Advice to a new performer/competitor...

Caitlin started this discussion · 4/9/2012

Hi lovely Veeners, I hope you all had wonderfully fun/relaxing/exciting/indulgent Easter weekends! So I am planning to enter my very first competition (and first choreographed public pole performance) in a couple of months, so I thought I'd start a thread for any tips/tricks/sucess stories/horror stories from others who have performed before, in the hope so that any other virgins like me can hear of others' experiences. Any advice or stories will be gratefully received as even tho my mind is working overtime there are still bound to be a million things I haven’t even thought of at this stage! So the things I am concerned about thus far: Wardrobe malfuntions … I always wonder how costumes as skimpy as some I’ve seen stay in place during routines! On both top and bottom halves LOL… I have pretty big boobs (32Eish UK, 8Fish Australian) which seems like it could cause extra problems with getting things to stay put. Is the double sided Hollywood tape reliable? I haven’t actually decided on my costume yet so I don’t know what it’s going to be like, but if anyone has any advice – even if it’s the form of horror stories!! – I’m sure it would give me something to consider while choosing it. The theme is Outlaws which I'm finding a but uninspiring so far - the first thought that comes to mind is Italian Gangster, but I reckon that will be the first thing most people think of so I'd like to try and come up with something less obvious... Grip... always a worry, obviously! I've been using Tite Grip for a while now, but I don't want to buy anymore when this one runs out (which will be very soon!) as it's got aluminium in it. I know there are plenty of other threads for grip aids, but if anyone has any additional tricks they use to feel extra-secure while performing I'd love to hear them! Well that's all I can think of right this minute, but I'm sure other things will come to me as it gets nearer. I've choreographed my routine already so at least that bit is out of the way... Thanks in advance everyone :)

15 replies

chemgoddess1 · 4/10/2012
I have used the double sided tape and have not had issues. Pasties under a top that you are wearing is ALWAYS a good idea. You can make an easy set just by using eyelash glue and some fabric. You never know what kind of condition the pole is going to be in when you perform. Ask if they will allow cleaning and prep between competitors. I know quite a few that will slather dry hands or their favorite pole grip on the pole itself before performing. Allow for screw ups. It is going to happen no matter how hard you practice. If you miss a move, have in your mind some go to transitions to get you to the next place in your music. Do not choreograph every single second of your routine. Allow for some freestyle (see the point above). Try to figure out where you need to be on the pole for the audience to get the best angle of your trick. On top of that, try to make eye comtact with the audience (something I am HORRIBLE at). Make sure that you run through your routine in full costume. I busted my foot just before my last performance and had planned on wearing boots instead of sandals but when I went to do my routine I found out that I could not do a few moves due to placement of the ribbons (satin ribbons just do not stick to the pole) There are quite a few threads here regarding choreographing and competition prep so I will not get into that. As hard as it may be due to nerves, try to eat properly that day and the days up to the performance. There is nothing like being half way through your routine and crashing as your body does not have enough energy to finish. Worst thing that ever happened was that a bar I was performing at decided to paint their poles the night before the competition. They were still tacky the next day and I had silver paint embedded in my foot and my shoulder for days after the event and I thought I had completely rouined a favorite pair of shorts. I had silver paint EVERYWHERE. I remember Amber falling horribly while she was prepping for a comp because a flowy part of her costume got caught between her and the pole and she slid right to the ground.
Deesse Jesse · 4/11/2012
Good luck Caitlin! I'm also in the midst of planing my first pole performance so I can relate. I've done a lot of dance recitals so I'm trying to apply what I know from those to pole perofrmances. I've never used double sided tape but I'm also of the above average boob category. Some tops I've been sure would be perfect and then I ended up falling out and flashing girls so my advice is do several test runs in full costume. If there's a problem, you'll feel it. With my piece now, I've been slowly bringing in some different costune pieces like skirt one day and shoes another day to see how I feel doing the routine. I also have someone film it so I can see how the costume moves. I'm planning on doing a few runs in full costume closer to the big day. Also if your theme is Outlaw maybe something like a cowboy would work. Or gypsy? When I perform, I get sweaty and this is a huge concern for me right now. I use some chalk as grip aid and I know girls who give themselves a wipe down in grip aid before performing. I try to plan accordingly to what my strengths are to avoid some hand issues. What I mean is moves that are hands only I'll try to put in the front of the routine and moves with thigh grip (my thighs may be made of superglue) I try to back load onto the routine. I also tend to choreograph in bits where I can wipe my hands on my butt/body without looking like that's what I'm doing. My biggest advice is to practice! Run it in front of friends, run through the moves in your head just walking around or waiting for the bus. Be prepared that mistakes might happen, but remember the audience won't know it was a mistake unless you tell them. I've had dances where I accidentally came out too soon (and then the girl mirroring me came out too soon because she was waiting on my count) but we both managed to play it off and no one noticed And don't forget to smile! :)
emotioncatcher · 4/11/2012
I will soon have my first competition, too! But I already had a little performance at my grandpa´s birthday ^^ The others already had great tipps. Try to practice your routine also with the grip aids you want to use and with the same warm-up you will do for the comp. Try to finish you choreo early, so that you can dance it again and again. Then practice it until you don´t need to think about the next move.
Anonyma · 4/11/2012
this is what I do but hey its just personnal opinions -do not look at what the others do... do not compare yourself to them -try to practice on the stage before the competition, get to know the stage/scene know where the judges will be ect ect every little cracks in the floor -eat little portions of food , not a big meal, so you have energy for the whole event -practice WITH your costume! and with the shoes youwill be wearing!
glitterhips · 4/11/2012
I competed last year in a regional competition and took third so I have some advice but I've only done it once so far... I have big boobs too and i don't even use double sided tape I take clear duct tape, roll it together and use that on my ENTIRE top of my bra. I know it sounds like a bad idea but by the time my 5 mins are up I have sweated enough to loosen the tape. It's never been very painful for me to take off but try at your own risk I'm sure double sided works fine too. I just use duct tape because it's thicker so it covers more area. My boobs literally are waiting for their first chance to pop out and all it takes is a simple inversion. I also wear pasties ALWAYS. I don't ever intend on showing them but if my boob does pop out, I will know my goodies are covered. If you are competing I actually would say choreograph every second of the routine unless you want to freestyle but don't expect to get a good score in terms of polish if you don't have it all planned out by the second. You should know the routine inside and out and do it with and without music. Your music could go out like Phoenize Kazree's and she did the whole routine anyway and then won the damn thing!!!! Also pack more than you think you will need. It sucks to carry it but you will be super happy you brought everything if you or someone else needs it. Allllsoooo....I know it's a competition and everyone wants to win otherwise they wouildn't be there but it's important to me to remain friendly to your competitors. They are the only ones that know exactly how you are feeling and just because someone else wins doesn't mean yours sucked it just means it might not have been what that particular competition was looking for. Hope this helps a bit!
Kira · 4/11/2012
everyone has covered most points already but I just wanted to add bring along a yoga mat (the floor may be gross), warm clothes (it's cold when you're waiting around), snacks to keep energy levels up and plenty of water (so you don't pass out). If there is a long wait til you are on, don't start stretching until maybe an hr before you are on because it's a pain stretching & getting all warmed up and realising you're not on until 3 hrs away. I'm a 34DD on top and I usually wear halter necks (I feel it more secure than usual straps), nude bra underneath AND double sided tape along the top of the bra and never had a problem :) I usually bring all my grip with me - tacky and chalk because you never know what the pole will be like. If the pole feels cold and I'm on early I use tacky grip and if it feels too warm and slippy I use dry hands. Most comps will let you feel the pole and be on stage to test it out so you wil be able to tell which grip you want to use btw Chemgoddess is COMPLETELY right about something going 'wrong' during the performance, I've had it happen to me everytime - wardrobe malfunction (headband got stuck when i was doing a headstand), slippery pole, too sticky a pole, going too fast through moves etc.etc. so have some back up moves that you can do if anything goes wrong :) most of all enjoy it and good luck :)
aliceBheartless · 4/11/2012
One thing I also think is really important and it was mentioned a little bit above is this... Decide on a costume/outfit way earlier than you think you need to, run the choreo entirely in said outfit (plus the undergarments/double side tape/and whatever hairstyle), and be sure to have given yourself enough time prior to competition to get a different outfit if it doesnt work or if you dont like it. Absolutely DO NOT be wearing anything for the first time at a comp. Issues you have never thought of will show up. I have seen people leave costume to the last minute and then its really stressful when it doesn't work or doesn't fit right. Plus if it had to ship, there is always that stress of it not showing up on time....etc. Also, make sure you have backups, especially if you are dancing in shoes. Buckles break a lot, etc and it always seems like it happens at the worst of times. Bring a little sewing kit with you the day of the competition, too. I really do feel like costuming can be immensely stressful, especially when it goes wrong. But with a little planning, costuming can be almost entirely stress-free. There's so much other stuff that will be stressful and cannot be alleviated with planning, so taking the time to get that organized is well worth it!
VirginiaD · 4/12/2012
Hi there! I'm gonna compete for the very first time in few months and I found all the advice very helpful, so thanks for starting this conversation :) I'm gonna wear a two pieces that comes from a ballet shop, and the reason is because the bottom is nice and fitting but also MADE to cover during performance. You might look for something like that, and maybe custom it yourself...this is what I'm gonna do. Usually in shops like that they have some basics (tops too) that you can order in the fabric and color that you want. For the theme, how about biker? I saw a Jedda Jordan's performance and it's super cool. Another thing is to know what size the pole is gonna be: I found out that the comp will use a 40mm, and I always train with 45mm or 50mm! Hopefully you'll be luckier then me :) Listen to the song over and over and over, till you puke! And yes, memorize the routine, but also try to freestyle a lot, so if something happens, you have a plan B... This is what I'm doing, and I guess I'm gonna find out if I'm right soon enough :)) Good luck!
mizvix · 4/13/2012
i agree with all of the above! knowing the pole space is important and whether it will be on stages. I entered a comp that said X-stage lite, and it turned out to be full x-stage so we (doubles routine) had to make contingencies for that. This feeds into the idea of not having every second planned. assume there will be some changes or issues and plan for them. Our next comp has 2 x-stage lite poles but until we get there we won't know their placement so we have had to plan for running out of time and not having much room for floorwork. The key thing is to not panic and stress over things you can't change - work on what you can change and adjust. If things aren't as advertised or expected, don't panic! footwear - find out about floor!! bare-footed i slip and slide all over x-stages, in boots there are some moves i can and can't do, ankle protectors rule out anything needing the sole of your foot (unless you wrap your feet in pvc tape - yep - that's my plan!!). smile, point your toes, keep your head held high no matter what happens :)
Caitlin · 5/17/2012
I'm been so busy I've started to reply to this so many times but never managed to finish! All the advice is fantastic, I'm really grateful, thank you - there are definitely some things I would never have thought of! And above all, I will keep the mantra "smile, point your toes, keep your head held high no matter what happens :)" close to my heart at all times, it is beautiful advice, thank you!! I keep having to remind myself that the only reason I chose to do the competition because I want to perform, not to win - I forget surprisingly often!! I had my chorey done AGES ago but silly me was lazy about cutting my song down to the length required for the comp. I cut the song the other night, less than two weeks from show time, and realised it requires way more significant changes than just cutting a section or two out as the transitions won't work in the same way... I think I've sorted it now, and there are only a couple of bits that are different, but still it is an unanticipated stress and I hope I don't go on autopilot and that muscle-memory and all those hours of visualisation don't kick in and make me switch back to my old chorey!! Of all the advice I have read, one thing that has also stuck out has been eye-contact, and keeping facial expressions alive. I am fine at the start of my routine but as I go on I lose myself in it and have been told that I close my eyes a lot! I suppose a little of that isn't a bad thing as it shows how much I'm getting into it, but still it must be a little alienating for people watching...? Just something to work on, I guess. I have made my costume by buying a simple black bra of a brand I know that fits, and using a glue gun to cover it in material and sequins :) I chose a pirate theme in the end so I used red and white striped material with gold sequins. For the bottoms I cut up a pair of cheap black K-Mart undies until they were as cheeky as I wanted(!) and then covered them in a black velour fabric with gold glitter in it, and sewed red sequins around the waist band (with a gold bit at the front to match the bra and look (kinda) like a buckle. I also made floaty split-sleeve things with shimmery white organza and stretchy gold sequin armbands and am wearing one whale-net stocking (on my left leg which I use less for important grips!) I'm also making a headband/bandana-type thing out of the remnants of the red and white material to match the bra, and will iron on a skull n crossbones patch :) I had a blast making the costume, it's definitely one of my favourite parts! I never thought of myself as creative whatsoever but when it comes to making something fun and sexy to dance in - hell yeah!! Oh yeah, and I have a cutlass, but I'm losing that pretty early on in the routine. One tip I can definitely give other fledgling competitors that I've found so far is PRACTICE WITH YOUR PROPS even if you only plan to have them as you walk on. You'll feel SO stupid walking onstage trying to be sexy with a plastic toy cutlass if you haven't played with it in front of the mirror and it can throw you off WAY more than you realise!! I found out recently that the poles in the comp are both 38mm, which I desperately need to practice on, as I've been on 45s and 50s exclusively recently. It's only the layback/CAR stuff that worries me, but I'll have a chance to try it out this weekend. I've also only been practicing on one, but I have ear-marked bits where I should have time to move between the two. I was really pleased I actually managed to find a couple of youtube videos of the venue so I could see the heights and distance between the poles - the was valuable information!!! Anyway, thanks again everyone for your thoughts so far, and I hope my little insights so far can help some others who are preparing for their own first time on stage :)
Mindy4pole · 5/17/2012
I'd like to add that, along with pasties, you should wear a small, nude thong under your bottoms. I learned this from the beautiful, talented, oh-so-professional Felix Cane. She was performing, and somehow the metal loop holding her bottoms together broke. She finished her move, held her pants on, and headed off the stage! It was embarassing, I'm sure, but she was covered and didn't flash anyone. Then she got new bottoms, and came back out and finished her performance. Also, figure skating costumes have good coverage.
NotYourAverageGirl · 5/17/2012
I have only performed once so far, but my advice is this: - Best advice I've heard (and should've followed myself) was that you figure out your choreography, practice it like crazy for a couple months (if possible) so that it becomes muscle memory, practice lightly the week of, and not at ALL the day of. Now, I'd practice at least once or twice the day of if your stamina is good, but the point is that you don't want to tire yourself out too much the day of. - Set your moves up so that the best side of each trick is towards the audience. There's a lot to be said for good angles! - Practice on the stage at least once if you can, preferably the day before. - Practice a few times IN COSTUME. If any malfunctions happen, it's not while you're on stage, and hopefully you can fix them by the time you perform. - Stretch really well before you perform, just like before your practice. Warm your body up! - No matter how nervous you are, just dance. Smile, and dance. My performance was... not the best to say the least. I choreographed it in one week (the week before my performance), had no time to polish it obviously, practiced it in front of people once (during which I fell off the pole into an awkward backbend I nearly couldn't get out of), practiced it incompletely the day of on the stage I would be performing on. I got on stage, the music started, and I got through to the second verse only to realize I was on my third verse's choreography. But at that point I just felt the music and finished out the piece in a freestyle. It wasn't great. It really wasn't even good, in my opinion, but I learned a few lessons from it. Don't forget- your first performance is always a first step. It's easier to improve once you've gotten it out of the way and understand how you'll feel knowing there's an audience. Don't be disappointed in yourself if it doesn't turn out how you planned. Be proud of yourself for going out there and taking that first step! :) Good luck!
PoleWarrior · 5/17/2012
Could not agree more with practicing to train muscle memory. I did this for about 3 months for my competition. On the night I didn't even have to think about my next trick. Instead I concentrated on my facial expressions and connecting with the audience to really make it a complete performance. I won too! Good luck! :)
Lana Lee · 10/25/2012
I'm having my first public performance in about 3 weeks and I've been furiously working on my choreography. The one thing that scares me most is a slippery pole.... I have tons of different grip aids, but sometimes those don't even help much on my cold pole. I'm about to have an anxiety attack just thinking that I might be the first one to perform and the pole is guaranteed to be cold! I realize you cannot just rely on grip aids alone to help you stick, you need a good strong grip. I have a 45mm TG pole and that's what I'll be practicing my routine on. I know for a fact that the pole that I will be performing on is a 50mm Platinum Stages Star Stand Alone. I'm not entirely incapable of using a 50mm, but I'm so tiny and my hands are so small that grip will be an even bigger issue when the pole is cold. What do you do in a situation like this? HELP! AHHHH!
emotioncatcher · 10/26/2012
when you perform you will get strong like superman and have great grip ;) normally the poles get cleaned before and get warm then. I use I Itac in my knee pits and elbow (if you do a trick for which you need it) if the poles are cold. you will have good leg grip on the 50mm pole! if you are scared of your hand grip then don´t do tricks which need super good hand grip... instead of split grip you can do elbow grip for example and don´t be nervous!! you get the chance to show the audience what you love and you will feel amazing once you are on the stage ;)