Celebrating Black History Month and Pole Dancing with Kelly Yvonne

Kelly's story:  I heard about pole dancing classes one year before I actually started training. Like a perfect storm, three conditions in my life served as the catalyst for me finally stepping into a class: 1) my relationship at the time was quickly unraveling, 2) I had gained about 30 pounds and out of shape and 3) I was a "retired" dancer, but secretly REALLY wanted to be on stage again.

In the Fall of 2009, I attended a student recital at Xpolesitions and it was the first time I'd been inspired in months. In the weeks following the recital, I was taking classes at three different pole studios. Three months later, I launched Girl Next Door, a pole dance soirée!

May I Introduce Pole Artist, Timber Brown!

There's not much to say about how awesome it was to see Timber Brown perform... It is better you witness it yourself. Please make sure you check out all of the videos!

I first saw you perform at the California Pole Dance Championship (here's a link to my video).  I couldn't believe how strong you were.  Okay, well you're a guy, so I *could* believe it but it was still so impressive to watch.  (I also reviewed your performance as "amazeballs" in my blog:  http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2011/09/twirly-girls-at-california-pole-dance.html)

Wow, thank you so much. I was judging and performing at CPDC.  I enjoyed working with Anjel and X-Pole at the event. The performances were amazing and I had a front row seat!

When people comment on my strength I often tell them that it’s an optical illusion, explaining that it’s easier for me to lift or throw myself because I have little legs. :-) There is an exciting and hopeful look into the future of the pole community in your comment , “I couldn't believe how strong you were.  Okay, well you're a guy, so I *could.*” Exciting because in the future I see more organizations, equipment, and products being adapted and created to accommodate the distinctive physical attributes of each sex as well as accentuate the similarities we share as humans.

My performance at CPDC was one that I was a bit discontent with before it started. My heart was set on performing a routine that I was very excited about! Shortly before I went on stage I had to abort that performance and write down a few sequences while trying to find a good song. It came time to go on stage and I had not been able to memorize the order of my vocabulary. I brought the paper with my plan written on it and put it on the stage at the bottom of the pole. When I watch that video I can see me looking at it the whole time, Ugh. Overall it was nothing like what I had originally planned, but it went better than expected. I look back and wouldn’t have it any other way and I’m still very excited about when I will perform my original routine. 

What kind of fitness routine do you have to keep your body in shape like that?

Oh gosh, I don’t have a daily fitness plan at all which almost sounds terrible but it’s not because.....“for an extended time only, you can play on poles every day and have the body you have always wanted too!” HAHA! Really though, it is true.

Fitness is a wonderful consequence of pole activity. Pole as a form of fitness is not my primary motivation in my “work outs.” It just comes with it. I practice pole because I just love it! It feels good and I love doing it. I can go on and on but I just love everything about it. Unlike the common infomercial where a man claims “you can get fit and have a great time doing it with this apparatus...,” well in the case of pole that is 100% true

What kind of diet do you follow?

I LOVE food! I don’t follow a strict diet. I am more of a “damage control” eater versus a “prevention” eater. I eat what I need to eat at the time. I have to be true and good to myself and if that means eating Mexican food this week then it is what it is. 

Although my blog generally follows the adventures of female pole dancers, there has been a real interest lately in making the sport more fitness-oriented and less sexy.  More men are also getting involved and I am trying to include more aerial artists.  You are pretty unique in what you do.  What would you call your brand of aerial/acrobatic arts/pole dance?

I would call it “Anomaly,” a deviation from the common rule, type, arrangement, or form.

-------

You know, pole is many things to many different people. No one person, group, or organization can define what it is or should be except for themselves. There are some things that I am not opposed to, but just aren’t for me. I believe there is a time and a place for everything and that most things worth doing should be done decently and in order. One certainty is that regardless of what context pole may be being used, it is in any form, a form of fitness.

How did you get discovered?

I was 21 years old when an entertainment company viewed a video of me doing stunts and acrobatics. They asked me to be part of their productions. This was when I was first introduced to the pole. 

Tell us about Anomalia Entertainment.

“Anomalia” is the Italian word for Anomaly. I created this company a few years ago. The company provides specialty entertainment performances and rigging for events and productions world wide. As well as concept creation, and acrobatic vocabulary research.  In the future we hope to be a part of more events in the pole dancing community.

Have you competed in any pole/aerial events?  Do you hold any titles?

I participated in “Pole Dancing Universe International,” although I don’t remember it being named that at the time. I was awarded “pole athlete champion.” Below is the video link to that performance. Anomalia Entertainment was contracted to do the  rigging for the event which included a 14’x26’ anchored truss structure, two 14’ dance poles, and two 16’ specialty acrobatic poles.



Do you usually choreograph your routines or do you like to "free dance?"

I mostly choreograph my routines but it certainly depends on the situation. I am very particular about what I put out there. Especially when I am performing at a pole event. I could go on forever here on this... In the end, the performance is not for me. It’s for the audience. When I bow I want the audience and I, in unison, to feel that I have just given them a part of myself. Regardless if I am choreographing or dancing freely that is the goal.

Do you have a day job outside of performing?

Performing is my livelihood on both a physical and personal level. It’s very tricky sometimes but I love it. 

What do you do for down time?

I am usually up to some kind of ridiculous shenanigan but when I’m not I enjoy cooking, writing and watching TV. Some shows I like are Dexter, East Bound and Down, Family Guy, and the discovery channel. I imagine that soon I will be hiding in a bush throwing water balloons filled with ketchup at passing cars.

Is there anything else you'd like to share with everyone?

I have had strong inspiration lately in a couple of different areas. I really hope to be able to get some charity endeavors off the ground in the near future. My hope is that I will be able to raise money for specific charities through involvement in competitions, special performances, online pole skill tutorials and custom product sales just to name a few. I would like to reach out to anyone who is familiar with charity works, web development or just has helpful info that can be used to help bring attention to the work and get it off the ground.

People sometimes refer to me as a person who does Chinese poles, an aerialist or a pole dancer.... I ask that people to refer to me as a “pole artist.” Not because I am not any of the above things, but because I am all of them. In my work I strive to encompass a little bit of what all of those things means to me. 

I’d like to take the opportunity to say thank you to a few people out there who have been enablers in my life the last few years. Imagination Entertainment [also check out the show that Timber participates in: http://www.ilcirco.com/], Steve Gale [Four-Cubed Acrobatics or Radiant Productions], aerialist Alyssa McCraw, Natasha Wang [website], Kelly Yvonne and the girls at The Choreography House, the whole LA Pole community, Fawnia Dietrich and Pole Fitness Studio Las Vegas... All of you have been great influences or enablers to me and I appreciate you.

I am really excited to follow your career and look forward to the next time I get to see you perform!

Thank you so much and thank you for the opportunity to share. Happy Poling Everyone!



Two additional videos of Timber and Alyssa:

Star Spotlight on Kelly Yvonne!

I am starting to make connections between people I've seen on Facebook and people I'm meeting in real life.  At the CPDC, I was standing in line near a woman that I recognized, but couldn't place.  I later realized she was Kelly Yvonne -- famed pole dance choreographer!  I heard later that Kelly had actually choreographed some of the routines for the competition.  When I initially connected with Kelly on Facebook and Twitter, I was intrigued, not only because she was a pole dancer but because she was from Berkeley (which is local to me).  I have asked her to join our pole sisterhood -- so this is Kelly Yvonne!!

What is your fitness background?

I am a classically trained, competitive dancer. I competed nationally in high school and danced/choreographed for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers dance teams.

What is your fitness routine (on and off the pole)?  

I train on the pole between 6-10 hours per week and I work on flexibility a minimum of 2 hours per week. This month I will start strength and conditioning with Amber Richard in her Rock Hard Body class at The Choreography House. I also take and/or a variety of dance classes for cardio.

What kind of diet do you follow?

My diet is horrible! With my crazy schedule, I drink coffee all day and eat when I can. *hangs head in shame*

Do you have a dance background?

I have been dancing (informally) since birth, according to my mother. I began my formal training in jazz and hip hop at the age of 12. I competed nationally in high school and was a member of the dance team at the University of California, Berkeley. I also danced in the NBA for 3 consecutive seasons.

When I moved to Los Angeles in 2003 I was selected to be a scholarship student at Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio where I trained intensely in ballet, jazz, hip hop, african, salsa, tap, jazz-funk, etc.

Do you compete (pole fitness or any other kind of fitness competitions)?

I have participated in almost every major local and national competition for the last year as a choreographer. I began working with Natasha Wang and helped her win 1st place titles at 2010 East Meets West, 2010 California Pole Dance Championship; 2010 USPDF West Coast Championship and 2011 USPDF National Championship. 

I have also choreographed for athletes that competed in the 2011 California Pole Dance Championship (including Jennifer Kim; 2nd place, Most Entertaining, Most Artistic Nadia Shariff); 2011 Great Mid-West Pole Dance Championship (2nd place Charley Crystal and 3rd place Emiko Jaffe); 2011 Miss South Carolina (1st place title Karri Telford); 2011 Miss Texas Pole Dance Championship (Sarah Marsh); and 2011 American Pole Fitness Association Championship (Faith Daniels and Laura Martin).

I do plan to compete some day but for now, I love creating concepts and providing choreography for these amazing athletes!

What interested you about pole dancing?

I was initially attracted to pole dance for the fitness potential and a desire to get reacquainted with my femininity after a horrible break up. Pole dancing inadvertently revived my dance career as I had “retired” from this pursuit in 2005.

Consequently, I created and launched Girl Next Door - a pole dance soirée after only 3 months of pole training because I wanted to develop my pole performance abilities while learning how to pole dance!

Do you have any pole dance heroes?

My pole dance hero is Natasha Wang. She auditioned for my show, Girl Next Door - a pole dance soirée, in January 2010 and was selected because of her beautiful lines and unique movement articulation. She and I began collaborating to continue developing her “pole voice” shortly thereafter and now she is the current USPDF National Champion. I have watched (and aided) in her evolution and I am so proud of her diligence in continually pushing to take her skill to the next level. She’s my hero and friend and I am so proud of all of her success - SUCH an inspiration!

Do you have a preference? "pole fitness" or "pole dancing"

Due to my dance background, I prefer pole dancing but appreciate the fitness aspects. Honestly, I think the two are one in the same because, either way, you’re getting a great workout!

What do you think about the stripper vs. pole fitness debate?

I believe the difference between exotic dance and artistic/fitness pole dance is the intention behind the movement. Exotic dancing is performed to entice patrons in adult entertainment. Artistic/Fitness Pole Dancing is also performed for the purpose of entertainment but tends to ignite a wider range of reactions, from fear to humor to reflection to arousal. 

I do embrace this correlation and recognize that the majority of public exposure to pole dance has been in the erotic dance genre. As a result, the purpose of the Girl Next Door - a pole dance soirée shows is to demonstrate the range of pole dance as a performance apparatus, which includes both exotic and artistic/fitness forms of expression. 

What is your favorite product to help you stick to the pole? 

I use Dry Hands.

How do you deal with the dry skin on pole days (and on off-pole days)?

I have extremely dry skin, so I actually use lotion in the morning on pole days. When I pole in the morning, I use lotion the night before.

Where do you like to buy your pole clothes?

The majority of my pole clothes are hand-me-downs from Natasha Wang and Jennifer Kim! Whenever they buy something that doesn’t fit, they give it to me! :)

Do you like to dance in heels or barefoot?

 

I love to wear the heels, but I prefer to dance barefoot.

What did you do before opening your pole studio?

Before opening The Choreography House, I was/am the creator, director and producer of Girl Next Door - a pole dance soirée and was just beginning to provide choreography for a number of pole dance athletes preparing for competition. I opened the studio to have a place to rehearse with my cast and choreograph for athletes. 

How did you come up with the name for your studio?

The Choreography House name is a combination of the purposes for the space. “Choreography” because I spend most of my time choreographing routines for shows, competitions and events. “House” is in reference to “Girl Next Door” as it is the official ‘home’ for the cast to train, rehearse and prepare for performances. 

What profession were you doing before pole dancing?

I majored in architecture in college and was working in the construction management industry for several years after graduation. Currently I work for an architecture consulting firm that provides business management services for the architecture, engineering and construction industry.

In my spare time, after I “retired” from dance, I worked in production and public relations for a number live shows including a french-style cabaret, a rock opera, musical theater, etc. Shortly after discovering pole dance, I created Girl Next Door - a pole dance soirée, the longest running pole dance revue in the nation.

What is your favorite thing about dancing on the pole?

My favorite thing about dancing on the pole is helping the public see that it is a completely unexplored apparatus for creative expression. Each time I perform, each show I produce and each routine I choreograph, my goal is to help the audience see what I see.

What is your favorite song to dance to (at this moment)?

I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues by Elton John

Do you have any other upcoming events you'd like people to know about?

Girl Next Door  - a pole dance soirée: The first Sunday of each month! Next event: Sunday, November 6th

Hide and Seek - a pole dance speakeasy - PREMIERE: Friday, October 14th

www.girlnextdoorshow.com  *shameless plug*

What else would you like people to know about you or your studio?

I just want to thank the pole community for being so welcoming and gracious. I’ve only been poling since 2009 and, since then, I’ve met some of the most creative, talented, friendly and generous people on the planet! This sport/hobby attracts people from all walks of life and it’s so beautiful to make a new pole friend in person or virtually. Like anything, it has it’s lows but OVERALL I’ve had a blast and I want to thank all my pole sisters for an amazing LIFE CHANGING two years!

*****

Kelly Yvonne is one busy lady!  I am planning to head back down to Southern California to catch Girl Next Door VERY soon!  Please connect with her here:

SHOW - www.girlnextdoorshow.com

STUDIO - www.girlnextdoorshow.com/choreography_house

YOUTUBE - http://www.youtube.com/vinyetproductions

FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/apoledancesoiree

TWITTER - http://twitter.com/kelyvon