[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

You are welcome girls. I always love to chat! 🙂 This will be much better though; an interview with Bobbi herself! Check it out:  http://chwennyland.com/2012/05/08/the-bobbi-interview-part-1-all-about-the-pole/

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

I forgot to add: WHen they teach, they teach in combos. SO they will teach you several dance moves/tricks all in one flow… So after repeating the 8 second/16second combo over and over, fluidity just comes nturally. Nothing is static, its all one piece…. no starting and stopping kind of thing…. I think that makes a huge difference. Join a few moves together, then work on them as a whole. Much smoother effect.

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Oh gosh, thank you so much girls for the compliment. 🙂 Yes Bobbi's is a fantastic studio to train at… I trained there for my first two years of pole, it got me hooked! And these days I pop in occasionally for casual classes, because I just cant stay away! So I definitely have a lot to thank them for. Well Bobbi's is a studio that really pushes the dance factor. Every 8 weeks they teach you tricks and dance choreography, so you are not only learning techniques, but also a routine that you can rock out to… I think that is what makes it so fun. They like to push boundaries and get a bit naughty, so the routines usually have plenty of head rolls, body rolls, booty bouncing and floorwork. 

As far as technique goes…. They are HUGELY obsessed with poining toes (understandably so! Its now one of my pet hates – flexed feet *shivers* lol). They teach you that sexy strut walk by telling you to drag your toes along the ground, and don't lift your feet too high, no stomping!. They like dynamic dances – always use multi-levels (floor and up) and work to the music… if it slows, you slow, if it speeds up, then climbs, inverts, tricks would probably ensue. They are very musically diverse…. one term you may learn a rocknroll routine (I remember doing 'Welcome to the Jungle' Guns n Roses) and the next may be something slower. But definitely a lot of sexy rock n roll. (We also did Free your mind by Envogue – Oldschool – loved it! 🙂

 

Look, I wish there was some magic powder they could sell commercially for all you lovely ladies overseas. haha. But I think watching your fave dancers, mimicking their moves and adopting their techniques will help you become more fluid. ALso, repetition, practice, and confidence… these make a huge difference to your style….  

 

At Bobbi's as you get to more advanced classes, they allows students to improvise the choreography a bit…. At the end of the song we freestyle and just bust out. Its so much fun and I think its a great way to get us all to start interpreting the music and expressing. I noticed Tracee at Body n Pole is about to start classess that work on finding your freestyle…. I think its a great idea. I mean, I would be more than happy to share qualities of dance/style/fluidity that Bobbi or her instructors might have, but ultimately I think we have to find our own unique style, so that we stand out. And so that we are true to ourselves. But yes, certain little techniques can definitely improve fluidity – I hope this helped!!!! 🙂 xoxoxo

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Hiya, I've found yoga and pilates to be fantastic for both increasing back flexibility and core strength (which should go always go together). There are some fantastic youtube videos on yoga poses that involve back bends etc. In my opinion these are very professional and legitimate instructional guides (unlike some versions out there). Have a look: http://www.youtube.com/user/KinoYoga and  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8nBBoUQHbc

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Hmm I think a dancer can have 'Stage Presence' in several different ways. If the dancer with stage presence is doing a live performance then their nteraction with the audience can show confidence and personality. It can get the viewers involved and keep their interest. This type of performance is about "entertainment" and high-voltage energy. If anyone has seen Cleo the Hurricane or Chilli Rox live or on you tube, u know what I'm talking about. Think vivacious and dynamic.

Another type of stage presence is when the dancer somehow evokes emotions in viewer. They may be totally consumed in their dance and oblivious to viewer, but perhaps because they are so passionate about movement and in tune with their body, it makes the viewer feel what they're feeling… I think Natasha Wang and Alethea Austin have this kind of presence – their dancing is moving, sensual, poetic, lyrical.

I think stage presence is created both mentally and physically. I believe it's like a theatrical version of 'charisma'. So yes some people are born with certain personalities or genetics that make them naturally charismatic…. like confidence and emotional sensitivity, or coordination and fluidity. However I think these qualities can also be studied and learned. We can focus our minds on being positive and confident and expressive, and we can train our muscles to respond smoother, for our reflexes to better captivate and intrigue the viewer.

Stage presence can be almost seductive… It captures our attention and makes us feel attracted towards the person, to the point where we envy them.

Hope this makes sense…. 😛  

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Thanks! I see America is more organised than most other countries…. 😛 It's a good start anyway! 🙂

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Thank goodness someone was brave enough to introduce this topic! I have to say sometimes pole farts aka "fanny farts" are more embarressing than bottom farts, even though bottom farts actually inconvenience people by smelling! The annoying little sound that likes to surprise in the most awkward sistuations had occurred to me a few times…. First, while having sex, second, during yoga and pilates, and now while pole training. I tend to know which moves will result in air being trapped/released etc, so if Im poling with someone and theres no music on, I'll avoid doing those moves (handstands are the worst!). Its just a nuisance worrying about it, but at least if we talk about it and admit that many people share this, then it will take some of the dread and embarressment away. It would be so great if we could just shrug our shoulders and laugh about it whenever it happens among other polers in future. In the meantime, I try to remember to do my kegel Pelvic Floor exercises…  which unfortunately is only like once a month! haha

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Jimi Hendrix – Foxey Lady

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

I touch myself – Divinyls

Money cant buy it – Annie Lennox

Addicted to love – Robet Palmer

Push it – Salt n Pepper

Black velvet – Alannah Myles

 

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Yep Cleo rocks. Anastasia is so bendy she's amazing. I also love the Milan Pole Studio instructors… Marion Crampe is super bendy too. ANother great Australian pole dancer is Fontaine Bradbury. And just recently I've dicovered (youtube) The Vertitude Pole Studio has some talented instructors too – Sergia and Katherine are my faves.

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Empyrean – Thanks for your info, I had thought as much re: the difficulty of financially succeeding as a pole studio owner. I would love to open my onw, there is a demand and absolute no competition for about 400kilometers radius of where I live, but the initial output of money is terrifying. As you said, there are alot of expenses, and it must take time to build a strong client base and find great instructors. 

Charley – Gosh, I am so glad you shared the downsides of being a pole instructor… because now I know to be wary of being taken advantage of and leaving myself vulnerable. 

Both of you mentioned rights of the instructor to their programs/routines/performances etc. I think it's great that we can individualise and recognise the creators. Just because you are working for a studio or franchise shouldn't mean that everything your do/say/invent should automatically become their property. 

Charley I think I know what you mean about the difference between being an instructor and a performer. One is more service based I guess, requiring patience and the communicatio of information, the other is more about art and expression. But i guess both call on your creativity and pole skill. 

Hmmm lots to think about…. I think I would only want to be an instructor in a studio that really inspires and supports me. Since there are so many different studios out there with different styles/values/goals etc I am sure only some would appeal to each individual. I hope we all find what we are looking for and soon! 🙂

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Thanks CHarley for giving us a great insight into how managers of a pole studio judge potential teachers…. and I love that you are open to people from non-studio backgrounds as well "We also highly encourage exotic dancers to apply with us. There is an authenticity to the way an exotic dancer moves that many people really want to learn." I am interested in becoming an instructor, I am genuinely obsessed with pole and a huge people person so I think I would love it. However I need to be practical and check whether it's something that would keep me afloat financially, or would I need another source of income on the side…. I guess each studio and each country would offer different pay, but could give you me a ball-park figure for what the average pole instructor earns? Do most instructors have to keep their day job or have some other income on the side to suplement their pay? And how do instructors cope with the instense physical exertion when working for several hours a day, 5 or more days a week…? I imagine you would get incredibly fit fast, but do you recommend instructors to only do a certain amount of shifts/classes per week to not burn out…? If anyone else teaches or owns a studio, your feedback and insight would be greatly appreciated! 🙂

 

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

* You spend 90% of your time on the internet watching pole dancing videos on youtube.

* You have almost as many "friends" on facebook who you've never met before but simply share your love of pole as you do actual friends.

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

“you get ceiling height envy” So true. Every building I walk into, friends rooms, every house on TV I see, I automatically check if it has enough height for a pole. haha

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Congtratulations Tarah! Woohoo wow good on you for starting teaching! Your studio looks beautiful, and I'm no expert on websites either, but I like the look if it so far. Good luck with everything! 🙂

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

I completely agree Beaniegoesnuts. I think if your on static and you can pull power tricks then who needs a spin? But I'm hald trickster, half dancer, and the dancer in me loves the artistic, pretty, fluid movements of spinning on a spinny pole. *Sigh*

No it's not pole dancy, it's Bobbi's amateur pole comp, held on Thursday night at Pure Platinum in Sydney CBD. Im starting to get nervous – especially since i still havnt chosen a song! Yikes! 🙂

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Thanks girls for all your advice. I know some dancers can get some serious momentum on a static pole, and actually make it look like it's spinning, but I havn't been on one for over a year, so Im just really nervous and unfamiliar. Sassafrassle, great point, I was thinking about how I'm gunna make sure I position myself so when I pull a trick the audience sees the right angle…. ugh its just hard cause I wont be able to practice on a static pole until the actual night. Oh well, thanks for the help everyone, ill be crossing my fingers! 🙂 xo

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

http://www.youtube.com/user/LolaOceanessGrace/videos

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Or any links to instructional vids on drops? I'm dying to get the hang of them – I've tried at home but I cant slide when I want to! So tricky! 

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Haha PopwerTwirl I have the opposite problem! I've always been a bit of a natural when it comes to dancing, but never had any formal training (other than pole) so freestyling is easy for me but learning routines takes me  FOREVER. I get really anxious about remembering the next step fast enough to do it on time…. I am definitely more of a dancer than a trickster, and more of a freestyle child than a choro girl. I guess there are pros and cons to both…

Lots of sound advice already here – drill transition/dance moves until they feel natural, and practice them in a combo so that you can easily move in and out of them. Finding music that just makes you want to move really helps too. Sometimes thats fast-paced rocknroll, sometimes emotive, instrumental, slow tempo pieces. Personally, I think that dancing to a slower song makes me a better dancer, because it gives me the time to be really precise with my movement, to extend my lines and emphasise flow and fluidity…. I know transitions like climbing or walking/spinning can seem dull, but if you tweak them just a little by adding a unique hand gesture or a bent leg for example, you can make them artistic and beautiful in their own right. 

My problem is that I get so comfortable with my spinny/clim combos that I really need to force myself to alter them and change something just to stop from getting too predictable! 😛

 

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

@FuzzyNavel thanks for the tip – I must have missed that lesson. On it. 🙂 Not a bad idea to make some videos on advanced tricks for eahcother… but Veena has covered a lot of them already… the only thing I could probably help with is flexy back stuff, like handstand bacnbends or upside-down, twisty backbvend things (sorry not sure what to call them)…. im sure others have more to offer though. 🙂 xo

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Ah yes, I know all about long distances – Australia is so far away from EVERYTHING! haha lol I guess its having the mula and the time… but it would be so good to just pole jam and train intensely with heaps of fellow enthusiasts and inspiring instructors, all while being in holiday mode! 🙂 Oh right, I forgot there was an events section on here… ill have to remember to check it out regularly.

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Could I add to Shelectra's wish list of pole moves? Just to share ideas Veena, I understand if you select only some or take a while to get through them all. 

I'd like to learn:

– Drops

– One-handed flying spin (not sure what its called sorry) Oona Kivela does it so well.

– The handstand V into right-leg spin that Alethea does at 1:45 here:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG9cQZvpkvY

– Elbow-grip Aysha backbend

there are heaps more but i cant think of them right now. Great topic though! 🙂

 

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

I own a 38mm brass spinny pole (thats what I use in all my vids) and I love it. But its all ive ever known – I trained at Bobbis Pole Studio in Sydney and all their poles are 38mm. In fact I think most Austrlian Pole Comps (Like Miss Pole Dance Australia) use38mm – so they're very popular over here. Brass is graet for grip, it doesnt rust – but it is expensive. Theoretically, it should be easier for us to grip a pole with our hands thats smaller, but im not sure about leg holds… But when Alethea Austin was in Oz recently she said 38mm brass spinny is now her favourite kind of pole…. and I assume she has tried most… so there u go. Hope that helps. 

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Glad you decided against the concrete, for one, it;s a really toxic substance that is so un-environmentally friendly, and two, OUCH! I'm sure lino will be nice, and you can choose a certain colour/style/pattern that will suit the rest of your house or give your pole room a great look. I've found some fantastic HUGE mirrors from 2nd hand shops. They may be a tiny bit rusted or scratched but they r so cheap and easy to buy. Not sure how you would go abotu hanging them though…. I just lean mine against the wall but I guess your puppy dogs wont like that. ANyway, goodluck with it all! 🙂