forgot to say - dustbunny - the Australian accent isn't the same as the New Zealand one ;-)) Hope you don't mind me saying that.
To add to the NZ vs Australia point - "commuting" to Australia from NZ is not actually that easy! At least 3 hours in a plane plus normally quite expensive, esp if you're earning in NZ dollars. Moving to Aussie's probably a better plan and visiting NZ sometimes - that's what a lot of Kiwis do:)
I had a blast taking classes at Bobbi's in Singapore and then just yesterday taking class with Cleo TheHurricane! I do swear there is something to there being some kind of magical glittery pink powder they must drink...LOL. Everything folks have identified is what makes their style unique. BPS dancers are not afraid to rock their heels, sexy floorwork and fast, in-your-face pop/rock music. I don't know if they do many classes on static either...all the poles in the Singapore studio were the permanently spinning brass 38s...I think I shrieked through my first class there because I'd never inverted on spin before let alone try flatine, CAR etc! But it was super-fun.
The class set-up encourages students to face their fears about performance and sexiness and the structure of the terms and mini-terms means that students stay committed to learning combos, choreographies etc. They are also really good at finding continuing performance opportunities for their students that arent necessarily about competition.
The studio that feels the most like Bobbi's here might be Vertical Joes in Atlanta ( i'm sure there are others...I just dont know of them)...its about developing a unique style that still allows for individuality and gets your students excited about being identified as a poler with your studio. Bobbi's really has it figured out! I will definitely go back to their studio in Singapore when I visit again and going to their Sydney studio is going on the bucket list.
I'm from Bobbi's (Sydney) too, and I love it! Basically everyone's said it already - lots of focus on technique and floorwork (my technique is terrible though, damn you lack of dance background! :( ). In my first class, we were taught how to do a head roll, how to roll over on the ground, and how to get back onto your feet from the ground. You get reminded constantly to point your toes. It really makes all the difference!
On the flip side, Bobbi's really concentrates on the "pretty" moves - butterfly, spins, stags - and in that sense it's a bit limiting. There's also a general philosophy of barefoot or flexed feet being anathema - they won't teach Russian splits, or the no-handed star, since you can't do them with shoes unless you're Chelle Hafner. If you can't get into and out of a move gracefully in shoes without flexing your feet, it won't be taught. I've only met a handful of girls who take classes there without shoes. Otoh, dancing in shoes all the time is probably the best way to get you used to them.
Also, since there's so much more emphasis on dance, there's less time to actually learn moves, so students at other studios probably learn harder tricks and get stronger faster than at Bobbi's - for example, the very earliest you'd learn an inversion would be after 2 months, and an Aysha would be after 8 months of pole. There are pros to this in terms of safety and strength-building, but if you're a trickster type, you'd get bored.
There actually isn't much emphasis on individuality until you get to higher levels, although all teachers are different. Basically, there's a "right" and a "wrong" way of doing things at Bobbi's, luckily Bobbi's "right" way is really aesthetically pleasing! Unfortunately, it does feel restrictive at times - for example, the number of Bobbi's students I've heard complaining about Carlie Hunter not pointing her toes in her "dancing grandma" performance. I mean, it was clearly an artistic choice, since in every other competition she's proven herself more than capable of pointing her toes. But to each their own.
I don't mean to sound negative, and I'm not, since as I said before, I freaking love it at Bobbi's, and I really couldn't add much more to the good things that have already been said. But I felt the need to balance out this discussion :)
Thanks, mikkinxx!
Obviously, there are always things that doesn't suit everyone with every method. It's good to hear the other side of things too, though.
The previous studio I went to only teach 1 trick at a time and no dance moves whatsoever...so whenever I try to dance on my own, it looks very choppy!!
Gonna go and order the Bobbi's DVD now....THANKS!!!
What Mikkix said was absolutely right on the money!
That was one of the reasons why I have left Bobbi's Pole Studio in Sydney for now, as I got bored repeating the same level over and over again and not learning any new tricks out of it.
At the moment I have gone back to the original studio I started out in, wanting to learn new tricks, do workshops and also do strengthening and flexibility classes.
I do miss Bobbi's but like what Mikkixx said about being restricted simply because they won't teach certain moves because you can't do them in heels was too rigid for me and plus got a bit boring over time.
That being said, I am still in awe whenever I watch one of the Bobbi's instructors dance. I really crave that style and I know it'll take many years to attain!
Perhaps we should see if we can petition Bobbi to open a studio here in the US? ;)
Hey girls! I know this thread is a bit older and not as active anymore, but I just wanted to make a point. I trained at Bobbis for a while when I lived in Sydney Australia (I moved home within the past 4 months) and I think what definitely makes a difference are their 38mm poles. I first learned on a 50mm (which forced me to gain a lot of strength in my arms), but I rememer the first day I started at Bobbies I felt like a Rock Star... All the moves I was having trouble with on a 50 suddenly became so much easier on the 38. The poles have been called "Performance Poles" because tricks are so much easier to execute due to grip. However the thinner the pole the harder the impact is on your body.. aka you bruise more!!! Besides the great instruction, I really think that the defining difference when you watch an Aussie pole dancer and compare their moves to an American, is that the Australian standard for a pole is 38mm brass pole. In the US 45mm or 50mm are more common (and in my opinion harder to use).
and why do they rock? because bobbi was in the exotic industry and she knows how to meke things hot and sexy ! I love australian girls they have that style !
In our studio they have one of their DVDs for rent, Advanced Pole Grooves, and I love it.
I wish Australia wasn't that far away :-( The studio also looks so nice!
Ohhh, Tacha...
Bobbi's is one of the most BEAUTIFUL and exotic pole studios I've ever been to!
The moment you walk in, you are walking on thick, plush, black carpet and surrounded by Barbie-pink walls and wooden floors with glitter embedded in it. Offset with the gold Brass poles, it seriously looks and feels like you're in a Gentleman's club of some sort but classy and feminine at the same time!
I remember posting on Facebook after being to their Elizabeth St City Studio that I want the interior of my future house to look like a Bobbi's Pole Studio!!!!
Although I don't think my man is too big on that idea!! 
Just have to win the lottery first :'(
The DVD trailers seemed advanced. Could more novice or intermediate dancers use the DVDs?
Acoretacri,
I've heard that the Adv. Pole Grooves DVD from some of the Bobbi's Girl isn't all that Advanced in level because it is quite an old DVD. Back then the moves were simpler because there weren't as many polers and not as many complicated moves in the pole industry! One of the girls told me (who is a staff member at Bobbi's) that the most complicated move in the DVDs was a Layback!
HAHA! How times have changed!!
The Adv. PG DVD I think dates back to 2006? Or maybe slightly earlier??
I believe they have different levels with the DVDS! The advanced routines are a bit hard, but they should sell other levels from what I remember...
Thanks. I wanted to be sure I could use it given the price and cost of shipping. No one in the US seems to sell the DVDs.
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