Legs4Days started this discussion ·
Ok, when I am videotaping myself, I noticed that I looked really serious...almost mean lol. I am a newbie and I am really concentrating so that may be the problem. When I smile, I look sort of silly...
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Lee lee ·
The good thing about finding that out now is that if you ever decide to do a public performance, you'll know to watch out for that.
Serzi ·
lol I have to be honest, I hate when people fake or force smiles while poling. It's creepy...especially when I try it. :O Smile when you're enjoying yourself enough to do so. As a newbie, it can be hard to smile even if you ARE enjoying yourself because you are concentrating on so much else. The natural smiles and sexy facial expressions come, be patient! Just wait until you nail some tough moves you've been working on. You won't be able to stop smiling. lol ;)
I think there's something to be said about smiling during a performance, or at least having some emotional connection to the story being told (whether it's happy, sad, passionate, etc.) But that's stage presence for a performance versus your natural expressions during a practice session. I look pretty stone faced during practice videos, but if I was prepping a performance, I would work on my facial expressions the same way I practiced the rest of the choreography. Many videos you see online are of performances, not practices. Hope this helps. :)
Legend ·
I don't smile often, certainly not while i'm focused on practice. It's just my nature, everytime I tried to change that it always looked fake and made me unconfortable. One trick I use in performances so people don't think i'm a bitch or in a bad mood is to choose a dark/sad music (that I actually prefer and go very well with pole and aerials) and give a big smile to everyone when entering the stage then go into my "dark character" during performance and finish with another big smile, a sincere one! No matter what you do, even if you're all smiles and rainbows you won't please everyone, so better just be yourself.
I've been poling for 8 yrs and I'm still workin on it! lol There are some that are really great at smiling, like Glitter, she's the bomb!
Thanks! I looked at what i had recorded and Im not giving any eye contact at all. Im looking down a lot and look sort of bashful...which i am i guess!
Hehe! Aww thanks OA :) Funny my name came up in this because I just finally did my first dramatic performance piece to try to push myself out of the box and not smile, AND IT WAS SO HARD FOR ME. I don't necessarily think you always need to smile in a performance, especially if it's not a lighthearted piece but I do get sad when I see girls who like they are not having a good time :( Face can definitely make an okay performance into a great performance but face is really hard and I think it takes as much practice as tricks. Then you have to think about your tricks, angles, toe point and face all at once, it gets to be a lot to think about especially for competition. I think it does get better, easier and more natural with performing and stage experience though. The very first time I did a submission video and had to smile at the camera with no one else in the room I felt pretty silly but now it's much easier because I'm used to it :)
I'm big on hamming it up on a stage whether that means smiling or frowning or what have you. I practice my acting (for me it's about the same as face) whenever I have the music on. So I'm sure a lot of people on the bus and metro think I'm insane hahaha I'll just throw my headphones in and get into character! When I did the CPFA competition it means going from mumbling to myself looking confused to smiling like a crazy person, to winking at things. I'm pretty sure I freaked a few people out! And I second Organic Angel, Glitter puts on some great performances!!
I struggle with this too. I watch videos of myself and I look like I'm pissed off. But I'm not. I'm having a great time. One thing I've recently realized is that when I concentrate I tend to slightly clinch my jaw. So I'm trying to soften my jaw (without becoming a mouth breather :-). Then when I'm not going for a big smile, I can hopefully look like I'm having a good time. It's hard. I'm going to try some of the ideas. thanks
Hazi411 ·
Sorry to keep going on about Bobbi's, but one instructor in particular reminds us to smile when we're in a move (especially if it's a painful one!) I won't give away what she actually says, but basically it's "think of something you really like"
Hazi411 ·
I tend to either look worried or serious (because I'm concentrating!)
You are so describing me!!! I don't pole "dance", but when I do practice I look so miserable!!! I love pole and do have fun, but I am so freakin' concentrating, trying not to fall on my butt or face, struggling with strength, etc. So you are not the only one. :)
