West Coast Curves at NCPP

It's hard to say exactly how I heard about Roz the Diva. As soon as I started pole dancing, I started rabidly searching Facebook and the internet for other pole dancers. This was long before we had the close-knit community of pole dancers from around the world at our Facebook finger tips.  I did my first interview with Roz on this blog in 2011.  You can read that HERE. 

I first met her in person at Pole Convention 2012. I was actually at the AERA show and saw her in the crowd. It was like we had known each other for years. When she performed at Convention, I was blown away by her performance. It was full of "did she just do that?!" moments and it is still one of my favorite pole performances to date. You can watch that video HERE.

Roz held her first Dangerous Curves competition in 2012. She gathered plus-sized athletes from the East Coast and gave them a stage. In early 2013, we started talking about bringing it to the West Coast. Roz came to the West Coast again in 2013 to visit Twirly Girls for some workshops and attended Pole Expo, but we didn't have a chance to put that comeptition together. Dangerous Curves II was held in 2013, again in New York.

Well, my friends, after two years of yapping about it, The Diva and I have finally found a home for Dangerous Curves on the West Coast. May I introduce you to West Coast Curves at NCPP. I figured since we were going to be spending all this effort on a venue and rigging for Northern California Pole Presentational, it was time to make Dangerous Curves happen too.

And so it began.

We are so excited to bring West Coast Curves at NCPP to San Jose Stage Company on August 23, 2014. If you are a plus-sized pole athlete and would like to apply to the comeptition, please click HERE.

"West Coast Curves (WCC) is newest installment of Dangerous Curves (DC), the wildly popular competition series for plus size pole dancers. This particular event will feature up to ten (10) competitors to impress a panel of judges that will decide on the top four (4) finishers. From there, the crowd will determine which dancer has earned a guaranteed spot in the Dangerous Curves Grand Finale in NYC (fall 2014) [travel not included]. The Diva will also select a second person to go to NY for the finale!"

And how is plus-sized defined?

"There is no hard and fast definition of "plus size," but women who wear a size 12+ and men who wear a size XL+ are usually considered plus size. If you fall outside of that criteria but still identify as a plus size pole dancer, you are still welcome to enter."

If you are wondering WHY we are having two separate events, it is for two reasons.  (A) I respect Roz and her brand, Dangerous Curves. I respect that plus-sized bodies are built differently than "straight"-sized bodies, and may be unable to perform ALL the moves those bodies can perform (although if you've watched Roz dance, there don't seem to be many moves she can't do). Having a platform with a more even playing field seems like a no-brainer. That being said, I don't really believe that every single comeptition or event needs a plus-sized category. I feel like Roz has spent a lot of time building the DC brand, so I am happy to bring that brand to us rather than start from scratch and compete with her. (B) NCPP is not a competition. It is a showcase, offering three different skill levels, with optional feedback. So if plus-sized dancers are looking to COMPETE, WCC is the event for them. If they just want feedback on their moves, then NCPP is the event for them. If they want both options, they are welcome to apply to both!  It's that simple.

I am really excited about this endeavor. I admire Roz, not only as a pole dancer but as a woman who busts her ass every day to make it in this crazy world. I feel very fortunate to have met her and cannot wait to see her again in August. I believe I may be able to talk her into walking the WCC stage in our almost-matching bikinis.

So, again, if you want to apply to WCC, please click HERE.  You can ALSO apply to NCPP (solos (three levels), duos and groups welcome)...and to do that, click HERE. (We already have one dancer doing both events!) If you want an explanation as to why we must charge fees and/or why we are doing NCPP to begin with, please click HERE.

In addition, if you are interested in SPONSORING WCC (hello there, my local plus-size loving companies), or NCPP (I'll be blogging about this later with what we are looking for), or if you are interested in buying tickets to attend these events, please e-mail us through the website.  Roz is also available to teach workshops while she is here in August. If you are interested in booking a workshop with her (I LOOOOVE her SWAG workshop), then please e-mail us through the website (link above) and I will put you in touch with her.

Thank you again to Roz for allowing Ellen and I to partner with her on this endeavor.  See you all in August! 

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!