I started 2012 by becoming a teacher. Bel told me at Christmas last year that she envisioned me teaching. It had never occurred to me! But I welcomed the challenge. I worried that I wouldn't be a good teacher since I don't invert. I worried that my students would advance beyond my skill level and I would be wasting their time. But I feel like the last year has gone really well. Sure, I do have students who are more advanced in the tricks and strength department, but I still feel like my class has something to offer. My class is called Boys, Girls and Twirls. We have men and women in class, and we focus on dancing and laughing. I feel like I have a great group and am really proud to be their instructor. I also feel like I have become a better and smoother dancer. I taught seven first-time classes over a weekend recently and had to hold back my giggles when every single class exclaimed that they wanted to dance as smoothly and beautifully as me.
2012 was also a big year for me, as two different magazines published my articles. Vertical has published four of my articles (with two coming out in their next issue) and Pole Dance International published one. Since print magazines are probably going to be a thing of the past someday, I am very proud to be included in these magazines.
I spent much of this year building online and in person relationships with other polers all over the world. I have spent some time with the pros (I really need to make some time to write about my adventures with Nadia Sharif and Mina Mortezaie recently). I went to showcases and competitions. I attended PoleCon in Los Angeles and Pole Expo in Las Vegas. I took workshops. I made friends. It has been a very exciting year for me.
Personally, I have had a rough year. Rob didn't work for most of 2012 and it was hard to make it with just one income. I also lost my job in September (where I got to work from home two days a week), but moved on to a much better job (although now I commute to San Francisco five days a week). I know life happens to everyone but I still feel I'm fatter than I'd like to be and I'm not as strong as I'd like to be. I swore up and down I'd be inverting like a pro now. I am trying to be happy with where I am at this very moment, and I don't really do New Years resolutions, but I would like to actually be able to invert at some point in 2013. Without help and without freaking out and needing to come down. I have plans to go to Pole Show LA in January 2013. I am also going to PPC to support some Twirly Girls and friends who will be competing. I am also planning to hit up Pole Expo in Vegas in September. I spent most of my vacation this year on pole events. My new job has one week less vacation so I will have to pick and choose my events a little more carefully. But I am still very happy to be part of such an amazing and supportive community.
I want to end with some photos and videos from the Trick or Twirl showcase at Twirly Girls. Some are me and some are my amazing students. I thank them for keeping me motivated to be better so I can help them reach their own goals. Boys, Girls and Twirls, you rock my world!!!!
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