[LillyBilly]

@RikkiL Yes, we also have several men and we don't have the problems I described. I don't know what causes this in gyms. Maybe the fact that there are much more men there? Maybe a different crowd? I don't know.

[LillyBilly]

Hi,

Some differences I've noticed (I'm making gross generalizations, sorry men):

Men may feel insecure in mixed classes, espcecially if they are new and the women do better than them.

Men tend to try to advance more quickly then women (to prove themselves?) , and sometimes act recklessly. We see that a lot in stretching lessons where new men always try to force the stretch, and in pole – they are the only ones to crush.

Men will typically be stronger and not as flexible as your average women. This means they will sometimes compensate for lack technique with their strength (just as women compensate with flexibility). It's important to notice when your students do that, although it is easy to get carried away with how fast they are advancing. Men can get injured from using incorrect technique as well.

Continuing with my previous point – while new male students may be very strong, they may not have the level of coordination and body awareness that is required to perform complex pole tricks. Also – their body may not be prepared for that kind of physical stress (joints etc…). While they may be bored with beginner level classes, they still need them. 
Maybe, as others wrote, it's a good idea to create beginner level classes targeted for men.

Our dance teacher always says the men in the studio dance more sexy than all the women put together! 😀 LOL!

Regarding how I feel about mixed classes:

While I think that it is a good thing that more men get into pole, I am a bit uncomfortable with mixed classes.

I am not poling for the workout. For me, pole is a very hard emotional journy – I struggle with my body image, I struggle with my social anxiety and I struggle with my sexuality. I always say that for me, every dance is a small war against myself.

I have this invisible shield that I carry around with me all the time. With metal spikes and stuff. And in order to win my small wars, I have to be able to take off that shield and let go during class. 

The fact that when I started poling I was working only with women really helped me do that. I find that places with mixed crowds (i.e – gyms) tend to have a different environment. Not as supportive. Men compete one against the other, everyone is trying to impress the opposite sex. They become a meat market. 

In this kind of environment, it's really hard to take off the shield.

[LillyBilly]

Thanks 🙂

We've practiced several times since I posted this and I feel that it's starting to come together…

[LillyBilly]

@portableninja I'm often told I dance sexy. I figure that the the best way to go about it is not to try be sexy, but rather – just think about sex. 

[LillyBilly]

It's as if in a relationship everything is "figured out" already, and it's impossible to create tension… 

I dance best for strangers 🙂

[LillyBilly]

My BF doesn't really care for pole dancing. He does like seeing me move because it turns him on, but all the tricks just bore him. So if I dance while he's around he will either watch me for about 30 seconds and then lose intrest, or immedeiately get all handsy, which is another way to say "I don't care for the dance", I think.

So I just don't dance for him. 

[LillyBilly]

I don't like touching my hair when I dance – I always have hair cream or something in it, and it makes my hands slippery…

[LillyBilly]

You can also use your shoulders to add volume to the movement. 

[LillyBilly]

Supportive and cute bras for women with large natural breasts (bras with "bones"). 

HALTER TOPS, SUPPORTIVE HALTER TOP BRAS OMG I WANT SOME.

Turtlenecks

Cheeky little pants. 

Sexy underwear that is not g-string (which looks good on precisely 3 women in the world). Victoria's secret has some cute models – I am especially fond of these: http://www.victoriassecret.com/panties/3-for-33-styles/lace-trim-cheeky-panty-very-sexy?ProductID=84566&CatalogueType=OLS

Nothing with rubber that cuts into the skin. All rubber stripes should be wide and loose. See Bad Kitty pole file brazil shorts: http://www.badkitty.com/pole/polefit-apparel/polefit-bottoms/brazil-pole-dance-shorts-8182.htmlPants should be low-rise in the front and higher in the back – it's a common cut here in the middle east, which really flatters women with wider pelvis.

Wide crotch area.

That thing badk kitty do with the back of the pants – I don't know how to call it in english, that makes your ass look delicious: http://www.badkitty.com/pole/polefit-apparel/polefit-bottoms/brazil-pole-dance-shorts-8182.html
I love it, I know some girls who don't.

Cute cropped tops (cropped either above or below the breasts), with long sleeves and holes for your fingers and possibly a hoodie: http://www.dancewearsolutions.com/MJ3220.aspxhttp://www.dancedirect.co.il/%D7%91%D7%92%D7%93_%D7%92%D7%95%D7%A3_P386_26303

I have this unitard, which is no longer being made: http://www.dancedirect.co.il/%D7%91%D7%92%D7%93_%D7%92%D7%95%D7%A3_P386_26303 
(sorry for the Hebrew). It looks cute on the model because she is a kid, but on me it's really tight, really cheeky, shows a lot of cleavage (zipper won't close LOL) and really flatters my somewhat curvy figure. This is my pole outfit that I get the most compliments on by far. The only problem is that it has no exposed skin in the waist area – maybe you could do something with it.

Generally, I love rompers and unitards, but most of the models I've seen are really ugly. It's hard to find something that looks good. Anastasia Skukhtorova usually chooses good models, but I couldn't find anything similar models online:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCxK_1pYCC4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obC7vjVc8Rk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhrJD9qO5MA

For performance, I like pretty much the same, only nicer looking. Cloths that are made for exotic dancing are usually "too much" in my opinion – too shiny, too sparkly, too colorful, too everything. Again – Anastasia's outfits are good examples of what I like.

Hope this helps 🙂

[LillyBilly]

For me it is every move that requires me to balance with my head up side down "too far" from the floor. For example, I am terrified of handstands (but elbow stands are ok), Ayesha and all its variations, streight edge etc.

It really helped me to take it slowly. I've spent several months just learning how to use my core muscles to hold myself in elbow stand on the floor before I was confident enough to try (and nail!) my Ayesha.

I am also really afraid of doing moves you need momentum to get into, so I just try to use as little momentum and as much muscle as possible, and accept that it may take me longer to achieve this move than someone who just jumps into it.

[LillyBilly]

In my bag – 

Water
Pole clothing (shorts, leggings and leg warmers, bra, leotard, ballet slippers)
Grip aid
Mighty grip gloves

In my locker at the studio –

High heels
Long shirt, in case it is cold in the studio
Deodorant
Alcohol (for wiping the pole)
Vinigar (for wiping the pole)
Ankle weights
Energy bars for emergencies

[LillyBilly]

We just learn it as an advanced outside leg hang. My teacher prefers this variation because it gives cleaner lines.

[LillyBilly]

@bok choy  – LOL!!!

[LillyBilly]

@Juliana Dentata Being really sensitive to how people feel sound interesting. I can never tell how anyone around me is feeling – I just project whatever is going in my head onto them https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif

But I can see how it can create a problem – I guess many of our normal interactions depend on being able to hide our immediate feelings about things…

Also SPEED READING – YEAH! I want this!

[LillyBilly]

@CreativityBySteffie – I don't know, maybe… The image at the top of the wikipedia article about synesthesia is similar to how I see words, only my colors are really "washed out" and what they write about numbers having a location in space seems right.