What to choose???

Polecat88 started this discussion · 4/6/2011

So next year I'm moving home to the big city and going to the uni there, because of this I get to go to actual pole classes! YAY! Also, I have access to learn some other dance styles (As I will no longer have chinese dance available =( ) so I was wondering what you think would complement my pole training well here is my shortlist: Ballet Belly Dance Brazilian Modern or I could do Gymnastics or Cheerleading What do y'all think? x

17 replies

Dancing Paws · 4/6/2011
I taught bellydance a few years back. Personally, I love it. Not only do you get to have fun with the dancing itself, but you get to play with costuming also. It's a whole body workout that will give you lean muscle. The girls in that community are fun too (if you stay out of the politics.)
VanillaryPuff · 4/6/2011
most girls here in my town want to do ballet additionally to their pole training - it sure is good for the splits 😉 - but somehow, i am not very much interested in it. i once did belly dancing, which i feel helps me a lot now. i learned much about smoothness and moving body parts seperately (upper and lower), and i learned to do the bodywaves then 😀 what i would chose from your list today, but that's for me only, of course, is modern dance. you'll do a lot of floorwork there, and getting up and down - which will probably be good for transitions. i tried it once and would have loved to continue, but the teacher was too confused for me, so i stopped going to the classes and haven't done anything like this since then (could start anew, hum ...)
minicoopergrl · 4/7/2011
Im a former cheerleader which included some basic gymnastics. Cheer helped me with expression and making my moves big so even people in the back of the building could see what I was doing. It helped me push moves to look full and completed and not half assed as if I just learned it and wanted to put it in a routine quickly. I took modern, ballet, jazz and tap in HS. They really helped with pointing my toes (now I do it naturally), ballet is a great overall workout too. It also helps with being graceful when you perform. Ive never taken belly dancing but Ive wanted to try it.
Sair · 4/7/2011
<3 bellydance! It's so hypnotic!
Runemist34 · 4/7/2011
I've not tried a few of these styles, as I wasn't terribly athletic in highschool...I did take a dance class though, so we tried things like hip hop and ribbon and such. I would say, go for belly dancing...it's a lot of fun! I took it though the parks and recreation centre here, and I really enjoyed it. It really helped me learn what my body was doing, and some of the lessons I still use even today. It's a good workout, and you might be surprised when everything starts hurting after! There are also many styles of belly dance, so you could check out which you like, too.
Polecat88 · 4/7/2011
Thank you everyone for your insight! I thought I should let you know whay my view is after a bit of further reading. I think modern may be best as the modern dance society does Bhangra, contemporary, jazz and street dance classes on different days very cheaply (like £10 for the semester). Brazilian dance could be quite cool as its all samba carnival style dancing and I love carnivals, we have a big one in my home town every year which I think the society takes part in and makes their own costumes! Belly dance looks fun and the costumes are beautiful plus it costs £15 per semester so again v cheap to learn. If I had time on top of my poling I would do all of them! Which would be best for improving flexibility and strength? Because I'm 6ft and leggy I struggle with lifting my legs up for long in boomerangs etc. and my flex is awful! (though this may be in part to stretch laziness =p). x
LoneStarDiva · 4/7/2011
Well.. my only experience with any 'lessons' was in jr. high school (back in the dark ages.. lol) It was 6 wks of Modern Dance. Loved it, and learned things I'll be using in pole. God I wish this town was bigger so I could take SOMEthing.. *runs to local comunity college website*
Dancing Paws · 4/7/2011
You can become very flexible in bellydance. Look up footage of Rachel Brice on youtube. She dances like a snake.
Kira · 4/8/2011
if you mainly want strength and flex in your legs then i'd go for ballet gymnastics would be good as well but there's more a range of stuff that'll include handstands etc. I reckon bellydancing gives you more control over hips and stomach so you'll learn how to 'dance' around that area more fluidly I don't know enough about modern and brazilan :P and cheerleading I would imagine to be more cardio and depending how advanced the rest of the group are it can be a flexy workout too The only one i've ever taken classes in is bellydancing and it's awesome for your stomach and learning how to move more sensually (i think anyway!) but there's not much flexing or intense leg work going on
chemgoddess1 · 4/8/2011
I wish I could find adult gymnastics near me. I think that would be one of the better ones for flexibility and balance when you are upside down.
branquinha · 4/8/2011
I guess it depends a lot on what you want to develop as a complement to your pole work. I think most of them would be fantastic additions to any training - I guess gymnastics would do wonders for tricks, but it would not be my thing, so I would be more inclined to do dances, for example. I don't know exactly what they call "Brazilian" but if it is carnival like "Bahia" carnival/ samba reggae type of thing, I think it might be a lot of fun, but probably a bit too high energy for pole... it is probably a great workout and good for shaking and moving and learning how to move in a different way, but probably less "polished" than the other forms of dance listed. Again, I think it could be great but I see it as being more distant to pole and more like great cardio and lower body exercise and less flexibility focused. For flexibility and ballance I'd probably go for ballet, modern dance or gymnastics and gymnastics would be probably the best for strength and tricks. I have never seen a 6ft tall gymnast, though - gymnasts are often quite short... Good luck!
Polecat88 · 4/8/2011
Yes I was swaying towards ballet, gym or modern. I like the big dramatic movements and the 'polished' and 'emotional' aspect of them. I hadn't thought about the fact that gym will work more balance and upper body...that's something to think about. Perhaps I can make time to do ballet and gymnastics or modern and gymnastics. I'll have a look at the training times. Thank you for your opinions on the dance types, it's proving very very helpful! x
Miraine · 4/8/2011
Same dilemma as I'm having: what to do alongside poling. As I've no dance experience whatsoever, I've decided to go to at least a few ballet lessons, as I figure the basics of position, posture, balance, and strengthening / flexibility increasing moves will be useful. Once you've the idea of that, I figure you can always continue to practice those on your own. The other one I'm set on is bellydance, as the slinkiness really appeals! However, I might see about practicing that at home from DVDs for a while. All the lessons I've found seem to be £5 per hour, but I've yet to discover any local adult education centre type things in my new area, which would really help financially.
Polecat88 · 4/8/2011
Ok need to get serious about time restrictions atm the moment I have fantasies of having Monday - ballet Wednesday - Contemporary Sunday - Gymnastics I think it might be a bit ambitious! But perhaps not!? I would love to do this!
Dancing Paws · 4/8/2011
When I get a job I am going to try aerial silks/ spanish web and hooping classes! :D
Polecat88 · 4/9/2011
that will be really fun! I'm def joining pole soc and they do silks and lira! So I'm obv very excited! X
stoneycook · 4/9/2011
I say try em all and find out what works for you.