[Charley]

PLEASE DO NOT GET A PLATINUM STAGES FREE STANDING POLE!!!!

PS freestanding poles are NOT safe and in the directions – it warns you not to even put your weight on the pole, not to swing on it – it's a $600 peek a boo.  Not to mention that you have to according to them do 30 right handed swings to get the extensions tight eough so that your pole won't come apart.  The base is pretty wobbly and the pieces tend to come up when you step on them not to mention it MOVES a ton – much more than the x-stage.

I haven't been on an X-stage light yet but I will probably buy one soon.  BUt trust me the PS Star Stand Alone sucks.  I sadle have one and unfortunately due to THEIR warnings – I can't even use it because if I did get hurt, insurance wouldn't cover it.

Also – I've used it and the pole has unscrewed while I was on it.  It's just not well made and a waste of money.

[Charley]

While getting pole dancing into the Olympics is not on my agenda of things to do – We have to consider that it's not going to change anything.  Do you really think strippers are going to stop stripping against a pole because of the Olympics?  This is for those for sexy dancing and against it.  For those of us on the sexy side – we are still going to grind and roll on the pole until we make watchers blush.

For those against sexy dancing – well some of our champions have been strippers and some of them strippers for a long time.  I wouldn't ever disrespect our champions by saying I don't want to be associated or linked to strippers because they are great performers and people.

Pole dancing in the Olympics won't change competitions like USPDF where you are not only judged on your tricks but your ability to FLOW them together and create something artistic and dance like – whether you're more like a ballerina or a stripper…ARTISTRY is expected and encouraged.

Olympic pole dancing will truly be tricking out.  If it got in – I'd watch it…if it doesn't – I'm not sad.  It will probably be judged much like figure skating with points being given on execution, technique and flexibility – artistry will likely rank low.  Actually it might even get boring to watch like competitive ice skating and gymnastics have.  But that's not hurting anyone

In the end if it gets in it won't be called pole dancing but I think it could be beneficial to studios and get the apparatus out there,

Eventually it will be taken over by youth performers and as Veena and Empy said there is nothing in pole dancing that would be wrong for a child to do – body waves, hip rolls and floorwork won't have a place in the Olympics so it's based on moves and a lot of apparatuses have gymnasts doing straddles and splits – like the uneven bars.

The only thing I really hate about the Olympic bid is that it creates division between sexy and fitness dancers.  I'd like to see us all get along and embrace the ROOTS (stripping) and the FUTURE (Olympic type competitions.)

[Charley]

Thanks Roxy!  xoxoxoxox!

I just want to say that while I want pole and breast cancer to reconcile and publicly work together because they are 2 important things to ME…GIVING IS ABOUT GIVING!

I may not like their stance however I would not do anything to discredit an organization that has helped so many…and what really matters at the end of the day is saving lives.  🙂

[Charley]

On a personal note – totally a personal observation here…

I WISH breast cancer associations would be more open to the pole dancing community.  The one thing I have come to know about the men and women who participate in this and other communities is that pole dancers want to help.  The mission statement of MOST studios is to in some way empower women.  Isn't that also what for the most part Susan G or NBCF is about, as well? 

I question the motives and ethics of someone who would grossly overstate this particular issue and create a frenzy of unsettled pole dancers.  I do not agree with the way this has been handled.

But underneath the layers of someone's obvious misuse of the truth and want to create popularity for themselves…NBCF is still not really willing to work with a POLE organization and THAT is upsetting to me.  They don't want to be linked to us and that is heartbreaking.

Taking away all of our internal struggles about what pole dancing/fitness should be – we are still a group of mostly women that support, encourage and give to one another.  This, to me, stands as the largest reason that national charities should want to work us and they should be proud we want to wear their logo and raise awareness for their cause.

All of this is PERSONAL thoughts I don't agree with the frenzy that was started but I do think that maybe the NBCF could use a little pole education.

My mother passed away from breast cancer when I was 20 – a 16 year old, a 19 year old and a 20 year old were making life and death decisions for her when we barely understood the disease.  Doctors spent more time educating me than trying to fix her because her cancer was metastatic.  This was the end of what was a rather tumultous relationship with my mother and has for the last 10 years left me with nothing but questions and the fear that I too am staring down the barrel of breast cancer and the fear that it may be for me as aggressive as it was for her.  Being this passionate about wanting to find a cure for this, I really wish that these organizations would work with us on a larger level.  If anything, working with us would enable more women and young women to become educated not only about the charity but abour their bodies.

HOWEVER, expoilitive tactics and creating an angry mob against the NBCF is not the way to educate the organization about what we do and how we could be of value to them.  I believe real stories and real women with honest intentions would be able to break the stigma of what many might think pole dancers are or represent.

[Charley]

lol – I always thought it was the "Dangerous BRIAN" !!!!!  I call it the "reverse thigh hold" because well you're reversed and holding with your thighs.

Chopstix is an upright jade.  The electric slide is a combo move I believe made popular by Katie Coates…it's been awhile but I think it's a spinning invert – gemini/scorpio switch.  It's awesome!

[Charley]

LOL!  Boys are so awesome!  I love that – good reminder that beautiful basics account for a lot!!!!

 

My boyfriend is really impressed by the french fireman where you grab your leg behind you and push off.  

[Charley]

I don't recommend LM poles unless you just don't have the budget for an X-pole.  The MAJOR issue with these poles is that thay are pressure mounted into a flange that is held up by 1 screw.  Over time that screw will become loose and "eat" through the stud because you're swinging on it. 

My first pole was a black LM and the finish and grippiness was great – it got too grippy at times and their stainless steel isn't very grippy at all – kinda the opposite of the powder coating.

If an LM is what you have your heart set on or all you have to budget – I guess they are okay…but mind you that screw will wear out, mine did in like a year and I couldn't replace the pole where it was.  

Check out the X-pole sport maybe?  You can get smaller extensions as Amy mentioned.

[Charley]

This is what I tell students when it comes to spinning and I am by no means a great spinner – yet.  Take spinning from the top – learn your basic moves first, basic spins, basic climbs and upright poses.  Once you are confident with those things then work on spinning inverts and do it the same way, learn your invert first and then move to transitions between inverts.  It's not going to take as long as it took you to learn these things on static but by spending the time to acclimate yourself with the "new" apparatus you'll gain confidence.  As with all things in pole, go slow and let your body learn how to work it – your head might figure out faster but give your body time to catch up.

You don't need a lot of momentum in the beginning really just lifting up ona spinner will get you spinning, slowly increase momentum as you train.  In the beginning it's okay if your spinner fizzles out – you will learn to work with it and learn how to move into it to keep the spin going.

I think one of the larger mistakes I made and I see other dancers doing as well is trying to do your hardest moves on spin right way.  If you take a systematic approach to spin and treat it like a new apparatus you'll make gains much faster because you won't have built up the fear of it.

[Charley]

Hi Dana!

Welcome to your new addiction 😀

1) I recommend washing your pole with Dawn dish liquid then going over it with acetone to get it really clean.

2) You really want a good space heater if you're poling in the garage.  You'll want to heat the area for about 20 minutes.

3) The lessons are fantastic here!

4) I suggest investing in some good sports bra's especially since you are so well endowed – get something that is made to last.  I like VSX, have heard great things about Mika Yoga Wear and Bad Kitty Exotic Wear has some great Pole Fit Wear too.  You'll want at least 1 pair of booty shorts and 1 pair of yoga pants – I suggest capri length because when you are learning beginner spins you'll have some ankle grip.  For shoes – ballet shoes work great.

[Charley]

@Smoking angel – yes there will be a good amount of pole work as the competitors are judged on their pole tricks too.  The winner gets a 10 city feature so I think the talent is going to be amazing!

If you guys aren't familiar with Pole Champ – she was the pole dancer who was on America's Got Talent – she herself is a very advanced pole dancer and she has trained Diana Nguyen who was one of the USPDF East Coast finalists – also known on yt as Christina Agguchi.

If I was still able to do those kinds of things I would jump on this in a heartbeat but I don't dance at a club and a 10 city feature just isn't something I can/could do right now.  But this comp still deserves our support whether by going if we are nearby or participating.  We have 2 feature dancers who train with us when they are in town – I'm passing this along to them.

[Charley]

My boyfriend is 8 years older than me, not as much an age difference as everyone else and most of his close friends are awesome to me.  The girls are always a little weird but it's gotten to the point that people ask me questions about it now and are curious.

I've only taken my pole down for one person and that's his dad – I even left it up when mine came over.  I only took it down because there would be no way to explain the pole.

If they already think you're a gold digger you can't change their mind – so I personally would have fun with it and say for example "gold digging just isn't enough exercise anymore." or something like that  – but I love to make people squirm when they are mean.

[Charley]

I think it's good to switch between the 2 if you have the option.  If you're thinking about investing a second pole I would get a 45.  The x-poles are so easy to take  up and down that youcould swap them out from time to time.

I have 2 45's and 2 50's…I have my 45 up now but will probably replace it with my 50 since for my next show I'll be on a 50.  

Our studio has 5 skinnies and 6 50's so it's good for students – if you can't get something on type of pole you have the option to move.  For practice sake it works well because once you nail the move you can take it to your desired pole and work on perfecting it.  🙂

[Charley]

I started on 50's and moved to 45's this past fall.  Overall I can do more in a 50 but continue to train mostly on 45's these days because for my small hands the smaller diameter makes a huge difference.

Leg grips are MUCH harder though and I found I hate elbow grip on a 45.  

I'd love to try a .38…In my head I like to think I'd look Bobbi's girls hahahaha!

 

 

[Charley]

This is run by Pole Champ – Nicole Kash and is sponsored by x-pole.  It looks to be an up and up competition it's just aimed at exotic dancers.  They have rules, regulations and they tell what you're being judged on.

I don't think it's a big deal that they have an entry fee – most things do, I mean if you even want to audition for uspdf you have become a member and pay the yearly fee.  It looks like a great competition for some of our awesome exotic dancers 😀

[Charley]

Just a real quick note…What really helped me get the sg aysha was working on it directly from caterpillar rather than from an extended butterfly – when I do my ext butterfly my hips are facing sideways out from the pole rather than facing the pole as I do when I am in an aysha.

What I do that worked and it may not work for everyone else – I caterpillar up and put my hands in position – make sure they are far enough apart – and bring my knees down until I have a pretty straight line from knee to bottom and then slowly release my legs AWAY from the pole – not sideways in a straddle but just away from the pole and balance until I can release into a full straddle.