[Leeloo]

You can also do it from a genie, where the lower leg becomes the brass monkey hooked leg. You can do it from a butterfly by hooking the free leg above the hooked leg (this time hooked more horizontal to the floor instead of in line with the pole) and unhooking the leg that was hooked in the butterfly 😀 Will try to find some vids 😀

[Leeloo]

I am almost 6’2″ tall, and I got myself some 6″ pleasers and I have tried dancing in the 7″ ones as well. My problem with the pleasers isn’t the height of the platform/heel but the stability. I normally wear size 10 but for pleasers i should wear size 9 or even 8 because I have very narrow feet with high arches. In my opinion the transparent plastic straps adhere better to the foot and offer more stability.

[Leeloo]

For Paris I would definitely recommend Pole & Dance, Lolo Hilsum’s studio. Pole Spirit should also be nice.

[Leeloo]

Janeiro and variations

[Leeloo]

@VanillaryPuff, thank you for sharing your experience. Just out of curiosity, where are you from, and did you have to travel to take all these workshops? I also went through the phase where I just had to take all the workshops possible, and even then I had to travel abroad to manage these 😀

And yes, I definitely agree taking a private is way better than taking a workshop. On one occasion I experienced, miraculously, a private for 3 people costed less money per person than a 6 people workshop (!?) Not to mention just how more useful it was 😀

[Leeloo]

Anything that appears in her routine is a good request. And I think preparing for a workshop in advance is great. She’s got many really nice aerial transitions and combos in her routines as well, so you can request these, according to your level. I love the leaping spin btw, I just call it Michelle Stanek spin 😀

[Leeloo]

If it's just the same song but you had a different concept in mind, go for it. If it's a similar concept, but you feel you can do it differently, do it. Just please don't try to do the same song and theme as an already worldwide famous routine, it will do you more harm than good. I've seen copies of Jenyne's routines worldwide and it was not cool.

[Leeloo]

USPDF has a compulsory round with obligatory heels. And optional rounds can be in heels as well, many dancers used that possibility.

[Leeloo]

Ironically, I sometimes regret the fact pole dancing requires very little clothes because it limits your choice of character. Of course, costume is not everything that makes the character, but it is hard imagining poling in a a more elaborate non-skimpy costume unless you are a guy with a lot of upper body strength that doesn't have too much leg gripping in the routine (or does more of a chinese pole style) or unless you take the "extra" clothes off during the routine. Yes, having skin exposed is essential for pole dancing, but as i said, your choice of costume is limited.

[Leeloo]

When I say London, I mean IPSF World Pole Sports Championship 😀

[Leeloo]

I agree, sexy, or rather in this case, vulgar, is allowed too much in "regular" dance in all age categories and even though it is in the rules of many of those competitions, nobody puts restriction on this, which I find appalling and hypocrite. Many latin dances are innately sexual and nobody has a problem with that. I have no problem with pole involving sensual movement, I have a problem with people saying that sexy pole is the original pole and that we should all "go back to our roots".

Btw, great article on evolution in gymnastics. Sadly, this is the case even with rhythmic gymnastics, which, by definition, should be done to music and follow it accordingly. But even today there are some exceptions to the uniformity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37YEpf_xhbk

London was pretty uniform, but nobody can deny that there were some outstanding performances that were great and even artistic, despite all the rules and limitations.

[Leeloo]

This piece is amazing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZhCPKWD7FM but noone could call this piece sexy. It is a highly emotional piece that is sending a message, beautifully created and executed. Maybe we're not thinking of the same performance.

[Leeloo]

I just dislike the fact some people say "pole dancing"=sensual/sexy movement. Dancing as such can be lyrical, energetic, dramatic, slow, fast, flowing, elegant, fierce, explosive, story-telling, etc. Just because it is "dancing" and not "sports" in this phrase, it doesn't mean it HAS to be sexy. Therefore, I do not get the opposition "dancing" vs. "sports" as an opposition of sexy vs. devoid of sexy. I take this opposition as sports vs. more artistic freedom. From several threads here I get the impression that practitioners of sexy pole dancing style are feeling somewhat endangered and isolated. On the other hand, I am grateful that I have the option of not going to "sexy" classes, now that other style exists, because the sexy style is not the style I want to do. This is partly because I think dancing in a sexy manner is something that comes from every person individually, and partly because I want to do different sorts of movement on the pole. If only sexy pole was offered, I'd probably feel completely caged, and I probably would not even try or pursue pole. I believe sexy polers still have more options when it comes to taking classes in that style. Pole has evolved. For me the problem with sports is not that it misses sexy, it mostly misses the artistic spark. But as someone pointed out here or on a similar thread, these factors make the judging more subjective. I think the ideal way is to organize competitions like some of the Russian ones are organized, there they have several divisions, such as: acrobatic, artistic, exotic, etc. This way, everyone competes in their own niche, judged by appropriate criteria. Pole sport is a different story, which should exist. And I don't see that pole sport getting stronger will in any way discriminate the sexy style polers.I believe the vast majority of polers are still practitioners of this style.

[Leeloo]

I am sorry to hear that 🙁 I wish you a speedy recovery 🙂

[Leeloo]

type *pole dance 🙂