[polergirl]

I am still kinda jazzed about it, lol. And I’d like to add that I slid down in a corkscrew. Let’s see the boys do that! Oh, right, they didn’t even make it up the pole.

[polergirl]

This is one of my favorite hoop videos (well, there’s a bit of pole, too)–Jenyne Butterfly is apparently without limits on her talent. Argh!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLf9wjjLHIc

I would LOVE to learn aerial hoop! Somehow methinks the bruising would be even worse….but utterly worth it.

[polergirl]

I started because it was winter and I wanted something fun to do. Seriously. Then I recognized how fun it was, how sexy it made me feel, how strong I became, how much it changed my everyday way of moving, how much it added to my life.

Now I pole dance for all those reasons and more. And I have never been stronger or felt better about myself and my body.

[polergirl]

Yay, good information, ladies!! I have a wicked strong back, but with shoulders and pole dance there is always the worry of overdoing, and having overdone it before I do NOT want to go down that road again. Lots to think about. Thank you!!!

[polergirl]

I will admit it–I miss floor work. I think Oona is spectacular and fluid and her video was an absolute joy to watch for so many reasons, but I found myself wanting more. And that more is floor work. That, to me, is what makes it feel more like "dancing" and less like "gymnastics on the pole." But, truly, to each his or her own. I can definitely appreciate performances of every sort for their own inherent beauty!

[polergirl]

I do a ton of pole sit/plank/CAR/Tammy/etc and have never gotten stretch marks! Interesting. I wonder if a predisposition to stretch marks is hereditary?

[polergirl]

Things that help me:

I invert on the left side of the pole because I am right handed. I end up with my left leg in front and right leg in back. But when you get into butterfly, your front leg becomes your back. Make sense? So my left leg is back and my left arm is down. I tried originally only with my right down and could NOT do it.

The other thing is push your butt up as far as it will go.. so your legs are about ninety degrees. Otherwise you’ll feel like gravity is pushing you down.

I have always done–and seen others do–butterfly exactly the opposite. Maybe I’m just not understanding your post? I also invert on the left side of the pole, so if I go into the butterfly from a basic invert, I’m upside down, my left leg is in front of the pole, I just leave it there, drop my right arm down to split grip position, drop right leg back, and voila! Butterfly. For me, keeping the hips squared to the pole was huge, and I think it’s because that side of your body is really extended, thanks to that and being the bottom of the grip and that leg being the one that’s dropped.

You will get it!!!

[polergirl]

This topic is kinda funny to me because I keep trying to wear the traction on all of my shoes down, lol. I actually put black duct tape on one pair because they just would not wear down quickly enough. I like them pretty darned slippy because otherwise I sometimes get caught mid-pirouette or because the traction catches.

Back on topic….I have used the grippies on street shoes and have been really happy with them.

[polergirl]

My x-pole flies like the WIND on spinny mode. It took a lot of getting used to because I was used to having to create my own momentum, so all of a sudden I was like "wooooop and there I go….getting dizzy……ohhhhh, really dizzy……seriously, I AM DIZZY."

The same as with any pole thing, you just get used to it and learn how much momentum you need (probably not much, lol).

[polergirl]

Ask me how awesome I think the Sugar/Spice idea is!! OMG, how fun for both of you!!!

[polergirl]

B.

Then you can make it as beautiful/sexy/hot as possible because you’re already 100% comfortable with each move. It’ll be much more your own dance. What fun!!!!!

[polergirl]

I will be not-so-secretly envious of all of you with enough hair to flip. And believe you me, if I had hair I would absolutely be wanting to flip it all over the place!! I agree with the comments about it being as much torso/shoulders as it is head.

[polergirl]

Squared hips was the singlemost best piece of advice I got when I first started doing the butterfly. I instantly felt so much more secure….plus it was prettier!

When I started, I would push out as though I were going into caterpillar, but then just drop the inside leg and do butterfly instead. Tricked my body, I did, mwaahahahahahaaa!

Good luck–it’s a lovely move! Someday I will have mine fully fully fully extended. Getting there, lol.

[polergirl]

Which spin are you talking about?? The very first one that looks like a Chair spin but with your back to the pole??

Yep, that’s the one! I refer to it as the swishy chair because of the way her feet kinda swish along the floor. It looks a lot simpler than it is…….at least for me!

[polergirl]

I go into a whole different part of my mind when I’m on the pole, or when I’m dancing anywhere, to anything. I touch myself. I swivel, and maybe grind, and roll my body…whatever the music seems to want. I like to think I am sexy, but that’s so subjective. Let’s just say I don’t necessarily strive for sexy but I hope it finds me, lol. But I see some women (and men) dancing and am just in awe of their strength and playfulness; I have a deep respect for that, too.