The Show Must Go On!

These past two weeks, I've had more chances to perform on the pole in front of a crowd that is not just my close friends. Needless to say, I love it!!!

My very first independent performance was last Friday, at my studio, and it went super well. Then, a week later, my studio had a fundraiser at a club, where I did my best, but had some limitations regarding the height and quality of the pole that caused me a little bit of trouble. Here is what I've taken away from these past couple of weeks of performing and preparation:

• Getting through a routine from beginning until the end is hard core cardio; make sure you start preparing well in advance to get used to dancing for 3-6 minutes.
• Only do moves in a performance with which you are 100% comfortable.
• Put harder moves at the beginning, easier at the end. Anything that is hard to do sweaty should come to the beginning of the routine.
• Incorporate "breaks" into your routine to give your hands time to dry sweat, and to avoid getting out of breath by the end.
• Hold your moves for at least 3 seconds (count to yourself: one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three)  for the audience to register the beauty of the acrobatics and the human body.
• Point your toes and keep your knees straight.
• Don't rush getting from move to move; make everything graceful by enjoying the process of the transitions. I watched a lot of Jenyne Butterfly videos to get inspiration for this. 
• Film yourself multiple times before your performance to work out details. Unless of course you have a coach, who should be able to drill you into perfection.
• Pick music that is slower, almost zen. Acrobatics require concentration and being able to feel your body and balance, which is hard to do with crazy music.
• Have "bail out plans". Know where you may fall or slip, and be ready to put in alternative moves, or come out of a mistake with grace.
• Be proud of your own style and body type, and play off what comes naturally; everyone communicates via dance differently, and not everyone's bodies are flattering at all angles.

So that has been my learning experience the past month or so...

The one thing that I am absolutely appalled about is how degenerate the facilities for pole dancers are allowed to be. I heard someone say on the weekend "it's OK, we are performers, we will deal with it". That, to some extent is true, performers have to put up with unexpected aspects consistently. However, the sport of pole has got to get its act together and give more respect to the acrobatic athletes that are working so hard to show their best. 

• It is unacceptable to have low poles (10 feet and lower), as athletes need more vertical distance to show amazing moves and transitions. Touching ceilings/light fixtures/etc can throw athletes off balance and cause serious injury.
• It is unacceptable to have hazards on the stage that get directly in the way of performing. 
• It is unacceptable to have facilities that are too hot. It is plain dangerous for athletes to start sweating and risking slipping and falling. 
• The floors need to be clean and free from things that can cut bare feet/hands/knees etc. I spent a good 45 minutes sweeping broken glass off the stage area on the weekend, as the event was held at a bar where many a drunken customer has broken glasses over the years.
• Enough with the smoke machines, they make everything slippery!
• There needs to be a secure changing and warm up area where athletes can store their belongings.
• SAY NO TO THE X-POLE! Those things are crappy slippery chrome coated atrocities of a pole. Their "TG" version, which is supposed to be closer to brass, is just as bad as chrome. The minute you sweat, the surface turns to ice. Brass poles react with water to become more sticky, so they feel more secure. I am aware that brass is more expensive, and there are difficulties in procuring the 1.75" diameter poles, as that is not a standard pole diameter in the brass industry, however, don't these "difficulties" sound trivial when you compare them to the danger of falling?

 The above are straight forward and sensible requests, by far not any list of a pole-diva. I come from a background of professional track-and-field training and competition, where the athlete is pretty much treated like a god. Shade, ice, heat, water, track quality, equipment, shoes, starters, timers, coaches, etc etc etc are all attended to and everyone works hard to make the athlete as comfortable as possible so he can perform at his best. Why do polers allow themselves to be treated so carelessly? Why do the organizers brush off their athletes' needs? The loose "standards" of bars and strip clubs have nothing to do with the strict demands of a serious athlete.

Are You Going to Go See Magic Mike This Weekend?

This lovely monstrosity right here, will you be partaking in spending your (or someone else's) hard earned cash to go see yet another canned plot with cliche characters? Oh, the abs, the buns! Please...

Call me a feminatzi, but I felt slightly uncomfortable at the fact that WB approached our pole studio with free passes to the premier. Stripping =/ Pole, and vice versa, so how is it that this happened? How does this continue to happen, even after all the hearfelt affirmations of pole athletes and pole studio owners across the globe, swearing that Pole is an art form, a sport.

This happens because sex sells, and we simply can't fathom the self respect, nor the sacrifice to our bottom lines, to break this unhealthy, degrading habit.

Perhaps I'm being too sensitive. Afterall, the target audience for this movie are two major groups: sniveling boys that are lost in their fantasy worlds created out of years of online porn, and simplistic sitcoms; as well as overexcited incubator women who grew up on "Sex and the City", and Cosmopolitan Magazine. It's all in good fun, right?

Panem et circenses.

It's All in The Wrists

I've recently been making a lot of progress on the pole. Moves that I used to find almost impossible, now come with ease. My stamina has improved immensely, and I'm bravely experimenting with variations and combos. It's as if some sort of threshold has been crossed by my body.

I owe this immense improvement to two things: the three week vacation that I went on in May, which consisted of nothing more than yoga, swimming, and relaxing on the beach; and the improvement of my grip. I suspect that one came with the other, as I was having a lot of wrist problems before I went away, with signs of fatigue and overworking.

Slippery hands is a common complaint of the students at the studio, and although sweat and nervousness contributes to some of that, a weak grip is the main culprit. With a stronger grip, you can overcome sweat to a better degree, and you feel more confident to pull off more complex tricks, as you can better rely on your hands.

True, your wrists will strengthen over time, as your hands get used to hauling your body up and down 11-12 feet into the air; but if you wish for the process to speed up, I will share with you the routine I have made for myself.

Supplies:

• 1 Extra Strong resistance Thera Band Tube
• 1 Medium resistance Thera Band Tube
• 2 Extra Strong Resistance Thera Band Rubber Balls

The tubing should be available in select pharmacies - I've searched a couple, and only found one in my city. If you can't find any at a pharmacy, see if a physio therapist office will agree to sell you some tubing. I went with Thera Brand, but it really matters not what brand it is: tubing is tubing. As for the rubber balls, any fairly non-squishy rubber balls should work. I used to have two stress balls that I bought from a dollar store, however, they fell apart on me pretty quickly and I opted for the more durable Thera Brand balls. 

Alright, enough about balls; onto the routine.

Wrist Exercises with Tubing

I did the above exercises, starting at one set of twenty for each, then moving up to two sets, and eventually will be up to three. Exercises 1 and 3 are done with a doubled medium resistance band looped over the elbow, and the rest with the extra resistance band looped through the bottom handle of a filing cabinet. Don't be fooled by the dorky guy in the polo shirt and tube socks, if done properly and with the right resistance bands, these are tough!

Wrist Exercises with Rubber Balls

In order of right to left, starting from the topmost left corner:

1. Sets of ten 10 second holds with 5 seconds rest in between
2. Skip
3. Set of 20 short squeezes
4. Skip (This one frustrates the hell out of me!)
5. Skip
6. Set of 20 short pushes
7. Set of 20 gradual pushes, make sure to not cheat with the shoulders
8. I would just do this one ad hoc, while lost in thought...
9. Set of 20 short squeezes
10. Set of 20 short squeezes
11. Set of 20 short squeezes
12. Sets of ten 10 second holds with 5 seconds rest in between

I found this plenty, as my hand would start getting fatigued. Once you feel it is too easy, repeat the routine twice/thrice over. 

I know that similar exercises can be done at the gym with free-weights, push ups, and pull ups. I am no fan of the gym, so I opt for the office friendly version - to do on my breaks at work.

I would like to add a disclaimer that I am not a trained physiotherapist, nor am I a personal trainer. This is just what has worked for me, even as rehab from my numerous wrist injuries. Please listen to your body when you are doing this and augment the routine as needed.

Finally, it is worthy to note that I wear wrist guards every time I'm on the pole, as I have a tendency to overwork/get too excited and hurt myself. I have a steel reinforced one on my left, and a pretty sturdy injury prevention guard on my right. I recommend this precaution to even the strongest athletes, as without your wrists, you can't pole, period. 

In the words of a famous character out of a Soviet movie: "Береги руку, Сеня!"

Float Like a Butterfly

Last night, I had the chance to attend Jenyne Butterfly's workshop for tricks and transitions, and it was a great opportunity to experience superb teaching techniques, as well as learn creative moves and combos.

Jenyne is the performer in the now viral video "The Best Pole Dance Ever". She is extremely flexible and very strong, and you can really feel her emanating passion for pole dancing.  She is sympathetic to her students, and appreciates the hard work everyone is putting in.


Some major points that she made in the workshop were conserving energy when performing, and doing everything right from the start. I was hit hard by the first point during my attempts to put together routines for performances; you need a lot of stamina to do combo after combo. Up until last night, I was so convinced that the pain and suffering that comes with the beauty that is pole is inevitable, but it makes complete sense that it doesn't have to be.  The only thing is, it's a little difficult to figure out the most efficient variation of a move on your own, especially when you are a newbie, and having a talented teacher would be of great help. As we know, pole is not a sport known for its standards, and the amount of variations for even the basic moves are immense out there, not all of them of course being the most efficient types.

As far as doing everything right from the start goes, I believe that is part discipline, but also, once again, a large part having the right teacher. Being a dedicated athlete takes a lot of work, but there is only so much one can do. The hard work needs to be done right to bring maximum returns, and it is the teacher's job to know what is right. With a knowledgeable mentor, that dedication and determination can be channeled into being exceptional. Doing conditioning and reps on the pole is hard work, but only perfect practice makes perfect.

There are bad teachers in all fields, from engineering to piano, from accounting to basket weaving, and pole is of course no different. In fact, my guess is that it is more probable to stumble upon someone unqualified (not uncertified, mind you) in the pole industry, as once again, it is a new sport that lacks the strict and entrenched standards of, for example, ballroom or ballet. From my experience, the below are some things that pole studio owners do that not only do nothing to improve the sport, but can even demote the sport.

• Putting too much emphasis on the business: from my experience with track, piano, art, and dance teachers, teaching won't exactly get you on the cover of Forbes magazine. Lots of studios purposefully create programs that take their students slower through their paces than necessary. Many studios put no effort into getting involved with the pole community to upkeep with standards and recent developments. Some don't provide their students with qualified instructors, or the right equipment, but still charge an arm and a leg. Students are not completely ignorant; they can sense when they are being duped, or when their teachers are simply not putting in the effort. I understand we all need to earn our livelihood, but cultivating the incredibility of the sport is not a long term business model. 
• Giving yourself too much credit: just because you are a successful athlete on the pole, does not automatically qualify you to teach the sport. Breaking down the moves for students can become confusing if they are overanalyzed, and can appear impossible if they are not explained correctly. Furthermore, many pole performers are eager to perform, but in teaching, the focus should be on the student, giving them the chance and support to try moves and perform themselves.
• Not giving your students enough credit: students are not as incompetent as some teachers assume. Combined with encouragement, better progress can be achieved through challenge. Baby sitting grown ass women (and men) is completely inappropriate.
• Being afraid to critique: studios want students to come back, so they are afraid to say anything discouraging, but it doesn't do much good for the sport if people out there aren't even aware of basics such as pointing toes, or keeping the knees straight. It simply looks careless when the instructor squeaks an irritating "yaaaaaaaay", knowing full well the student is not there yet. Structured critique, combined with the right amount of encouragement, will take students farther.

Students can sense when something is simply not right. The only people that are fooled are the studios themselves. To be a great studio and teacher, you need to have passion for the sport and the people that are in it, from the shy beginner, to the egomaniacal competitor.

I really felt that Jenyne had stricken a great balance to eliminate the above points from her teaching, which made her decorum appear professional and knowledgeable. The sport needs more people like her to truly try and bring it to a respected level from the inside. At the end of the workshop, she mentioned how long it took her to get to where she is now - which is 11 years - and touched on the fact that one needs to be dedicated to see much results, but also be patient. Don't dunk yourself into moves that are too advanced, or ones that run the risk of injuring you, and really take the time to enjoy the process of blossoming into a graceful pole athlete. I've been hearing the latter all my life, but  I think I only started believing it quiet recently.

Upcoming Competitions

The deadlines are fast approaching for applications to upcoming Pole Dancing Competitions for which Canadian citizens are eligible:

North American Pole Dance Competition: Applications due May 31, Competition August 24-26
This one is held in Chicago and has an "Elite" (read Semi-Pro/Pro) National division open for residents of USA, Canada, and Mexico. The States are teaming with awesome competitions from coast to coast, but they are all open to US residents only. The one ugly thing about this competition is a 20 second floor work requirement; this is pole dancing, people, hence a pole should be the only thing required!

Canadian Pole Fitness Association Championships: Applications start May 1, Competition August-October
This is the Big Kahuna! A series of competitions held all around Canada, that later converge in October to bring you the new and improved Miss Pole Dance Canada, this year held in Toronto. The winner of this one get to go to World's. You can apply to multiple divisions, but only in one region, so don't get too excited. More info and a more detailed schedule:

1. British Columbia – September 15th, 2012 Campbell River
2. Alberta – Date TBA
3. Saskatchewan – Online Only
4. Manitoba – Online Only
5. Ontario – September 29th, 2012 Ottawa
6. Quebec – August 19th, 2012 Montreal
7. New Brunswick – Online Only
8. Newfoundland/Labrador – Date TBA
9. Nova Scotia – Date TBA
10. Prince Edward Island – Online Only
11. Northwest Territories – Online Only
12. Nunavut – Online Only
13. Yukon – Online Only
14. Wild Card

And below are competitions for which applications are closed or which have already happened in the Glorious Nation of Canada:

National Capital Pole Fitness Competition: Applications November 2011, Event February 2012
This one is complete B.S. There is nothing national about it since it was ever only open to students of some dinky studio in Ottawa. The prizes: memberships at this studio. It's a recital at best, a not so clever marketing ploy at worst.


Toronto Pole Dance Fitness Showcase: Applications closed, Competition May 6
I saw a juicy little string on a PD forum where the organizers of this competition were going off on Tammy Morris, the organizer of Miss Pole Dance Canada, shouting how they can't set up a "Miss Pole Dance Canada" competition due to her having the rights to the name. Duh? So, this competition is the alternative to Miss Pole Dance Canada. I missed the application deadline for this one back in February/March due to exams and a healing wrist injury. Also, as far as I'm aware, they had to close the applications early due to being "full". Yes, I raise my eyebrow to that, sir.


So, it is evident Canada is lacking on the competition front. What I would like to see is the studios setting up recitals and performance evenings, if not publicly, then just for friends and family. Perhaps it's just a matter of time and organizing power, which can easily be solved if I can volunteer as the catalyst...

A War on Two Fronts

Pole dancers are in the midst of a ruthless battle with the conservative, simple folk, as well as in a civil war among themselves. We have already established that pole dancing and, what some may perceive as, shocking attire are here to stay, but as a sport that is trying to gain worldwide respect (through acceptance into The Olympics, for example), its advocates have to strike a fine balance between artistic expression, athletic appearance, and historical inevitabilities.

I'd vouch that 99.9% of pole dancing competitions out there do not allow stripperesque tendencies such as thongs or the taking off of clothes, but anything beyond that, and the standards waiver. The infamous stripper shoe - or as some at the studio say "the exotic ballet shoe" - is a definite culprit. The high platformed shoe is extremely comfortable and even has a purpose in most pole moves that either involves additional ankle grip, or ability to slide easier. Artistic expression does not necessarily deem it as inappropriate, but it's ties with the seedy bars of the world most definitely don't do the sport of pole any favours as far as prestige is concerned. Most elite competitions don't allow such shoes, and elite pole athletes wouldn't dream of wearing heels for performance, as pole moves that involve foot grips become impossible, yet many competitions out there still have no restrictions towards it, and many polers take full advantage.

Then, there is the "costumes" themselves. When you are trying to maximize your skin to pole ratio, wearable attire becomes limited, and the results would make the crazies over in Kansas and Arizona plaster burkas on the poor polers. As liberals and advocates for freedom of the female form, we'd all just have a nice laugh and pull off a super-woman, into shoulder mount, into elbow hold Iron X combo, but as world stage performers, we have to think carefully. I consistently see competitions post stripperesque photographs of their competitors, or competitors wearing cheap 99 cent performance gear to the stage. Not that that is not OK, we all enjoy a bit of fantasy, but we have to laugh at our own hypocritical displays that only hinder our abilities to be taken seriously. As I said before, there is a fine balance between artistic expression and athletic exhibitionism, and many polers today lack the support and imagination to strike it. Ladies, coming up with a minimalistic costume that is both expressive and functional is not as easy as you think. If it took you a click to E-bay and 30 seconds to fill out the PayPal security form, you are probably on the wrong track.

The root of the problem lays in the lack of standards for the sport, which makes sense as, not only are female sports a fairly recent addition to the world, but this particular, practically all-female sport, is even more recent. Is poling acrobatics? Is it dancing? Is it gymnastics? It is such a versatile forum that ballroom, ballet, and jazz, combined with circus acts and pure gymnastic strength can all be found in one routine. Tango dancers are sexy and fierce, yet they are not persecuted for their tiny flirty skirts, sequins, and heels. Ballet dancers can appear to wear next to nothing, yet they are not associated with seedy downtown bars. Gymnasts are hard working individuals who give up their life for the bar or the ribbon from toddler age, yet most pole studios don't allow patrons younger than the age of 18. And then there is the can of worms that is the history of pole dancing; we don't just ignore years and years of the foundation that has given birth to this wonderful sport!

It's hard to send a clear message to the world, when the sender still hasn't come up with the code. One thing is for certain though, we all have to do our part in opening our mind and overcoming prejudices.

Get Skimpy!

Pole dancers are not ho's or nudists, we simply require as much skin as possible to be exposed in order to stick to the pole and pull off amazing acrobatics.

In the studios, the progress of the student is inversely proportional to how much clothing they wear. I currently don brief type shorts, and a sports bra with thin straps. The shorts allow me to pull off moves such as "The Apprentice" and "The Superman" without sliding, and the skinny straps allow for maximum skin contact for shoulder mounts. I even had one girl once tell me "this move is easiest in a thong, because then you can use your butt to stick to the pole". The move: a sideways split on the pole.

And believe you me, I would rather have some protection while I'm up there. Bruises and pole burn are not pleasant in feel and appearance. There are certain products that are designed for protection on the pole. Mighty Grip is a well known vendor/maker of gloves, ankle, wrist, knee, elbow, arm, thigh protection, etc. Basically, these products involve taking sport materials such as knee wraps and wrist supports, and sewing strips of vinyl or synthetic leather on them to prevent the material from sliding. But the forces that are involved on the pole are so great, that none of these products last for longer than 3-4 weeks of regular use. The entire concept is such an outrageous scam! It would be more economical and convenient if the tack strips could be easily replaced when they wear out. Plus, their so called "tack" strips are not optimized at all. The leathery material slides even more than sweaty skin, and the vinyl material is so grippy that there is no give at all, which makes flow difficult to achieve. Some people swear by Mighty Grip gloves and other accessories, but I have met much more who don't have much good to say.

The more I think about pole wear, the more I want to be involved in creating some... One thing is for certain, until someone invents a fabric that behaves like human skin, polers around the world have no other choice but to be indecent.