advice on how to improv, and just dance.

ConsidertheButterfly started this discussion · 3/7/2012

So I started sensual pole classes about a year ago and have been going off and on. LOVE it..but it's not something I can show people, post on facebook, I want to show people what I'm learning but just don't feel comfortable strip tease dancing for my uncles and stuff, ya know ;) LOL. Learning Pole-ah-Tease has done WONDERS for my confidence though! I have never been a dancer, and always felt awkward dancing. As I watch a lot of yoru guys videos I see how you make pole dancing an extension of intepretive dance, and while pole dnacing is always sensual and beautiful just by the nature of it, I watch how your dancing is so emotion filled, poetic, interpretive... I'm learning some of the spins, and some basic floor work and transitions...but how do I take all this and make it into a fluid improv "cathartic" even dance...would it help to take some basic dance classes in the community just so I start thinking more like a dancer?.....Or just lock the doors, turn off the lights turn the music up and dance out the awkwardness?

8 replies

polergirl · 3/7/2012
I have found that one of the best ways to improve flow is to force yourself to dance. I like to warm up by dancing at least two songs, one with no spins or tricks. It forces me to reconnect with myself as a dancer, with my music, with the floor, with the pole as something not for spinning but for slinking around. As you freestyle more and more, you'll notice that you're using certain combinations that feel good and right for your style and your body. That's how transitions often get made. :) And record yourself. Even if it makes you feel weird and uncomfortable, record yourself. Start the camera as soon as you start warming up (better chance that you'll forget it's there... if you're constantly stopping/starting it recording, you won't be able to forget lol). You'll be amazed at how much you learn from watching yourself dance!
akaneneko · 3/7/2012
Hey! I have the same problem, or at least I did not too long ago. I'm still a little awkward at times when I move but what polergirl said is very true. When you first start out, you probably feel weird and clumsy, the moves don't flow well and you have to "get back in to it" probably half the time. BUT by forcing yourself to dance, you are taking the first step in making these moments less awkward and more familiar and easy. When I first started pole dancing one of the exercices our teacher made us do was to take turns dancing around the pole (improvising) while the lights were out. People could not see features, just silhouettes. And you know what? The BEST transition moves I ever did came from those exercices. When the lights are out, you feel less conscious about what you look like and you can just focus on enjoying the music and yourself. So my advice would be to do that. To dance the first couple of times in the dark and just feel the music so you can learn to love the way you move. And at some point, DO record yourself. That's an excellent idea because you might find, after you watch yourself on film, that those "awkward moments" actually brought out some beautiful transition moves. Besides, this will be a great way to learn to improvise if you ever are in a situation where you forget a move during a routine (which has happened to me....) ! Best of luck!
RoseMay · 3/8/2012
Not a dance tip, but a 'how to show your family' tip. I usually show them only clips of all the tricks I can do, or am working on. I record my practices and the clips I like I cut together with a video editing program, choose some fun music ... that way they see the athletic side of it and are like "wow" when they watch it. Usually even if I tried really hard NOT to dance sexy they will still consider it sexy. Not sure if it's because I'm on a pole, or because they didn't see the sexy stuff and can't see the difference, or because "my style" is always a bit sexy. It doesn't matter, but I just don't show it to family anymore.
verucablue · 3/8/2012
I have found that turning down the lights, music you love and no mirrors works wonders...dance a few dances without using the pole. Floor work, wall work, chair work, use the pole as a prop but no spins or pole moves. Also if you have a friend you trust try dancing blind folded. It is amazing because a) it slows you down and b) it really forces you to focus on the floor, your feelings, touch, other senses, yourself and the music - it's quite liberating. BUT......alway have someone there to make sure you aren't going to smack into something 😉
Lana Lee · 3/9/2012
Oohhhh! Just the other day I forced myself to do a free dance (without spins and tricks) and I thought it went really well. Half the time I was like "I don't know what I'm doing I don't know what I'm doing!", but it turned out just fine. I watched a lot of videos where Veeners are just twirling around a pole and it's absolutely beautiful, so I try and learn it. Like polegirl said, I noramlly warm up by free dancing to 2 songs. I guess the first one incorporates alittle more floorwork and the 2nd one is just more dancing on and around the pole. I think one big thing is you can't try and copy someone else's free dancing unless you feel really strongly about a song... Otherwise it just feels and looks very unnatural. When you get more comfortable with free dancing, you start developing your own style. Like everyone else said, force yourself to dance and record! Good luck!
Elektra Vallens · 3/9/2012
Just a thought about the value of freedancing: the other day I read an article about a study that showed that social dancing (i.e., couples or ballroom) may help prevent Alzheimer's. The idea is that you have to make a lot of split-second decisions when dancing socially (what's the next step, how to avoid the other dancers), and that this helps keep certain mental faculties sharp. I found myself wondering if the same thing could apply to freedancing in pole- I know when I do it, I feel like I'm making a lot of split-second decisions about where to put my feet, which way I'm going, what the next transition is, etc. Here's hoping!
Sair · 3/9/2012
Dance in front of the mirror for a bit :) See which moves work for you, which you move the most fluidly in and out of, the ones that show off your best angles etc. Once you start liking what you see, move away from the mirror and just let it all go. Watching yourself while you freestyle can be freaking awesome. For some, it's dreadful and your focus wanders to what you see yourself doing "wrong" as opposed to just dancing it out ( i am totally a product of the latter). It'll happen for you! Sometimes i swear it's 50% physical movement / 50% the music that you choose to freestyle to. If you know your music inside out, you're more likely to freestyle to it a bit more comfortably.
ConsidertheButterfly · 3/9/2012
Those were all incredibly helpful responses! Thank you! Yes, ok.. I am just going to go start moving! lol Leap of faith! I think I have an idea... start by doing a few things in the mirror, thought out so I see what I like and how I feel when I do it. Then turn the lights off AND go blindfolded...then take theblind off with dim lights...then by then I should be feeling pretty comfortable and I could go to recording :) And Rosemay, that is a great idea for showing family...I can't fight it I guess...somepeople will just unapprove of pole dancing...even freaking pole FITNESS! lol... but this is for me anyhow..and I don't need my family to "think" I'm amazing, for me to FEEL amazing lol. But I do like the idea of doing tricks and editing them... Thank you everyone!