[Lara von Mondberg]

Hi guys, mine is http://instagram.com/mondbergvienna I am adding you guys as we speak 😉

[Lara von Mondberg]

Sometimes my power is kind of fading and I feel the same way, I am just tired and exhausted. What helps me in those days is taking just a few days off, letting my muscles relax and recover, doing some light yoga, pilates adn eating well, sleeping well and after few days, the world seams being a totally different place 🙂 I also found out that if I do only pole dance, I come to this point more often. If I do a combination of regularly pilates or yoga elements before each pole dance training or on the days I do not practice pole dance, so basicly a good strength training and cardio, my body respons much better. Veena hes some great lessons for building up strength too. They are very helpful. Hope you feel better soon, sweetie, you WILL have more power, I promisse 🙂 . But allow yourself also a little break, sometimes it is exactly what our body needs.
Big hug, Lara

[Lara von Mondberg]

Interesting points, everyone, definitely a lot to think about…

[Lara von Mondberg]

Hi guys, I think excluding strippers is a discrimination.

I don't think that it should be ok on one hand to allow professional dancers such as ex-ballerinas and ex-gymnasts while on the other hand one does not allow an exotic dancer.

Exotic dancing is a job. Period. Actors take off their clothes for films and smooch in front of the camera whomever they are told to. Where is the difference? Because exotic dancers don't have a "good position" on the social ladder.

People often look at women who do striptease for money as though they are worth less than the rest of us, which is wrong in my opinion. There would be no striptease if men wouldn't seek it. It is sad that it is the dancers who are being looked down at instead of the reason why there is exotic dancing.

Also, with very little money, sometimes is the best way to earn something in order to get an education, if you are not in the lucky position to get money form parents for school.

But back to the issue here: I think strippers should be allowed to compete. There are rules in the sense of what is ok to do in the competition and I don't think there would be a problem. If the business owner allows strippers or former strippers to take lessons, he or she should definitely allow them to compete as equal. Anything else is a discrimination.

Also, however hard we try to separate exotic dancing and pole fitness, there will be always those who don't want to see the difference. No stripper-free competition is going to solve that. Only time can and sticking together can.

I say, if (ex)ballerinas and (ex)gymnasts can compete, (ex)strippers should be allowed to compete too. After all, they are dancers too.

I will open a studio next year and I can tell you one thing: no stripper would be banned form anything in my place. I have respect for the girls just as much as I have respect for any other job.

Love you all guys, strippers included 🙂

[Lara von Mondberg]

yeah, and of course, splits first 🙂 that is still my dream 🙂

[Lara von Mondberg]

My absolute dream is the infamous iron-x, but being a scardy pants of heights, anything like drops and climbs with my head down are my dream. Right now, I want to master the shoulder mount and the frigging butterfly 😀 that would be a plus before I move down on my list of wishes 🙂

[Lara von Mondberg]

Hi, so here my answers. Sorry about my English, I am not a native speaker. feel free to use my real name, which is Larisa (really just 1 s, it is the Russian form) Albrecht, I am 38, female, live in Vienna, Austria.

Is there a difference between Exotic Dancing and Pole Fitness? What is the difference if any?

I believe it is. Exotic dancing is in my opinion more sensual oriented, plus there is undressing and even though pole fitness is a very sexy sport, it is a sport and an dance art. That being said, I have totally respect for exotic dancers, it is a job and the girls have to work their butts off. Not an easy one 🙂

Do you think people should use their real names when they perform/go to classes, or should they use a stage name? Why?

I think it depends on how comfortable people feel with other people knowing their real name. I go always under MONDBERG, because it is the name of my clothing line, but I never hide my real name. Although as a fashion designer, I have much bigger freedom of expressing myself, being a bad girl goes with the job well. If I were working in a bank, I would be just semi-open pole dancer in order to avoid prejudice from some customers.

Are you a “Discreet” pole dancer, or an “Open” pole dancer? Why/What are the positive and negatives to each?

I am a very open pole dancer. I post pictures and videos of my progress and I also hope that I encourage more women to dancing, to dare and to feel great about being sexy and to do sports in general. I am an open person anyway and have no shame or fear of performing. I love the stage and the attention and I love to create things. The negative side: there is always this one person who claims how slutty that is, who gives you the stamp of dumb girl who has nothing in her head, but I don't care at all. I am way beyond the point of trying to prove anything to anyone 🙂 The negative aspect of hidden or discreet pole dancer would be for me that I would not be able to share a big part of my life. I need that, so I rather take bad comments instead of hiding something that important to me.

Do you think pole dancing should be a family sport, or reserved for adults?

I would have absolutely no problem teaching my daughter pole dance, but in an absolutely non sexual way, until she would grow up. One can teach this wonderful dance art in a very gymnastic way, with less floor work, just tricks and spins. If I look at kids who perform latin dance, that is not far away, because the moves can be also very sexy. So I say, yes, it could be in a way a sport for family, but ONLY with some restrictions.

Do you think StudioVeena should be 18+? Why/why not?

I would say 18+ is fine. I believe that there is a big responsibility regarding health risk and also some kind of privacy between grown up women. I think that at 18, there may be assumed some kind of self discipline when it comes to following the program, not getting hurt, which I would not expect from people under 18.

 

 

I hope I could help!

[Lara von Mondberg]

No worries sweetie, it will get better 🙂 I have used the window cleaner before and it didn't work for me either. I guess it leaves some kind of film on the pole. Vodka for cleaning pole rocks 🙂

[Lara von Mondberg]

Hi dear! I always shower before practicing, so that I get rid of all my lotion. Then I clean my pole with Vodka, before training and between spins and tricks too, if necessary. I don't like to use grip so much, but if I still slip, I use either on e of my grips: Dry Hands or Liquid Grip, or I damp my hands with a bit of the vodka (any vodka, even a cheep one – alcohol cleans the pole perfectly). I always warm up, Veena says that warm body sticks better to the pole and it is true. I rub the pole a bit if it still feels cold. But I have had some days when I was slipping a bit more than on others, might be also something with the body chemistry and how much we sweat.  Sometimes I slip when my hands are too dry. That can also cause slipping. I believe there is some kind of grip, I think dew Point, that is designed for that. In general, I would say the longer I do pole dance, the easier it gets, since I am developing strength over the months.

Hope anything from the above would help you 🙂 Big hug 🙂

[Lara von Mondberg]

I post ocasionaly pole dance videos and I also have a youtube channel where I do tutorials. My parents don't get it, but my husband and my step son are very supportive.

My friends always knew I was a bit "different" so they support me too, and those who were not, they stopped being friends anyway at some point.

I am very proud that I can learn all this here and I just don't care what anyone thinks. Although it is easy for me to say, I work with my husband and I am a fashion designer, where leading a  crazy and unconventional life is being expected, or even more desirable 🙂

big hug for all of you, girls 🙂

 

[Lara von Mondberg]

same from here, Tara Karina, you inspired me and led me here, thank you so much for that! I wish you all the best and have fun training

[Lara von Mondberg]

Dear Studio Veena, Dear veena,

I am so happy for you, congratulations!

The Day I have found you was one of the best days in my life. Thank you so much for everything and I wish you all the best for a brilliant future.

You are my big inspiration. I dream of becoming a good pole dancer one day and maybe even a pole dance instructor and that all is because you encourage us, you inspire us and you teach us in the best way possible.

Thank you so much <3

Best wishes form Vienna, Austria

 

[Lara von Mondberg]

luvelee nailed it, that would be the perfect response 🙂 but honestly, I understand why it buggs you, but anyone who once poled, understands more and learns how to respect this wonderful sport and dance art. and if not, I have a wide profanity knowledge in my vocabulary 🙂 but the idea of offering people to at least try pole dance training once might be also a great solution.

my response would be: oh, that is so original. nobody has ever made this joke before. are you a comedian? because in that case I would totally understand you need a second job to fall back on 😀

 

[Lara von Mondberg]

I don't know Veena's pole, I have an X-Pole, only tension and I love it. My hubby also does not want any drilling in the floor and I am trolling around the pole any chance I get and it is stabel and fine. So If you can get the Veena's pole, I would take it, or even any brand of poles that are mounted only with tension.

I have right now the X-Pole Sport, will buy later X-Pole Expert, when I will be ready for spinning.

[Lara von Mondberg]

first: I would be totally upset about it, because here we all know what a hard work poledance is.

and second: that is so typical for people who do not really exercise. a friend of mine told me, her teacher said that pole dance is not a sport. well, I would love to see her working the pole, would probably end crying like a baby 🙂

sweetie, we know how hard the training is and even though I did not see the video, I am sure you can be incredibly proud of your progress and even though we never met, I am proud of you as my fellow pole dancer 🙂