[Ritalin]

Sass… The butterfly/lotus is probably the easiest to get into from the Ayesha, though I doubt you’d have enough room to pull out to an extended butterfly using the forearm grip. Once you’re in a nice solid lotus you can then switch your hand grip to a split grip and swing your lotus into the sailboat or gemini, or stretch out to extended butterly if you prefer.
I can show you tonight, if you like. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Ritalin]

I too am annoyed by monkey feet, non-pointed toes, wedgie-picking, and hand-wiping. But also: when people lean out away from the pole while walking around it. I think it looks awkward.

But mostly I get annoyed when I try to video myself on the pole. When I’m dancing, even in front of the mirror, I feel like a pretty graceful butterfly, delicately and expertly spinning around the pole in time with the music. When I check the video camera… I am very sadly disappointed to realise I no longer look like a graceful butterfly. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif Le sigh.

[Ritalin]

Heh, I’m sure you’re not driving your teaching nuts. She’s probably a bit bukmmed she can’t help you out with it more. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

As someone else said, maybe try gripping the pole higher up your thigh? You could practice this at home, even.

[Ritalin]

For the Superman spinners:

The spinning seems to be caused by rotation through the shoulders, due to having your hand too low and close to your body, when you’re in the superman position. If your hand is too low, and near your butt when you’re in position, your shoulder compensates by twisting your upper body back towards the pole… and your body starts spinning! If your hand is higher, you can hold the pole behind you while still having your shoulders pointing forward and this seems to reduce the amount of spinning. That’s my current theory anyway – devised last night with Sassafrassle, a couple of other girls, and judicious application of a swiss ball.

So! To stop spinning when you’re in a superman – make sure your hand is higher on the pole so both your shoulders are facing forward.
<3

[Ritalin]

I’m also having a bit of trouble with this move…
Like Jeng, I can get into it just fine, but once I’m there, I start rotating around the pole so that my hand can’t maintain the grip on the pole. This invariably leads to shrieks of despair as I try and prevent myself falling on my face because my hand has slipped off the pole. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif Does anyone have any tips on how to stop that spinning effect?
Thanks heaps.

[Ritalin]

I think I know what you mean, Frida.
The first style you describe sounds like you’re leaning out & away from the pole, and sortof hanging on your arm. you’re right, it’s easy to build up speed and momentum this way. However, when I teach I try to discourage people from walking around the pole this way. You’re not in control of your centre of balance if you’re leaning out from the pole like that – you’re relying on gravity and momentum, and if your hand slips, you’ll fall over! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif I also think it may limit your movement and the amount of ‘sass’ you can put into your walk.

I tend to walk around the pole with my shoulders over my hips – just as if I were walking normally. I keep my top hand on the pole, but I’m not taking any weight on that hand, and I could take it off any time I like – run it through my hair, down my body, add a flourish to a dance move, whatever. From here you can do anything you like to inject your own personal style and sass into the way you move – eg. swing your hips, drag your toe sensually, lift your knees up & strut, flick your ankles up behind you cutely… you can play with it and be as sexy or as sassy as you’d like. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif
Hope this helps!

[Ritalin]

I found the trick with this move was to really roll your hips under – so you’re tilting through your hips, and not just relying on lowering your legs.
Also, I found that if you try to do this move perfectly symmetrical, the pole will roll over your pubic bone and hurt like nothing on earth. In that case you want to choose a side and have the pole roll over either your left or right groin. Sorry for the graphic description, but hey! It gets the job done. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

[Ritalin]

It sounds like you might be gripping the pole a little too tightly. This can result in your wrist wrapping around the pole, because your hand isn’t keeping up with your arm and the rest of your body. It can feel quite sore and twisted.
Try loosening your grip just a fraction – experiment with your grip from the chair spin first. I don’t recommend you go straight to experimenting with your grip in the reverse grab, incase you fall off!