I’ll tell you a little something about me. I sew when I’m really stressed out. I’ve been dealing with stress this way since I was 18 and knew my way around a sewing machine. Whenever I was dealing with something particularly difficult, especially if there wasn’t nothing I could do about it except just be […]
We have an enormous collection of vintage children’s books. Some of them are worth keeping but others aren’t very interesting. I’m not sure where this one falls. I’m tickled by the title, though. Manners can be fun? More like Manners might save your life, from your mother. This book was already falling apart so I […]
99 Life Hacks to make your life easier! I had to reblog this so I won’t forget these great tips. I love how all the solutions are made from up-cycled items.
From the first moment I laid eyes on Alexander McQueen’s magnificent butterfly hat, I knew I had to make one. This past Halloween was the perfect opportunity. I can’t believe it has taken me so long to getting around to blogging about it. This is actually the second version of this hat. I laugh at […]
Today my first batch of eBay items “matured”. It wasn’t a bad haul, I sold 17 out of 27 items and made about $300. I learned a few things about what my threshold of effort is. For now, if I don’t make $10 (after shipping) it’s not worth the effort. Good to know. I had […]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo230BxOmNs&feature=youtu.be
In pole dancing there are two kinds of poles: static and spinning. When people first consider taking up pole there is an assumption that spinning poles are easier than static poles because the pole does all the work, right?
Wrong.
I have been pole dancing for about eight months now, which doesn’t seem like a long time, but I am in the studio from 3-5 times a week so I’m pretty into it. Just recently Boulder Spirals offered a workshop in spin pole technique with Shawneen, or Sarcee, or make eye contact and start talking. I love her. I love baiting her on Facebook the day of the class to see if I can get her mad at me so she makes me do something evil.
Up until recently she’s been easing us into the spin pole with pencil spins and spinning firemen, maybe because she doesn’t want to scare us off, or perhaps because she doesn’t feel like cleaning up the mess. But last night the gloves came off. Perhaps it was because I was bagging on Bel Biv Devoe or perhaps because after four weeks we were ready. We jumped right into inversions with a basic bat, which is an inverted crucifix on spin mode. I’m pretty comfortable with inversions now but I have to say that doing it on a spin pole adds a whole new level of fear.
First of all, you can’t just hang out and figure out what you are doing. You are spinning around pretty fast so you better know what the hell you’re doing.
Second, you might not seem like you are moving very fast to an observer, but when you are on the pole, it feels like you are going 100 miles per hour.
Thirdly, you’ve got all kinds of forces pulling you out and pushing you in that you don’t experience on the static pole. Furthermore, your speed changes dramatically based on how close your body is to the pole. You might move into a position to stop only to suddenly accelerate out of control.
And finally, you need to manage what you eat and when you eat it. You know that gal at the pizza joint nibbling the carrot sticks and sipping water while everyone else is horking down wings and beer? It ain’t because I’m on a diet, I just don’t want it coming up later.
Enjoy a few clips from last night!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bin6BR1XjoI
So it’s been a really long time since I’ve updated my blog and all I’ve got is old news. But not to my blog.
I performed at the SteamPunk Circus event a couple weeks ago with my fellow poler Stacey. Since we are both hopelessly not with it, we had to Google steampunk images to come up with outfits. I’m pretty handy with a sewing machine so I got busy after a trip to the fabric store and then the hardware store. I came up with a faux leather harness which was a total gas to make and pretty easy to pole in.
I’ve gotten to the point with my pole dancing that I can show up to an event and freestyle, which takes a lot of stress out of performing. Before now, I wouldn’t consider performing without choreographing the entire thing. No doubt it would have looked better had I choreographed and practiced it, but I probably would not have committed to the show because that takes a lot of time.
Stacey and I are working on a duet and we debuted some of our doubles moves, which you will see in the video clip.
I still have so many ways in which I can improve but this is honestly the first video I’ve seen of myself where I haven’t cringed the whole way through. I still hate that funny thing I do with my free hand and I need to s-l-o-w down just about everything, but I’m actually kind of pleased.
Boulder Spirals Progressive Series: Level 1 & 2 Sunday, February 26, 2012 Pole dancing, or Pole Fitness, has been on my mind since a friend raved about the amazing transformations she saw, in physique, self-esteem and confidence, from an S-Factor Class she observed in L.A. I’m athletic and while I’m happy with my looks, I’m […]
