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Community.
First let me say, I’m never concise. So if I’m getting too long winded you can probably just skim to the bottom.
Second let me say I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY… If I could move everyone from SV to one town I would probably not be able to enjoy it because I would have died of happiness instantly!
I’m super jealous when I see girls jamming together or making costumes, yoga wheels, and decorating heels together.
I’m a MeetUp.com member and thats how I find out about cool events like outside yoga or hoop jams…
The MeetUp I go to yoga with is a “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” group. And it’s got too many drinking events and stuff. Right now I pick and choose the things I go to, but because it does attract a more “happy hour” crowd I don’t feel 100% apart of the community. The hoop group is cool… but very hoop centered.
The thing is I wanted to create my own group. People interested in anything aerial or cirque-like Pole, Lyra, Silk, Contortionists.. even hoop and yoga. I don’t think the Pole community is large enough in NJ to have it be just polers, PLUS all these other genres have a lot in common too.. many of them could be working on splits or handstands.
I was hoping that by forming a local community people could split private lessons, carpool to classes and workshops, have create costumes or props, or just jam in the park or on the beach…
I have met PoleBull through this site, and she kicks SO MUCH ASS. I even got to see her perform… I just keep thinking about all the cool things I don’t know that are happening, and all the performances I could be missing (in the other aerial arts as well). Other than that I know 1 other girl from class who is superrrrrr busy all the time, and my instructor who is injured.
Obviously I’ll point my new friends to SV (I told everyone at the Hoop Jam to upload their hoop videos here, and that people here also love hoop!)
So my question is are any of you girls in any groups like this? Did you find it through Facebook, Meetup or another site? (meetup.com is annoying because to make a group you pay 10-15 a month!)
If you’re in a group can you share with me some events you’ve had… Do people in the group actually get together, or is it just used to share memes and advertise things?
I’d love to hear what language used too… I don’t want to call it a Aerialist group, because I also want to include hoop and contortion. (also I’m not sure a lot of polers identify with Aerialist either (or do they?)… and Cirque could apply, but I’m not sure if that would be appropriate either. Advice?
Really I just want to hear if any of you have started or belong to any real life local groups or communities and what you like or don’t like about them and any other things you have to say on the topic.
Also, is anyone else from NJ and interested in a group like this?
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10 Replies
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If you find a magic way to meet friends I’d like to know! There are zero pole studios in my area and so far it’s over all been a very lonely place. I’m happy the kids are home now from school!!!
I’ve seen events but none close to me at all…..
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Veena, It makes me sad to hear you say this… but honestly I feel a little relieved I’m not the only one. I feel like everyone else has tons of friends that share their interests.
I do have a fear I might make a group and be the only person in it, and I’ll feel like such a loser π
Where have you been looking for events? (Curious cause I might look too)
I think this all really started when I found this cool list of DIY shirts… and I was like “I wish I had friends to make these with” http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/30-diy-ways-to-get-your-t-shirts-ready-for-summer?utm_term=.sreORk556k#.gqVRx4QQr4
Thanks for making this beautiful place though. If I didn’t have this place I don’t know what I would do.
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I’ve had events pop up on my fb feed and been invited to a hoop jam, but it was a weekend we were busy and it was kinda far from here. There’s a ton of yoga studios but with the kids school schedule I didn’t have time to check anything out yet. Now this July I head home to spend some time with my mom so still doesn’t seem like a great time to start anything. I’d love to take some dance classes.
Those tees are soooooo cool! I’d make them with you!
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Ok well I created a Facebook group….
Made a cover photo in like 10 minutes and came up with a really broad name to include everyone. I’m goon to work on the art later.Also, wishing the name was shorter. I need to work on it.
So far we are 8 members strong (including me). And we have one event planned, with 1 person attending (me, but I was going to it regardless).
As I was doing this I was kind of wishing there was a national/world organization (upa or any group like that) that would have local chapters that someone could run. Like the elks or lions club do… Or even like Girl Scouts. Just thinking about how much easier that would be for people to find and join.
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You can also create events here too if you like. https://www.studioveena.com/events You can also search for people close to you here.
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I just wanted to update in case anyone else was curious or wanted to do something similar in their area:
I realized if you want a certain type of community sometimes you need to build it yourself. I think thats what Veena realized when she built this website! I think thats what my instructor realized when she planned to open her studio….
You can’t wait for others to create fun events, you need to create them yourself…
So today I’m pulling my stage pole out and meeting like 3 other girls for a “Pole in the Park” jam… and next month we are planning a “Sunday Bumday Beachday” of stretching and acro’ing around on the beach (5 Yes RSVPs so far) . I’ve also shared some open to the public events like the “Yoga in the Garden” events that are held each month… and one member was kind enough to share the Dakota Fox workshop at her studio with the group.
Hoping that this will snowball into something great π
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I think your group is a great idea Allyson. I don’t have any in-person pole buddies either. I went to a studio in my city for a while and it was okay but I didn’t really fit in. I keep hoping to convince a friend to try poling but no one’s biting.
I did a little poling at my local park yesterday and I love it and it makes me wish I could do more outside and have some friends to share it with.
I would like to win the lottery and build an awesome, humongous aerial/rock climbing/obstacle course/gymnastic gym.
Veena, it makes me sad too that your new place has been lonely. Every time I see your IG posts of your beautiful studio and deck I want to go house hunting and find something similar.
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I kinda feel the same way about not fitting in at my local studio. But I finally got tired enough of poling at home and realized that I personally need to be in community with real live people enough to just go back there. And I’m glad I did. I immediately felt more comfortable this time around even though I noticed some weird vibes and glances from some of the other girls. I honestly think a lot of the discomfort has to do with confidence and I think their looks are more curiosity than malice, but it can be hard to read people, especially when you’re not feeling 100% secure with yourself. I had a couple of really good lengthy talks with the studio owner / instructor about my need for the community and desire to be a better dancer, and that made me feel like I could make a place in that community. It just takes time I think for other students to see that you are there consistently and not one of those here-today-gone-tomorrow people. The most advanced dancers have seen so many people come and go…
I think having meet up groups like that is an awesome idea. I agree that SV and also the Insta community help keep me motivated and are so helpful and encouraging – but I do feel lonesome in my pole journey without real live pole buddies. I just realized I would never have them if I didn’t put myself out there and make an opportunity for it to happen. It sounds like you recently came to the same realization. You go-getter!
I wish we weren’t on opposite coasts. I would love to pole (or handstand, or make t-shirts…) with you!!!! Γ°ΕΈβΕ
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It’s funny because I felt like I was desperate for ANYONE!!! But I completely get the “I don’t fit in feeling” not really in relation to the people’s personalities but their love of pole. The other studio I popped in a few times had some super nice girls who would come to class once a week… It was open level…and the girls had other interests they cared about more, didn’t seem to have or want home poles. I could be wrong though, but I feel they liked the workout and had but didn’t seem into the whole pole scene (ie. Watching competitions and videos, and becoming obsessed like me).
The women who I poled with in the park were not like me at all, one was a graceful flexible almost 60 year old modern dancer and one was an adorable tattooed, pierced, purple haired instructor! And we had an awesome time!
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Another option to try is poling via Skype. I’ve done it with a few SV ladies and it went well. I also learned my knee hold via Skype awhile back.
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