[Sassafrassle]

Awesome!!

[Sassafrassle]

Urgh I remember doing dance exams etc when I was a teenager and we would get marked down if the examiners caught us not smiling (my face still hurts to think about it!) but grinning like a loon just doesn’t cut it for pole. I often think it can be more about the angle of your head or the extension of your limbs that can help get across an emotion through the dance rather than necessarily what shape your mouth is taking on. A snappy head turn for a high energy kind of a dance, a slow unfurling of your arm/hand for something slower and sadder, that kind of thing. I’m picking up a few tips from the burlesque classes I’ve started doing too, like kinda keeping your chin down a bit while looking at your audience instead of having it too high (which actually makes a bit more sense in RL context rather than typing it here!). Just my thoughts on the matter anyway:)

[Sassafrassle]

As both a runner and a pole dancer, you completely have my commiserations about your feet being so inconsiderate about your daily activities;p Just a thought about at least maintaining up body strength, to add on to what someone else said about doing pole pull ups, maybe you could use/invest in a swiss ball to sit on beside the pole and do combo upper body and core stuff – at least that way you can do things with the pole without having to stand? If you get what I mean (eg. use both the ball and the pole at the same time, sit on the ball right beside the pole where you’d normally stand, grab onto the pole, engage your core and invert etc – that’s the way one of our instructors prepares people for inverting). Just an idea anyway!

[Sassafrassle]

I really enjoyed watching the MPDNZ – the first comp I’ve seen in RL! And I have to give you props Sonia for trying the move again even after you’d fallen – congrats on your placing.

[Sassafrassle]

Post by SissyBuns on Fri Oct 23, 2009 12:59 pm

Sassafrassle wrote:If I’m working on some choreography, I always always start with a song (which may be difficult if your music’s disappeared). I listen to it on repeat (often when I’m walking to work in the morning) and start to imagine what moves go with which bits of the music and actually start the choreo process in my head. Then once I get to the pole, it’s a case of checking to see what of the brain-based routine actually works in reality and looks good and just filling in the gaps. From what I’ve seen online though, it’s not always that common to work in so closely with the music (eg. people just dance and the music is secondary) but that’s just the way I roll. I know that some of the tutors in our studio suggest taping yourself freestyling to a song a couple of times and then watching it to pull out what looks/good/works for you etc. Good luck with whatever you end up doing anyway – competition=exciting! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumleft.gif

I am always choregraphing routines in my head but I never actually try them because the imaginary sissybuns kicks ass. The real life sissybuns can’t do a lot of stuff and gets tired easily, lmao!

LOLS Sissy! The imaginary Sass is much the same – maybe the two imaginaries should jam sometime! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif

[Sassafrassle]

If I’m working on some choreography, I always always start with a song (which may be difficult if your music’s disappeared). I listen to it on repeat (often when I’m walking to work in the morning) and start to imagine what moves go with which bits of the music and actually start the choreo process in my head. Then once I get to the pole, it’s a case of checking to see what of the brain-based routine actually works in reality and looks good and just filling in the gaps. From what I’ve seen online though, it’s not always that common to work in so closely with the music (eg. people just dance and the music is secondary) but that’s just the way I roll. I know that some of the tutors in our studio suggest taping yourself freestyling to a song a couple of times and then watching it to pull out what looks/good/works for you etc. Good luck with whatever you end up doing anyway – competition=exciting! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumleft.gif

[Sassafrassle]

Heh I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve watched your tutorial now Karol and also your cartwheel clip Veena! If only I could play them verbatim in my head while I practised at our studio, I’d be set;p I had an almost moment in class tonight but then it was gone again *sigh*. Practise practise practise! I must remind myself that these things take practise! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_shaking2.gif

[Sassafrassle]

That was glorious https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_thumright.gif

[Sassafrassle]

Thanks so much gals:) I had a wee practice last night (my dancing classes are Tuesday and Saturday – one day I will have my own pole, oh yes one day precioussssss), using both your tips and some help from the tutor at our Studio who’s the only one who teaches this move. I was basically just practicing the entrance for the cartwheel and I could kinda get my body up into the right tucked position to start but couldn’t really stay there – this shall be an ongoing practice challenge I think! I wish I had a camera so I could record my version of the happy dance when I finally get it ‘cos I imagine it will be full-on crazy;p

[Sassafrassle]

Thanks for posting these – I must wait till I’m at work and print them out (secretly;p) ‘cos I have my front and back splits when I’m doing them to the ground or against the pole but I’m working on the jade split at the moment and my upside down flexibility just ain’t that impressive and need all the guidance I can get;p

[Sassafrassle]

I feel the same way amcut!! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_shaking2.gif

[Sassafrassle]

I second what Trena said about warming up. I think a lot of people try and stretch without warming up then get frustrated about it being so hard! For me, the best time to stretch is after I’ve been for a good run but obviously I can’t often do that before a pole session. In that case, I do gentle warming up stuff (based off Art of Pole warm up items and things I’ve picked up from dance and gym classes over the years) then get into my strength training because that really warms me up and also gives me an idea of which parts of my body need a bit of extra attention, so I’ll intersperse some active stretching amongst that. In terms of warming and opening up the hips, I find gently lowering into a deep squat (never lower than a 90 degree angle through your legs though) with my feet on their insteps and my hands on the pole for stability, is really good. Once my body’s warm, I’ll run through some repeated iterations of sitting in straddle and leaning forward, swan pose, gentle lunging building up to splits. Sometimes I need to get up in the middle and do a few more squats or basic spins to keep warm but it’s definitely worth it.

[Sassafrassle]

Hm interesting – to me, that Jazzman/Jasmine clip looked more like the Starburst than the Shooting Star so now I don’t know if I’m leading you astray with my advice!! If it’s the SS, then it is about getting a strong line through your body, bracing with the thigh and pushing forward with the hips (almost to the point of a gentle arch through your back) , but if it’s the Starburst, then it’s less about the hips and more about pushing down with your straight lower leg (as opposed to letting it drift upwards in the SS) and letting the pole sit more across your hips than thigh and almost folding your body round the pole rather than pushing out against it. I wish I was there to give you pointers because it’s very difficult to give advice in writing but now I’m interested in finding out which it is and helping you achieve it! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif

[Sassafrassle]

I’m not entirely sure whether you want suggestions for help with the name or the move so I will suggest both:) It sounds to me like what you’re describing is the Shooting Star (I would have put the link to wikipole but it didn’t seem to specify the exact page when I followed it through to the pic). Personally, I prefer going into it from the starfish (the side v kind, not the hanging outwards just with your feet kind!) because I can get better height, giving a greater slippage allowance but that’s mostly because I’m not much of a side climber. The key thing is I think to push your hips forward so that you’re balanced and the pole is well braced against your straight leg thigh. And when that’s locked on, you can be stable enough to let go with both hands (like my profile pic).

[Sassafrassle]

I can’t imagine someone who has a studio would ask someone to be a teacher unless they had absolute faith that they would be good at it because it’s their reputation and finances on the line so go you! I have to admit I have only watched a small snippet of your clips but you seem to have a great combination of strength and natural dance ability that will no doubt make you an awesome teacher as you train, practice, develop and teach! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_salut.gif