Come one, come all: Northern California Pole Presentational and West Coast Curves

I've written in the past about how much it costs to put on a pole show.  Until I started trying to organize a pole show, I had NO FREAKING IDEA how much it actually costs, not only in money, but in blood, sweat and tears, to put on a dang pole show!

Last year, Amy Bond brought me an idea:  Let's put on a pole competition, but not a comeptition, a showcase with feedback!  Initially, she wanted to put our show ahead of PPC in LA (which was held the weekend of March 1-2, 2014) so that competitors could showcase their routine and get feedback from a panel of judges in order to present a more polished routine at the actual competition.  The more we thought about it, the more we realized that most people wouldn't want to reveal all of their cards pre-competition.  But we decided we still liked the idea, so we tabled it for summer of 2014.  Not all pole dancers want to compete but many have a desire to get on the big stage and showcase their talents without the pressure of a competition.  At the same time, if we're going to bring together all of these dancers, why not offer them the option of receiving feedback on their routine, so that they can improve their dancing. 

Then early in 2014, Amy, who recently passed the California Bar Exam and took a new job, e-mailed me to tell me she wanted to focus on other things and needed to drop out of the planning process.  She gave me her blessing to continue without her, and I am honored that she would trust me with bringing her idea to light. 

But now I needed a new partner.  Enter the amazing Ellen Lovelace.  When I told Ellen about my predicament, she immediately stepped up and has been kicking ass ever since.  Ellen has secured the location and has been doing a ton of work behind the scenes to keep the process moving.  It certainly makes me respect Amy and Bayleigh of PSO for putting on multiple shows each year.  And my hat is off to Ellen for all the work she is doing to make this event happen. 

So, let me formally introduce to you the Northern California Pole Presentational (NCPP), which will be held Saturday, August 23, 2014 at the San Jose Stage Company in San Jose, California.  This event will be run PSO-style.  No need to send us a video link to try-out, you just pay your fee, fill out the form and you're in!  Why do we need competitors to pay?  Because, like I said earlier, putting on a pole show is not cheap.  The largest expenses are the venue, rigging and insurance.  In order to keep ticket prices down so that friends and family can come watch, we (like many other pole events) have asked participants to help share the cost.  We use that money to create a safe environment and beautiful stage for you to showcase your routine for your loved ones.  Also, each participant can choose to receive feedback (or not) on their routine from a panel of judges (which we will announce soon).  We don't only accept solo performers, though, we are also excited to include duos and groups. 

Why does Northern California need this event? It is evident by the 200+ participants in PPC that Southern California is inundated with people who want to perform (including many Northeran California polers, who traveled down to compete). Nothern Calfornia does have some really amazing pole shows, however they are generally associated with area studios and/or require try-outs to get in. This will be first independently produced pole event for Northern California, which will be open to everyone. We are trying to give Nor Cal polers a chance to get in first by only allowing Nor Cal and Nevada addresses to apply until April 30. At that time, spots are fair game for any pole dancer in the United States.

In addition to NCPP, we have Roz THE DIVA Mays, bringing her plus-sized pole comptition from New York to us!  West Coast Curves at NCPP (WCC) will be held the same day.  This is an actual competition and the top two competitors, chosen by the audience, will win entrance into the Dangerous Curves finales, which will be held later this year in New York. 

So, with all of this excitment coming to the Bay Area, what is THE topic everyone is talking about?  Our bear logo.  Meet Pat.  Who knew a cute, fluffy bear wearing a pink pole outfit would cause so much chatter?!  In my mind, the purpose of a logo is to brand something and make it memorable.  Even if some of you hate it, it's certainly doing its job.  You will all remember this bear.  For me, the logo is fun, which is how I want this event to be.  It pulls in the California flag, which has a bear on it.  Is it doing a pole trick?  Is that a karate kick?  Who knows?!  Maybe it is a pole ninja doing some innovative new trick that hasn't been revealed yet.  I enjoy all the bear comments, though, so keep them coming.

Ellen and I are really excited about this event.  Sign-ups are currently open to Northern California and Nevada residents.  The cost is only $50 per person/performance slot.  People are certainly encouraged to do solos and group routines.  Or they can particiapte in NCPP and WCC (we have already had someone sign up for both).  Information on sponsorship, vendor booths, and tickets to the show will be available soon.  All information regarding participation, including volunteering, can be found at www.PoleNorCal.com.  If you're on the fence about participating, remember you will be at home in front of all of your loved ones.  I can't think of a better way to get your first pole show under your belt. 

I hope to see all of my Pacific Northwest friends at NCPP in August.  I would love to know what you love most and hate most about big pole events.  We want this to be the best pole event you have ever attended.  Please leave a comment below.  Also, if you have any questions, please e-mail us through the website.  See you in August!

Didja know...

...there are a whole bunch of pole dancers out there who just...pole dance??!  

They don't know who Felix Cane, Jenyne Butterfly or Alethea Austin are.  They don't Facebook stalk every pole celebrity in the world, post about their successes and failures, and share photos of every bruise earned.  They aren't on Studio Veena chatting and watching videos.  They aren't searching YouTube for the newest videos from the pros.  They don't read Aerial Amy's blog every day.  They just...go to class and dance.

Over the weekend, I went to the Pacific Pole Championships in Los Angeles.  I found a spot in the front row to take notes, photos and videos (I will do a more in-depth blog about the competition very soon).  I sat next to a lady who was very excited to be there and was taking notes about songs she wanted to dance to in the future.

We chatted between routines (many dancers didn't realize that the quiet time between routines were for judges to finish scoring).  I said something about the amazing Felix Cane.  Blank stare.  Jenyne Butterfly?  Nothing.  Alethea Austin?  Nope.  

Wow.

I really am a Pole Geek! 

Hey there's nothing wrong with either of us.  I was just happy to be in a room filled with people who have a passion for pole dancing.  

I am working on some great posts, but have been super busy with my real day job.  Until then, I sign off as a Pole Geek and proud of it!

Pacific Pole Championships

In its infancy, every sport must struggle to define its goals and standards.  How it responds to the challenges of rapid growth has significant impact on the long-term success of the sport.  In the pole community, the path formed by the pioneers of competitive pole dancing is at a crossroads.  In the pole events I’ve attended in the last year, it has become apparent to me that as the number of events increases, the lack of consistency in judging, safety standards, and event organization is leaving many dancers frustrated and feeling ignored, removed from, or otherwise unsatisfied with the process.  Until now, there seems to have been much discussion on the issues causing the dissatisfaction, but little practical action to address them.

The call for change must have been heard; however, for there is a new pole dancing competition throwing its hat into the proverbial ring.  Billed as a truly open amateur competition, the Pacific Pole Championships,with United Pole Artists as the title sponsor, will be held on May 19, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.  I sat down with the creators, Amy Guion and Bayleigh Pettigrew, to talk about why their competition is different than the others already out there.

What made you decide to create PPC?

Bayleigh:  Having been an athlete in well-established sports most of my life, there is something so exciting about having the opportunity to participate in a sport that is newly developing.  Seeing the elite level athletes defy physical limitations on this apparatus while incorporating a variety of influences from dance and cirque at the top competitions has inspired the phenomenal growth in this industry.  But at the same time, in talking with pole dancers locally and worldwide, I became aware of the desire of dancers to have a platform to perform their craft.  Even at its most basic levels, dance is all about expression – communicating with an audience.  On some days, we dance for ourselves, to relieve stress or to release emotions that we weren’t necessarily aware that we held inside.  But as humans, most of us don’t live in isolation, we seek communication and relationships with others, and that need to communicate extends to dance.  In pole dancing, there hasn’t really been a venue for non-elite dancers express themselves to an audience.

I am fortunate because my background is in figure skating, and I’ve experienced a similar issues in that sport.  Prior to 1995, the main governing body of figure skating, USFSA, sanctioned competitions at every level – but only up to the age of 18.  If you were not at the most advanced level by that age, there was no venue for you.  Yet thousands of adult ice skaters over the age of 18 were out on the ice daily, pushing their edges and constantly falling just for those few moments when gravity was suspended and they could fly.  Eventually the USFSA realized that this group needed a venue to perform.  At the first national competition, organizers expected no more than maybe 100 adult skaters to show up to compete.  Well over 400 competitors signed up and more than 600 performances were skated at that event.  Since that time, the “adult” level of skating has weathered challenges similar to what I see pole dancing going through now:  dividing the levels to make competition available to everyone while simultaneously not counting out the abilities of skaters allegedly past their prime; providing different types of events, so that those that may not have the technical skills required to be competitive in the championship events still have an outlet to perform and showcase their artistic skills; and how to judge adults at test level and in competition.  There have been many changes as competitive adult skating grew, with one of the greatest being the change of perception from one of condescension and tolerance to the building of a healthy respect and learning not to underestimate the abilities of the older skater.

However, figure skating was fortunate in that there already was a structure in place for judging and the way that figure skating clubs run by volunteers would run the competitions.  In wanting to create an opportunity for dancers of all levels to compete and perform, it is our goal to borrow from the best of the established artistic sports, as well as look at how other competitions world-wide are being run in order to try to create a structure that will draw on the support of the pole community and allow as much opportunity for participation as possible, among dancers and those just wanting to be involved.

That is our goal with PPC – to work with what has already been working in the industry and to continue to push for standards and consistency while making the process more accessible to all.  We plan to elicit feedback throughout the process in order to grow and meet the changing needs of the competitors and the community.  We want to establish a grassroots, community-run event that encourages growth of the individual and the sport.

Why PPC?

Bayleigh:  Although Pacific Pole Championships is being run as a competition, it is designed to provide an opportunity for dancers of all skill levels to perform.  Amy and I spent a great deal of time weighing the benefits of running the event as a competition versus a showcase, and ultimately decided on competition because we felt that by adding the Artistic events, PPC is appropriate for those who want to compete as well as to non-competitive dancers that just want to perform.  The competitors and non-competitors alike can take the judges’ comments and either use the suggestions offered to enhance their performances, or disregard them. 

We believe that in any artistic sport, there remains an element of subjectivity because the artistry comes into play.  It is not like running a race or throwing a ball where the results are easily quantified.  We hope that all the dancers will look at their placements as opportunities for growth, because all any artistic athlete can control is the performance.  After that, it is out of their hands.  We hope that getting feedback will help all the dancers discover both areas of strength and opportunities for improving their communication with the audience, and use that knowledge to their benefit.

Beyond entering Pacific Pole Championships specifically, there are important reasons why the process of training for any competition is valuable to a dancer. 

First, working towards a performance requires the dancer to push themselves, which in turn brings growth in so many ways.  Choreography requires the dancer to thoughtfully immerse themselves in the music, listen to it intently and then explain the emotions that the music evokes without using words to an audience of diverse backgrounds.  Carefully choosing the movements and elements to convey this interpretation requires the dancer to edit their movement, transitions and expression far beyond what is normally accomplished in class.

Second, preparation for a performance often encourages a dancer to reach out to others in the pole community to engage in discussion over choreography, music choices, costuming choices and training tips.  In its greatest form, it can further strengthen the bonds between dancers and increase the atmosphere of camaraderie that can be inherent in our sport.

Third, there is the physical growth that frequently occurs when a dancer has to run through an entire dance multiple times in practice.  Endurance, strength and flexibility often will benefit from the focus necessary in preparation.  Dancers will find themselves pushing the limits of their fitness levels, thereby increasing them exponentially.

Fourth, in facing a challenge and accomplishing it, the dancer gains confidence which then translate into increased confidence in facing challenges presented at work, home, or other ordinary aspects of life.

In summary, whether the dancer wishes to rise up the ranks of competitive pole dancing or simply seeks a supportive venue to perform in front of family and friends, Pacific Pole Championships endeavors to create a space and time for all dancers to have their moment in the spotlight and reap the benefits that the process offers.

What have you learned from all the previous competitions and showcases in which you’ve participated?

Bayleigh:  Most of my experience as a competitor, coach and volunteer at local, national and world competitions has come from twenty years in the figure skating world.  At an organizational level, I’ve learned that trying to prepare for every possible scenario of what might go wrong is important, but that there will still undoubtedly be moments where you have to think quickly on your feet and solve issues that you hadn’t thought of.  So you do your research in advance and when unexpected things pop up, you are prepared to work toward a solution, rather than spending time trying to figure out how it could have happened.  I’ve also learned that it is the support of the community and the volunteers that can make or break the overall atmospheric tone of a competition. 

As a competitor, I’ve learned that the real competition should be my personal growth from the experience and from the joy and inspiration that my performance can bring to others.  There is so much outside my control, but I can determine whether I perform to the best of my ability that day and my attitude.  When I let go of worrying over placement and everything else outside my command, generally my performances go better because my focus is on me and my enjoyment of the process.

As a coach, I’ve taken what I’ve learned from my experiences and refined them.  Generally I encourage my competitors to try to choose one single performance goal to focus on once they program is choreographed.  It is generally simple, like pointing toes, or extending legs completely, or connecting “x” number of times with the audience.  That way, no matter where the placement ends up, the competitor can feel like they succeeded on bringing their performance level up one small step.  It also keeps them from honing in too much on a specific score which generally loosens their performance and helps them direct the extra bursts of adrenaline toward a specific goal so that it doesn’t overwhelm them.

In working with Amy and some other dancers on their performance pieces, I have found that many similarities exist between skating and pole dance competitions.  One that Pacific Pole Championships hopes to accomplish is to set a high bar for safety and operational standards.  It is so important for this sport to find its way to standardizing certain aspects so that the athlete/dancers that are trusting us with their safety can have confidence that the event will be well planned and executed, with every effort made to ensure their safety and enjoyment.

Amy:  Loaded question...oh my.  I've learned a bunch of "don'ts" as well as a few "dos".

Don't:

Change the poles without notifying competitors beforehand.  Poles and stage dimensions MUST be communicated to the performers.  This is probably the thing that has irked me the most.

Change the venue without notifying the competitors.  I hate it when I find out some major change from a friend of mine in the community rather than the event organizers.

Lose your cool when things aren't going as planned.  Again, keep it professional.  The show must go on.

Have a host that doesn't know what they are talking about.  Or one that makes jokes about strippers, sex, or other inappropriate comments.  Keep it professional!

Make the theater freezing cold backstage.  If I can't warm up because it's 60 degrees inside, that's an injury risk.

Do:

Have music track backups in case of major fail OR test all the music beforehand to make sure that it plays properly.

Keep the poles the same (the same of the stage spinning and same side static) during a show to make the transitions run more smoothly.

Have water and gift bags for the competitors.

Use a professional rig if possible.  They look better, they make people on them look better, and they are more similar to the poles that we all use on a daily basis.  Stand alone stages are great for say, club gigs, or private events.  I have an X-Stage that I use for those things, and it works great for those environments.  However, for a competition, poles should be taller and attached at the top and bottom.

Amy, many of us know you as an instructor at BeSpun and competitor at CPDC and USPDF.  Bayleigh, you and I haven't met before.  Please tell us about your background in the pole dance industry.  Amy, for those who haven't met you before, tell us a little about yourself as well.

Amy:  My background is in classical ballet, which I studied while growing up and through college as well.  I switched over to pole dancing in 2007 at BeSpun because I loved the freedom of movement, which was a big contrast to my previous structured training.  I also fell in love with the circus arts, namely contortion, which I trained for a couple of years at Kinetic Theory Theatre in Los Angeles.  I have been competing in pole since 2009, which means that I've seen how far the industry has come, but also how far it still has to go.  With absolutely no standards to competitions in the pole industry, I've participated in both excellent events that blew my mind away by how organized and professional they were to events that I almost walked out of because of the ridiculous drama and the disrespect with which the competitors were treated.

Bayleigh:  I come from a sporadic athletic background that included some gymnastics, some vaulting (gymnastics on horseback), tennis, and other team sports because we moved around frequently during my childhood.  When I became involved in figure skating, it quickly surpassed all my other passions and I trained diligently despite being prone to injury.  After six unsuccessful knee surgeries, my ice time became more painful and as total knee replacements were inevitably on the horizon, I was fortunate to find my way to a pole dance studio.  Initially I went for the slow warm-up and was fairly certain that I wouldn’t really care for the pole component.  Fortunately, I never let my initial reservations about activities hinder my participation and once I managed to stop gripping onto the pole and allow my body to fall into a fireman spin, naturally I was hooked. 

Serendipity stepped in again while rehabbing my first knee replacement when I spoke to Leigh Ann Reilly of BeSpun whose own mother had just had the same operation.  She wholeheartedly welcomed me to come to the studio and take classes despite the fact that I was still on crutches and probably looked quite the sight hobbling in, unable to bend my knee or kneel on it.  Be Spun has been the training grounds for many great pole dancers, and as I relearned the technique on all my tricks to account for flexion and strength I didn’t have, I found that the pole community was larger than I had realized.  Attending Pole Convention in Florida last summer brought the realization of how fortunate I was to live in an area that supported so many pole studios when I met dancers that had had to learn everything they knew from YouTube videos and DVDs.  As a result, I met so many dancers, instructors, and performers and became inspired to try to do my part for this growing sport.

After the second knee replacement this past summer, I worked with Amy on her program for California Pole Dance Competition and we started brainstorming ways to provide dancers that were not at the elite level to have an opportunity to perform…and Pacific Pole Championships thoughtfully was born.

What are you looking for in potential competitors?

Bayleigh:  In all participants, be they competitors, volunteers or spectators, we look for those who embody our motto:  Aspiration.  Inspiration.  [r]Evolution.

We want people with the aspiration to grow from this challenge, whether as another step towards pole superstardom or simply to share their passion with others.  I think one competitor said it best: “Oh well well well...this just sparked an interest I didn't even know I had...!”.  In the broader sense, this competition aspires to educate those unfamiliar with the sport of pole dance and create new aspirations for people to work towards.

We hope that they will find inspiration from the performers at all skill levels and in turn provide inspiration to each other and those new to this sport.

We seek to create a supportive experience from which the individual dancer’s expression can evolve while simultaneously encouraging a revolution in the way that artistic pole sport is regarded by those outside the sport.

Amy:  We are open to all dancers that want to compete, there are no prerequisites, requirements, or skills that you have to have to participate in our competition.  The concept is: if you fill out the application form and submit your entry fees and documents proving that you are 18 years of age, you will be able to get onstage and deliver a performance, and receive feedback from judges.

That being said, we are looking for people who are enthusiastic, supportive, and driven that can catapult this sport to new heights.  We want to promote a friendly environment where all levels feel encouraged by their peers.  We encouraged everyone to apply for the competition, and we are proud to say that we were able to accept every person that submitted an application to us.

How can competitors, sponsors and volunteers get in touch?

Thanks to the internet and social media, we’ve got many ways for people to contact us.  As previously mentioned, our website, www.pacificpolechampionships.com, provides extensive information about the competition.  On Facebook there is a page for Pacific Pole Championships, as well as an event page and both of these pages offer updates.

In addition, one of our Sponsors, X-Pole USA is sponsoring an amazing video competition.  One lucky winner will receive $250 towards airfare, hotel accommodations, a private lesson with the amazing Nadia Sharif, and much more.  Information about the contest is located on our Facebook pages as well as the X-Pole USA's Facebook page.

Our email is HERE.   We welcome all questions, concerns and comments. 

What else would you like people to know about PPC?

Bayleigh:  As the sport grows, we hope that more competitions will take the initiative to set the bar high as far as event organization, thoughtful pre-planning and safety standards are concerned and that competitors and sponsors will research the competitions being offered and use their consumer power to support the more professionally run competitions so that events operating at sub-par standards will become obsolete.

Just a quick note about judging.  We have been talking with other pole organizations and elite competitors in determining how best to create a judging system for the events offered by this competition.  It is probably the biggest challenge, simply because there is no international or even national consensus on judging or difficulty of moves or move names, nor does any training system exist for judges in our sport as there is in other artistic sports.  We will be paying very close attention to the feedback on the judging system after this inaugural event and hope to improve and build upon with each successive event so that one day we can create accounting software that will enable us to offer greater transparency in the judging system.  We believe that training and developing judges for all levels of competition is as vital as training and developing the artistic athletes performing before them.

Amy and Bayleigh:

We would also like to acknowledge our sponsors who have made this event possible:

Title sponsor: United Pole Artists     

Gold sponsors: X-Pole US and Bad Kitty Exotic Wear

Bronze sponsors: Mika Yoga Wear and Tite Grip

Product sponsors: Dew Point, Bendability Fitness, Three Heartz Jewelry, BeSpun

Pole Show LA Interviews and Performance Videos

In January, Lorita Productions attended Pole Show LA on behalf of The Pole Dancing Shop.  I wanted to post interview and performance videos in one place, so here we go!

http://www.thepoledancingshop.com/pole-show-la-2012/#.T005RHl9Yuc

http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2012/02/lolorashel-pole-dance-italy-and-pole.html

The show started with “The Honey Fall Girls”, which was choreographed by Leigh Ann Reilly (owner of BeSpun) and included five BeSpun dancers: Andrewa Britz, Kate Chanthanakaew, Emma Danoff, Yvonne Huffman-Lutz and Cash Roses.  Their costumes, designed by Kelly Maglia, were adorable.  They also featured Glitter Heels, which are made by BeSpun instructor, Tiffany Hayden.

Ariel Jacobs:

The first headliner was Prana, who is from Paris, France.  She has been pole dancing since 2008 and teaches at Pole Dance Paris.  Her routine was very wild cat-like.  She is so strong and beautiful to watch.

Interview with Prana:

Alice Hodge:


Unfortunately, this video was blocked due to copyright issues with the song.

BeSpun’s manager, Amy Guion was next in a piece called “A Long time ago, in a desert far, far away.”  It started with contortionist Fiona Luna and Amy’s partner David Garcia.  The pole portion was set to the Christina Aguilera song, Genie in a Bottle.  It was a really cute routine and really showcased Amy’s flexibility.

Interview with Amy Guion:

Lena Lockerby:

Zoraya Judd was the second headliner.  If you have not seen Zoraya perform, you really need to watch her.  She is an outstanding performer.  From her hair and make-up to her routine.  She took it to the next level when her husband Nic joined her on stage to hand over a python snake.  She finished her routine on the pole with a snake wrapped around her neck.

D'Lorian "Bad Azz" Fox:

Interview with Bad Azz:

The next piece was called Gemini 3000 and included BeSpun dancers Sergia Louise Anderson, Tami Brandel, Jennifer Jim and Lacy McGarry.  One of the highlights was when all four performers were spinning on one pole.

Interview with Jennifer Kim:

Becca Armijo:

Flying Laura Martin absolutely rocked the show.  She pulled out an amazing and completely unexpected hip hop routine with backup dancers, Marta Karwowska and Isabella Konald.  Flying Laura is another performer that you must see in person if you can.  She is such a powerhouse.

Jess Leah:

Leigh Ann Reilly was next with “In the Night.”  It included BeSpun dancers Alex Catalano, Pamela Morency and Angela Relucio.   Leigh Ann started the performance on a motorcycle and later rocked a shoulder stand on it.

Interview with Leigh Ann Reilly:

Estee Zakar started her performance in a really cool cat mask.  She is so strong and her routine was really fun to watch.  She does some kind of Iron-X round about that is hard to explain but amazing to watch.

Amber Richard:

Interview with Amber Richard:

Steven Retchless was next.  His routine was ballet-based and so beautiful. Sadly, the sound was still out, although it gave us an opportunity to enjoy his movement.

Interview with Steven Retchless:

Kelly Maglia:

The next routine, “Ligature”, was based on Amy Guion’s third-place 2011 California Pole Dance Championship routine.  It involved four dancers: Paula Cavajal, Christine Fields, Tracey Mueller and Lisa Wilhoit.  It included dominatrix inspired costumes and red ropes, from which the dancers could hang from the poles.

Breezelle Fox:

Natasha Wang based the character in her routine on a spider that conquers the pole.  Natasha is definitely the sweetheart of pole dancing and we always love watching her performances.  With the sound still not working properly, it did allow the crowd to truly take in her movements.

Interview with Natasha Wang:

Margarita Evans:

[need video]

“Wonderland” was an Alice-in-Wonderland inspire routine danced by Audra Bennett, Lindsey Kimura, Sienna Spalding and Adrienne Strauss.  Sienna also wrote and performed the music for the piece and created the art in the background.  It was a really fun routine.  Happily, the  speakers started working again about half way through their performance.

Interview with Lindsey X-Pole:

Interview with Sienna Spalding:

Interview with Adrienne Strauss:

Jennifer Strand:

Amber Kittle amazed us all by starting her routine on the ceiling in a 20-foot death lay.  Her performance was so fast and athletic.  She had some designs on her body highlighted with a black light, but you didn’t notice them because she moved so quickly.  This girl requires a sturdy pole that connects to the ceiling to do her impressive walk on the ceiling.  No wonder she was not able to compete in 2011′s California Pole Dance Championship on X-Stages!

Interview with Amber Kittle:

Tiffany Hayden:

Interview with Tiffany Hayden:

Karol Helms and Alethea Austin teamed up for “Education.”  Alethea was almost unrecognizable at first in a black wig.  Their school girl-themed doubles routine rocked the house and included backup dancers Andrea Britz, Ariel Jacobs, Valarie Miller, Lana Sales, Melissa Schrader and Jennifer Vigil.

Dana Davidson:

Jenyne Butterfly closed the show.  She is such a sweetheart and is always the crowd favorite.  She claimed earlier in the night that she had not been on the pole much in the previous two months, but you couldn’t tell by the performance she gave.  She has definitely earned the title of “Pole Queen!”

Bonus videos:

Nadia Sharif (recent winner of National Aerial Pole Artist Championship), who wasn't able to perform at Pole Show LA (she explains here):

Giggle Reel:

The End of Pole Show LA:

Poletential's Second Air Show!

Warning:  With videos, this will be a long one.  Feel free to skip around if you can't sit still for very long.  :-)

Last weekend, Poletential held it's second Air Show filled with pole dancing and aerial arts galore!  [You can check out Poletential's first Air Show HERE.]

On Friday, after workshops, they had a pole jam.  A pole jam is an informal gathering of pole dancers to hang out, chat and dance together.  I was such a pole geek.  First and foremost, I met fellow blogger, Aerial Amy, who was hanging out with Poletential instructor, Ellen Lovelace.  I also saw Natasha Wang, Alethea Austin and Amy Guion.  I met Karol Helms and Marlo Fisken in person for the first time.  Estee Zakar and Sarah Romanowsky (silks) were the last two pros who were in the showcase but they were not at the pole jam.

Rita and I mostly hung out and chatted with people.  We didn't pole.  We checked out Alethea's and Karol's awesome merchandise.  We talked with Christina A. from Poletential, who was a pregnant M&M at their Twirloween event, so she will always in my mind be the green M&M.  We also got to see our good friend, Tracey.  Poletential Owner, Christina Kish, was also there.  The studio was hopping with people preparing for Saturday's show.

Marlo, Natasha and Amy wanted to head back to the hotel and I happened to have my monster truck with me, so I offered to drive them to pick up food and then take them back to the hotel.  Of course, who wouldn't want to have the adorable booties of those three ladies imprinted in their car?!  On the drive, we talked about Natasha's recent blog about body image (check out my response HERE).  Marlo said that she doesn't want to get kudos for something unless she actually pulls on some amazing move.  I said that when I climbed to the top of the pole, we almost threw a party.  However, for me, that WAS an earth-shattering move!  They are professional competitors, so their standard of excellence is much higher than the average pole dancer.

Saturday was the Air Show.  I sat near a group of super fun ladies.  I met Tina Kelly, owner of Venus Pole Fitness of Turlock and I plan to do a Poletry in Motion for her studio soon.  She promised to come to Twirly Girls one day too.  I don't want to take much too much space talking about the show since the videos will speak for themselves.  After the show, Amy Kim did ask me my top two performers.  It was so hard to say since I loved each and every performance for a different reason.  Shelly Lamb made a great comment, saying that she had competed with most of these girls in New York and it was so different to see them in a showcase setting instead of a competition setting.  They were so much more relaxed, which I'm sure made it much more fun to perform.  Anyway, back to Amy's question.  I told Amy that I had to give it to Marlo because I LOVED her rockin' song (all of the other girls performed to slow songs, which I totally love and respect since I have a hard time dancing to slow songs, but I always love the down and dirty rock songs!).  I also had to give it to Natasha, since she is my personal favorite.  She always responds to me on Facebook and I'm doing a workshop with her tonight at Twirly Girls.  She is such a lovely and graceful dancer.  However, Amy Guion's performance was so beautiful and the smile on her face during her entire performance was amazing as well (her theme for the dance was dreaming of being a princess).  And, although Alethea danced to a slow song she oozed sex and pure awesomeness, as usual.  This was my first time seeing Estee Zakar, Marlo Fisken and Karol Helms perform.  They were all crazy off the hook as well (I'm running out of adjectives to show much I love this show)!  So it was hard to pick my top two favorites.  They were all my favorites for different reasons.

This show also contained a lot more silks.  My very own silks teacher, Sarah Starlight, performed with her friend, Jennifer.  She did such a great job!  Also, Sarah Romanowsky, who performed at Twirloween, and who has been chatting with me on Facebook and Twitter, performed on the silks.  I really loved her outfit and I wish I had her hip bones!

I have to say the show opener and scene stealer was Christina's imitation of Alethea.  Oh.  My.  God.  When I first saw the blonde hair and stomach tattoos from afar, I knew it was Alethea.  There was something off.  Different.  I couldn't put my finger on it.  But no one else in the show had a tattoo on her stomach like that.  The rockstar swagger was there.  I was slightly shocked they'd have a pro actually start the show, but maybe she had somewhere to go and needed to leave early.  Then it hit me.  THAT WAS AN IMPOSTER!  This is best viewed on video because I can't give Christina enough kudos for her act.  And Alethea is clearly a good sport.  Man, what a great intro!

Anyway, check out the videos below and then I'll finish up with some photos, my Sunday class and my impression of the whole weekend at the end:













I loved Estee's music.  It's kind of industrial and animalistic.  She has an amazing body and such muscle control!  I also really liked her costume! 







Like I said, Amy's sweet smile really made this performance.  I totally love the princess theme too!  She too has amazing muscle control and a beautiful body!



As Karol herself said on Facebook, my angle captured her asstastic beginning!  Perfect song too.  She certainly does move in mysterious ways.  Such control!!



Alethea...what else can you say about her?  So sexy.  Those body rolls are so awesome.  I want to do everything she does!!  I think I'm like a day or two away from being able to pull off her moves.  Or not.  ;-)





Sarah is so beautiful on the silks. Such flexibility and grace!



When I took Natasha to the hotel, Rita and I wondered why she had a basket of apples.  We were like, look how healthy she is!!  We told her she could re-enact the Twilight cover.  She said that was fitting since her dance was wolf themed.  Now we understand...  lol!  I loved the Red Riding Hood/Big Bad Wolf theme!  It might be hard to see in the video but she had make up that made it look like the Wolf had really kicked her ass!



Marlo apparently had to change her routine around because stage poles are not as steady as those attached to the ceiling.  She definitely pulled off a rockin' routine.  I guess her song doesn't count as a true "down and dirty rock song," but I pretty much count any fast music as down and dirty.  :-D





I finished off Air Show weekend by taking aerial hammock with Ellen Lovelace and Aerial Amy.  I live an hour away from Redwood City, so I got home Saturday night around midnight but didn't get to sleep until 1 a.m.  I got up at 7 a.m. on Sunday to get to silks on time.  I thought I'd be super tired but I was fine.  And I loved Ellen's class.  It was different than Jessica's class.  I was actually able to do most of the moves.  Other than a couple of moves that aggravated my old lady hip, I think I held my own.  I even did two...count them TWO....back somersaults!  Well, Ellen helped me because there is a point when I'm upside down that I swear I'm going to lose my grip and fall on my head -- but I did it!!  ("Did it" meaning I did the somersaults, not the falling on my noggin.)

Poletential put on another awesome show.  And thank you for always being so welcoming and kind to the Twirly Girls!

Me with Aerial Amy and Ellen Lovelace at the Pole Jam

 Rita, Marlo Fisken and me at the Pole Jam

 Karol Helms and me

Poletry in Motion: BeSpun

Last weekend, Rita and I went down to Los Angeles for the California Pole Dance Championship.  Since I was going to be in town, I wanted to take classes from different studios.  So, we scheduled classes at BeSpun in Hollywood and OC Pole Fitness in Aliso Viejo.  While driving home, I told Rita I wanted to create a little "corner" of my blog for reviews of studios I try while I'm traveling.  Rita came up with "Poletry in Motion."  I LOVED it so here we go!!

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I first heard about BeSpun when I found videos of the owner, Leigh Ann on YouTube.   I was still new to the pole dancing industry, so I didn't realize that a lot of the pros were coming out of BeSpun.  The current US Pole Dance Champion, Natasha Wang, is from BeSpun.  Amy Guion, a recent interviewee in this very blog, and competitor in last weekend's CPDC, manages BeSpun.  Alethea Austin, who performed at Poletential's Air Show a few months ago, teaches at BeSpun.  Amber Richard, from Poletential in Redwood City, is going to school in Southern California and also teaches at BeSpun.  Anjel Dust, who put on the CPDC, teaches there too.  I am sure I am leaving out many other important pole dancers, but those are the names currently listed on their website that I recognize. 

Rita and I made reservations to take class with Amber Richard.  Our class was scheduled for 2 p.m.  The studio is located in a pretty interesting part of Hollywood.  We didn't have to park too far away but we definitely wouldn't have made the walk if it had been dark.  You walk into the back of the building -- through a chainlink fence and a large, heavy rolling door -- into an MMA gym.  It's a big building that smells of testosterone and sweat.  BeSpun is actually inside of the MMA gym, Legends.  Two girls were standing at the front desk.  I could see Alethea sitting behind a desk.  We chatted with the girls for a minute, then realized we were actually talking to THE Leigh Ann!  She was so sweet.  The receptionist checked us in and had us sign paperwork while we chatted with Leigh Ann.  Rita asked her about whether she was offering other aerial arts and Leigh Ann said that they wanted to focus on what they did well -- pole dancing.  They were shaping competition level athletes.  Fair enough.

Leigh Ann told us to go through the pink door and watch the end of the class before ours (which was being taught by Amy).  Amber happened to walk by and we quickly said hello and then Rita and I walked to the pole room.  There were a few guys on the mats grappling.  The place definitely smelled like sweaty man (not necessarily a bad thing).  I saw the pink door and opened it.  The room seemed so small and a couple of girls turned around to look at us.  I thought I was interrupting and quickly closed the door.  We waited until Amber came back and she told us to follow her.  

It was like falling through the tree into Wonderland.  We walked into a completely different environment.  The pink door opened into a small room, which seemed to be like a warm up area.  But when you turned to the right, there was this extremely long room with tall ceilings and a bunch of poles.  There were couches set up to sit on, a fire place and cool brick walls.  There was a huge X-Pole sign on the wall.  The lights were all red.  It was no longer an MMA room.  It was a pole dancing studio.  

The class was much more advanced than Rita and I -- we call ourselves Bel's special needs class.  Yes, we've been dancing for almost two years.  But we have injuries and issues and we think maybe Bel doesn't want to push us too hard so we've spent a lot of time not advancing in pole.  I think we both walked away from BeSpun wanting to fix that.  We are ready to get strong and start really dancing!  

We started with a great warm-up and stretch, almost yoga-style, including some sit-ups.  Amber is a great teacher.  She describes a move, demonstrates it, then comes around to make sure everyone is doing it properly.  Rita and I went to the very end of the room so we could muddle through without getting in the way.  Amber checked on us several times.  We ended class with a free dance.  I took a few things away from the class:  First, I want to start warming up better.  Second, I learned how to climb prettier (and busted out a new move!!!).  Third, Amber (and I would assume BeSpun) absolutely believes that you should learn each move on both the right and left sides.  I currently only use my dominant hand (right) and only do moves one way.  So we spent a lot of time doing basic moves on our non-dominant side. That was pretty cool.

BeSpun was nothing like Twirly Girls.  Not to say they weren't friendly -- everyone was amazing and so nice to us.  But in class, they were very serious.  There was very little interaction between students.  They worked hard from the second they arrived until class was over.  The studio is definitely a place for people to train and become pro competitors.  Still, we had a great experience there and liked seeing how other studios worked.  Amber is an excellent teacher and she dances so beautifully.  I especially like that she is so tall (so many dancers are these tiny little things).  She's got these beautiful muscular and long legs.  Her abs look great.  She said she's been doing a lot of plyometrics, so maybe she can teach a class for us at Twirly Girls when she comes back for a visit!

So anyway, that is my first Poletry in Motion review, which will be my personal opinion of the studios I visit.  BeSpun in Hollywood is definitely a place you should check out if you're in the Southern California area.  Other than being a little star struck when you see famous instructors and dancers, their classes are well-taught and structured.  I am hoping to make more trips down to So Cal for Social Sonar and other pole events.  I am looking forward to taking another class from Amber and checking out other studios!

Oh yeah, before I go...when we left, Rita and I hit up the bathroom, which is really a big locker room/shower area for both men and women.  There were some lockers and one said, "E. Balfour."  I love the actor, Eric Balfour.  I was like, could he possibly train here??  I whipped out my cute little smart phone and typed in "Eric Balfour and Legends."  He does in fact train there (and may actually be a co-owner or investor), so I rubbed my body all over his locker (sorry, Mr. Balfour!!).  :-D  When I got home, I told Rob about it and he said that when he watched a recent episode of Haven, Eric's character did a martial arts type of move and Rob thought he pulled it off well for someone who supposedly wasn't trained in martial arts.  But now we know that he IS actually trained in martial arts.  Totally random piece of information...and gave me a good giggle because Eric Balfour is hot and I totally molested his locker!

 Amy Guion

 Rita twirling

 My new move...I'm not touching the floor!!!

Amber Richard

Eric Balfour's locker -- yes, I am a stalker

Today's spotlight is on Amy Guion of Be Spun!

Continuing to widen our circle of amazing pole dancers...today's interview is with Amy Guion of Be Spun.  I am especially excited to get this interview up since I am going down to Los Angeles this weekend and will be taking a class at Be Spun!

*****

What is your fitness background?
I grew up doing classical ballet and some classical modern techniques. I studied contortion and silks for about two years at Kinetic Theory Theatre and have been pole dancing for 4 1/2 years. I also have a degree in natural science from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. I studied anatomy, kinesiology, athletic training, etc.

What is your fitness routine (on and off the pole)?
I train pole about 5 days per week with 1 session per day and then supplement with additional sessions in choreography work, contortion, and strength training.

What kind of diet do you follow?
I try to eat organic and non-processed. It's not easy! I eat a lot of fresh veggies and fruits and try to get protein through meat, chicken, Greek yogurt, and protein shakes.

Which competition(s) do you like to do?  Do you have any title(s)?
I have participated in 3 USPDF competitions. This past April I placed 2nd in the amateur nationals and received my pro card. I have also done Pole Art 2010 and the California Pole Dance Championship 2009 and coming up on September 25, the 2011 one as well.

Where do you train?  Do you have your own pole studio?
I train/instruct at/manage BeSpun in Los Angeles.

Do you have sponsors you'd like to acknowledge?
BeSpun, X-Pole, the Pole Dancing Shop, Kelly Maglia Couture, and Mighty Grip

What first interested you about pole dancing?
I grew up doing ballet which is incredibly structured. I loved that organic movement was encouraged in pole and appreciated the freedom. I also love the community that came along with pole. I've been able to travel and do so many things because of it.

Do you have a preference? "pole fitness" or "pole dancing"
Pole dancing. We're using a pole. And we're dancing. That's pretty much exactly what we're doing. I think that the term "pole dancing" keeps it as an art and a sport, while the term "pole fitness" implies training in pole simply to keep in shape. In my experience, pole is a great way to keep in shape, but that's certainly not the main reason that I do it. I do pole because I loved dancing.

What do you think about the stripper vs. pole fitness debate?
I think it's lame. We should be accepting of all women, regardless of their profession. That goes for outside the pole world, too.

What is your favorite product to help you stick to the pole?
iTac for my body, Dry Hands or TiteGrip for hands.

How do you deal with the dry skin on pole days (and on off-pole days)?
I like the product Dew Point if I'm really dry and I have to pole dance. I also use a body scrub called LaLicious that has oil in it as long as it's the night before I'm pole dancing.

Where do you like to buy your pole clothes?
Bad Kitty has some great items (LOVE the scrunch butt shorts) and Mika Yoga Wear. Also love Kelly Maglia Couture for her amazing assortment of costumes. She lives like 3 blocks away from me so I'll walk over to her house and get to "shop" for my next performance costume. So fun!

Do you like to dance in heels or barefoot?
Barefoot. I think it's a ballet thing, but my toes are always pointed! And you can't always do that in shoes. Shoes are really heavy too, which makes the tricks harder. I am using boots in my next piece though, which will be an interesting departure for me.

What did you do before competing and/or opening your pole studio?
I was at university at Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles when I discovered pole. Leigh Ann Reilly of BeSpun offered me a full time job once I graduated, and I never looked back! No regrets there.

What is your favorite song to dance to (at this moment)?
Set Fire to the Rain by Adele. It really speaks to me about a recent experience in my life. I think a lot of girls can relate to the phrase "dance it out". It's really helping me get through my feelings about this particular event.

Do you have any other upcoming events/competitions you'd like people to know about?
I will be competing in the California Pole Dance Championship on September 25 and performing at Gravity First in Mexico at the end of October.

I'm also working on another stretching video for Bendability Fitness using the feedback from all the wonderful ladies that have contacted me about my first video. I've learned so much about the business and about the body since I did my first video set and I'm so grateful to have the guidance of fellow pole dancers to set the direction for my next project. 

What else would you like people to know about you and/or your studio?
Come train with us at BeSpun! We love having visitors and seeing you all :)

*****

I'm really looking forward to seeing Amy perform at the California Pole Dance Championship on Sunday!  Good luck to Amy and all of the other competitors and performers.  Hopefully they will allow us to video so I can come back with lots of great footage!