[goldendiva]

I really appreciate everyone’s advice!

Club Dynasty, it seems like we do have similar stories. I have asked about possibly subbing or instructing but the studio I go to is at capacity for instructors right now, but it is something to keep in mind for the future. As far as competing, I feel like my pole dancing has become sloppy due to the lack of focus on technique so I’m not really ready to get into that yet. Several students and instructors from the studio are competing at Pacific Aerial Arts competition in September though so maybe they will have some choreography workshops that I can participate in.

[goldendiva]

Thanks everyone for the feedback!I think I will try some other studios during my break

Kira- I do think the focus on getting a trick just for pics and videos for Instagram is becoming a huge focus, even by the studio owner. I’ve even had to tell instructors (who are usually friends of mine) that I won’t try a move that I’m not ready for just for a picture. I don’t really post pole pics to social media anyway since I use it mostly to advertise for my own business.

ChrisVaile & Phoenix- Chris I completely understand your feeling of becoming sloppy in your poling, I don’t feel like I’m anywhere near as good as I was about a year ago when I had instructors that focused on technique. I started poling with SV at home and ended up going with a studio so I could learn from others in a class setting. Poling at home by myself isn’t as much fun but I’ll try getting back into it and maybe inviting a friend over to workout with me to make it more enjoyable. I need to get back to creating combos with moves I prefer to work on and start videoing them to track my progress.

Chemgoddess1- I know some of the advanced instructors stopped teaching pole due to life changes such as jobs, kids etc. I know one that I really liked is working on opening her own studio but it’s quite a ways from where I live so I wouldn’t be able to take classes there regularly. Several of the studios I’ve tried near me have instructors that I like but their class times are limited since they are pros that do a lot of touring. I have also tried talking to my studio owner about the classes but they’re not really into that style so it doesn’t seem to change much. It’s kind of a difficult situation since I started my studio training there and have become good friends with the owner and most of the instructors. I have noticed that many of the instructors who are there now do teach a more structured flow/combo oriented class when we have a few visitors in class from other studios but it goes right back to the tricks when it’s a class full of regulars.

[goldendiva]

Thanks portableninja I’ll have to check out her videos. I’ve been struggling with staying motivated since this trend began, it’ll be nice to get some new inspiration.

[goldendiva]

I think “hot” pole tricks are getting popular because of social media like IG. The crazier the trick the more likes it gets. I was a gymnast and dancer most of my life but most of these tricks are too extreme for me. While they’re cool to look at in pictures that’s not the style of poling I’m into.

The problem I have is that it seems like advanced pole classes at my studio cater to learning these types of tricks just for an IG pic but there’s little focus on technique. I’ve seen girls have 3 people help force them into a trick during class just to take a picture when they can barely get into or out of it safely. I’ve seen instructors teach an extreme trick when half their students can barely do a proper leg hang or other basic tricks/combos.

I do hope that the trend goes back to focusing on fluidity of movements and technique. I think that it’s important to learn the fundamentals before learning contortion tricks that your body may not be ready for. It also seems a little discouraging to newer polers who aren’t that strong or flexible yet, when that’s the majority of what they see.

[goldendiva]

Veena’s tips are great! If your still having trouble I would try asking the instructors at your studio or some others in your area if they provide choreography services. I know in Los Angeles area there are a few studios that ofer these services. You may also want to check with polers you know that compete, sometimes they offer private choreography sessions in their off time. Hope this helps… Good luck!

[goldendiva]

I’ve danced as a go go girl once several years ago as a favor to a friend of mine that danced regularly. She made friends with club promoters who kept her in the loop on jobs and sometimes even booked her directly. If you don’t know any promoters yet maybe start off contacting clubs your interested in directly to find out if they have go go dancers and how/when to audition. Hope this helps.

[goldendiva]

Reyn, my sister uses pure henna on her hair as a conditioning treatment since she mostly only uses natural products on her hair. When she finally decided to highlight her hair we did a patch test and her hair didn’t melt, but it did heat up in the foil after a couple of minutes. As a result we decided to wait a while until her hair grew out a bit.

From the time a stylist goes to school to get licensed we are taught about the interactions of hair color with other chemicals and compounds commonly used on hair, henna being one if them. When I was in school we actually had to take swatches and do patch tests on hair to test the reaction. We tried hair with pure vegetable color, box dyes, chemical relaxers etc. I can’t say that in every students’ case the hair melted but some did.

Color removers are a safer way to remove color from hair since it causes oxidation without blowing the cuticle as wide open as bleach, which is what causes the fried feeling. If your going to lighten it yourself I recommend using a color remover, especially if you’ve layered your previous color (henna or other color) when touching up in the past. Depending on how much of the darker color has been layered it may be difficult to lift the hair past a red orange tone even with a bleach. Either way make sure to do patch test first to be safe. Also, remember that lightening dark hair can be a process that can take more than one day to do without completely frying the hair.

[goldendiva]

Reyn, I’ve been a stylist for 10 years and in all of my experiences with henna color it is not recommended to use lighteners (bleach) over it. Since henna is a vegetable based color it can react poorly with other types of colors or lightening agents. I have seen several occasions where people have tried to lighten hair dyed with henna and the hair literally melted within 5 minutes of applying the bleach. If you really want to lighten your hair I suggest growing in as much of your natural color as possible and having the color done by a professional hair stylist.

[goldendiva]

I have the striped ones too… They’ll stay up ok if you tighten the straps that buckle around the thigh. Those are probably my favorites!

[goldendiva]

I have the striped ones too… They’ll stay up ok if you tighten the straps that buckle around the thigh. Those are probably my favorites!

[goldendiva]

I just visited Vegas and bought a couple pairs at Red Shoes on West Sahara. They were buy one get one half off when I went. I looked on the strip but didn't find anything, probably because the local dancers don't shop there.

[goldendiva]

I love this!

[goldendiva]

Since I started poling over the last 2+ months I've lost about 8 pounds. I like the way my body looks now, but I do miss my boobs a bit (shrunk from large 36D to 34C). I've lost a bit of weight everywhere and since boobs are mostly fat this is to be expected. The only thing I hate is that they're not nearly as perky as they were even years ago when they were the same size, but that's probably because I'm not 19 anymore.

[goldendiva]

I have used both power coated and chrome poles, and found that the chrome poles are much easier for spins. The chrome pole can be much more slick during tricks, but just add a bit of grip aid and you should be fine. I use Itac on my chrome X pole at home and I find it easy to do everything from spins to tricks and if it gets too sticky/grippy it's easy to wipe off.

[goldendiva]

I worked for a clinic that used these for weight loss and as a supplement to stimulate testerone production in men. First the drops are not real hcg, so that may be a red flag for you. Real hcg must be injected and prescribed by a doctor. Second, like a few others posted the hcg diet requires extreme calorie restriction. The doctors I've worked with have said they believe the weight loss is due to the restricted diet not the drops, since their male patients who were using it to stimulate hormone production didn't lose the weight being that they didn't do the diet portion. It can also stimulate testosterone production in women that may result in hair growth in unwanted places and other unwanted side effects.

Also, I have a few family members who have done the diet and they always gain just as much weight back if not more when they go back to eating normally. Personally I wouldn't do it just knowing the side effects. Being skinny isn't worth me risking growing a beard or something worse. Best thing to do is check with your doctor, especially since you're dealing with thyroid issues.