Footnote: My older sister had The Score back when it came out on CD and I remember listening to it (at age 10) and thinking I was going to learn everything I needed to know about being cool from playing it over and over.
At age… 24? 25? I found Leigh Ann on YouTube after seeing some pole dancing in a movie and searching–ingeniously–“pole dancing.” I completely fell in love with her movement and believed I could learn everything there was to know about being graceful and sexy by playing her videos over and over.
I followed BeSpun’s Flow Challenge*** on a whim (you guys all know my obsession with Leigh Ann) and it’s been TORTURING ME.
I’ve been home for a wedding and thus away from my pole while these gorgeous flow videos are going up and I WANT TO TRY ALL THE FLOWS RIGHT NOW AHHHHH.
(***Important note: “BeSpun” autocorrects as “Pubes” on an iPad. The more you know.)
Anyway, check them out–if not to submit to the video battle, then at least to get a little inspiration or a new combo to play with. Of course because they are from Leigh Ann’s studio they are SeXXXy OMGZ, and I am totally okay with that.
Are we loving these moves? Hating them? I just hope they look as good without shoes because lol nope @ the shoes.
And here’s what I’VE been up to: some flying, some weddinging, and some holding a baby-while-playing-dominoes. The usual.
Elegance.She was helping me add.
And speaking of flow and being at home, I got yet another Netflix DVD from a queue I clearly made two years ago called “Strip to It: Core Moves and Fantasies.”
The point of the DVD is obviously to teach you a few moves to put together and “perform” for a significant other, but, shhhh, the off label use: a terrific crash course in filler moves for pole!
If you’re one of those people who does TRICKS TRICKS TRICKS in class but has trouble smoothing things out in a routine, these are some super cute basics to mix in. Obviously, the DVD is called “Strip to It” so the choreo is on the sexy side, but you can definitely dial it down to flirty, or even add a gymnastics edge to make it more your speed. I mean, basics are basics, am I right? And the best part: you don’t need a pole or even a whole lot of space to practice these at home.
Uhhhhhh…. dedicate 5 or 6 years of your life to pole and develop a taste for pain?
…not quite Natasha Wang yet, is it?
For somebody who’s literally never been on a pole before, I felt like it would be mean to let her think getting to that level is anything but extremely difficult and physically painful. (Think back to your first pole sits–remember how much that hurt? And how annoying it was that it didn’t even look impressive?)
This is what bugs me about pole, kinda–I’m really, really glad people like JB are rocking out and getting respect for our sport. But, people like her are essentially Cirque de Soleil performers. They’re freashishly masterful. FREAKISHLY.
And I feel like people don’t understand that. So you’ve got the people on one hand who equate pole with stripping, and the people on the other hand that see Jenyne Butterfly and think, oh, okay, she’s a few classes in.
I mean, I have a pole at my house, I teach beginner classes 3 days a week, and I practice on my own at least 3-4 days a week. And only now am I getting my knees straight on aerial stuff. After a year and a half of total obsession. A clean climb and nice, straight layback are the only things I have in common with JB’s aerial stuff, and I freakin’ teach (though, to be fair, my classes are completely on the ground, and I’m quite proud of my clean, consistent spins, transitions, flow, and floor work… or I wouldn’t be teaching it).
But I don’t think a new student wants to hear about that stuff. They want to skip walking and go straight to inversions like Jenyne Butterfly.
Oy.
On somewhat related note, do you guys feel like there are two camps of pole: spin girls and strength girls? If so, I’m definitely the former. Are you one or the other? A tasty blend of both, but with a secret favorite? You can tell me, I won’t say anything, I swear.
It’s funny, I remember watching a lot of Leigh Ann Orsi (I think she has a new last name now…) on YouTube before I started dancing, and being totally bored with the upside down stuff. I just wanted to see her walk and pirouette. Even though she’s at a serious competitive level now, I still like her early videos best because she flows like a MOFO. For me, it’s really the distinguishing characteristic of pole from other forms of dance… the way you move around it is just hypnotic. Gah, still gives me chills.
Is that weird?
(Yes, probably).
(I’m okay with it).
Anyway, I can’t wait to post a video of me busting my ass trying to teach myself an iguana hold, but I left my camera cable at work. So until tomorrow…. here’s a video of Recent Leigh Ann Orsi doing her thing. Which is apparently a shoulder mount flip into a split. Jesus Christ I hate everything.
Who would you kill to learn from? Because I would stab a kitten to train with Leigh Ann Orsi.
But back to the task at hand: I taught my first private lesson! So. Much. Fun.
It’s probably the control freak in me, but I love being able to work with a person for as long as they need, at their pace, and with all the corrections necessary as we go.
Group classes are great–there’s tons going on, the music is loud and the energy is high, and you always know what’s up next.
But with all that breakneck speed and “energy,” there’s always at least one person that gets left behind.
I hate that.
Usually, you just have to look the other way as people circle the pole with straight legs like a stripper-Frankenstein, or flop their weight around like a sea lion. (Mixing monster and nautical metaphors–LIKE A BOSS).
Unfortunately, many will form habits in their first class that they never quite shake.
(My inner perfectionist is twitching).
But regardless of who’s lagging behind, class has to go on–you can’t press the pause button on class time to reset everyone’s body positioning.
My student today was totally green, and we spent at least 40 minutes of the hour working on fall out and arounds. It was so great to be able to get every single part of her body placed correctly and moving properly. She might have learned only one spin in her first hour dancing, but she can walk beautifully, she knows how to leverage her weight for momentum, and she falls with control.
Even simple moves like a spin-in back bend look fantastic, because she’s aware of her shoulders, her hips, her toes–her whole body, not just the part that’s the focal point.
So which is for you–private or group lessons?
Depends on your experience taking dance cues and your goals.
Have you taken dance classes before? Are you hoping for a quick sampling of a lot of different moves? You’ll likely cover more ground in a group class. You might not learn great form, but you’ll come away with a several basic moves in your back pocket. If you have a pole to practice on at home, and/or if you’re in it for the long haul (as in, you’ll have 10 more classes to iron out your posture issues), group classes can give you a lot of fun raw material to work with.
Are you totally new to dance? Have any special considerations, like an injury, or a special goal? (like training to dance professionally, or preparing a sexy routine for an SO?) A one-on-one is probably the most efficient way to go. You can talk over your goals through with your instructor and tailor your lesson so that every minute of your time is spent on what you want to be learning.
On that note, I should say that my student today will be performing as a go-go dancer at a club. It’s important for her to look great doing whatever she does on the pole, or around it, because tip money depends on great posture, confidence, and sex appeal throughout a dance.
In other cases, people just want to learn a few tricks to play with, and that’s totally fine.
But if you want to look amazing in a short period of time–especially while just doing simple moves–there’s no substitute for a private lessons. Preferably with a form nazi (ahem).
The Spin Diaries: Your Guide to Everything Pole and Aerial 