Dancing VS Tricks

Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace started this discussion · 3/11/2011

Hey girls and boys, so ive been self-reflecting a bit lately, especially while watching my videos, and it got me wondering, how much of a pole performance should be made of dancing, and how much of tricks? Obviously this can vary with personal opinion, I myself tend to naturally groove along to a song and only throw tricks in every here and there, while other's is mostly one trick after another joined by transitions.... I suppose in a pole contest tricks would be the main thing on display, plus any other floor/dance move that displays flexibility and strength I suppose. Id be interested to hear what everyone' else's thoughts are on this subject, and how they identify in the dance vs tricks combo.... What do u guys prefer to do, and what do u prefer to watch? ??? Scarlett :) xo

42 replies

Leeannpole · 3/12/2011
Well i remember when i started and i was all for tricks and to be honest that's all i would do, now I'm loving the dance side after all it is pole dancing and not gymnastics. The perfect performance for me is a mixture of everything and everything has to be controlled even the tricks you perform can incorporate movement to the music 😀
Veena · 3/12/2011
I prefer to watch dance and not just tricks. ❤️
CeledaBcn · 3/12/2011
Hi I was artistic skater over 10 years, and i think the pole dance it's similar in this think, need to have artistic part (dance & transitions) and technique (tricks) a mix that makes all looks awesome. I hope take level to make pole dance this way.
Sassafrassle · 3/12/2011
I personally prefer to have a higher dance to tricks ratio when I'm performing so that the tricks have more impact when they occur, but that's one of the reasons I consider myself a performance pole dancer rather than a competitive one. The brilliant thing about pole though is that people can play to their strengths and people who would not necessarily be good at more traditional forms of dance can still put on a good show.
Mary Ellyn · 3/12/2011
I agree it should be a mixture but myself I prefer the dance and transitions over the tricks. Lately I keep saying "when did we take the dance out of pole dancing"? :( Now when I find new variations and dance movements to add to my pole work I'm just as, if not more, excited as when I use to get new tricks. Plus it seems that it's more difficult (or at least a lot less common) for the performer to have much audience interaciton during most tricks so it's not as fun to watch the polers who are more trick oriented.
Leeannpole · 3/12/2011
Iv been working on floor movement (so not natural at this) but everytime i get something new i feel just as chuffed as when getting a new pole move and i feel it just as much as a good workout too😀
dustbunny · 3/12/2011
I love to watch both for different reasons, I can't pick one over the other. But for myself, and my own dancing I am currently working on dancing. Mostly for the practical reason that I just don't have the stamina or the trick reel for a song of trick after trick after trick. But it's a lot of fun, today for instance, I danced to nearly a whole song on the floor. Only got up for one spin I think. :)
PoleKitten87 · 3/12/2011
I'm a trixster. Not big into the dance part because I dont flow well (at all), and am more into the strength involved 🙂 I like watching all sorts of cool tricks and ways to get into them from others moreso than dancing around the pole or doing floorwork. (My friend and I agree, the floor is hard! lol!) I get bored watching performances that are 90% dance 10% tricks. But that's just me :) Me and my pole buddy call ourselves "Zorayas" rather than, say, "Aletheas" when describing style. That's the great thing about pole - so many different styles.
Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace · 3/12/2011
Interesting. I agree with sassafrassle that I like to have quite a lot of dancing in my performances (because it comes naturally to me) and also because I feel like the tricks have more impact if they are only occur every now and then (in moments where the music climaxes maybe) as opposed to one after the other. Plus, who has the stamina for trick after trick? One day I hope to be able to for competitive reasons, but geez... Still, artistically and aesthetically I still prefer more dancing and emotional expression than just trick-transition-trick. I actually struggle to fit alot of tricks in one song before the music ends.... I get distracted with all the groovin :P Maybe that would be an interesting challenge? A whole song consisting of every trick you can do.... Uh im exhausted just thinking about it! :P haha
EvaRut · 3/12/2011
I like a good balance between the tricks and dance. I also love it when the dancers can put expression into the tricks and not just the dance. It adds so much more to the performance. Miia Rytkönen does it perfectly in this performance. This is by far one of the best performances I have seen so far and she balances tricks with dance perfectly and she is very original. Notice how her tricks are so much more then just tricks. Well thats my opinion at least :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYhNlqqU8bk
moxie · 3/12/2011
I agree... the more dance, the better! Tricks are great for comptetions, but when it comes to amateurs and peers I find myself getting drawn in by the dancers more. It's just my preference. Maybe I feel that way because I strive to be a better dancer...! ;)
ShellyBelly · 3/12/2011
I think a dancer appreciates watching dance moves. A random person though would be much more impressed with tricks. So it's a combination of both obviously. I think like 30% dancing and 70% tricks.
hookedonpole · 3/12/2011
I'm one who leans towards tricks. My goal for pole is a fitness program and it is the most difficult & rewarding fitness I've ever done, so I get more out of it practicing tricks, . I know the dance part involves stamina, strength, flexibility, etc. and is beautiful. Because I am so impressed with awesome tricks I spend time watching those kind of performances. I personally also am one who wishes I could have a natural flow and dance, my body and brain just can't connect :) It's wonderful that there are many variations and styles to pole so we can find our nitch and have something for everyone.
Deesse Jesse · 3/13/2011
I did ballet from a young age until I left home for university so for me it's all about making the tricks into dance moves. I also love love love when I see girls dance with their pointe shoes on!!! I kind of wish there was more emphasis on dancing then I generally see, but I'm a dancer at heart. You know that girl on the bus that's moving funny and tapping her foot? That's me choreographing dances in my head to whatever I'm listening to.
Charley · 3/14/2011
If it gets overly dancey I can get bored with it but on the otherside I can get bored just watching tricks. For myself I try to have an even mixture of both dance and tricks and I generally accomplish way more dancing that tricks. Something that I love about Jenyne Butterfly and I think she does this the best - she dances through her tricks so no matter what she's doing she is in total and constant movement and this is something I really try to achieve myself. I really want to not just hold a move but somehow move while I am in it and beautifully transition to the next the thing so that the tricks aspect become whole with the dance aspect. I am so far from achieving that it's not even funny...but that's my two cents.
minicoopergrl · 3/14/2011
I like a good mix between the two. Like Charley said, I can get tired watching both of just that one thing. I like to use tricks for emphasis, like the WOW factor to my routines. Ive been dancing my whole life so just to dance freely comes very natural to me. I never feel like I have enough tricks/spins/holds in my routines.
Sam I am · 3/14/2011
I'm with PoleKitten. Dance can get boring, I like the tricks and the strength involved in doing them. It's exciting to see a new combination or way to get into something. We dance to warm up but after that it's all about the tricks :)
Kobajo84 · 3/14/2011
I used to be more about tricks but lately I've centered my focus on dance flow and incorporating both dance and tricks in my free style practice. I enjoy a combination of both now as I too get bored watching when there is too much of one thing. I am really admiring routines that excentuate dance flow as a basis and have some graceful trick execution as the "whipped cream" and "cherry" on top of the whole routine for the perfect combination. Those types of routines are much more appealing to me and I am always finding something new and interesting that I can take away from them and utilize in my own practice. ❤️ mmm after that now I want some icecream..LOL 😀
Charley · 3/14/2011
Kobajo - I can totally tell you've been working on flow too - you looked great at the showcase and had the perfect mixture of dance and tricks :)
calipolepixie · 3/14/2011
Right now i'm 80% dance and 20% spins and tricks. I'd like to get to the point where I am 60% dance and 40% tricks though. When i watch pole dancers i like 50% dance & 50 % tricks but I must say that I am blown away by girls who are trixters too that hardly dance because doing back to back tricks is no joke and takes alot of skill. But I do get bored quickly with that, so more often than not, I can watch a poler longer if she has a nice balance of both in her routine.
Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace · 3/15/2011
Wow. So many varied opinions! This is what keeps pole interesting.... diverse individual styles. I guess it partly depends on what your motivations and attitudes towards pole dancing is; Do you see it as a fitness program or sport (Strength and tricks) or do you value it more for the artistic/aesthetic side of dance (so lines, movement, flow etc)? I supposed the ideal is a harmonious combo of the two... It's interesting to hear what comes naturally to some and not others though.... I find that building strength is such a slow and laborious process, while the dancing is just so fun and easy for me. But I know others just master trick after trick but find things like floorwork and body rolls incomprehensible.... haha. Of those who naturally have muscles of steel - I am soooooooo jelo, but I dont think I'd trade in my natural groove for it. Back to the wights for me! :)
Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace · 3/15/2011
Wow. So many varied opinions! This is what keeps pole interesting.... diverse individual styles. I guess it partly depends on what your motivations and attitudes towards pole dancing is; Do you see it as a fitness program or sport (Strength and tricks) or do you value it more for the artistic/aesthetic side of dance (so lines, movement, flow etc)? I supposed the ideal is a harmonious combo of the two... It's interesting to hear what comes naturally to some and not others though.... I find that building strength is such a slow and laborious process, while the dancing is just so fun and easy for me. But I know others just master trick after trick but find things like floorwork and body rolls incomprehensible.... haha. Of those who naturally have muscles of steel - I am soooooooo jelo, but I dont think I'd trade in my natural groove for it. Back to the wights for me! :)
Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace · 3/15/2011
**weights
JayF1 · 3/15/2011
I love a balance of both...I disagree with Charley...You DO have a great flow of both! I'm a dancer. I do flow, I do move my body naturally. But honestly...I don't have more pole tricks simply because I don't feel good enough to flow them into my dance. That's what I'm working on right now. Not that I cant do them...I just want them to flow as naturally as a transition...without pause. It's a challenge...especially when you are into your music, and mostly freestyle...it's hard to throw a trick in there. But thats the great part of poling..to challenge yourself out of your comfort zone.
JayF1 · 3/15/2011
I love a balance of both...I disagree with Charley...You DO have a great flow of both! I'm a dancer. I do flow, I do move my body naturally. But honestly...I don't have more pole tricks simply because I don't feel good enough to flow them into my dance. That's what I'm working on right now. Not that I cant do them...I just want them to flow as naturally as a transition...without pause. It's a challenge...especially when you are into your music, and mostly freestyle...it's hard to throw a trick in there. But thats the great part of poling..to challenge yourself out of your comfort zone.

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