[BodyandPole]

Hey there,
My friend needs a ticket to the competition, how much are you selling your ticket for? what seat do you have?

THANKS!!!
Lian
Body & Pole

[BodyandPole]

You can all RSVP on FB!

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=events#!/event.php?eid=340195181965

This way we know exactly who is attending and who can’t make it.
https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

[BodyandPole]

We added another workshop for *Leigh Ann Reilly! Saturday March 20th at 6pm, Leigh Ann will be teaching her Bespun Signature style class! With some creative climb and invert techniques, and a lot of stretching, this class is great for anyone who wants a taste of the best studio in LA! This is a mixed level class.
(*If Leigh Ann wins top 3 in the competition, Amy Guion will be teaching instead and Leigh Ann guarantees that she is just as great!).
If you girls missed out on her class on Sunday, and still want to take a workshop on Saturday, this is a great opportunity!
You can sign up on our website: http://www.bodyandpole.com

ALSO, Don’t miss out on taking VEENA’S WORKSHOPS!!!

XOXO
Lian

[BodyandPole]

Hey fellow polers! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_razz.gif
I got the ok from Alethea last night to add a Sexy Flexy floorwork/stretching workshop at Body & Pole on Sunday March 21st.
I had a very tight window of exactly 1.5 hours between her workshop and Jenyne’s workshop so I put it there for all of you who might still be able to/want to take it.

We already have a few girls signed up since this morning, this looks like it will fill up super fast, so if you want it, don’t wait too long, and also let your friends know.
I wish I could add many many more, but we have a small studio and only one space, so I can only have 1 workshop at a time.
I am really happy to see all the love and support from everyone here.

LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING ALL OF YOU.
XOXO
Lian

[BodyandPole]

Hey everyone.

I want to say here that I DO NOT think that Anna and Wendy are bad people. I do on the other hand think that what they did was very wrong on many levels.

I know that for a fact because I saw the initial contract. There was nothing in it saying that they can not teach at other studio, USPDF or non USPDF.
in my email to them, I offered to split all the travel and accommodation costs with them, in case that was the issue, but like I said before, never got ANY reply to phone calls, text messages emails etc.

Because I considered these women my friends, knowing our past relationship with me competing in last years nationals and them asking me to compete again, as well as Kyra who teaches at Body & Pole, I never imagined that things would come down to this.
I worked around their schedule to make sure there was no conflict, and the girls are available to do anything they might need to do for the USPDF, other than a small 2 hour window where they would come to B&P to teach.
I also made sure they were all scheduled to teach at B&P after their last scheduled workshop at NYPD, making sure there are no Liability issues if God forbid they get hurt teaching at B&P.

The only person who has all their airfare and hotel accommodations paid for by the USPDF is Jenyne, as they hired her to perform and teach workshops. The rest of the girls had to pay for their own hotels and some for their own flights.

As for sponsorship, if that was the case than why wouldn’t they get back to me to discuss the issue and maybe ask me to pay some money as a sponsor? I actually offered to split their costs for the instructors with them.

I even told the girls I would fully pay for them, hotels and airfare if the USPDF wouldn’t do so.

The USPDF and NYPD should be completely separated entities. If it was NYPD bringing some girls here for workshops at their studio, I would have never even though to book them at B&P and let NYPD pay to fly them out here…
But since I considered myself and the studio affiliated with the USPDF on many levels (maybe not officially as I just opened it and never had the chance to apply online), I thought they would be happy to support me and my studio.

I disagree that they should have not contacted me, this is not the girls fault as they knew very well that their contract said nothing about teaching at other studios. So did I as I had to sign the same contract last year.
Sending a revised contract in retrospect is absolutely poor business management in my opinion.
in my email to them, I told them that based on the fact that non of the parties thought this was ever going to be an issue, and we already have full workshops, PLEASE just THIS TIME, let this go. No one would get hurt, and no one needs to know about this. I even told them this is going to possibly hurt THEM in the long run and not me or my studio, and maybe they want to avoid it. NO REPLY.

I decided to charge less for the workshops because I didn’t think that $75 was reasonable when people are already paying so much just to come here and see the competition. I charge only $60 and pay the instructors 85% out of that. So money was never my concern when booking these workshops. My students and the pole dance community and instructors were my priority. I was one of you when I came to VA in October and paid for tickets, hotels and workshops, so I knew how difficult this can get.

I am so sorry that this has become such an issue. I do agree in hindsight that the FB page is wrong. I am only human and got a bit giddy at first as I felt that I wasn’t in this alone, but I do agree that there is no need for hate. I will ask the girl to remove it.

I just wanted everyone to know WHY I had to cancel those workshops. Everyone needed to know that the USPDF isn’t there to represent ALL studios and students, as they very clearly proved by their actions.
I don’t hate Wendy or Anna, I just think they owe a lot of people an explanation and an apology.
This is not how you run a federation. Even if it is new and they might make mistakes, this is more than just an innocent mistake, as I gave them every opportunity to back out of it and let the girls teach these workshops.

I really truly hope that they will reach out to me, and talk to me. The fact that they never bothered to do that just showed me that they knew they couldn’t give me a real solid reasonable explanation as to why these girls can’t teach 1 workshop each on Saturday at my studio. All they could do was threaten the girls and then send them a revised contract when the threats didn’t work.

I hope this clears things out a bit more.
I HATE DRAMA. But I will stand up for what I think is right and wrong. And this was wrong on so many levels.

Much love and respect to all of you, even Wendy and Anna.
Lian
Body & Pole

[BodyandPole]

Hopefully Veena will be around somewhere and I’ll get to at least meet her in person, anyway

Foxi_Rei, We will be having Pole Play time for only $10 at Body & Pole on Thursday and I am sure a lot of your online friends and idols will come by.

I hope to see you at Body & Pole regardless, just come say hi and introduce yourself. I would love to meet all of you.

XOXO
Lian

BTW an angry student started a FB page. You should check it out.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=info&gid=315378158328

[BodyandPole]

We just added 2 workshops on Saturday March 20th with VEENA!!!!

You can sign up online at http://www.bodyandpole.com

Veena was so sweet to offer to come to NYC just to teach these workshops! She felt so bad for all the students that had their workshops cancelled because of the USPDF’s actions against us.

We are so excited and honored to have her at Body & Pole.

[BodyandPole]

Body & Pole just added 2 workshops on Saturday March 20th with VEENA!!!!

You can sign up online at http://www.bodyandpole.com

Veena was so sweet to offer to come to NYC just to teach these workshops! She felt so bad for all the students that had their workshops cancelled because of the USPDF’s actions against us.

We are so excited and honored to have her at Body & Pole. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

[BodyandPole]

I am inviting everyone to Body & Pole for our Pole Play time on Thursday March 18th!
This is a perfect place for everyone to meet and have some time to show off your new moves on our 14 ft poles!
It is not a class, it is more like a pole party. It is only $10 each and you get a full 1.5 hours to mingle and play!

Sign up online if you think this is something you want to be a part of. I will be there for sure and am really looking forward to meeting every single one of you wonderful ladies!!!

XOXO
Lian Tal
Body & Pole
http://www.bodyandpole.com

[BodyandPole]

We’re on facebook too! Look up Body & Pole or Lian Tal, JOIN ME!!! <3

[BodyandPole]

Just in case a new organization might be getting set up (ahem), I think it’d be great to open it up to polers that want to perform for the love of it but who might not necessarily be in top athletic form. Costumes, fun songs, silly routines that get the crowd smiling and cheering on. Group performances, duets, dudes dancing, burlesque, etc. Wouldn’t it be fun if it was more inclusive of the rest of us out here who work our asses off on moves and just want to feel a little love from an audience! Just some input, just in case (ahem,) another organizationjust so happens to maybe possibly come to life https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

And a less expensive yearly pass too!!! Young polers just starting off in life don’t tend to be wealthy!!

Funny you say so, as the first competition we put together was Polesque. Exactly what you are talking about. You can check it out online on our page and on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81BQLTyHP-M

It was for amateur girls, and was all about it being fun and entertaining and not about the big tricks.
We had Burlesque and dance performances and it was an amazing night.
We also have performances that include both men and women regularly, one is coming up here in Brooklyn called OUT THROUGH HER, and involves pole dance, silks, and amazing contemporary dancers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCKY3hl-Fvg
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Out-Through-Her/281556634819?ref=ts

I would love to hear other suggestions for a new organization. Everything you girls said so far I absolutely agree with and is already being discussed.

We can start a new discussion on what would everyone like to see if a new organization was to start…ahheemmm…
https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

Lian

[BodyandPole]

Good luck Lian, we have never met, but you sound like someone who has everyone’s best interests in mind, and for that i thank you https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

Thank you so much. and yes, my intentions were always for the better of this community and that is way I am so disappointed with the way things have been going on and the lack of support from the USPDF.
I am charging less than the USPDF because I thought their prices were too high and I am paying the girls much more than NYPD is paying them, so at the end I am not going to make any money off of it.
It was never about the money for me. It was about giving polers another option.

There are some good things in the future that I can’t really discuss yet, but we will all have more options very soon. USPDF will not be the only organization.

So as long as we spread the word and make sure everyone in this amazing community know who we are dealing with, the future will definitely be a brighter place. I give everyone my word that I will ALWAYS look out for the community as a whole first and for most.

I love you all and thank you for all the support.

[BodyandPole]

Maybe their attorneys advised them not talk to you possibly? Have you tried calling their attorney to see if you could communicate that way with them? I know its impersonal but maybe you can get a response that way?
sorry you are having such hard time…i know its frustrating.

I originally had my attorney send them a letter to stop what they are doing. When I got no response, and neither did my attorney, I decided to write a personal email explaining why I think they should let this go, and next time have the girls sign whatever they want. I even told this this might hurt their reputation and that i would hate for that to happen.

I wouldn’t know who their attorney is, as I never got ANY sort of communication from them about canceling the workshops.

[BodyandPole]

Another competition program needs to be created that is truly supportive of these talented dancers and their fans.(hint hint https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif ) Even though it might be cancelled, I’m glad I booked my contortion workshop with Body and Pole!

Rest assured this is already in the works… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT.
This has been a really difficult month for me.

It is good to know that the pole community is finally seeing them for who they really are. I was struggling with this all month, even telling them that they should let this go because it will hurt their reputation, but they didn’t even bother replying to me. I tried to avoid this, but it is now out in the open for all to know.

I am sure they will come up with one excuse or another as to why they HAD to do this to protect their organization, but in reality, this was never a liability to the USPDF as we all know, and all the girls were scheduled to teach at B&P for 1.5 hours on Saturday, AFTER they were done teaching at NYPD.

So even if they had photo shoots that day, they had all day, minus 1.5 hours to do anything they need to do for the USPDF.

[BodyandPole]

this really does suck for everybody…i wish there could be some kind agreement that can be reached without getting attorneys involved. but unfortunately when it comes to running a business, contracts, etc… its not all fun and games…it can get real ugly really quickly. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_pale.gif

I tried in every way possible to reach an agreement with them, but it is hard to reach an agreement when the other side wouldn’t respond to any of your attempts to talk. They would only communicate with the instructors, but never once reached out to me or replied to my calls or email.

Way to go with representing this community.

[BodyandPole]

Marlo is ALSO not allowed to teach for me, the owner of Shockra told her that if she teaches for Body & Pole she will cancel all her classes there.

It’s "fun" being the new kid in class…I feel like all the older kids are bullying me and my studio.

But Body & Pole will be ok as I know I am a good person, and I am not greedy, and my students are super happy.
I am going to let them all ruin their own reputation by being unprofessional and greedy.

I am trtying to replace the workshops with other AMAZING instructors.
If you have ideas let me know.

THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT.

[BodyandPole]

Hey everyone…

I have some unfortunate news about your saturday workshops.

As you all know Body & Pole is not affiliated with the USPDF or with NY Pole Dance studio. We are a brand new studio in NYC, and a completely separate entity from NY Pole Dance.

I booked the girls a couple of months ago, knowing that they are coming here for the USPDF competition. I waited for all of them to give me the thumbs up, then waited for the USPDF to come out with their workshops schedule, and based on that, I scheduled the girls in a way that did not interfere with their USPDF classes. At no point did I think this was going to be an issue as I knew there was nothing in their contract saying they can’t teach at other studios. I also figured there are going to be so many women coming to NYC for this that the NY Pole Dance workshops will not be enough for everyone to be able to take a workshop with these amazing women.
With that said, a couple of weeks after posting the workshops on my website, I received a call from one of the instructors telling me that they all got an email from Wendy and Anna, the founders of the USPDF and the owners of NY Pole Dance, telling them that they are not allowed to teach at other studios that are not affiliated with the USPDF while they are in NY, between March 18-20th. I have been trying to fight this for the last month, but it seems that the USPDF girls, think that they own the instructors and can forbid them from working at my studio.
Once Wendy and Anna found out that they booked workshops at my studio, they told the girls that if they chose to do so, they will cancel their workshops at NY Pole dance, and not pay their hotels and flights to NYC.
It is completely illegal and wrong on so many levels.
I asked the girls to all stick to their commitment to Body & Pole, but it seems that one by one they are buckling under the pressure that the USPDF is putting on them. They are bullying them because they know they can.
The girls have worked really hard for the competition and fear that Wendy and Anna will sabotage their chances to win if they work for me on Saturday.
I sent the USPDF girls a letter from my attorney telling them that what they are doing is not legal, and even sent a very long email to both, practically begging them to let this go, as all their workshops are full, and as the representatives of the USPDF they should support all studios, not just their own. I told them it is not about me or my studio, it is about all the girls that had already signed up for these workshops. They didn’t even bother to reply.
I called several times, but they will not take my calls.
I canceled Karols’ Saturday class as she only had a few girls signed up and she insisted that I cancel it. I can’t blame her, as she has been under so much pressure from them. They also send out a contract retroactively last week, for the girls to sign now, saying they can not teach at my studio. Messed up, I know.
Both Alethea and Jenyne have expressed that they are too scared to fight with Wendy and Anna and that they would like to cancel the Saturday workshops at Body & Pole. I told both of them that they had a commitment to my studio and to the students, and that I will not cancel the workshops. I am torn and don’t know what to do.
I am trying to get in touch with Felix to see if I can fly her out here for 2 workshops on Saturday, instead of the ones with Alethea and Jenyne, but she hasn’t responded yet.

I am so disappointed at the USPDF and the fact that they are not doing what they are suppose to do, which is support the pole dance community and studios. They very clearly don’t care about anything but making money off of all you girls. It is so wrong that they simply don’t care that I have 24 women signed up for these classes who might not be able to afford their prices, and that might not be able to take workshops as they are all full at NY Pole Dance. I have tried everything, even looked at other spaces to run these workshops on Sunday instead, but there is too much overlapping in the schedules that it is simply impossible for me to do that. I have been breaking my head trying to find a solution for this.
I am trying to please everyone and I can’t. This has been a horrible month for me, dealing with this nonsense. It is so uncalled for. There are enough women for both of our studios to have full workshops and be happy. But Wendy and Anna are just being greedy and selfish and frankly I am really disgusted by their unprofessional behavior.

I am so so sorry that this is what might be happening, I am doing my best to try to make up for it one way or another.
Feel free to contact Wendy and Anna directly to let them know how messed up this is.

This is not the instructors fault, nor Body & Pole. This is all happening because Wendy and Anna will not let them teach here on Saturday.
I will keep everyone posted. I didn’t want this to happen but I might have no other choice if the girls don’t want to teach for me on Saturday.
https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cry.gif
Lian
Body & Pole

[BodyandPole]

Hey everyone…

So this is what is going on regarding the workshops we have scheduled in March. As you all know Body & Pole is not affiliated with the USPDF or with NY Pole Dance studio. We are a brand new studio in NYC, and a completely separate entity from NY Pole Dance.

I booked the girls a couple of months ago, knowing that they are coming here for the USPDF competition. I waited for all of them to give me the thumbs up, then waited for the USPDF to come out with their workshops schedule, and based on that, I scheduled the girls in a way that did not interfere with their USPDF classes. At no point did I think this was going to be an issue as I knew there was nothing in their contract saying they can’t teach at other studios. I also figured there are going to be so many women coming to NYC for this that the NY Pole Dance workshops will not be enough for everyone to be able to take a workshop with these amazing women.
With that said, a couple of weeks after posting the workshops on my website, I received a call from one of the instructors telling me that they all got an email from Wendy and Anna, the founders of the USPDF and the owners of NY Pole Dance, telling them that they are not allowed to teach at other studios that are not affiliated with the USPDF while they are in NY, between March 18-20th. I have been trying to fight this for the last month, but it seems that the USPDF girls, think that they own the instructors and can forbid them from working at my studio.
Once Wendy and Anna found out that they booked workshops at my studio, they told the girls that if they chose to do so, they will cancel their workshops at NY Pole dance, and not pay their hotels and flights to NYC.
It is completely illegal and wrong on so many levels.
I asked the girls to all stick to their commitment to Body & Pole, but it seems that one by one they are buckling under the pressure that the USPDF is putting on them. They are bullying them because they know they can.
The girls have worked really hard for the competition and fear that Wendy and Anna will sabotage their chances to win if they work for me on Saturday.
I sent the USPDF girls a letter from my attorney telling them that what they are doing is not legal, and even sent a very long email to both, practically begging them to let this go, as all their workshops are full, and as the representatives of the USPDF they should support all studios, not just their own. I told them it is not about me or my studio, it is about all the girls that had already signed up for these workshops. They didn’t even bother to reply.
I called several times, but they will not take my calls.
I canceled Karols’ Saturday class as she only had a few girls signed up and she insisted that I cancel it. I can’t blame her, as she has been under so much pressure from them. They also send out a contract retroactively last week, for the girls to sign now, saying they can not teach at my studio. Messed up, I know.
Both Alethea and Jenyne have expressed that they are too scared to fight with Wendy and Anna and that they would like to cancel the Saturday workshops at Body & Pole. I told both of them that they had a commitment to my studio and to the students, and that I will not cancel the workshops. I am torn and don’t know what to do.
I am trying to get in touch with Felix to see if I can fly her out here for 2 workshops on Saturday, instead of the ones with Alethea and Jenyne, but she hasn’t responded yet.

I am so disappointed at the USPDF and the fact that they are not doing what they are suppose to do, which is support the pole dance community and studios. They very clearly don’t care about anything but making money off of all you girls. It is so wrong that they simply don’t care that I have 24 women signed up for these classes who might not be able to afford their prices, and that might not be able to take workshops as they are all full at NY Pole Dance. I have tried everything, even looked at other spaces to run these workshops on Sunday instead, but there is too much overlapping in the schedules that it is simply impossible for me to do that. I have been breaking my head trying to find a solution for this.
I am trying to please everyone and I can’t. This has been a horrible month for me, dealing with this nonsense. It is so uncalled for. There are enough women for both of our studios to have full workshops and be happy. But Wendy and Anna are just being greedy and selfish and frankly I am really disgusted by their unprofessional behavior.

I am so so sorry that this is what might be happening, I am doing my best to try to make up for it one way or another.
Feel free to contact Wendy and Anna directly to let them know how fucked up this is.

I will keep everyone posted. I didn’t want this to happen but I might have no other choice if the girls don’t want to teach for me on Saturday.
https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cry.gif
Lian
Body & Pole

[BodyandPole]

Hey everyone! I was told I should join this group, as there might be some questions people have and I would be able to easily answer… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif
So I am happy to introduce myself to all of you whom I haven’t met yet, I’m Lian, from Body & Pole NYC. I feel so out of the loop not knowing about this forum…but i am super excited to finally be a part of it!!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif
I know some of you were confused as to the USPDF weekend workshops, so I would like to clear things up a bit.
I am NOT affiliated with Wendy & Anna’s Federation as a studio, I AM a USPDF member as i was also one of the top 12 original contestants last March here in NYC and was lucky enough to meet all these amazing women and make some great friends. I have been teaching pole dance for about 2 years out of my home studio, and finally got lucky enough to find the space I moved into a month ago. Body & Pole finally became a reality, and now it is a real studio, about 500 square ft, with 4 poles. Our ceilings are 14ft, the highest out of all the studios in the city. It is still a small space, and i chose to put only 4 poles up so that there is more room between the poles, instead of cramming one more pole just so i can maybe make more money.
I decided it would be great to have more than one studio offering workshops for all the women coming to NYC for the USPDF, and as I am a brand new studio, I decided to set the price to only $60 instead of $75 per workshop at NYPD. I also remember what it felt like when I went to VA and could only afford 2 workshops but wanted to take many more…
The classes are ALL open level. ALL the instructors will work with you in your level, so even if you can’t invert yet, you will be just fine.
I also decided to open my studio for all of you to come and play on the poles for only $10, as I know how much money you are all spending already, and want to make this a fun trip for everyone, and get to meet as many of you as possible.

So Please come by Body & Pole when you are in NYC, even if it is just to say hi and introduce yourself to me.

I am super excited to be a part of this beautiful community.
XOXOXOXOXO
Lian