[Lisa]

Hello! I’m in the lovely snow covered city of Columbus too. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif Welcome!

[Lisa]

Yeah, I really liked the pole… I noticed as soon as it was removed, and now it kind of looks like she’s doing air guitar (or air pole https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif )

[Lisa]

Hi! Bellydancer here… I’ve been bellydancing for several years now and perform regularly, and I love it! I personally think that tribal/fusion type dance is CERTAINLY a kind of bellydance! No, it is not historically accurate by any means https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_farao.gif , but dancing is an art, and art evolves. Bellydancing has evolved from being a folkloric step danced among women in the Middle East to being a cabaret art performed in restaurants and clubs. In fact, it’s actually kind of funny watching how West and East try to imitate each other, because we dance in bare feet at culture festivals, while in the Middle East, the popular dance stars perform in high heels on television! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-BQXhFAZhQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

WHatever the occasion, belly dance does seem to carry certain connotations unfortunately, so I usually call it "Middle Eastern Dance" which is much more correct anyway. It is awesome exercise, and it makes you feel so much more confident about your body. Tribal/Fusion is a great way to dance if you don’t want to learn about the culture and such, but I would really advise learning all you can to further enrich your dance. For example, there are several different ways to do a hip drop depending on the cultural region you’re drawing from, and knowing that can add complexity to your dance. Plus folkloric style is just so much fun… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cyclops_ani.gif I usually do Egyptian style, including veil and cane, but I like to do some tribal if the event is casual and I feel like rocking out to Alanis Morisette… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

It’s too bad that the other forum isn’t more supportive. I’ve been lucky in that I’ve had great teachers who try to bring an unbiased opinion and educate their students on all the different varieties out there. (and believe me there’s a LOT!!!)

[Lisa]

Not everyone can do the splits… I can almost do the jazz splits (legs in front and back of you), and that’s after months and months of stretching, really focusing on my quads. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’ll never be able to do the side splits because of being horseback rider my whole life. I’ve spent over a decade trying to squeeze my legs TOGETHER and thus have built up muscle that can’t stretch outward. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif I’ve even had to have physical therapy for those muscles because it led to some… um…. lady problems. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_redface.gif Also, some people are just anatomically not able to do the full splits. Their joints just don’t bend that way. I wish I was more flexible, cuz I agree that some pole moves just look kinda dumb without being able to really spread your legs. My inverted V is just pathetic… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

Have patience though. It’s never good to force your body to do something it isn’t ready for. And I stretch off the pole and on the pole. Try doing other stretches besides just attempting the splits. I do butterfly stretches, hamstring stretches, quad stretches, and some other special stretches my physical therapist gave me…. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_salut.gif

[Lisa]

I got five of the cheap $5 mirrors at Target and took the frames off. Just be careful when you take the frames off and wear gloves, becuz when I was scraping the glue off I slashed my left hand open… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_redface.gif I mounted four of them in a row and put the last one on its side on top, which provides the perfect range of view. I just used those sticky mounting strips (also Target). They work great. Some of them are a little "funhouse," but it’s totally worth not paying a ton of money! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif

[Lisa]

Ooo.. yes, I love the "Felix Pole 2008!" https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif That’s on my Ipod (along with your "Pole Art" video with you dancing in a dress Veena! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif ) I love how felix uses her dance background to move her body so fluidly. She also has the most elegant hand movements I’ve ever seen!!!! That video is pretty hard to find, so that may be why nobody’s mentioned it.

[Lisa]

I’m pretty sure both those articles are a joke. The picture is so blatantly photoshopped, and I agree that Wii would never let something like pole dancing be part of it’s gaming product line. While WE know that pole dancing is great for fitness https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif the general consumer market would not be aware of that. Besides, Wii is losing popularity worldwide and will be obsolete soon… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif And if it is true, and there is a game coming sponsored by Peekaboo, you can be that WIi is going to have even more lawsuits on its hands!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

[Lisa]

Tell me about it! I’m scared to death to dance in stilletos for fear I’ll impale my cat who likes to just wander around my pole! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_pale.gif I live in an Efficiency apartment, so there’s no place to lock him up in! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif

[Lisa]

What are they wearing??? https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif There’s no way those can be "normal" pants otherwise they’d be on their bottom in a heartbeat! Are they some kind of leather or pvc??? I gotta get me some of them…) https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_study.gif

[Lisa]

Gaining strength and flexibility is such a personal and unique journey that I can’t really give you a time frame. When I first started, I had no problems with upper body strength, but that’s because I’ve spent the last decade controlling thousand pound animals (I’m a horse rider https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif ) However, my flexibility sucked!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_redface.gif So slowly, inch by inch, I’m working to gain flexibility, but it’ll probably take at least another year before I can ever do the splits. So it totally depends on your physical background as to how long it’ll take you to do certain spins and tricks. I would recommend weight training to help you gain strength faster. I’m pretty sure Veena has some videos of that. I do pushups and crunches every day…. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumright.gif

[Lisa]

I owned the Pole Aerobics pole before I got so damn frustrated with it that I bought an X pole. As soon as I unpacked my X pole I could clearly see that it’s of a much higher quality! The pole aerobics pole would be fine if a) you only want to spin clockwise b) do nothing but beginner moves and c) don’t mind getting your legs getting cut to shreds on that stupid plastic screw at the bottom of the pole. Plus, you have to readjust it like every 10 minutes. IT’S NOT WORTH IT. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif And if you notice, the ladies in the exercise video that comes with it are NOT using that pole! Therefore, it is impossible to follow the routines since they include counter-clockwise spins (which unscrew the pole!). Plus it damaged my ceiling, and I rent, so I’m screwed…

[Lisa]

Thanks for your help guys… I’ll try your tips. I agree with you Veena that Xpole should send more info with the pole. There’s plenty of info about putting it up, but just a couple paragraphs on the back cover about taking it down!!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_scratch.gif I read your article (before I put up the pole for the first time) and followed all the instructions, and like I said I tried the shock method, but that just didn’t work. I read on another forum about using ice and hot water on the male/female parts of the joint, so I’ll give that a try too…. I’ll let you know if it was successful!

[Lisa]

I agree that it’s a matter of personal choice, and I personally don’t think it’s considered "cheating," simply because the challenges of static are replaced by the further challenges of coping with "spinny." (And I LOVE https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumleft.gif the Miss Australia video!) And I do the same thing as you PoleDork (practicing in static and then using the spinny for fun). I like to put it on spinny when I perform for non-pole people just becuz it impresses them more… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif

What kind of pole do you have? It doesn’t sound very safe… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif be careful!

[Lisa]

Hmm… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_scratch.gif ignore whatever this jibberish is "onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;"

[Lisa]

You can buy the Art of Pole collection off her website: http://www.artofpole.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I’ve never seen it for sale anywhere else… Keep in mind the prices are australian dollar (so they’re cheaper once you switch it to US$), so make sure you change it when you order. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif I own the first set and I totally recommend them! They’re amazing! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif