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Tell me your Pole-story! :)
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How old are you?
28
How long have you been pole-dancing?
7 years
What got you into pole dancing?
Long story but to sum it up: I had a friend in 2002 who challenged me to a 'pole-off' in a friends basement. We both realized how hard it was and thought it was a fun challenge. Wanted to keep working on it but had no outlet to do so. Formally, started pole when I saw Gravity Plays Favorites at a Dresden Dolls concert in 2006.
Why pole dancing and not something else?
I was always into athleticism. I used to be a very intense runner, but injured my leg. I couldn't run to the level I enjoyed anymore so was looking for upper body work outs. Also, I was drawn to the sexuality and taboo nature of it (way more taboo in 2006 when I started). I love that it combines strength, cardio, and flexibility. Being upside-down is also very… relaxing.
What makes pole dancing special to you?
First- the people I've met through pole. It's a special brand of person. I can be myself openly. Secondly, pole gives me the emotional strength to get through some serious struggles I've had. It is in part due to the community, but I find just clearing my mind and dancing gives me a better centering than any meditation or yoga has ever been able to do. Additionally, achieving a new challenging move makes me feel like a strong person who can accomplish goals I set my mind to (in life/work/etc in addition to pole).
How did you first find out about Studio Veena?
I don't even know how I heard about it originally, but I only checked it as a nonmember at first. I only actually joined in 2010 after meeting Chemmie in person. Shout out to Chemmie- who is an amazing woman, excellent pole resource and is the glue that keeps a large group of the pole community together. Miss your face.
How much time do you spend on here? (hours a day/week/month)
It varies quite a bit… I go through phases when I'm on every day for 1 hour… to once or twice a month. Depends on how busy my schedule is.
How did you choose your tag (AKA User Name)?
It's a variation of my real name that I use for all pole related stuff.
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Wee!
How old are you? I am 27 and a half years old
How long have you been pole-dancing? I've been dancing… about 5 years now? But it's very off-and-on
What got you into pole dancing? A friend's bachelorette party! I think we were all very curious about this new craze, especially being from a smaller town, and once we tried it, we actually all enrolled in lessons! Only a couple of us from that group have kept up with it, though.
Why pole dancing and not something else?/What makes pole dancing special to you? Well, I've tried other things, but very little appeals to me in the world of fitness. I've even tried a lot of types of dance, but somehow, the challenge of Pole keeps bringing me back.
How did you first find out about Studio Veena? How much time do you spend on here? (hours a day/week/month) I found out about Studio Veena through Tara Karina on Youtube- I would watch her videos pretty often, and in the description she would advertise for SV… and one day I just clicked it and had to stay!
How did you choose your tag (AKA User Name)? Oh dear… well, I used to play World of Warcraft, and my main character was called "Runemist" (I played a Night Elf, it seemed to fit) and then… Numerology informs the "34" part of my name. My current username is the one I use all over the internet, now!
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Age: 21
I have been pole dancing for only 2 months.
I have been hip hop dancing for 7 years and decided it would be a good idea to try a new dance genre
I had been thinking about pole dancing for about a year and did a lot of research. That’s when I found studio veena. I then decided to buy my own xpole for my home and do online pole classes. I wanted to also jump out of my comfort zone and feel confident in my own skin.
Pole dancing gives me a sense of individualism and empowerment. It is a world where I can free my mind from reality. It allows me to move my body in a way that I thought was impossible for me and with every improvement comes more confidence.
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Age: 21
I have been pole dancing for only 2 months.
I have been hip hop dancing for 7 years and decided it would be a good idea to try a new dance genre
I had been thinking about pole dancing for about a year and did a lot of research. That’s when I found studio veena. I then decided to buy my own xpole for my home and do online pole classes. I wanted to also jump out of my comfort zone and feel confident in my own skin.
Pole dancing gives me a sense of individualism and empowerment. It is a world where I can free my mind from reality. It allows me to move my body in a way that I thought was impossible for me and with every improvement comes more confidence.
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How old are you? 33
How long have you been pole-dancing? 15 years
What got you into pole dancing? Stripping. My first night I saw some of the other girls doing things that looked like they defied gravity. I knew I would do whatever it took to do that too.
Why pole dancing and not something else?/What makes pole dancing special to you? I've always loved the challenge that pole presents in learning new moves and finding new ways to combine them. I took regular dance classes (ballet, jazz) through college and loved them, but pole was even better. It's is a physical and mental challenge like no other and at the same time it's FUN! I'm drawn to any activity where one of the muscles that hurts after a workout is my stomach from laughing so hard.
How did you first find out about Studio Veena? How much time do you spend on here? (hours a day/week/month) I was on youtube trying to figure out how to do a pole move and one of Veena's videos popped up. After watching the video, got the move on the first try – and decided I needed the rest of the lessons as soon as I could afford them! Usually I'm on the site 10-15 min a day (I'm kinda a lurker) unless there's something I'm following or I'm trying to learn a new move – then it's more.
How did you choose your tag (AKA User Name)? It's my name and last initial.
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How old are you? 34
How long have you been pole-dancing? 4.5 years
What got you into pole dancing? A friend of mine had tried it and thought it would suit me. When she later signed up for classes she wondered if I shouldn't do the same.
Why pole dancing and not something else?/What makes pole dancing special to you?
I actually signed up for the classes after just having looked at the homepage of the studio. The pictures and descriptions awoke the (deeply sleeping) old gymnast inside of me. I never thought I would do sports ever again (other than possibly some day get a gym membership) as I hadn't had any interests which really involved physical exercise since I quit that gymnastics at age 12. And this was happening the same year as I would turn 30 so…I thought of myself as a training-hater at that time and it felt weird to know I would soon start sporting again. Although, I was excited, having a "this just can't go all that wrong"-feeling about it:). Something that I had been thinking, just in general, was that I would like to develop my creative sides more in my life. Maybe I subconsciously understood that pole was an opportunity for it. If so, it was obviously not just the old gymnast-me calling after all.I find pole dancing special since it involves so many different skills (strength, technique, flexibility, flow, musicality) which leads to that different people can have very different styles. And there's no right or wrong really. I don't think there's a more creative sport to find.
How did you first find out about Studio Veena? How much time do you spend on here? (hours a day/week/month)
It was from a link in one of Tara Karinas videos. I guess I spend about a couple of hours here a week.
How did you choose your tag (AKA User Name)?
My name is Lina and Spiralyne is my youtube name. I actually call myself Lina on YT now, but the old channel name remains the same. It was put together by spiral + Lina thinking of a body spinning around a pole.
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How old are you? 39
How long have you been pole-dancing? 3 months
What got you into pole dancing? I took an aerial silks class in March, and I was really tempted by the poles! I had thought about it off and on for a few years but couldn't work up the courage to try.
Why pole dancing and not something else?/What makes pole dancing special to you? It's extremely fun and really great exercise. I always wanted to do gymnastics and stuff but never did, I feel like I'm getting a taste of that sort of thing now, in a more fun way. I've taken some form of dance lesson (mostly tap and bellydance for the past 15 years or so, so the danciness aspect appealed to me).
How did you first find out about Studio Veena? How much time do you spend on here? (hours a day/week/month) Just googling around. I spend a couple of hours a week here, mostly looking at the lessons and the forums. I've learned a lot from both.
How did you choose your tag (AKA User Name)? Eh, didn't give it much thought. Don't particularly like it, actually! 🙂
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PandalinaHooker (PH) I think that you have taken on a very interesting research project for your "Ethnographic Methods" class. I'm sure that I speak for everyone in wishing you all the best in its completion, and at the same time asking a favor in return. That being, would you please share with all of us, or those that are interested, the completed project that you submit, and also the grade you receive, and how it was received by your professors?
The PH interview:
How old are you?
I'm currently 65 and a half years old.
How long have you been pole dancing?
Just coming up on 6 months even.
What got you into pole dancing?
I workout on a regular basis and for four months towards the end of last year I had been looking for an adjunct to my fitness program. I tried a few other things and they basically had the same flavor as to what I was doing in my own workout routine. About the same time, I conjured up the idea of doing a surprise pole dance for my wife's birthday. We've been married for forty-four years.
I found a pole dancing studio near me and went to an introduction class. I explained what I wanted to accomplish, but we only had six weeks. With the help of three fabulous instructor's I was able to perform a surprise pole dance for my wife to the song "Gimme, gimme, gimme, a man after Midnight," by Abba, her favorite group. She loved the dance. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif
During those six weeks I practiced hard; I lost 5 pounds unintentionally, and my legs and arms were bruised, and I looked as though I had been on the receiving end of a bad first round in an MMA competition.
Why pole dancing, and not something else?
Pole dancing, but really it's pole fitness; is low impact strength and flexibility challenges that works your entire body. It is a way that I can express myself in accomplishing different maneuvers that requires me to engage a much wider variety of muscles than I use in my regular workout routine. Going to a gym and bench pressing 158 pounds means nothing, and only works a few isolated muscle groups.
Taking the same 158 pounds (my body weight) and doing a split grip-invert, or a shoulder mount is the equivalent of benching 158 pounds, but within those two movements I have worked the arms, the abs; upper and lower, the oblique's, lats, shoulders, back muscles, hip flexors, and I have to keep the legs straight and the toes pointed! There's very little that matches the intensity and satisfaction of pole fitness. You get the idea.
Plus, there's the positive learning attitude in the studio's I go to. I am privileged to pole with a very assertive, progressive, caring, and encouraging group of ladies. The external socialization and camaraderie makes pole fitness so much fun for me.
What makes pole dancing special to you?
First of all, since doing the dance for my wife, I often wake up to, "How's my pole dancer this morning?" In addition to starting the day off right, on occasion, I will get asked to use the door frame and do some of the floor moves that I did in the dance for her. Oh, yeah! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif
When I began pole instruction I instantly liked it. I feel comfortable around and on the pole. The ground work exercises that we do before class has improved my flexibility, as well as the stretching after class. I'm learning to have coordinated, smooth dance moves around the pole as well as the increased challenges of being on the pole. I've never been a good dancer. With pole I can listen to a variety of music and visualize ground moves and pole moves that I feel would go with it. Never been able to do that before.
I would like to develop enough pole skills to at least enter into competition someday. It's not that I would win. There are people at the studio's that I go to who compete and place. They're my inspiration. Hopefully, I can at least compete.
How did you first find out about Studio Veena (SV)?
I believe that I found it while Googling pole dance video's.
How much time do you spend on SV?
Initially, I only watched what Veena was doing for instruction. Then I began noticing the video's other Veener's were posting, and also the discussion wall. The SV website is representative of a great community of people. I get so many ideas and suggestions from the SV poler's without ever asking a question. Like the people that I pole with at the studio, all the people on the SV website are incredibly supportive and encouraging of one another.
So, I wind up spending more time. This amounts to, on average 20 minutes a day in a five day week. Sometimes more, and sometimes less.
How did you choose your tag?
I didn't. When I was first on the SV website I just used my screen name of gulfstream, with numbers that followed. At our studio, one of the young ladies, Samantha, began calling me magic Mike. We all had a good laugh about it. So, she continued to call me that.
Then the priest at our parish found out that I was pole dancing. After Mass one Sunday as we were leaving I shook Father's hand and he said, "Good to see you magic Mike."
So, I changed my tag to "MajikMyke."
In your project you may use my name, as well as my tag on the SV website. Thank you for affording us this opportunity to participate in your class project.
Sincerely,
Michael Egan – tag: MajikMyke
Retired / Senior Captain / Aviation Dept / Fortune 50 Company
Potomac Falls, Virginia
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MajikMyke! I'm glad you asked! I will gladly share my project with you all! I intend to post the "Final copy" as a blog, and if you message me your email I will even send it to you as a .doc file if you prefer (complete with my interview with David C. Owen, which I think is a little long to make a blog unfortunately, I ended up with 12 pages!). 😀 I'm glad to know that people are interested in seeing the final work, even if it's not an 'official' research study.
And I just want to say, again, thank you to everybody for the wonderful responses! You all have fantastic answers and I've been enjoying reading them!
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How old are you? Just turned 40, and very excited about it!
How long have you been pole-dancing? about a year, but I had to take 6 months off for a broken bone (non-pole-related injury). Just getting back into it the past few weeks.
What got you into pole dancing? There was a groupon for 4 weekly lessons at a local pole studio, and a group of friends and I thought it would make a fun girls night out with a lot of laughs.
Why pole dancing and not something else?/What makes pole dancing special to you? I woke up the next morning after that first class, and my arms were sore! I work out a lot, so I was surprised. By the end of the four weeks, only taking the class for one hour/week, I was so much stronger! And I was so intent on mastering the turns and holds, the time flew by. It seemed like a good way to increase my upper body strength, which has always been a challenge to me. It gives me a feeling of accomplishment when I master a new hold, to see my progress.
How did you first find out about Studio Veena? How much time do you spend on here? (hours a day/week/month) Via a random google search for pole info. The time I spend here varies, from a few minutes a week to several hours a week.
How did you choose your tag (AKA User Name)? Just typed random letters. No meaning. 🙂
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Hi Pandalina! First off, thanks for this post. What a great way to ‘meet’ others on this site!?
My name is Tammy and, as you can see, my ‘tag’ is Pole Annie. I took on this tag because I’m a Pistol Annie’s fan, and if they are ‘Holler Annie’, ‘Hippie Annie’ and ‘Lone Star Annie’, then I must surely be ‘Pole Annie’ because I relate to their sassy attitudes so well.
I’m a 53 year old woman and I started poling by taking a huge chance and registering and actually taking an introductory workshop at a brand spanking new studio in Lexington KY a year ago. What fun I had! I even got to unwrap one of the brand new poles that day! Attempting to perform some of the moves I was being shown, I realized just how out of shape my body had become; I was so weak and it concerned me.
At the end of the workshop, the instructor demonstrated some spins and tricks that would be available to learn in the studios curriculum. I knew in that instant that I HAD to learn how to do those things and that began my pole journey.
It’s like nothing else I’ve ever done. It doesn’t present the same challenges of any other fitness activity or sport that I have ever participated in. Each and every class, each and every move/spin/hold that I have been able to learn so far has and continues to provide a challenge like no other I’ve ever experienced. Beside all that, it feels like play!!! And I love to go PLAY!!! Pole dance has given me motivation to be the best I can be. It is always a challenge, but never one that can’t be met on some level. It’s always onward and upward, even when you get frustrated. It’s giving me my body, mind and spirit back.
I found the Studio Veena website just searching the Internet and decided to join quite quickly. I check the email from the site everyday. The videos have been a great supplement tomy studio training and have helped me have several successes in learning new moves. However, this is really the first time I’ve replied to a post on here. From my short year in the pole community, no matter if it’s on this website or in the studio, I’ve never experienced the kind of positive reinforcement and encouragement anywhere else.
Thanks again for this post and your interest in your fellow polers!
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How old are you?
I am 33 years old.How long have you been pole-dancing?
I’ve been doing pole for 3 years.
What got you into pole dancing?
I saw a Facebook post of the USPDF highlights and immediately researched on where to learn how to do this amazing stuff!Why pole dancing and not something else?/What makes pole dancing special to you?
I’ve always loved strength based workouts. I was a cheerleader and dancer when in school and I think pole allows me to get that kind of workout and put my own personality in it. It’s the only type of fitness that I’ve been able to stick with as an adult 🙂
It’s special to me because I can tailor it to how I’m feeling that day. If I’m super pumped that day – I can work on strength and power moves. If I’m feeling sad – I can just put on a song and dance it out. If I’m in a sexy mood – I’ll sex it up! Other workouts don’t really allow you to put your current emotion behind it.
How did you first find out about Studio Veena? How much time do you spend on here? (hours a day/week/month)
How did you choose your tag (AKA User Name)?
I found out about this site through a pole friend at the studio where I was taking classes.
I spend about a few hours a week on here.
I choose my name because when I perform – I go by the name “Story” 🙂 -
you can use my name or anything you need…
I am 24 years old, and have been poling off and on for 2-3 years…. I originally started due to a lovely lady named tara karina….. I thought it could give her a bit of relief from her life maybe it would help me… I went from never working out to working out ALL THE TIME haha but I ended up stopping for a year or two just due to lack of time… even now I only have time for once a week.. But I LOVE it so much… It helps me mentally in so many ways… I have more confidence then I ever had…. and theres nothing like working out when I had the worst day…. I started working out mainly to free myself mentally from my depression…. and with meeting so many amazing ppl through poling I hope to never stop 🙂 its special to me because it gave me something I years ago thought I could never achieve…. which was happiness I LOVE POLING lol
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I'm 57, I've been poling for almost 7 years. I got up one morning in my usual routine, went to take my shower, took off my robe and went to hang it up, it fell on the floor…I bent down to pick it up and caught my nude reflection in the mirror….I literally cried when I saw myself! I realized I hadn't' looked at my body since my son was born! I saw, wrinkles and bagging, hanging skin, what was suppose to be triceps was wings! I couldn't tell where my butt ended and my hammies began! My knees had saggy skin that drooped beyond where I believed they should be! I was horrified to see how I looked after all those years! I always stayed covered up, even in the summer I wore jeans all the time, no shorts. I decided right there that I needed to do something to get in shape and become healthier! I was a nurse working 2-3 pt jobs so I could be around for my kids, well my kids were grown and gone now and the reality of self neglect reared it's ugly face! I went into the basement and tried to lift weights (my son left his equipment when he went to college). I struggled, it was boring and hard. I knew I needed some form of cardio, but my right knee always bothered me, and I had chronic back and neck pain. I have left sided lower Lordosis, and my cervical spine does not have a curve in it due to child abuse. I started surfing on the web and came across pole, I followed some links and it lead me to a place in Canada. I ordered my 1st pole! Though I didn't know what to do with it I played around with it. I then searched for pole videos….WOW!! I found this thing called YOUTUBE!!!! That's where I had my 1st contact with Veena before she ever had studioveena. I posted a short video of a practice, the comments were cold and cruel. I was going to give up pole but Veena and Joel (Poledancefan) convinced to keep going! What I found was, pole got me in shape, I got the cardio I needed with low impact to my knee! My chronic back and neck pain, after suffering for years, was gone in just a few months of poling!!! I have been pain free for 6 1/2 years now!!! I have no background in sports or dance, I was not athletic, but you wouldn't know it to see me know! I also suffered depression and was on meds. Pole helped me with my confidence my self esteem and my panic attacks started to slowly dissipate!! I have been off meds now for 6 years!! I Continued to be encouraged by Veena. This is the only thing that works for me! I can lose myself when I'm sad, or happy, or whatever my state is….I can pole it away so to speak, it is my release. I loved it so much that I opened my studio almost 3 years ago! I found I CAN do the things I thought were impossible, and I learned to love myself and be comfortable in my own skin! and I compete with no one, I think that's part of the beauty of it!! As for my name, it was my nickname when I was a teenager/young adult. My name is Pamela, and I own and instruct at Total Woman, LLC Studio in Fargo, ND 🙂
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WOW, You are an inspiration, That is awesome that you found Veena and how she inspired you to keep going and your fan joel. When i started i had no idea about pole fitness and i had a mall pole. That was in feb. 2012. So i started using it and thank goodness i didn't get hurt. Then i found Veenas site and found out about X-Pole and other poles, So i bought my first X-Pole in March of 2012, The reason why i started pole fitness was to lose weight but now it is so much more!!! Right now my pole is down cause it got slightly bent and it keeps coming out of place, So i am saving up to buy either a TG X-Pole or Veenas little minx pole. I have still been working out where i still keep my strength that i have gained.
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