Charley
Forum Replies Created
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I loved it the first time! I cannot find anything near as good. Where can I buy? Take my money!
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Here’s a tip I figured out a while ago. When you sit with your legs crossed which leg is on top? For most people whichever leg is on top when their legs are crossed is their stronger side for Gemini (outside leg hang.)
Allegra will come out of the inside leg hang or flatline inside leg (flatline Scorpio.) your hooked leg should be quite bent. I would practice the flatline position and get really comfortable with that.
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Hi! Pole teacher for over a decade. I’ve seen many plus size pole dancers accomplish tons of great stuff. Size doesn’t matter when it comes to creating your pole plan. Start with transitions and dance. Regardless of size most people have a tough time lifting themselves up in the beginning. I’d look at the conditioning stuff on here and start with transitions. Get comfortable with gripping the pole – there’s totally a technique to it. Just start dancing with it and learn how that feels. In no time you’ll see progress.
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There’s not a lot of community on IG. Questions about tips to do a move largely go unanswered and people are just saving videos of things they want to try without interacting. I guess the lack of interaction is why I’ve never been big on IG to begin with. Facebook can be better but some of the pole groups are down right nasty.
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I don’t think labels are really accurate for pole. There is no real definition between beginner and intermediate. In my experience some transitions and movement can be intermediate in that they take quite a bit of coordination to get where as certain moves or tricks are sheer strength/technique. I personally like to think the difference between beginner and intermediate is comfort and polish (pointed toes, good lines, smooth transitions.) there is more to learn at the beginner level in terms of grounded movement and spins than there is at advanced levels. My advice always to students is to build confidence and strength by continuing to practice basic skills. The stronger your spins are, the easier it is to climb. The stronger your climb is the easier it is to invert. Some people are strong enough to invert at the first class but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are intermediate. I think learned technique and movement is just as important.
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The lessons here are probably the most beginner friendly lessons. Veena’s lessons don’t assume anyone has any dance or fitness background like some other online options. They also don’t require any kind of flexibility and she has strength and flexibility programs to help you get there.
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I was extremely active on here until 2014 when life fell apart. After I had my son I stopped watching what everyone else was doing and just returned to practicing things that felt good on my body. I only recently started using IG again to find new pole stuff and the ban is making that hard. I’m hoping everyone comes back here so there’s a good pole resource.
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Instrumentals get flagged sometimes too. I’ve had covers get flagged. On FB I usually say I have permission to use the music as the music isn’t being used to endorse or sell anything. They haven’t rejected anything yet. I have only had muting issues on IG but if mostly people are like me, I never open vids to hear the music anyway.
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I’m often clammy and I like Dry Hands or Grrrip Plus. itac is better used on body parts than on hands.
I also recommend training basics lots. When I first started pole there’s no way I could do a reverse grab spin in the middle of a routine because I was so sweaty. As I’ve taken many steps back in my 12 years on the pole I found that I would sweat less when I was really confident in what I was doing.
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I’m in Ann Arbor, Michigan
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I recently decided to invest in a silk for my pole and I went with the Nexus Wrap from LRU Studios. For what it’s worth to anyone I am not affiliated with any of the companies (though X-pole has been a great sponsor for my events.) I decided on the Nexus Wrap because it’s rubber and it won’t damage my pole or anyone else’s, it doesn’t require any tools and it’s light weight, compact and can be carried in my bag. Price wise the Nexus system is (from my research thus far) on the lower end of cost. I’ve hung fabpole from several poles and playground equipment with no issues. It’s VERY easy to set up and get going. Customer service at LRU Studios is top notch and it took less than a week to get my whole set up which included the Nexus wrap/sling, caribener and a set of 20ft silks. I have not used the other products on the market but the simplicity of nexus is really great.
It’s really important to note that Pole Aria does not recommend use of their apparatus with any other poles besides LM – which makes sense – this is the pole type it was designed for. I assume X-Pole will also state the same thing. Use caution whenever using a product in ways it’s not designed for. Make sure you are always using poles and attachments according the manufacturers guidelines.
I’m super happy with my fabpole setup. The silks that I purchased from LRU to go with the sling are on the narrow side (I’m used to fat silks) so I purchased a 30ft set of used fabric from a girlfriend – I have yet to play with that. I have hung the silks as silks with two tails, tied it as a hammock and even hung it as a hammock and it’s really great! The fabric I purchased that it came with it is high quality and really beautiful.
One more thing, I have silks experience and a lot of pole experience but I found the hybrid very difficult as did a lot of my very experienced friends. Before you purchase any type of silk for your pole please invest in a really good crash mat and have a buddy to help you. I’ve gotten tied up and stuck – knocked into the pole and host of other things. Go slow and be really careful. Don’t be afraid to spend the money on some skype lessons – which can be done with LRU for sure and perhaps a few other people/places. I fully intend on doing some privates with Leesi at LRU (it’s only $60/hour – very reasonable) and probably teacher training too.
My last piece of advice is to make sure you are comfortable with spin mode basics at least with speeding up and slowing down – you have to use these on spin – it’s really not a good idea to use them in static mode if your pole is not perm mounted. I’m not a spin queen by any stretch and that has been the most challenging aspect of this for me is being okay with the spin. You can start slow though. I also recommend you start using them as a hammock first – this allows you to be hands free in certain things and you can also work with spinning better especially if you aren’t great with it like me – and you can do some really simple and elegant things. 🙂 Hope this helps anyone looking at pole/silk hybrids.
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No, it’s not going to tour we are going to keep it local however I am flirting with the idea of presenting it at Pole Fest as one of our feature presentations. I am praying and believing this will be successful enough to run it every couple of months.
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Be careful of online voting. If I understand it’s a “people’s choice” does that mean you will have to garner a lot of votes online? The internet isn’t fair. Just keep that in mind. I personally stay away from these kinds of things because it can be hard on the confidence. If you do submit a video – do it for fun. If it’s an online vote thing like it sounds like keep in mind people will vote for their friends not necessarily who should be in it. If it’s not, then def go for it.
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A butterfly leg position in a handstand requires a certain level of flexibility and balance sometimes a straddle is much easier. Were other leg positions taught or offered? Was she watching your hands to make sure they weren’t super far out from the pole and that they were lined up under your shoulders properly? The butterfly leg variation can feel very scary.
I don’t think it’s good to compare students as everyone has strengths and weaknesses and everyone struggles with something. Handstands came later for me because they always felt scary. There is a lot of technique to the handstand – not just strength. Seems like she could have been much more tactful than she was. In terms of strength I’ve seen seemingly strong students struggle with what some may consider to be basic things because it’s also a matter of muscle engagement. So you can be super strong and not be engaging your core or your arms/shoulders etc. I really feel a lot of variations should have been offered if they were not and she should be asking questions about what your are feeling and working through it with you.
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I like grrrip and a new fav is girlie grip. I’m super sweaty, I’ve used just about everything. I wash my hands with Dirty Girl then usually apply either grrrip or girlie grip on top. I was using tight grip and still do occasionally. It works well if you use it earlier in the day. I just became a bit scared of using the constant aluminum.
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Veena that video made me cry!!!!
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Veena’s you are an awesome source of inspiration to the community. Your pro move blog still enters my head often. It’s like yeah it’s a signature trick for a reason. You constantly push the community is a nice direction.
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Competitions are not the best place to meet people. I know when I compete I’m a mess and it’s hard to connect as I would like to – gosh I feel the same about when I meet people at Pole Fest, lol. People are talking and I’m the back my head I’m listening and trying to watch everything because I’m a micromanager and trying to connect one to one. It’s sooo hard. It so easy to come off wrong in those situations.
I think competition can be really healthy and push people to be their best. I don’t know how many times I’ve said stuff like “it’s just a showcase,” or “sweet! It’s a non pole crowd, easy tricks,” you know what I mean? It’s really hard being a returning competitor whether you placed or not because your living against your last thing. It’s hard.
It’s also important to build your world and your bubble. I think it’s really important to stick to your values and not support those who do not fit in line with that.
As far as first gen polers vs new gen…it’s changed so much. First gen had their problems too because we didn’t have a lot of the info we have now and when people did things differently they were mocked and hurt. I saw it go down. I sometimes tried to be really diplomatic and step in to explain both sides sometimes to only make everyone mad, lol! I think it’s really important to have a forgiving attitude because even still most of the time we communicate through text on a screen which comes off bad sometimes. I’m really working on his personally. We are all artists and passionate about what and how we do things we can’t always agree. I have had my head in the sand for a long time trying to avoid pole hurt – you can’t.
As far as social media goes I wasn’t referring to pros. I think back to Veena’s post about pro moves and most pros will agree with that. They are doing things fit for them, there are moves they don’t do. One pro and one point didn’t like CAR lol! I think the upcoming professionals sometimes inadvertently propagate the whole “trick, trick, trick, impossible trick thing.” I also don’t think anyone is intentionally trying to push people,or away or hurt others with their talents. For me I temper often what I post and how I say or represent things because I’m a huge people pleaser. A lot of people are just proud of their hot shot new trick. That’s ok.
There’s just A LOT more self focus than there was. There’s more “me” than us. There’s is less working together, there is less openness and inclusion.
Now to a funny story – earlier this year one of my friends peeved me so bad when she went on and on about someone and I looked at her and was like “I’ve been teaching you that stuff for years! What makes her so great?” And it was funny because she agreed but it was because it was someone she didn’t know. I just replied with a smile that they say familiarity breeds contempt – hahahahaha. But in all seriousness I’d like to see more sharing to share and evolve and enrich others than feeling like someone is showing off again for the umpteenth time. But then again, I’m reading words what if I’m wrong about the intent? 🙂
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Every time I don’t like a move I end up seeing someone I do like it on. Like I hate that lizard/dragon whatever it is that Charlee does on most people but I love it on her. I don’t like yogi I but love it on Jenyne. I don’t live wrist sit but love it on Jamila, lol. So anyway I doubt there is a move I don’t like but there are lots of moves that aren’t right for everyone.
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I’m ready to admit I’m kind of over social media right now. Aside from the level of gymnastics and acrobatics being shared and becoming the norm – the conversations are getting divisive. I’ve seen polers I admire start threads questioning their placements and insinuating that other talents performers did not deserve their award and I’ve seen a lot of ugliness.
I love how athletic pole has gotten but once I see a move for me it’s done, I don’t care to do it unless I know I can make something with it that is special to me. The other problem with tricks on the professional level here is that you really feel like you stand out negatively at competitions because you don’t do them. For example, I can fonji but you will never see me fonji because I don’t think it’s safe to perform that kind of move without a mat. We do not see gymnasts performing difficult and dangerous skills with out mats so why do we take our safety for granted? Chinese pole moves are performed on rubber poles for a reason…I’m not certain we should be taking risks on poles not made for such things. I think it’s cool but I think we need to think about these things.
Lastly, I think there is a lot of competition to prove worth in the community and I’m not seeing much humility just a lot of struggles to be pole famous. I have stopped sharing my journey for the most part because I don’t want to be labelled, laughed at or have people take it the wrong way.
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I will add that I know some studios that so not allow their instructors to talk to instructors at competing studios. That’s a little overboard. It also depends I’m the instructors position within in hue company if they are 1099 then a studio has no legal leg to stand on as IC’s should be teaching their own content. If it’s an employee they are likely teaching signature material to the studio.
I’ve been told myself not to spend time with other instructors at competing studios. I was an IC at the time and taught my own, personal curriculum and so I chose to continue spendin time with my friends.
Instructors – know your rights. That’s all I can say. Please make sure you are legally employed or are a true IC. Understand that as your journey takes you into a leadership role such as teaching that it will change the dynamics of your relationships with people. Lots of studios hire students to become teachers which is awesome but understand your relationship with your classmates now changes. Be ready, it’s a process and everyone needs time to adjust.
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They are fine for lighter people and if you don’t use a ton of momentum. I just used one for a small show and I was fine – I had forgotten how much more the pole moves with you and nearly flipped all the way over in a handspring. My friend was gracious enough to lend it to me and it did the job just fine. The same pole was used last fall for a small show and one of my students who is taller and a great spinner on static MOVED the pole across the stage and it did tip. She is NOT particularly heavy but she is strong and tall. It scared the heck out of her. My friend who owns the pole and I agree it’s not great for taller or faster spinners.
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I hate to be on the studio side with this but I do co-mingle with students and at a certain point sometimes students will feel they shouldn’t pay for classes – especially if they are a doubles partner with one of the instructors. It’s kind of a conflict of interest. Even outside contact could result in “free” training perhaps using signature material. It’s dicey. I personally only pole outside of classes with people who already get freebies like my assistant so as not to seem as I am favoring people or doing something shady.
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I second Bad Kitty! The thing is most of the time competitions or shows have dress codes about exposure, I’ve used basic Bad Kitty or Mike tops and bottoms and embellished them myself. I’ve used old Halloween costumes – of the sexier variety which can be gotten at BK, Lover’s Lane, Cirillas or Yandy.
BK bottoms are cute, fitted for coverage and look great. I love them as a base.
You can get a rhinestone setter for like $10 at JoAnn’s and bedazzle your heart out. I’ve also done tear away costumes with velcro and hot glue. With a wee bit of sewing you can make your own body binds I found after waiting too long to order and realizing my custom wouldn’t be done in time. It was a little janky because I don’t sew but it worked 🙂
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I don’t but for $30 it might be worth a try. I love working with Natasha. 🙂
I considered getting it but I’m not teaching much these days and I am very married to my syllabus. It looks like there are a lot of strength and conditioning work on and off pole that could be helpful.
