PoleAndAerial.com

In September, I got a call from Collette Kakuk, owner of OC Pole Fitness, and manager of the amazing Felix Cane.  She recently started a website called www.PoleAndAerial.com, a site that produces instructional videos for pole and aerial enthusiasts.  She very kindly hooked me up with a free membership so that I could take advantage of all areas of their website and provide a review to all of you, my loyal blog readers!  I was very excited to watch ALL of the videos for my review.  Then the job-situation happened.  The day I got back from Pole Expo in Las Vegas, my former boss told me I should start looking for a new job.  I found a new job quickly but am now commuting into San Francisco every day.  It has left me very tired and with a lot less time for fun and exercise.  I have spent some time on the site (and know Bel from Twirly Girls has spent a lot of time there herself), so I feel comfortable still giving you a review of my findings.

PoleAndAerial.com offers instruction from some of the top pro pole dancers around the world: Felix Cane, Jenyne Butterfly, Marlo Fisken, Mai Sato, Brandon Pereyda, and Erika Labansat.  This month, they are featuring videos from guest instructor, Michelle Stanek, USPDF's most recent champion. 

I love that the videos are broken down between various levels of difficulty: beginning, intermediate, advanced and extreme.  I also love that they offer the same tricks taught by various instructors and even offer instruction in Spanish.  It is good to watch the various techniques, since each instructor has their own way of teaching.  The video genres are also broken down into pole, hoop, silks, floor work, strength and flexibility.  There are sub-genres that can help you further pinpoint what you are looking for. 

The terminology used is associated with the terms defined by the PFA (Pole Fitness Association). While I don't have a problem with their terms, I recognize that there are so many different terms used around the world for the same moves.  I would be nice to see more "aka's" included when you search videos for a certain move. 

I would also love to see a series of modified moves for those of us who may not be strong enough to do certain moves, may be taller or curvier than the average pro instructor, or may be recovering from injuries or dealing with chronic pain or health problems (for example, those with high blood pressure might not be able to invert but would love to have a lot of spins and twirls to work on).  I would love to see a larger pole dancer demonstrate how someone maybe with a little more in the chest area can place their hand or arm on the pole in certain moves.  I know for myself, I can't always reach across my chest for a move such as chair.  I have to reach higher or lower because my boobs are just too big. 

I am not the biggest advocate of learning pole dance at home alone, especially once you get into the more advanced moves.  However, if there are no studios near you, I believe PoleAndAerial.com will provide you with safe and proper instruction.  Please read and watch their safety precautions. 

If you are a studio owner, I think having a subscription can help you take your classes to the next level.  If you have a laptop or iPad at your studio, you can choose a move, watch it performed by multiple pros, and then teach it to your class.  I don't think studio owners should think of a website like this as competition, but should use it as part of their lesson plan, to complement their class.  Everyone learns differently, so being able to watch the moves performed by multiple people can help it "click" in someone's brain.  Also, as a beginning pole instructor, who may be able to talk someone through a move (and spot them flawlessly), since I cannot perform the advanced tricks, I feel like PoleAndAerial.com is a tool for me to help the more advanced students not be bored in my class.

If you haven't checked out PoleAndAerial.com, please visit their website.  You can view their free videos HERE.  A 30-day pass is $29.95, or your can purchase a year for $249 (barely $21 per month -- and hey, if you're a studio, is a business expense and tax write-off!).  I look forward to continuing to use PoleAndAerial.com to help myself and my students learn the newest pole moves in the safest manner possible.  Thanks again, Collette, for allowing me to check out your site and provide this review to my blog fans!

Poletry in Motion: OC Pole Fitness - Aliso Viejo!

Although Rita and I were staying in Long Beach, we drove down to Aliso Viejo (Orange County) to take a class with Collette at OC Pole Fitness before driving home on Monday.  I understand they have a Huntington Beach location, which would have been closer (and I think they are building a new one -- to be opened soon!), but we really wanted to see Collette.  

As I said in the blog about OC Pole's Open House on Saturday, I really expected the people at the studio to resemble Real OC Housewives or whatever that reality TV show is -- blonde, plastic, mean, fake.  I didn't find that at all.  I guess I shouldn't believe everything I see on TV.  Collette is the anti-OC reality TV soccer mom.  Not that she wouldn't embrace them if they walked through their doors, but she has dark hair and there is nothing fake or plastic about her.  She is also so supportive of her girls.  It was really touching to see that other pole studios ARE families -- just like Twirly Girls!

OC Pole offers a GREAT program that is called A Pole New You.  It not only encourages the ladies to work out regularly but gives them the support that they need to succeed.  Check out this success story on YouTube. 

Anyway, back to our experience at the studio.  Rita and I arrived pretty early (we are never sure how traffic is going to be), so we sat in the aerial silks room and stretched and chatted with the office manager, Shavonne.  When Collette arrived, we formally introduced ourselves (we had attended the open house, of course, but it had been packed and Collette was busy, so we didn't introduce ourselves then).  We chatted for a few minutes, then walked into the studio.  There are mirrors in the front and along one side of the studio.  There is a small stage with three poles, then another five poles on the main floor.  There are heavy curtains along the window, so no one can peek in.  There is also a big, overstuffed chair (probably for chair dance class!), which I used as a towel rest.  It's a very warm and welcoming studio.  Most of the rest of the ladies in class claimed to be in their 40's, but you couldn't tell -- they all looked young and beautiful.  They were all friendly.

Collette turned the lights down, turned some music on and we got to the warm-up.  Collette's warm-up was extremely sensual.  She closed her eyes, moved so very slowly and smiled and mouthed the words to the song as she warmed us up.  It is hard to describe the warm-up.  I would like to say that I was warming up but I was mostly watching Collette.  She was so beautiful to watch.  Every move was sexy and with a purpose.  I mean, even her ab circles were sexy!  We probably warmed up for two to three songs.

Once we got up to actually get on the pole, we had a full house, so Collette would demonstrate on someone's pole then would walk around as each of us practiced the move.  Again, Rita and I were probably way out of our league.  We weren't as advanced as most of the girls, but we still really enjoyed the class.  I did my first spinning/floating angel, where I climbed on the pole and brought my body through on one side.  It only lasted a quarter of a second, but it was something new for me! 

Again, I loved that everyone watched each other and clapped and cheered when someone accomplished something new.  After we were done with pole, we went down to the floor for some killer ab sets.  I'm still sore!  

We sat around after class and chatted with Collette a little more.  She and Bel have spoken in the past, so it was fun to meet someone in person on behalf of Bel and Twirly Girls.  As proper pole dance ambassadors, we brought Twirly Girls shirts to share, and they gave us one for Bel (I'll give it to her tonight so we'll have photos to share tomorrow).  

I was so impressed with Collette -- as a mother and a business person.  She has two beautiful daughters (who attended the open house and looked adorable in their tutus) and her studios, plus she manages Felix Cane and is involved with the Pole Fitness Association.  I can't even imagine how crazy her life is, but I'm really glad we got to meet her.

OC Pole was a really nice studio and I would suggest a visit if you are in Southern California!