Hey!
I've done that random hiatus thing a LOT, so I feel your pain. School is really sucking it out of me... but I'm determined!
The move you mentioned sounds like a CKR, or Cross Knee Release- it's a form of "layback," and is currently my preferred way of being inverted, though I'm working on my CAR (Cross Ankle Release, where both legs are straight and crossed at the ankles, and you lean back), it's still pretty scary for me!
If you do those, work on sitting back up from that pose, rather than coming down to the floor while inverted. It really strengthened my abs!
You could work on the Advanced plank (same as basic plank, but placing one hand below you, rather than one above you on the pole, and using your free hand to reach out away from the pole), the Wrist sit, the Bridge (also known as the Crescent, or Crescent moon, and can be done from the CKR), regular pole sit and crucifix, and variations from that (learning the kinds of things to do from that position, like twisting your upper body to the other side of the pole), the Apprentice (or Thigh hold, as Veena calls it), and doing basic inverts from the ground, in order to figure out your leg grip.
Other things that can be good are smoothing out and strengthening those spins you may not feel totally comfortable with, and working on linking moves together. A Reverse handstand (in which you walk your legs up the pole going backwards, hands on the ground) can also be a good way of getting into an Inverted Crucifix, which is another strong teacher of leg grip.
Whew! Who would have guessed all those breaks I had would come in handy, eh?
Keep it up!
I'm usually around most evenings (PST) on Skype if you want to jam, and see some of these moves, too. I'm not the best shower-offer, but I try ;) And you can look them up on Youtube, the PDC (pole dance community) Syllabus, and maybe a few other places ;)
