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Social media, inspiring or discouraging?
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For me advanced pole is inspiring. The pole art comps are such eye candy to me. Also, After seeing the reaction to Rihanna’s pour it up video vs Nicole William’s pour it up audition clip I think “elite pole” gives a lot of non-polers respect for pole as well as motivation to learn.
I think a good way to use social media to draw in polers would be to compile progression clips. Maybe the online world’s increasingly short attention span can be taken advantage of by putting up some mini montages of someone’s first few poling attempts through to their pole accomplishments.
People get to see people like themselves going from point A to point B.Even vids of someone attempting a move through to finally getting it was (and still) is a big inspiration for me to try something new and not give up.
Maybe some Veener volunteers can do Veena Vine-amonials instead of just testimonials!
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Great replies every!! I’m going to repost this half of my first post so those new to the topic can see.
What do YOU guys see in your social media feeds?
Do you feel encouraged or discouraged by what you see?
Have we been too spoiled by the video clip to sit down and enjoy a dance?
How can we get everyone here to help spread the word that pole IS for EVERYONE?
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I’m ready to admit I’m kind of over social media right now. Aside from the level of gymnastics and acrobatics being shared and becoming the norm – the conversations are getting divisive. I’ve seen polers I admire start threads questioning their placements and insinuating that other talents performers did not deserve their award and I’ve seen a lot of ugliness.
I love how athletic pole has gotten but once I see a move for me it’s done, I don’t care to do it unless I know I can make something with it that is special to me. The other problem with tricks on the professional level here is that you really feel like you stand out negatively at competitions because you don’t do them. For example, I can fonji but you will never see me fonji because I don’t think it’s safe to perform that kind of move without a mat. We do not see gymnasts performing difficult and dangerous skills with out mats so why do we take our safety for granted? Chinese pole moves are performed on rubber poles for a reason…I’m not certain we should be taking risks on poles not made for such things. I think it’s cool but I think we need to think about these things.
Lastly, I think there is a lot of competition to prove worth in the community and I’m not seeing much humility just a lot of struggles to be pole famous. I have stopped sharing my journey for the most part because I don’t want to be labelled, laughed at or have people take it the wrong way.
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I pole dance because it makes me feel sexy, and strong. I dance for MYSELF I don’t understand why people are so obsessed with trying to impress other people?Worrying about if someone shares your videos or how many likes you get??I feel sad when people think they aren’t good enough. I think everyone should dance for themselves, feel sexy and accomplished for YOU.. I follow so many advanced pole dancers and I’m inspired every single day!!When I watch an amazing pole dancer like felix cane I literally get a rush out of it I appreciate all dancers even less advanced dancers because I know how much work it takes to be good, so much practice and dedication it’s amazing!! I absolutely don’t get discouraged, I feel overwhelmed by admiration for pretty much all dancers I see in the media.Everyone needs to accept their journey and most of us might not be pros but all of us will always be good enough. Love yourself for who you are, because you can’t be someone else 🙂
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In my fb feed i see lots of 15 sec clips whether it’s just flow work or tricks. But at this point for me this site is my place that I come for inspiration, i feel more connected to what’s a reality for me and my body. And I’ve gathered up a few special relationships by means of this site:) that alone means a ton in my pole perspective! I enjoy freestyles more than clips personally, i like to see a fuller creation, a bigger picture i guess. But i do enjoy seeing everyone’s progression regardless of the type of video. But for me it’s always been about creating, a continuous flow, it’s therapeutic for me… dancing just feeds my soul!! I do see different support on my vids depending on if it’s a trick vid or a freestyle.. to each their own:) and hell yes i try to spread the pole bug all over equally. Pole is for everyone… all it takes usually is getting that doubtful newbie to simply take a walk around the pole…. a smile appears and it’s over! I think women have a hard time accepting that, yes this is for me and i do deserve to do what makes me come to life!! Great discussion Veena, thanks for all you are and all you do. I was thinking to mysekf a few days ago about how i haven’t seen a vid from you… then i thought you’re busy traveling. Veena i have anyways admired your gentle dance, true movements and the beautiful women swirling about in front of me. Please don’t stop sharing…. YOU INSPIRE!!
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I don’t watch full length video’s on Facebook unless it grabs my attention in the first 10 sec. I do watch full length video’s on here or you tube, just because I am actually sitting down and taking the time for it. Facebook I just browse during the day and just don’t always want to spent the time on watching or reading everything.
I enjoy instagram. I like the pole challenges there and it motivates me to try new things.
For full length video’s on youtube I like the dance/flowy kind. don’t have to do one trick after the other.
I personally don’t care if people don’t click like on my video’s and don’t share. I basically post my stuff on Facebook for my family who live half way around the world. I know my parents enjoy watching what i do. -
It can be so inspiring when you’re in a pole rut or want to explore different shapes – a lot of the things I try are from polers I follow. It can become discouraging if you are heavily involved in social media and cannot easily take a break from it.
1 of my poler friends is an instructor and is well known in the community and she has said she feels overwhelmed by all these moves of the moment etc. but feels pressured to ‘keep up’ or become lost in the crowd. I guess it is more important for her than for an average poler like me – she needs her name out there so any potential students will know her. She doesn’t compete so word of mouth/reputation via sharing 15sec clips or the latest power combo gets her those likes and shares. It’s worked out really well for her.
For a lot of us – as much as we’d love to – it’s simply not possible to watch all the videos that people post every day. I think due to this we have developed short attention spans – I think Aerial Amy posted a status about that once upon a time – and if you’re not doing something deemed ‘crazy’ then people will stop watching. If people don’t get something out of a video they will not care – they want moves they can try, some crazy flip or bend they can share.
All the elite polers want to stay well known and so are in a battle with each other to come across as the ‘go to’ poler to see new tricks or combos. There are a lot of polers whose dream it is to become ‘famous’ and so they can travel and teach workshops and the easiest way is via social media. Its happened already to a few polers I’ve followed from the start – they’ve never competed and they have confessed that they don’t ‘do dance’ yet they have thousands of fans simply by posting tricks. It’s all just a popularity battle at the end of the day. Very very rarely do the elite post videos of pole fails or them struggling to get a move and it’s ESPECIALLY annoying when they post ‘got it on the first try!’ and I believe that’s the danger of posting publicly – all we ever see nowadays are the results and never the journey and it’s a shame 🙁 that’s why I love watching the videos on here because it’s real women struggling with moves, showing the REALITY of what pole involves!
If you’re not interested in fame or any of that then social media can be very inspiring as you can pick and choose what you want to see/share/post and it can be a huge boost to your pole vocabulary. If you are interested in joining this fame circle then… good luck to you. Sorry if this is all a ramble, just typing what I’m thinking haha
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Thanks so much for this thread Veena, it goes along with thoughts I’ve been having lately of all of these wonderful and beautiful routines filled with awe inspiring tricks…and then there’s me, still working through basic stuff.
I find the advanced tricksters inspiring although I’m not at that level…in fact, as you know Veena, you were helping me in Fresno work on my basic invert. ..so I try and focus on basic, beginner moves when I post any videos on my website. I get a lot of emails from girls that just want to know how to start on the pole, how to get strong enough to hold themselves up, ect. I ofcourse refer them to Veena and usually give them a link to watch my simple, basic easy routines.
Also, I get bored at times with some rotuines unless they include me, the audience. Hey, remember, I’m watching…why don’t you look my way? What about creativity off the pole? Just saying from the audience’s viewpoint. Great thread.
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I’m also a fan of more showgirl style poling! I stopped watching pro videos a few years ago when everything became very formulaic and it was twisted grip, followed by whatever the newest trick was over and over, but they did what they new would get scores you can’t fault them for that!
From what I’m seeing I think on the site everyone (not just me, it’s been a team effort) has done a great job of encouraging all levels and keeping a vibe of enjoying the journey instead of progress, progress or you’re a failure. That make’s me very happy. So far none of the polers but Charley, who started back when I did have commented yet, but from what I see on my FB feed they still get down when there’s lack of progress or if they stop practicing for a bit. I feel the “first generation” of polers still feel if they pole they must also be an X girl, competing or touring otherwise what’s the point. Our friends around us became famous and I think that was very discouraging for some the “first generation”. This is just speculation though.
Shoogstandley, I am traveling but have a stage pole with me, however I don’t find stage poles very inspiring 🙁 I’m hoping to find studios who will allow me to either join in open pole or use their studio space while I’m not home.
Charley, we would love to see you here more! It does feel like everything is a popularity contest when it comes to pro’s and I’ve tried to get them involved here because I think they might find it refreshing to get away from media where only the crazy stuff get’s attention. I’m not sure if it’s me personally they don’t like or if they feel using SV is a waist of time? I’m very much over social media myself, but do to the nature of the site, we have to post regularly. It becomes very draining, because on social media you’re only remembered if you’re doing something new or super challenging ALL…THE…TIME, no one can live up to that!
Polediva, it was so great to have a little time to pole with you, I think beginner can be beautiful!
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These discussions make me feel better lol. I never planned on performing or doing comps, not that i wouldn’t if i felt like it but it just seems to draining and would take the fun out of it for me. To each their own though! When I freestyle or dance to a whole song (or try to anyways lol) I usually end up doing the same things over because they feel comfortable to me and it takes me a while to incorporate a new move I learned, so I usually stick to the same things in my dances. It works for me!! Some people just have a competitive personality and thats fine to. I personally think performing and competing are 2 different things in a sense. For comps you have to push the boundaries and do newer and crazier things to stand out. For performing, it is more about connecting with your audience and making them feel what your feeling. Drawing them in to you and your dance, not just crazy tricks.
I don’t like hearing that “I will never do that move” or “I could never do that move so I don’t try” Having that mindset will make it so you can’t do it. doesn’t mean you have to try it but to completely block it out because you think you’ll never get there is damaging to a possible growth that you never knew you had 🙂 I never thought in a million years I could some of the things I can now due to physical limitations or the fact that it looked to hard. But I think we can do almost anything we set our minds to unless you prevent yourself from doing it by your own mindset..
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I am a ‘first gen’ poler…I started the same time Charley did. 😀 I just took a loooooong break and got back into it as far as learning new things in 2011. I appreciate how you guys feel, and it sucks to be in a place where you feel like you’re ‘not enough’ and that the pole dancing that the masses see is crazy tricks!
CK–good distinction between competing and performing. I agree.
I do say ‘I will never do rainbow marchenko’ hahaha! Seriously, there are moves I am just not interested in, and I say I have enough to keep me busy for a long time without adding anything new. Lol. I did learn to like the knee hold (one that I said no way to) 😀 -
I have not read through this all as I am just waking up and had made a mental note earlier in the week that I wanted to respond to this. I still have so many things that are running through my head so I will try to separate them and add my notes.
Social media to me has become a game of “Look at me”, look how much better my life is than yours. Or on the opposite end, drama drama drama. Most of the videos in my feed any more are from competitions or performances, I don’t see very many clips. I also do not watch as many videos as I used to. I fully understand the need to share your excitement for getting a move, especially if you had worked on it for a long time, but I grow tired of people who do it because they are seeking attention. And you know and I know those people. I am not going to sit and explain myself, you know.
On that note, there has been a lot of conversation about this trend toward making a name for yourself in pole and it seems the social media plays a big part in that. People are not poling for the love and the community, they are poling looking for that attention. And it shows back stage when they are competing or performing. And it shows on their social media as they complain about this or that and why they did not win. I have heard some back stage horror stories and it is kind of sickening that some people are such whores for attention that they have to try to make others feel less than. Social media plays so much into this.
I have been secure in my pole journey for some time now so social media does not play much of a role. I still love seeing new stuff and some I know I maybe one day I will get and some thee is no way. It gives me an insight of the person behind the dancer and sometimes that is scary. Sometimes that makes their dance that much more beautiful. But again, I am in this for the community. I am in it because of the way pole makes me feel. It is a small portion of my life but one portion that fills a gap. I have an identity away from pole.
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So I just went back through and read Charley’s response. Can you tell why we are friends?
I will also note here, Layla’s illness has really pushed a LOT of this to the forefront and slapped us in the face. Layla was about the dance, about the community, about the love. I cannot imagine if she was just getting into pole NOW as opposed to when she did how she would feel. Or Joel. Hell, even David knows that without the community he may not have ever gone as far as he has.
I need a What Would Layla Do t shirt, and I need it NOW!
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I deactivated my Facebook. Veena your site and another fitness oriented site are the only social networks receiving my energy. I’m honestly over the adults acting like children. There’s but so much hiding someone from my news feed can do. there can be inspiring things however it’s likeplaying chess to get the draw of inspirational quotes and actually good Samaritan news.
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to verna: i think they see you as a kind of competition and wont cone on here because of that, many of them offer or are contributing to sites where online lessons are offered
online lessons were not av. few years ago, now theres tons of websites and pole school offering pole lessons.
also those few seconds clips with crazy tricks often come from those places to motivate people to subscribe to their lessons
it all comes down to everybody now thinks : im the best im gonna have my own videos on my own ect ect all about popularity and money , the pole community is sloly dissolving
but thats only my hars opinion as usual
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