[anngiern]

Im not 100% sure how I feel about it. On one hand, I would love for my passion to be reconized as a sport. We all know its hard work and dedication to do what we do. But then again, I feel like women like me who can dance like crazy but cant perform wild and crazy tricks will never have a chance to win a competition. Like alof of us have said, that if they broke us down in different catagories then I think things would be different.

Like Sissy said, alot of the sexiness would be removed. The music would be clean, the outfits would be mild etc.

It’s already that way though Mini. You’ll never get into the big competitions (Like USPDF or the international comps) without tricks. Never. Dancing usually doesn’t have anything to do with it. Some would argue that the pros even dance, like at all. LOL

there might be hope….i made a proposal to USPDF about having a category for the more dancey girls (similiar to xpose fitness where they have a floor/chair and pole dance with no inverts category) and a dance studio/group category as well. they said they are giving some thought to this!!! so there still might be hope. i am really trying to push behind this b/c there are so many good dancers out there. but even brook notary who had judged comps say pole dancing is lacking transitions, musicality, and things of that nature. here is her workshop description from USPDF: "It’s been an honor to judge the USPDF competitions for the past year. I’m in awe of the talent.Yet, I believe the area of transitions deserve more attention. In this class, pole dancers will focus on how to create strong transitions on and off the pole, and how to seamlessly create a beginning, middle and end without losing consistency. With choreographic guidance, floor work exercises, and pole to pole transition exercises, I’d like you to leave my class with a better understanding on how to perform a full-rounded routine."

so just keep sending in those emails to them to push for a category like this. i think its only a matter of time! i am keeping my fingers crossed https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumright.gif

[anngiern]

you ladies are funny!!! yes i am taking 2 of ambers workshops in NYC for USPDF along with 7 of my instructors and we are super excited. the girls voted on who they wanted to take workshops with back in December and Amber won hands down! i so want to take a pole dance sabbatical and just travel to all the studios in the US.

but you california girls are lucky!!! you have so many studios to pick from. i hope to get out there before the end of the year is up. i want to take classes from everyone https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif pole dancing is fierce out on the west coast. but i will definitely make a stop by your studio ottersocks!

i lived in san fran for 7 months as a travel nurse and loved it out there.

[anngiern]

hey ladies,

someone just sent me a message about this post…somehow i missed this one for some odd reason.

we would love to host a pole jam!!! i have been trying to get to the one’s in dallas but my schedule hasnt been working. dumb question… so exactly how does everything work? i might not be able to open this up to our students b/c it will fill up too fast so i will probably just have to keep it a private event just for studio veena members from dallas and houston and any other surrounding cities. i might extend an invitation to my level 4 girls. let me know what i need to do and i can clear some time on the schedule for it. what is the typical format? (excuse my type "A"ness)

the best days for us would be a saturday (after 1pm) or sunday. m-f we are pretty filled to the max with classes. we will be closed march 18-21 b/c we will be in nyc for uspdf.

thanks https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[anngiern]

ALSO…..

I’d hate to see some of the beauty, not just sexiness, but beauty go away. It already seems like no one wants to watch basics anymore and it’s already leaning towards all power moves.

charley….well i for one love watching the basics. even though i love the high power moves and looking forward to the uspdf and workshops, i love seeing a simple pole dance with creative tranisitions, musicality (something pole dancing is extremely lacking) costumes, power of eye contact, interaction with audience, and theatrics. to me its all about the energy and self confidence that someone can put out there and that makes it a powerful dance. ive seen many pole performances with super hard tricks but they were boring as hell. i have seen some very basic pole dances that were so full of energy and much more entertaining. i do enjoy watching Marlo from NYC…she does the hard stuff but her energy is amazing. and i love how she mixes her music to show she can do a little of everything from rock to hip hop to a booty pop. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_bounce.gif
the winner of polesque 2010 that was held in NYC was awesome. she did do some hard tricks but she also had a good overall performance incorporating everything that makes a dance. plus her booty pop during the final four challenge was the bomb! she had so much personality and was an audience pleaser.

[anngiern]

here is another story on msn about pole dancing and the olympics. one of my friends forwarded to me today.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35537139#35537139

sedusa studio is hot! i hope to take a lesson there someday as well when i get to cali again.

[anngiern]

Just remembered something that I wanted to share. Had a little giggle today with a girl currently in my internship program who is now studying for her AFAA group fitness exam. She commented that so far, the AFAA theory seems "just as thorough as" my program! LOL

I was definitely flattered!

this is probably very true empyrean!! i know you have done your research as well as other notable instructors out there. i think we go above and beyond b/c you want these ladies to get it and achieve pole dancing..so you put your heart into it.

[anngiern]

well please just pm or give a call in the morning if you would like to do a chair class. it great cardio and a hard workout.

yes i am familiar with goddess studio. they have a cute dance on youtube where they are all wearing bright neon wigs and the choreography was great and full of energy! i cant remember the name of the event but it looked cool.

[anngiern]

hello angygirl,

we have drop in classes this weekend but not for pole!..sorry… we have chair dance at 11a and jiggle it at 12p. both classes are great workouts! both classes are sold out but if you pm your phone number i can call you in the am if we get some last minute cancellations if your interested. i know that everyone doesnt always like non pole classes but i thought i just offer!
wish you would of have been here last week…we have cardio pole which is only open to experienced polers and it was a blast. we get students from all neighboring studios in the houston area and its so much fun to see all the styles and it is great positive energy. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

where are you traveling from?

[anngiern]

roxy pink…

i would call/email them to ask it if its included. i know on the oc pole fitness certification its kind of towards the bottom and says "business builder consulting module". so sometimes it is not as noticeable. and sometimes its something they will do on the side so to speak and they dont advertise it.

i guess one big thing i like to give advice on to aspiring instructors is to decide if you want to run your own studio or just be a teacher for someone else as sandybrown said. some of these programs are geared towards people who want to open up their own business.

i HIGHLY agree with charley in regards to marketing,customer service and other business things that are helpful. there is an organization called SCORE and they help people with getting businesses started. there website is http://www.score.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; if that is the route you are planning to take. i believe many of their workshops/seminars are low costs.

you can have all the certifications in the world but if you dont have a marketing/business plan it could possibly go no where. also if you dont have any kind of methodology on how you do your classes it will cause customers to get frustrated. you really have to sit down and write all these things down which is where the business plan really helps. ( i think they have a free one that you can download) i have it saved on my computer and you can pm me and i can send it to you via email if you would like a copy.

and also a particular dance style….i have seen both ends of the spectrum…you can have many great certifications but if people don’t like/or not attracted to your dance style (or acrobatic style if you are leaning towards the more fitness type of pole)then it can be hard.

but at the same token i have seen beautiful dancers but they cant teach worth a lick. and that really sucks when the teacher cant break anything down. so its best to have the combination of both.

pole dance is unique in that it is a combination of fitness and dance. but when it comes to the dance part your style will sell it along with your teaching style.

i LOVE LOVE LOVE AMERICAS BEST DANCE CREW…those guys and gals are amazing!!!!! i would take a class with some of them simply b/c of their style and energy! i could care less about what certifications they have b/c their dance skills sell it for me and they are FREAKING AMAZING. but if i went to a class and didnt feel like they were good teachers i probably would not take lessons again.

[anngiern]

definitely squeezing my glutes helps with this move and it helps to also contract your thigh muscles. even when you are just sitting in a chair at work practice squeezing your thigh muscles so you will know how to activate them and eventually you will be able to identify those muscles better. it does take practice and you do kind of have to find that sweet spot between your thighs thats just right.

[anngiern]

congrats on your new job!! clarissa is a very sweet person. i am sure you will enjoy your journey of teaching. it is so rewarding and i love it https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

well when you first start teaching inverts definitely use a crash mat if at all possible.
i think what i see most frequently is people scraping their toes against the pole or scratching/scraping themselves with their own heels! i know that might seem weird but that is what i see the most…even sometimes when we are just doing something as simple as floorwork. so just make sure you have a first aid kit around. i think its also very helpful to get a first aid certification. i would have ice packs around as well in case anyone twists anything the wrong way but i only have had this happen 2 or 3 times since i have been teaching for 4 years. If anything very serious were to happen (someone falling out of an invert, layback, etc..) i would fill out an incident report and have client sign it just to document what happened in case they try to cause any trouble down the line…you never know these days. we created one and we have all of our instructors fill one out if anything of this nature happens. that way you CYA. i would also get your own liability insurance if you are not covered by your company.

hope that helps https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[anngiern]

wish i could come https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cry.gif but its just too late of notice for me. i have class this sunday…i really wanted to come to a pole jam as i have never been to one before. maybe i will catch the next one!

[anngiern]

So…after reading the OTHER thread on here…it appears that Body and Pole initiated contact through attorney? In which case, no one who gets involved in a legal dispute should every have personal contact with the other party once an attorney is involved.

Also, Body and Pole is having workshops…the competitors are only not allowed to do workshops elsewhere the day which they are scheduled to do workshops all day long at the USPDF?

yes once lawyers get involved all personal communication ceases. i asked did she try to talk/communicate through uspdf’s lawyer but she was unaware of who it may be b/c there has not been any contact.

i think this is where the issue starts… the workshops were scheduled on the same day of USPDF workshops for a lower price. i think USPDF might have been planning to add workshops all along but just wanted to get the initial ones filled up. also they are expanding their studio space so they probably were waiting to get the "ok" from the contractors that the space will be done by mid-march so they could add more workshops. and if you ever built out a space…it is very tricky to release an opening date if anything were to come up from the building code inspectors, etc…and all that jazz….

[anngiern]

yes the FB page is extremely tacky and i was so disappointed to see that https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_ncool.gif not the way to solve anything veena..i agree.

my business partner majored in dance and has done numerous dance competitions/conventions and that is VERY STANDARD for you not to be allowed to hold workshops elsewhere.

USPDF memberhship fees….very cheap…even some of my nursing associations fees were way higher than that.

climb and spin certifications fees…yeah i remember reading that..that is very much in line with what it should be…honestly it should be more..Its one thing to be able to do pole dancing and another thing to be able to teach it and run a studio. Two different jobs. They are giving you the tools on how to teach pole dancing and run a successful business. This saves you time and money. I have wasted THOUSANDS of dollars back in the day on the wrong floors, wrong clothes, wrong types of poles etc… when pole dancing was just getting started and nobody knew any better b/c we were all new to this. not to mention how to negotiate rent with landlords, find dependable contractors (electricians, plumbers, general studio maintenance), finding vendors, getting the proper insurance..website designer, trademark lawyer,the list goes on…so to be able to get that information from someone from the start of your business is invaluable. Also to get choreography included in this price is a very big deal. my business partner and i have both done choreography for other types of dance and we both easily charged 2000 to 3000 to put a piece together. my business partner has even charged more than that b/c she has a BFA in Dance. many people have no clue how to put a curriculum together..let alone put together routines. i get calls and emails every month from aspiring studio owners who want to know how to put that part of their business together.
OC pole fitness charges 3000-5000 for their certification,pole fitness studio in miami charges between 2000-3000, urban fertility dancer charges starting at 2500, aradia fitness starts at 1800 and up and goddess dance 3500 to 7500.

But you dont have to get certified through any of these organizations. If you feel you already have all the knowledge and "know how" to start a studio then that is your choice. you either pay for the secret sauce or you make your own https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumright.gif

[anngiern]

hmmm… well i had been reading everyone’s posts and decided to post my opinion…sure people might not agree but here it goes..
i first like to say that i have much respect for ALL pole studio instructors and owners. it is not easy to run a dance studio. i first talked to wendy a while back when there were just a few studios in the country (about 4 years ago) on the phone. i had talked to her to get some general business advice since there were so few studios at the time and she we very helpful but direct. when i have students from atlanta and houston that visit nyc i recommend this studio (more than anything b/c of her bio and experience) and s factor possbily if they are a beginner student. its fun to get different perspectives of pole dancing to enrich your own personal style. something i love about pole dancing. i have never spoken to or met with anna. i only have received emails from her in regards to uspdf and hosting the regionals in the south for the next upcoming year. but other than that i dont have any kind of personal relationship with these ladies.
it takes an enormous amount of energy, time, and money to pull off these types of events. and you need money to make these things happen. and these ladies are running a business. i have been running my studio for 4 years and i definitely had to make some hard decisions in which people were very unhappy. but that is the nature of running a business. i really had to toughen up or get taken advantage of. i had to to read a lot of business books and network with other business owners to get a better grip on how to handle legal matters (there is a studio in cali that is using our name and we are federally trademarked and have been for years)…i played nice and talked to her via phone…she pretty much told me to leave her the f**** alone and i was being a bitch…uh no i am not..i am protecting my company’s interest (all of my instructors, students, business partners and owners of future locations) and it is illegal for you to do that. the fact that i am even giving you a courtesy call is very generous of me when i could just take you straight to court. so off to court we go…she is in for a very rude awakening and wont be happy when she gets served next month with papers. i dont want to be like that but i have no choice. i say all that to make the point that even though pole dancing is so much fun, challenging, a great way to meet other women, etc…there is still a business component that has to be handled. If you dont handle it you can be out of business…and in the end the students suffer b/c they wont have a studio to go to anymore https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cry.gif
now i have not seen the original contract that these ladies signed so that is why i personally will not take sides. one thing i have learned… there is always 3 sides to every story: nypd’s, lian’s, and the truth. i am not calling anyone a liar by any means but its truly not fair to make a judgement on a situation without having all the information. i do however empathize with lian in regards to having to cancel all those girls workshops and that truly sucks all around. VEENA..i think its great that you offered to do workshops that weekend..that is extremely sweet of you. i hope i get to meet you that weekend.
But I can see how USPDF/NYPD might have been blindsided by this and they truly could have had other things planned for them that weekend and there are probably other things involved with this situation that we probably are not even aware of (media, pictures, afterparties,etc) . I am sure for the next one they will be a little more clear about what is expected. Ladies, the USPDF is still a new organization and they have kinks to work out. No one is perfect. I have been doing this for over 4 years now and I know so much more now than I did almost 5 years ago when I started my business. And everyday I am still learning new things about how to run a successful business. What I am thankful for is that the USPDF has brought some of the best pole dancers (and more to be discovered) to a national level. I am so grateful for that. I feel so blessed to come to new york and be around tons of women who love pole dancing.

ok..kumbaya…back to pole dancing https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_bounce.gif

[anngiern]

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.

[anngiern]

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

[anngiern]

ok thanks fleur. i did email lian as well. probably will get a response back from her tomorrow b/c i emailed her kind of late. i hope everything gets worked out so no one is disappointed. but i do understand that sometimes things happen and it takes a big effort to put together these types of events and sometimes things don’t go as smoothly as we like them to. i am sure we all have fun regardless https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

[anngiern]

oh no…i am taking two at body and pole as well….i really want to take a class with althea https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif i will email body and pole right now to get an update.

fleur are you cancelling your workshop with body and pole?

[anngiern]

oh yeah…i do remember seeing clips and i was like i know a man is taping this b/c of the angles he was going for. but at least the money went to a good cause. i liked marlo the best…she had the most originality and most importantly….musicality and stage presence. i know it was voted on by number of texts a person got…and barbara won…loved her black/pink skirt https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[anngiern]

My experience was similar to Amy’s at Crunch. It was like a free-for-all in a sense. Close to 20-something girls in the class and only two instructors. There were two students in the class who mentioned that this was their first time taking pole, and one of them ended up doing a CAR (maybe I was jealous because I was too afraid to try it at my own studio, lol.)

I wonder which class the woman was in when she was injured. At the NYC Crunch locations, there’s Pole Dancing and then there’s Turning Tricks. Not that it makes much of a difference, but I wonder if there was pressure/eagerness to try in invert if she was in the advanced class.

I also would like to know if the Crunch instructors are certified. I know that some of them teach at Body & Pole.

hmmm…i had received a link to this story from a student….

i have to say this is why i am glad we teach our pole dancing in levels. we have been pressured to just to do mixed levels classes but we stuck with what we believed in. i know people dont always like it but IMO it is just safer. i compare it to something like gymnastics, karate, or cheerleading…you just cant walk off the street and go into an advanced class. pole dancing is really hard to monitor in that format when you are teaching aerial tricks. we do have mixed level classes like cardio pole, freestyle pole, but they have to have at least 3 months pole dance experience to participate. mixed level classes are better when its experienced pole students IMO.

we teach inverts in level 3…and i feel so much better as an instructor knowing that my students have been poling for 4 months continously before they attempt inverting.

i agree empyrean……i just hope the pole championships get this much press!!!!!!!!

Anngiern, are you at PoleLaTeaz? When I saw level 3 (because that’s when I learned my first invert) and cardio pole it reminded me of PoleLaTeaz. I left Atlanta after 5 months at PoleLaTeaz to move to NYC.

Yes SandyBrown I do! I am the founder and owner of PoleLaTeaz in Atlanta and Houston….hopefully more cities to come.

I just hate to see people getting hurt. You really need to condition your body for this type of activity….I think people downplay that aspect of it sometimes. Especially when you are dealing with everyday women who might not be as physically active as others or not currently working out on a continuous basis. But thats why I love teaching b/c I get a chance to get women in shape and help them achieve their goals https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[anngiern]

personally im sorry but, id be willing to travel to see this than a pole superstar show anyday =D

more info more info! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

castleousider,

what happened? what feedback do you have into what makes a good show? just curious.

[anngiern]

hmmm…the uspdf is looking for studios/owners to host a regional. i am emailing them today to clarify some things. maybe that might be a good avenue.

[anngiern]

does he want to hold the event at his club or another location?

[anngiern]

country can be fun…couldnt do it everyday but i like "save a horse ride em cowboy" (climb the pole put that cowboy hat on and ride it!),
"Honky Tonk Badonkadonk"’
I also like "where have all the cowboys gone" not country but it says cowboy in it! lol!
I also love "blue jeans blues" by zz top.