polergirl
Forum Replies Created
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I got it quickly, but there are plenty of other moves that didn't come easily to me at all so I think it balances out, haha. Aysha is kinda like the shoulder mount in that it's easy to lose if you don't do it regularly. Your balance gets all wonky and it feels brand-new all over again, IME. So once you've got it, keep it, lol.
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Looking SO much more solid! Hips out, good triangle. Yay, that's awesome! One note in helping to make it even stronger–see how concave/arched your lower back is? You really want your lower back to be flat, with pelvis tucked (think of contracting your low abs to pull your pelvis toward your navel. You'll be astonished at how much of a difference that one small change will make in the stability of this move. It's hard and counterintuitive for pole dancers, because we spend every other waking moment sticking our butts out. 😉 Maybe it will help to think about how your hips need to be tucked for a jackknife, which uses a similar counterbalance.
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Definitely better. You're still arching your back–quite a bit to my eye. Tucking your pelvis under and flattening your back will help a lot as far as your balance. And Mary Ellen is right about keeping your hip further from the pole than your shoulders. I commented in the butterfly thread about having strong triangles, and aysha is 100% a move that requires triangles in order to feel secure.
I will say that I often do a EG aysha with my elbow straight across from my shoulder but that's to allow my torso and hips to angle wayyyyyyyy out for a more dramatic line.
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Jamilla's Art of Pole series is incredible. She breaks moves down ,gives conditioning advice, and shows transitions as well. If you get just one set it should be those.
Dont forget about Veena's lessons too–they're a GREAT resource, super well done, and you can stream them–no waiting for shipping or any of that. Yay!
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One thing about butterfly–if your shoulders are further away from the pole than your hips, butterfly is almost guaranteed to be wobbly and not secure. You need the triangle created by the bottom hand through your shoulder to your hip, then from hip to leg on pole. That will help balance the weight distribution of your butterfly and hopefully help those hands feel more secure. Good luck! Butterfly's a pretty move! 🙂
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I am definitely most stable in EG as opposed to others. It looked to me like you popped into it pretty quickly, and you weren't balanced or stable before you went into it. My recommendation is to caterpillar up and make sure your hips are set back from the pole. Then tilt your pelvis under–you do NOT want to do an aysha with an arched back (which it looked like you might have been doing) because it'll pull your equilibrium the wrong way. Last, unfurl your legs–they should be in exactly the right position if you've caterpillared up properly, and all you'll have to do is unfold them away from the pole. I have my students pull knees away first, while still maintaining a little grip + balance with ankles. Then, when they feel stable there, we start to loosen the ankles and unfold the legs into the V.
Your legs will help counterbalance you, which is why you want to keep the pelvis tucked and back straight rather than arched.
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Darlin', I was a HOT MESS when I first started poling. Couldn't hold myself up. Couldn't do a body roll to save my life. Could barely walk on the balls of my feet. It was weeks before I could even do a basic fireman spin. SEVERAL weeks. Now I can do pretty much anything I set my mind to, and I teach pole to students ranging from absolute beginners to advanced levels.
I promise it gets better. As others have suggested, try just putting on some music and dancing. Flick your hair. Wiggle those hips. Practice moving slowly (IMO, much more difficult than fast dancing). Toss in a spin if you feel like it. Keep trying to hold your body weight. You'll build strength in spite of yourself.
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I have smacked my shins (doing flip to sit) a time or two when I've flipped a little too quickly … never my bits.
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I use double cup, nothing else feels secure to me during the actual flip part. But other dancers say the opposite….so I think it's mostly what you're used to.
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Good tips indeed. Thanks Veena!!
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OK…. it seems like all the no feet versions are done by dancers with verrrrry bendy backs. Possible for not-so-flexible back, in heels? Maybe, I'll give it a go tomorrow and see what I come up with lol.
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Here's my question for all of you–can this be done in shoes? I very much prefer dancing in shoes and may have to write this one off if it's dependent on the foot grip. :-/
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I wrote this for UPA a while back…there may be some helpful things. If not, at least know that you're NOT alone, not at all! We all struggle with improving our dance, no matter our chosen style or how advanced (or not) we are!
http://unitedpoleartists.blogspot.com/2012/10/improving-fluidity.html
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This is a constsnt struggle for me too. I think one of the absolute best for inspiration is Rhiannan Nichole. Her arm and hand movements are always super deliberate but don't look staged at all. I find her style to be mesmerizing…… Particularly this set of vids
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When I'm dancing to a fast/high-energy song I tend to adopt a "tango" methodology for moves: quick-quick-slooooooow. That may not work with the music you're working with.
I agree with the others who love your flirtatious style. You have such a unique stage persona! So now you need to take your flirtatious Glitter-y-ness, and infuse a little drama and darkness into her. Totally doable, I know it it!
Think about it this way: you picked your music for a reason. It spoke to you, right? So…. let it keep speaking to you!
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Absolutely positively check out stripperweb.com
INVALUABLE information whether you're a dancer or are just like me and have a serious and possibly borderline unhealthy obsession with exotic dancing lol
Most of all, have fun and be yourself, they hired you for a reason!!! 🙂
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I second the AnneMarie Davies link…. AMD is hawt. Nothing but hawt. And she moves beautifully.
This one, I love.
http://youtu.be/lOWaNKKe3LwAnd this is beautiful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewy5bXTOzng&feature=share&list=UUCTfiSBWqTYVUy7FPdKSTXgMy long-time obssession as far as flow and choreography go would be Rhiannan Nichole. Love her.
http://youtu.be/53gOMTAJon0And this video is full of so much flow win it's incredible
http://youtu.be/VsWTDGyqCAE -
Think about the muscles you use when you cough or sneeze. Engage those and then pull in and up with your diaphragm to pull the navel back toward the spine.
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A note from experience about keeping your tailbone protected: clench your butt cheeks together for all you're worth. Really. CLENCH THEM. If you're doing it right, your inside lower glutes will provide a nice little tripod for the pole to rest in, and your tailbone will be protected. Lots of pole moves don't feel so great, but there's no sense making them more painful than they need to be lol.
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I've found with people first learning the CKR, that it's much MUCH less painful for them if they pike their bodies and get the legs basically in the position they'll remain in, then ease the upper body back. It's the twisting of the skin that kills, and if your legs are already where they need to be and your grip is locked in, there won't be nearly as much twisting.
Good luck! It's such a beautiful move. 🙂
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I side climb both ways mentioned (my most recent vid has the both-legs-at-once side climb in it, about halfway-ish through), and prefer the one where both legs come up at once. As chemgoddess and amy said, you need to be able to do a side hold PLUS keep your body away from the pole so your legs have freedom of movement. And ditto on the strong kneepit grip, you need for that to be secure in order to have the pushing power with that leg. A one-legged side climb (using only bottom foot to push) would be a true toughie. 😉
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Got money tucked . . . somewhere . . . while dancing on a pole (and not in a strip club lol)
Wore booty shorts under a skirt when going out because you knew you'd be upside down at some point.
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$555
High or low, it sounds like we’ve all enjoyed our lives! 🙂 -
So many good tips here! I recently taught an hour-long class that was exclusively pirouettes. They're not easy to do effortlessly!
Be aware of where your center of gravity is at all times. It should flow down through the ball of your foot as you turn and you should maintain that center through the entire pirouette.
And ditto what other posters have said. 🙂
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Ditto everything chemgoddess said. Caterpillar is HARD. If you don't have lots of hamstring strength, a SERIOUS calf/shin grip (no thigh at all) in crucifix, and good upper body strength it's not only going to be frustrating, but it will also be dangerous.
Keep bustin' on your inverted crucifix until it's rock solid, then practice pushing your body out with both arms. If that's easy (ie you have the upper body strength), work on pushing out while you pull up with your hamstrings and butt. Then you'll have the basis of the caterpillar.
