What have I learned in two years of pole dancing?

This week marks the second anniversary of Rita and I joining Twirly Girls.  We had our Taster class somewhere around my sister's birthday (December 2nd) in 2009 -- shoot, maybe even ON her birthday.  I was looking at old videos, trying to find some handstand examples for the Pole Dancers United group, and ended up watching pieces of some of my videos (I rarely actually sit and watch myself perform on video...I just fast forward to certain moves I want to see and that's it).  So funny how things change.  I mean, if you think about it, I haven't advanced very far in two years.  I still don't invert or climb (very well anyway).  However, I have focused a lot on power moves like my handstands, and I am on my way to climbing and inverting.  My dance has smoothed out a bit too.  I have realized I dance better barefoot.  I'm terrible in heels and it shows when I'm jerky while trying to walk around the pole.

Anyway, just for fun...here are some videos from the last two years.

My first public performance was six months into pole dancing (I did this dance first in March 2010 for my "new-birthday" party and then again in April for the first Lovely Rita fundraiser):



Here's the performance in April where I realized I liked being barefoot better:



My performance at the next Lovely Rita fundraiser in April 2011 (liked the hot shoes but had to get rid of them):



And my most recent public performance in October 2011 at Twirly Girls' Trick or Twirl Halloween showcase (almost two years into my adventures with pole dancing):



Of course, all I see is a girl who gained 25 pounds in that time frame.  I loved Natasha Wang's recent blog about body image and plan to respond to it soon, but it is ingrained in my sick brain to not like what I see in the mirror.  It's sad.  I'd love to hear feedback about what you see in these videos.  :-)