When did you start getting..."good"?

RamonaWilde started this discussion · 8/6/2012

I know it's a weird question. So, I just took my first pole dancing class and I have to say I feel like I will NEVER get good. I couldn't even do a spin! Damn you, death grip! In addition to that, my movement was SO. AWKWARD. I know that it's my FIRST CLASS, so I didn't expect myself to be automatically amazing, but I've always considered myself a good dancer, so this is odd to see myself in the mirror looking so damn awkward!! lol So...when did you start moving a little more seamlessly? Looking like you at least knew what you were doing...?

21 replies

Veena · 8/7/2012
First. don't feel bad about not being able to spin!! Most spins are not suitable for beginners, and should not be taught until later on, once appropriate strength is gained. It's unfortunate that some studios start off with spins. It can lead to injury and be discouraging.....Your asking yourself to do something new so it tends to look and feel strange. Something that may be helpful would be to use a notebook to track your progress. You can write down little thoughts on how the class went and so on. Another very helpful tool is a video camera. It may seem silly to tape yourself as a beginner, but its a wonderful tool to track progress. You can easily look back and see how far you've come! 🥂 We all progress at different rates so and not every move is suitable for every pole dancer. Some will stay at beginner level and there's nothing wrong with that.. Finding a way to track your progress is the best way to see if you're improving. 🌸
GolgothaTramp · 8/7/2012
Hiya, I just wanted to say that I come from a dance background too but had not got the upper body strength to do much. I am on my sixth lesson now (1-on-1) and am just getting about getting strong enough that I can (almost) dead lift myself and prayer slide down the pole. I think as Veena says everyone is different - I really stuggled with a front hook (my body refused to push my hips forward ending in an unsightly almost chair spin) but I did an attitude on the first try. You just need to keep positive (my teacher is used to the patented "shake out the bad mojo" after a rubbish attempt), laugh when you fail (because sometimes you just look silly) and most of all go crazy bonkers when you do something right (then as my teacher says "now do it again")! I think the best thing I did was condition and strengthen outside of my classes even push ups, crunches, lunges etc will help strengthen your body ready for your next class. I'm sure you can do it and when you do it will feel great!
darling dearest · 8/7/2012
Don't get discouraged already! It was only your first class. You need to give yourself time to get aquainted with the basics of pole which I understand is often difficult for nearly everyone. I second Veena's suggestion on recording yourself! It might feel silly and look terribly awkward at first, but it is so helpful to have that material to review so you know what looks good, what doesn't, and figure out ways in how you can improve. Your moves probably won't look seamless and fluid right after your first class, but as you start getting more familiar with these moves you can focus on making them look pretty. I've been dancing for four months and I still struggle with a death grip and fluidity but I understand that the more time I put into practising on the pole, the more I get stronger and improve! You have so much potential for growth. :)
Empty · 8/7/2012
The ladies above hit it right on the head. Don't give up! It gets better! I've been doing classes for a month and half now and i'm just starting to retain everything. I'm far from seamless and like with all things there is always a challenge to face head on. Always something to work on. But if you really love it you'll keep going. I'm kind of thankful the studio i go to has no mirrors cause even though I have a dance background i've always hated seeing myself do things. I will say even if you do become "good" or "seamless", you'll still have up and down days. Days where you rock the pole and days where your like WTF is wrong with me. But keep going cause its all part of the awesome ride. The good days are totally worth all the akward bad days.
Athena30 · 8/7/2012
subscribs to thread *sits*
Hazelnut · 8/7/2012
Don't worry! But i know exactly what you mean. I don't have a dance background but certainly never thought I was a "bad" dancer either. When I first started pole I knew I wouldn't be strong enough for alot of it but was pretty smug about the prospect of being able to dance sexily around a pole, and swing and spin my legs about and be all fluid and graceful right from the get-go.... OH MY GOD I was so wrong! I stood in front of it, held it with one hand to the side like the teacher said, and had no idea what to do. It felt so unnatural to have this THING next to me that I was supposed to interact with! how do I walk again?! how do you turn with this thing in the way? it's too slippy to spin on! my legs don't fit! etc etc! it took me (and others I know too) about a month to "trust" the pole and get used to how it feels, where and how it fits in with your body angles and how much grip to use for the most basic, basic moves. so don't worry! you're really not alone. Think of the pole as a dancing partner (ok, a really inert one!)... you wouldn't expect to be able to dance brilliantly with someone new right away, would you? it takes time to learn how to fit with each other :)
Lyme Lyte · 8/7/2012
I felt like I was starting to get good after a year. Everyone is different and it depends on what type of expectations you place on yourself. Just have fun, and you will get "good" with time.
muroo · 8/7/2012
aww, that hard on yourself after a SINGLE class? :-) I guess you're driven at least. =P first off, yes, record yourself. it seems vain, or only for people who clearly intend to post themselves on youtube to show off, but it really isn't. (okay, maybe sometimes. =P) but it really can be a good tool. also opposite of everyone else, I wasn't a dancer but I did have a good strength base and I thought it'd be easy because of that. SO wrong. =P I probably did have an easier time with some things (I was climbing by the third class and attempting to invert*) but I'm sure I'm still lacking in the gracefulness department. =P my biggest problem was, and still is, even though I haven't taken a live class in forever, is letting go. maybe you're just ridiculous-looking in your head! I remember watching myself try and do things like snakes and hair flips and I was like "wow, what a poser". Poser or not, once you start having fun, you start thinking you look better too. :-) * - before you blame the school for letting me do that it's because my schedule didn't really fit well with the beginner classes and so I e-mailed the studio asking if it was okay to try a higher level class since I didn't want to wait another few weeks until the schedules matched up again. I think especially since I was going to a class with an instructor who remembered me and could keep an eye out for the newbie they said I could go for it. she called me "the strong girl" because at my first class she showed us fan kicks as a bonus strength building move and I apparently did them really well. that little strength didn't get me too far though... =P
muroo · 8/7/2012
ps - I don't feel like I'm getting "good" yet. :-) to each their own pps - I need to cut down on my response lengths...I try to prune them down until they seem short enough but then I click save post and it's so much longer than everyone elses. =P
Danielle Tillie · 8/7/2012
You can look at the video section on my profile and look back to the beginning... and see that we all start out looking awkward with little to no upper body strength! My first "spins" (in quotes cuz I don't think they counted), were a slip-slide show that made it half way around the pole. I'd say that I got much better within the first month of poling in terms of just getting used to having the pole with me in the dance and feeling more comfortable and stronger about the momentum for spins. My spins really didn't get to two rotations until I was at it for at least 6 months though. These things take time! Just have fun with what you can do, even if it is jus a sexy walk. All of the cool impressive stuff will come as long as you don't give up trying! :)
LillyBilly · 8/8/2012
I've been poling for two years or so. Like muroo here, I was quite strong when I started but had no dance background - so while climbing, inverting and tricks were relatively easy for me, I kinda looked like a monkey. I only started getting compliments on my dancing about half a year ago.
Crystaljng · 8/8/2012
I firmly believe people can do anything if they want it badly . So I guess to a large extend it depends on how much you love pole dancing, and how much effort you are willing to put in. :-D As for me, it has been two years since I started poling. I always feel I am not good enough as with my progression my benchmark also raises. It motivates me to keep improving.
LindseyG · 8/8/2012
Ramona, I can completely relate. I've only taken two classes and have a pole at home, but I am shocked by how awkward I become whenever I get close to the pole and I have to resist just freezing up entirely. In my mind I have a natural sensuality (but look at my first video and it with tell you otherwise! Ha). The effect is much worse when I have the camera on or when others are watching. Therefore, I decided to get over my fear of taking video (and posting) by posting one here right away. I figure I can only get better - and that will be a reward all on it's own. I just figure we have to be humbled before we can be great. ;) Good luck to you! Lindsey
Empty · 8/8/2012
@LindseyG - I do the same thing!!! I am wonderful when no one looks but as soon as the teacher stops to check on me I forget everything and totally deer in headlights. Freestyle? Oh hell no, at least not with anyone in the room. My teacher jokes that she's going to set up a curtain around my pole to help. Its a total contrast to what i was when i danced as an adolescent.
RamonaWilde · 8/8/2012
Thank you for the reply, ladies. I know cognitively that I can't automatically be good at everything dance-related. It had to happen some time I guess. 😉 But I just didn't expect to be this AWFUL!!! LOL Once I get a pole at home, I'll start recording myself and posting so that I can see the difference. The classes I attend are a little bit unstructured--you just kind of do the routine that the instructor has put out for you. I look forward to starting Veena's classes once I can get a pole! :)
kasanya · 8/8/2012
If you really are located in the San Fransisco area, you should look into classes at Poletential. I've heard great things about that studio and seen some amazing dancers come out of there.
megan12 · 8/8/2012
I agree with the other ladies. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. You'll progress at your own pace, your body will let you know when it's time to be able to do the hold. You just have to stick with it and build up your strength and it will come. I started poling at the end of February 2012 and when I first started I could barely sit on the pole, I couldn't climb the pole, my spins were awful. Haha! I watched the other girls in the class get holds before I could. One girl was so insanely good she did a shoulder mount on the first try and she had never pole danced before. It was really frustrating, but I stuck with it because I wanted to keep learning. I really worked on conditioning and voraciously watched youtube tutorials and videos at home. It paid off because now I can do advanced moves like the Extended Butterfly, Caterpillar Climb, and the Ayesha. I still struggle with my own weaknesses, of course. My chopper looks like crap 30 minutes into a practice session and I can only get a Superman 50% of the time. So, long story short, try not to compare yourself to anyone. Just let your determination be your guide.
Paunobs · 8/8/2012
I think when we have built the muscle and flex needed for the smooth lifts, etc then we start to look good , however it really is hard to look at yourself as being good because we are always striving to get better and better and we are our own worse critiques, when people say to me you are so good it still does not compute!
Paunobs · 8/8/2012
But I watch Veena, Penny, and lots of others on here and they are good!:-)
TansyRae · 8/9/2012
Ramona - you're already better than someone who refuses to try! :D
Mary Ellyn · 8/9/2012
What I often see (and warn students) is that it takes about 5-6 weeks for the average new student to start feeling comfortable enough that they remember at least a couple of things they've learned in the past few weeks and can move without feeling clumsy. It usually takes this long for muscle memory to kick in and that's the big problem for new dancers. It's just like martial arts or gymnastics in that way. Despite whether you "dance" or do pole for fitness the beginning aspects of learning involved a lot more coordination than just dance. I also like to remind students to think back to when they first started dancing as a kid...you watched VH-1 (or if you're as old as me Soul Train or American Bandstand) and practiced secretly at home for weeks then went to your first school dance and most of us still moved like a robot! It was YEARS before you could go to a dance or party and just get up and dance without thinking about it or feeling akward. You are starting that experience all over again with pole dancing. Some take weeks, months or even longer to get comfortable. It may not take you years now because you have some sort of dance experience to draw upon but it is like starting over since it's so different.