Kyrsten
Forum Replies Created
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Get a callous shaver and shave them down flat before they have a chance to rip. helps a lot. I used to get skin rips reallllly easily when I first started pole.
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I like to teach my beginner classes/parties in Bad Kitty's GoGo (full coverage, but cuts off right after my butt) shorts. Really short and low rise but still full coverage. Mika has shorts that offer more coverage than the Mikaela's, too… I don't even have a big butt and they're pretty cheeky on me lol.
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You'll be able to tell if it's overtightened if it doesn't spin freely and smoothly on spin mode.
And I always clean the pole with alcohol as I find it works best, but I've heard of people using vinegar, acetone, Windex, vodka, special pole cleaners… lol. I like to use the cherry scented alcohol from beauty supply stores! Trick I picked up from another woman who used to own our studio 🙂 Smells fantastic, much more so than any other thing you could use to clean the pole lol
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She doesn't spin in the video, but I'm sure you could if you wanted to.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4j6jXkdZok
Something like this?? There are different variations on that move, but that's what came to mind when you said swinging the legs forward and spinning into the pole.
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I wonder what happens if you apply to more than one, can you be accepted into two or do you have to pick? I'd be scared to enter two and there being the possibility of having to do two comps in one month! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif
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Midwest as defined on the website, that is:
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So far there's been one announced for Chicago, Detroit, and St Louis… I believe I read somewhere that anyone in the Midwest can apply for them, I guess it just depends on which city you would prefer to do it in? I recall someone saying that on Facebook but I am not sure if that information is correct.
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Thanks FitChix! My advice to anyone thinking of entering: do it, seriously. I went back and forth about entering, and I really wasn't expecting to make it in (I'm still kind of surprised I did, considering the quality of the entries!) I convinced myself by thinking well, worst case scenario: you don't make it this time but you gain experience, have an awesome video to show for your hard work, and get useful feedback from judges. 🙂
As for Midwest specifically, it's not really about busting the craziest tricks, so don't feel pressured to do the hardest tricks in your bag… Figure out what you do well and stick to it. If you look at their criteria, difficulty plays a smaller role in the scoring than do your ability to craft an entertaining, smooth performance. (This is one of the great things about Midwest, the judging critera is laid out very well for potential competitors )Honestly, I'm more of a pole trickster than a dancer, so I think the Essential category would be a HUGE challenge for me… props to all those girls! Elite and Essential are both challenges in their own way, so think about your strengths and how they could apply. Don't be afraid to go for Elite, though!
Good luck to everyone though!!
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This trick basically feels like a shoulder dismount to me, except that instead of placing your shoulder on the pole, you're placing it on that bottom knee, if that makes sense? I put my hands one knee height, one thigh height, but I have seen people use different heights of hold.
The most important part of this trick for me is to make sure that I am actively pushing out with that bottom foot before I release the top knee… my bottom leg locks out into my torso before I start leaning forward to split. Again, basically like a shoulder dismount — I'm locking my leg and making it into my pole lol. Straighten that leg completely, making sure to actively push with the foot and pull with the arms, then start bringing your top leg down.
I also find this trick a lot easier from the pole than from the floor. Just do it really low to the ground starting out and grab some cushions… it really isn't that scary to fall out of close to the floor, since you will fall on your back and not your neck or face lol. I took a couple tumbles learning to dismount from it.
It definitely does take a lot of balance and control, but again, I find it easier from the pole than the floor. Also, if you have sweaty feet, make sure you wipe down the pole and your feet well, and use grip aid on your feet when learning if necessary.
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Do you pole at home? My pole is in my basement and it gets pretty cold down there, so in the winter I like to turn on the space heater for a while before I go down there, layer up my clothes until I feel cozy (sports bra and pole shorts, a tank top and legwarmers, then a warm hoodie and sweatpants and slippers or boots) and then dance around and do basic floorwork and things like headstands until I feel warm. The worst part is your skin touching the cold metal lol so I like to use the pole a lot in my warm up when it's chilly… think spins with lots of body contact like the side spin, front/back hooks, fireman, etc 🙂 Then you can slowly strip away layer by layer as you feel warmer.
If it's just working out in general, the worst part is getting the courage to leave the warm house, lol 🙁 I struggle with that too…
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Definitely check on your local Craigslist — I got my first pole, a Lil Mynx Rotator, for $180 from a woman an hour away from me 🙂
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I entered Midwest as my first competition last year and couldn't have asked for a better experience 🙂 I'm hoping to enter again this year now that I know what I'm getting myself into, lol.
So are this comp and the other ones I've seen around on FB (Motor City, Windy City) linked under Midwest Pole Dancing? Are there any other cities hosting these?
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That's one of my favorite pole videos too! There needs to be a drooling emoticon lol
It does depend — I have been poling for about 16 months and I can do most of the tricks and splits she does in that video (expecting the no-legs climb… I can only do like 2 lol), but I'm nowhere near as smooth as she is in her movement! I would not consider myself on her level because of that.
Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses so it's hard to say. People who have backgrounds in dance or gymnastics may already have a foundation of flexibility, strength, and flow and pick things up quite easily, but I would say for most complete newbies it would take at least a few years to start to really start mastering all of the pieces of the puzzle and putting them together in such a skilled way. (Not to say there aren't pole prodigies, lol) It also depends on how much work you are willing to put in… someone who practices many hours a week focusing on different things with a pole at home will likely progress faster than someone who takes 1 class a week at a studio, you know?
Short answer: probably a few years unless you're athletic or happen to be naturally gifted at pole.
But the great thing about pole is no matter what your level, there is always something to work on and something you can accomplish. I honestly enjoy pole no more or less being able to do advanced tricks than I did when I could barely do a fireman, and seriously, non-polers are impressed by about ANYTHING you do… I climbed the pole twice and did a pole sit once at a party and the ladies were absolutely blown away, lol 😛 And pole is so versatile that even if you can't do any advanced tricks or even invert, you can still put together a beautiful performance. I quite enjoy watching polers who just make simple movements look beautiful.
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Is the bottom/straight arm palm up or palm down? I always feel tempted to turn it palm up but that seems wrong even though it feels better to me..
