[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Why thank you LillyBilly! I happen to be uploading another one as we speak!  Talking about freestyling got me in the mood and I had to go spend an hour dancing!  🙂 xo

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

I LOVE FREESTYLE!!!! It's what I do best. I struggle to follow choreography, and trying to remember all the steps interferes with my expression… im so busy overthinking things that I can't put much feeling into it. So freestyle is where I can express myself. Music is essential, you have to feel it, it has to move you. Sometimes I dance with my eyes closed or turn the lights off so it's almost dark.

I'm not a trained dancer so its easy for me to let go and dance without a plan. I'm drawn to unusual and unique movements, I love it when other dancers come up with interesting and sometimes weird ways of moving their bodies. I think thats why Alethea Austin and Pink Puma are two of my favourites. They both have an individuality to their style.

So if I could suggest one piece of advice, it would be to not worry about ANYTHING while freestyling. Don't let yourself think about what tyou're goin to do next, just be in the moment. Follow your gut instinct, let your body be a physical embodiment of your emotions…. The more emotional and expressive the better – my best freestyle dances have occurred when I'm feeling strong emotions (anger/sadness/excitement/sexual frustration) hahaha.  Oh man, I love freestyle sooo sooo much! It's when I discover cool new ways to move and when It makes me feel sooo relieved and satisfied afterwards. 🙂

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

I show this combo in my latest vid "Love and Affection" if you want to see what I mean. xo

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

I like to do a Jade (horizontal split), then Scorpio, then Allegra. Hold each trick for a few seconds at least to make the most of it and so it doesn't look rushed. It's easy to go from Jade to Scorpio, just bend top leg and cross over pole, keep gripping leg bent in scorpio so that you have room to reach up and grab pole with hand. If you wait too long and slide down pole until your leg is flush against pole in Scorpio, then your upper leg will be too vertical for allegra and there won't be much room for your hand to grab pole around leg. So that switch from Jade to Allegra should be swift, unless you can keep your legs bent in Scorpio. So for me the scorpio is just a transition. 

To come out of Allegra, I just release and raise my back/lower leg and bring it around to grip pole in a crucifix/ankles on. You just have to twist your torso back to face pole. There are probably many more ways to transition out of it…. 🙂

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Thanks for replying girls. You all had good points. Being under-rehearsed is destructive because it increases self-doubt and nerves/apprehension so I really need to make sure I have repeated my moves so many times that muscle memory will kill in no matter what. This will help me relax and focus on the artistry of my dancing.

Thinking about what is more important to me personally is such an essential thing I cant believe I didnt do it before now. I am definitely someone who appreciates dance, fluidity, expression etc over strength and tricks, so I should let myself feel the music in the future and just stop over-thinking my routine. I think that's why I like freestyle so much… I'm not distracted by trying to remember choreography, and there's no pressure to get everything right because I have no expectations, im just in the moment, feeling hte music.

Thanks so much everyone for taking the time to comment, it's really helped me clarify my ideas and emotions. I know now why I feel disappointed by my performance last weekend, and I know how not to let that regret happen again 🙂 xoxo

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Corby, I know hwat you mean about cutting tricks that aren't completely solid. In my rehearsal some things didnt go as well as I liked so I swapped them for something more secure, but now I feel like I should have taken more risks and pushed myself to do my absolute best, because really, I've danced way better at home than I did on stage. Ah well, I guess different things work for different people, but muscle memory defiitely helps, i agree, so repetition is a must. EVen if its just repeting combos, not necessarily an entire choreographed routine…. I cant wait to perform again because I've learnt alot from my recetn performance. Especially what NOT to do (overthink things and worry etc).

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Well while I think freestyle allows meto perform more authentically and expressively, sometimes I lose track of time and forget to use my best tricks etc…. which in a competition would be a disadvantage. There were some amazing dancers at the recent pole show case I participated in, who had planned their routine down to the last flick of their hair and it was still super engaging and raw and honest…. I think that a passionate performance is always better than a cold and well calculated one though, soo…… *sigh* next time I will put my whole heart and soul in it and not worry too much about routine…

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

I think are pros and cons to learning in a studio and at home. I think having instant face to face feedback from an instructor is super helpful for technique, spotting, problem solving etc and I think the fun and social studio atmosphere is really energising and motivating. However learning at home allows you the space and freedom to develop your own style, go at your own pace, not compare yourself to others, and it's super convenient (no travel time!) I think a combo is ideal, and especially if you are just starting out, make the effort to get to the occasional workshop or pole jam, because it can be super inspiring and helpful. But I know that being forced to train by myself the past two years has made me more of a unique and authentic dancer, which I love. 🙂

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

I just uploaded mine! Yay!!! This is fun!!! 😀 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NZ9WGdE_Nc

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Wow there are some seriously dedicated and busy ladies on here. Ummm I am way lses structured.

I try to have a pole training session every second day (its good to let your muscles recover for 24hrs). My training session starts with a warm up and stretch for about 10 min (I should do more but I get impatient) and then I have a dance to some music (improv) and then I might work on a few specific tricks over and over, and then I will do a few final dances and a wuick stretch to cool down. I NEED music whenever I pole…. I find it really hard to practice moves in isolation, hence why I tend to do a lot of dancing, and then throw moves in during. I also ALWAYS film myself, that why I can look back to see what looks good and what needs work. Plus I think it builds my confidence, seeing myself on film as others would see me from an audience's perspective.

Other than pole, I walk for an hour plus everyday, do some light jogging or interval running every second day. Do some resistence training maybe once or twice a week (pushups, planks, lunges, squats etc). 

I'n the last few motnhs I've been doing an acrobatics and a circus class each week. My muscle isolation, balance and control have improved sooo much, and I can already see more tone and definition in my body. Plus it's super fun! 🙂 Hope this helps 🙂

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

I tend to fully extend my inner leg, so the pole is pressed against my upper inner thigh (near groin) and the outside of my ankle. Sometimes I feel more pressure on my ankle and foot pressed against pole. I think scorpio looks great both ways, long straight legs or bent legs on a sharp angle. If I bend my inner leg sharply then my outer leg I also bend so that I can bring my foot to the side of my head. If my inner leg is extended fully along the pole then I reach back and grab my outer foot, bringing it down towards the floor in a closed scorpio (or upside down back mount). To make sure your torso is angled correctly to the pole, make sure the pole is pressing against the inside of you inner hip bone. You know that concave area between your belly button and  hip bone? Thats where my skin grips pole also. 

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

This is great…. so many mutli-talented people with a diverse range of interests and experiences…. I love it. 

I'm a high school teacher. Only on a temporary contract…. I plan on travelling extensively next year so I will probably end up teaching in schools overseas. My feelings about my job fluctuate…. I think teachers are underpaid and unappreciated. I think it can be an extremely challenging and unrewarding job, because usually children are formed by their upbringing so if there is no encouragement or motivation at home there is very little a teacher can do to counteract a damaging environment. It can also feel like babysitting sometimes, due to the apathy students exude, which can be very boring and soul-destroying. I also think that education is one of the greatest assets a person can have, and ignorance is one of the most destructive influences in life. I do like engaging with people and I love public speaking, and I love explaining and talking and debating and considering ideas and analysing the world. So, that is why sometimes I love and sometimes I hate my job. 

In the future I'd like to somehow get into humanitarian aid, I'd love to become fluent in another language (or several), I'd love to somehow make a living out of pole dancing. It's ridiculous though. I'm only 24 and I dream of retirement. I'd love to be a lady of luxury 😉

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

All good points, I think the common theme hear is that you have to love your music. I guess I need to stop over-analysing and just go with my gut feeling. I am kinda dreading preparing choreo to it because I know it will make me so sick of the song! 😛 But oh well. Thanks for the advice ladies, very helpful. And it's a relief to hear others struggle with choosing as well!  xo

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

You are fantastic for only 6 months training. I didn't know how to do half those things in such a short space of time! Your quick progress suggests your body is really receptive to training so thats a great thing to have! 

I was trying really hard to look for things I coul help you with (I am a big fan of constructive criticism too – it's very helpful) but you are doing everything really well.

The only thing I think you could work on is your transitions from standing into tricks. You seem to do a lot of pacing and walking around the pole before you invert/spin, which kind of alerts the audience that you're about to do something, plus its a bit repetivive. Practice some little variations of ways to get around the pole without striding. I know the momentum helps, but you can rehearse little floor spins until they're so smooth and fast that they act as momentum in themselves, but look very pretty. I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you insert a few dance moves in between tricks, your transitions will be much more seamless and flowing. And if you have to walk around the pole, there are slinky ways of doing it to make it look like an artistic move in and of itself. I'll post you a few vids of pole dancers who have great transitions and who integrate dance moves and tricks fluidly. Hope this helps! And let me know if you get what I mean…. 🙂

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7SniWGWl14&feature=BFa&list=PLAD72FE65C64BCEA2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL0ReQTWvoc&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-kRaR8yfqg

 

[Scarlett Honey aka Lola Grace]

Awesome tip, I shall try it asap. Have been sooo slippery lately… Dry Hands and hairspray hasnt been working for me… I think it's the cold. Can winter make brass poles slippery? rrr so annoying.