Confessions of a Twirly Girl (As The World Twirls)

Twirly Tuff

2012-03-05T16:03:00.000-08:00

This year, Bel's boyfriend, Doug, started a boot camp class at Twirly Girls called Twirly Tuff. We are a starting our third month of classes, and I am still amazed at how much stronger I feel at every single class.

I've talked about cardio and weight lifting in various posts over the last two years.

http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2010/03/rule-number-1-cardio.html

http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2011/03/buff-chicks-are-cool.html

Twirly Tuff really focuses on functional strength and exercises to help us get stronger for pole dancing.

I've been really frustrated. I lost 5 pounds the first week I started following a Paleo diet plan -- maybe two months ago? I had gotten up to 257 pounds and got down to 252 pounds [http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2012/01/year-of-viking.html]. I'm still pretty much sitting around that weight, sometimes up to 254, but mostly at 252. The scale hasn't truly moved in awhile -- probably in six weeks. And I haven't been below 252 at all. It's my fault. I know it. But I get frustrated. People tell me, pull this food/habit out and you'll lose weight like crazy. Do this or that, and you'll lose weight like crazy. I do or don't do what I'm told and I don't lose weight like crazy, then I think: why the hell did I just give up all of the good stuff in my life if I'm not losing weight?!

I also know, this is how my body works. Whether it's from the gastric bypass or from getting older, I don't lose weight like I used to. Gone are the days when I could do slim fast for two weeks and drop 20 pounds. I can work out and eat well and drop five pounds overnight, then not lose a thing for months. When I lost weight a few years back, I was averaging ONE pound of weight loss each MONTH. I would lose a few pounds, gain a pound, lose, gain, all over the map. It is super frustrating and depressing.

Last night a friend threw out the idea of not weighing myself: http://www.screwthescales.com/

It makes me nervous. The scale tells me every day if I'm fat or not. Oh wait, except I don't need the scale to tell me if I'm fat. So I'm seriously considering "screwing the scales."

Doug had already broached this subject. How about setting a non-weight loss related goal? Mine is to do A push-up. A REAL push-up.

I know I'm struggling with the weight loss. I NEED to lose weight and I feel like the more I focus on it, the longer it will take to happen. I recognize that I need a well-rounded workout plan and that I need to keep my binge eating under control. I had a doctor once tell me that I should cut out all weight lifting and do only cardio. I don't agree with that philosophy. However, I also know I need cardio to keep myself from getting out of breath dancing just one single song on the pole. I feel like I have a pretty well-rounded workout plan right now. Maybe I could use a little cardio but I'm pretty much working out every day so I KNOW, I FUCKING KNOW that it can only be food causing me problems right now. Fuck food. Fuck it all to hell.

So, here I am. Operation Lose the Lard Ass surely isn't going the way I wanted it to. But it seems to be the story of my life and I'm coming to a place where I think it's just easier to be fat.

Suzy Q and the Pole Life Documentary!

2012-03-02T10:07:00.010-08:00

In honor of the screening of Suzy Q's documentary, Pole Life, here is her story!

I understand you are finishing film school and are working on a documentary called Pole Life. Tell us about that.

Yes, I graduate on March 2nd and the Pole Life trailer will premiere for open screening at the Los Angeles Film School http://www.lafilm.edu/campus/theater/index.html main theatre. I started film school in Sept 2010 and each student has a chance to write, direct, and produce their own film. Well, considering I am a pole geek like the most of us, how could I not do a documentary on the way the pole community views pole around the world? Not even Oprah or the Ellen had Pole Dance Fitness on their shows yet. I felt by going to film school and given the opportunity to produce your film gave me the chance to tell my story and the stories of others that have been saved and healed by the power of pole.

I also understand that pole dancing has helped heal you. Can you share your story?

Pole Fitness helped me grieve over the loss of my father. I grew up an athlete from basketball, track, cross-country, volleyball, softball, football manager, and a professional cheerleader. After my father passed nothing was helping me get through the pain I was feeling until I discovered pole dance fitness. The pole community alone was more moving and empowering than anything I have ever experienced. It still heals me today!

You teach at Heart and Pole Dance Fitness. I imagine your pole sisters have been instrumental in helping you recover from your loss. Tell us about them.

I love Heart and Pole!!!! I am so thankful that they created a family for me to go. I am from Speedway, Indiana originally and my whole family still lives in the mid-west. Heart and Pole was a place for me to heal without anyone judging me.

How long have you been pole dancing?

My poleversary will be on my father's birthday on May 18th. This year will be my 3rd year.

What first drew you to try it?

I didn't realize that on the day of my fathers birthday that I tried Pole for the first time. I remember that day I woke from a dream I had that night. My father was in my dream and he was trying to tell me something. I woke and that dream was what motivated me to find something new and something really challenging. I was driving in the South Bay of So. Cal. and saw Heart and Pole Fitness Studio. Being an athlete and seeing the words Pole and Fitness together peaked my interest. I started my first class that day and never looked back.

Do you like to dance in shoes or barefoot?

I like to dance barefoot. There is something about it that just feels right. I feel like I can express my body more than in shoes. Don't get me wrong, the girls that can rock the heels, go for it! It's just not for me unless I am performing in a group piece and it's mandatory.

Tell us something people would be surprised to hear about you.

I guess what motivated me to move to California from Indiana. On December 26, 2009 I was leaving the north side of Indianapolis after the Indianapolis Colts lost the Super Bowl to the Steelers. I left the Super Bowl Party and was headed to another friends house on the westside of Indianapolis. I drove my car through the side streets to the next party because I wanted to check out the Christmas lights. It was also freezing that day. I think with wind chill it was -5 degrees. As I was driving I saw a house that had an attached garage. The garage door was open. There was a car parked in the garage that was on fire. I stopped in shock because I was the only one around seeing this. I got out of my car and called 911. The operator wanted me to see if anyone was in the house. By now, the whole garage is on fire and rapidly catching the house on fire. The neighbor came running out his door and myself, the neighbor, and 2 other people passing by helped the 2 elderly couple out of the house. I helped the elderly women because she was unconscious. I took my sweatshirt off for her to lay on while her head was in my lap. All I can think of was to get this lady breathing and talking. I did what I had to do and she came through. The firemen and ambulance finally came. The nurse that was on the scene whispered to me that the women that was laying in my lap had 3rd degree burns and to not touch her skin. As she said that my reality kicked in away from the adrenaline I was feeling and say a stranger and a human being dying in my arms and I was making her comfortable and calm. I almost lost it right there but held it together. The stretcher came and took her away to the nearest hospital. I gave my info to the nearest police officer and left. I was in shock and could not believe that just happened in front of me. Later that evening the Chief of the Indianapolis called me to thank me for giving her a chance but she isn't going to make it. He said that I was the last person she talked to and slipped into a coma but she has a few hours to live and I gave her and them a chance to say their good byes.

I got an award from the city a month later but it's not an award that I can say I am proud of having but it is an award that is on my wall and reminds me everyday that life is short and we must honor the life we have and that we all can make a difference.

What does 2012 hold for you?

2012...Well, besides the world ending and then I don't have to pay back my student loans...HAHA! Just kidding. 2012 holds a lot of transition and courage for me. I am single and love it! I graduate this year which is a huge goal for me. Pole Life is well on it's way internationally and this is just the beginning! A feature will be shown at the PoleExpo.com in Las Vegas at the Palms Sept 6-8th. I hope to compete this year at pole competitions. I am also in the works of a lot more but I am unable to give that away just yet.

*****

COME SEE POLE LIFE: THE PREVIEW TRAILER THIS FRIDAY, March 2nd at 3:15pm. This is first come first serve seating so come early! Don't miss out on being in the world of what the pole communities Pole Life is really all about and how pole's history and culture evolved into what Pole is today. The screening for Pole Life will be at the Los Angeles Film School's main theater at 6363 Sunset Boulevard...

Pioneer of Pole: KT Coates of Vertical Dance!

2012-02-29T14:33:00.005-08:00

When I first started at Twirly Girls, Bel used to tell us about this amazing pole dancer from the UK named KT Coates. In fact, one of the moves we do on the pole is called the "KT Coates." I am really excited to include KT in my blog today and am even more excited to (hopefully) meet her at the Pole Convention in June!

How did you first find pole dancing?

I got a job as a show girl in one of the oldest burlesque shows in the world at the Raymond Review Bar in Soho. I got the job with no experience in pole, dance or fitness and it was on the off chance that I even went to the audition. I then started practicing on the poles there and we incorporated it into my show. I didn’t have a clue at first but I was young and fearless so I just threw myself into it and taught myself how to pole dance. Back then there was no YouTube or classes so I just found something I loved and ran with it.

I understand you helped X-Pole develop its product in the UK in 2004. How did you get involved with that?

I met Clive at an expo. I was performing and he and Paul had the first prototypes. We got chatting and got on really well. By this time I wanted to open my own school. There were exotic dance schools but I wanted to take the pole out of the clubs and put it in the gyms and I explained this to him. He lent me his prototypes to test out and use in my classes. At this time the poles were nothing like they are today so there were a huge amount of redesign in the first few months and it’s still being changed today. I will say the DVD that I did for the pole makes me cringe, I wish I could go back and re-film it.

You opened Vertical Dance and released DVDs in 2006, which makes you a Pioneer of Pole. What made you decide to open your own studio?

I was good at pole, it became a passion and I saw others opening sexy dance schools and I wanted to take it away from that, as I just don’t see pole that way and it doesn’t make me feel that way. Opening a school was a natural progression for me and the best and most satisfying, but also frustrating thing I have ever done. We were the first company to do so many things such as have videos on the site, online training, teacher training, world record, the first amateur competition and showcase. We have a world record, which is on my toilet wall. Things have changed so much and I am just so proud to be a part of it.

Which pioneers of pole do you admire?

There are so many people that have worked so hard over the last decade. We all have to thank Fawnia for being there at the start. I admire Mary Ellyn Weissman for promoting pole for the mature generation and raising health and safety standards. I think Bobbi from Bobbi's Studio has done so many great things for her style of pole. Ania from the IPDFA is one of the most diplomatic and profession people in pole, her competitions are fantastic. I admire every one that does pole, they are a pioneered in their own right, because without them it wouldn’t be here today!

Do you have a trick that you consider your nemesis?

Anything with flexibility. I can barely touch my toes and my back is like a board, I can only forward fold. lol

It feels like the pro/competition pole dancers are all going the route of contortion and extreme tricks. Do you feel like something is lost from pole dancing when it is all tricks and no dance?

I not a fan of contortion, it’s not attractive. It’s not flowing and it’s not impressive. The best pole dancers are the ones that have the right amount of flow, flexibility, power, strength, musicality and dance ability. I call contortion type of dancers the ta-da performers, it’s very much like Chinese pole, you pull a move hold it for the applause, I do not find this easy on the eye at all. If a dancer spends his/her entire routine inverted on the pole busting trick after trick I am not impressed and I would mark this type of routine down. I think performers are growing and this will be a thing of the past.

How do you feel about pole dancing going mainstream?

I have been very vocal about pole going mainstream and I do not see a future without it. If we want pole to carry on for generations to come then we need to make it professional, regulated and safe. Once this is done then we can open classes to children and then pole will be as acceptable as gymnastic.

Tell us something we'd be surprised to hear about you.

I do not and never have owned X-Pole...Not sure why people think I do...LOL!

What else are you looking forward to in 2012?

We are looking forward to the IPSF World Pole Sports Championships in London which we are creating. It will be our first step to the Olympics and it is something that so many people have worked hard on and a dream that I cannot believe is actually becoming reality. I also cannot wait for to get over to the USA this year. I am in Chicago in May, at the LA Pole Convention in June and Vegas in September and NYC in October. I am also bring out a new DVD and an insurance package.

Pole Show LA Interviews and Performance Videos

2012-02-28T16:16:00.001-08:00

In January, Lorita Productions attended Pole Show LA on behalf of The Pole Dancing Shop. I wanted to post interview and performance videos in one place, so here we go!

http://www.thepoledancingshop.com/pole-show-la-2012/#.T005RHl9Yuc

http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2012/02/lolorashel-pole-dance-italy-and-pole.html

The show started with “The Honey Fall Girls”, which was choreographed by Leigh Ann Reilly (owner of BeSpun) and included five BeSpun dancers: Andrewa Britz, Kate Chanthanakaew, Emma Danoff, Yvonne Huffman-Lutz and Cash Roses. Their costumes, designed by Kelly Maglia, were adorable. They also featured Glitter Heels, which are made by BeSpun instructor, Tiffany Hayden.

Ariel Jacobs:

The first headliner was Prana, who is from Paris, France. She has been pole dancing since 2008 and teaches at Pole Dance Paris. Her routine was very wild cat-like. She is so strong and beautiful to watch.

Interview with Prana:

Alice Hodge:

Unfortunately, this video was blocked due to copyright issues with the song.

BeSpun’s manager, Amy Guion was next in a piece called “A Long time ago, in a desert far, far away.” It started with contortionist Fiona Luna and Amy’s partner David Garcia. The pole portion was set to the Christina Aguilera song, Genie in a Bottle. It was a really cute routine and really showcased Amy’s flexibility.

Interview with Amy Guion:

Lena Lockerby:

Zoraya Judd was the second headliner. If you have not seen Zoraya perform, you really need to watch her. She is an outstanding performer. From her hair and make-up to her routine. She took it to the next level when her husband Nic joined her on stage to hand over a python snake. She finished her routine on the pole with a snake wrapped around her neck.

D'Lorian "Bad Azz" Fox:

Interview with Bad Azz:

The next piece was called Gemini 3000 and included BeSpun dancers Sergia Louise Anderson, Tami Brandel, Jennifer Jim and Lacy McGarry. One of the highlights was when all four performers were spinning on one pole.

Interview with Jennifer Kim:

Becca Armijo:

Flying Laura Martin absolutely rocked the show. She pulled out an amazing and completely unexpected hip hop routine with backup dancers, Marta Karwowska and Isabella Konald. Flying Laura is another performer that you must see in person if you can. She is such a powerhouse.

Jess Leah:

Leigh Ann Reilly was next with “In the Night.” It included BeSpun dancers Alex Catalano, Pamela Morency and Angela Relucio. Leigh Ann started the performance on a motorcycle and later rocked a shoulder stand on it.

Interview with Leigh Ann Reilly:

Estee Zakar started her performance in a really cool cat mask. She is so strong and her routine was really fun to watch. She does some kind of Iron-X round about that is hard to explain but amazing to watch.

Amber Richard:

Interview with Amber Richard:

Steven Retchless was next. His routine was ballet-based and so beautiful. Sadly, the sound was still out, although it gave us an opportunity to enjoy his movement.

Interview with Steven Retchless:

Kelly Maglia:

The next routine, “Ligature”, was based on Amy Guion’s third-place 2011 California Pole Dance Championship routine. It involved four dancers: Paula Cavajal, Christine Fields, Tracey Mueller and Lisa Wilhoit. It included dominatrix inspired costumes and red ropes, from which the dancers could hang from the poles.

Breezelle Fox:

Natasha Wang based the character in her routine on a spider that conquers the pole. Natasha is definitely the sweetheart of pole dancing and we always love watching her performances. With the sound still not working properly, it did allow the crowd to truly take in her movements.

Interview with Natasha Wang:

Margarita Evans:

[need video]

“Wonderland” was an Alice-in-Wonderland inspire routine danced by Audra Bennett, Lindsey Kimura, Sienna Spalding and Adrienne Strauss. Adrienne also wrote and performed the music for the piece and created the art in the background. It was a really fun routine. Happily, the speakers started working again about half way through their performance.

Interview with Lindsey X-Pole:

Interview with Sienna Spalding:

Interview with Adrienne Strauss:

Jennifer Strand:

Amber Kittle amazed us all by starting her routine on the ceiling in a 20-foot death lay. Her performance was so fast and athletic. She had some designs on her body highlighted with a black light, but you didn’t notice them because she moved so quickly. This girl requires a sturdy pole that connects to the ceiling to do her impressive walk on the ceiling. No wonder she was not able to compete in 2011′s California Pole Dance Championship on X-Stages!

Interview with Amber Kittle:

Tiffany Hayden:

Interview with Tiffany Hayden:

Karol Helms and Alethea Austin teamed up for “Education.” Alethea was almost unrecognizable at first in a black wig. Their school girl-themed doubles routine rocked the house and included backup dancers Andrea Britz, Ariel Jacobs, Valarie Miller, Lana Sales, Melissa Schrader and Jennifer Vigil.

Dana Davidson:

Jenyne Butterfly closed the show. She is such a sweetheart and is always the crowd favorite. She claimed earlier in the night that she had not been on the pole much in the previous two months, but you couldn’t tell by the performance she gave. She has definitely earned the title of “Pole Queen!”

Bonus videos:

Nadia Sharif (recent winner of National Aerial Pole Artist Championship), who wasn't able to perform at Pole Show LA (she explains here):

Giggle Reel:

The End of Pole Show LA:

Pole Candy: Linna Tan from Bobbi's Pole Studio - Singapore

2012-02-28T13:41:00.000-08:00

In my continued adventures to discover the history of pole dance studios around the world, I recently interviewed Bobbi and Ness of Bobbi's Pole Studio Australia. They have studios located in Singapore and Malaysia. We also met Maple from Bobbi'sPole Studio Malaysia. Today we meet Linna of Bobbi's Pole StudioSingapore.

Do you have a non-pole dance background?

I started as a salsa dancer and instructor before I discovered pole.

When did you first start pole dancing?

I discovered pole about 7 years ago but I will say that I really started pole dancing when I met Bobbi which is about 4 years ago.

What brought you to Australia to train with Bobbi's Pole Studio?

When I started watching pole dance YouTube videos, the only person I could not take my eyes off was Bobbi and Bobbi's teachers. So naturally, when I wanted to pole-dance like the best in the world, I traveled to train with the best in the world :)

When did you open Bobbi's Pole Studio in Singapore?

March 2010

Do you participate in competitions? Do you have any titles?

No, I don't participate in competitions because most of the them, I'm organizing them.

What kind of fitness routine do you follow on and off the pole?

Pole-dancing is my fitness routine, it encompasses everything from weight training to cardio, what more do I need? :)

Do you prefer to dance barefoot or in shoes?

Definitely in heels!

What do you use to help you stick to the pole?

Shaving gel and Dry Hands

What trick is your nemesis?

Hmm.. So many... Probably Ayesha with body away from the pole, fell once and could not get over my fear since then..

Tell us something people would be surprised to hear?

Oh dear.. I'm quite boring & typical.. Mmm.. I used to be a Wedding Planner before I became a dance instructor? I used to plan the Hen's Parties, now I host them :)

What does 2012 hold for you?

Organising the first-ever Miss Pole Dance Southeast Asia 2012! We also have many other exciting events lined up for the year so looking forward to a very fruitful and exciting year for Bobbi's Singapore :)

Thank you so much for being part of my blog. If you ever make it to the states, please let me know. And if I make it to Singapore, I will definitely come find you. :-) I would love to meet!

Thanks so much for the opportunity to be part of your blog, Lori. If I ever make it to your part of the world, I will most definitely look you up and please make sure you do the same :)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Catch up with other Bobbi's girls below!

Cleo The Hurricane

Jedda Jordan

Depression and the Viking Warrior

2012-02-25T12:35:00.001-08:00

I suffer from depression. There, I said it. It's not something I wear on a shirt. But I realize a lot more people deal with depression than one would think. I used to see commercials about depression talking about how if you can't get out of bed, you might be suffering from depression. I get out of bed every day. In fact, I could probably use some more time *in* bed. So I couldn't possibly be suffering from depression. Oh, except that I do definitely deal with depression.

I wrote this post about a year and a half ago: http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2010/08/sometimes-you-just-need-to-step-away.html

Rob and I had just moved in together, which caused me a lot of stress (I've lived roommate-free for probably ten years, so sharing space was hard for me). My friend's daughter had been killed in a horrific accident. I took a break from Twirly Girls (bad, bad idea for a social person who is depressed to take a break from being social). A month or so later, I decided to try anti-depressants for my third time.

The first two tries went fairly well. Lexapro made my brain "happy" but I gained weight on it (hence, my need to lose 22 pounds about four years ago). I did stay on it for at least a year before I decided the weight issue was too much to handle. Plus, I was just tired of being "medicated." I tried medication again before I met Rob in 2009. This time, I tried a different medication -- Wellbutrin. It made me sweat worse than I normally do, so I went off it pretty quickly. In 2010, I tried Effexor. I didn't gain weight on it, and I didn't sweat as much as with the Wellbutrin. I mean, I have gained weight but it's not from the medication. It's from continuing to stress out -- I eat my feelings.

Anyway, I've been on Effexor for almost a year and a half. I decided a couple of months ago that I was tired of being medicated. And so I recently stepped down off the medication. There are studies that suggest that, for some, anti-depressants only work for 9 months to a year. So I figured that it was time to try living without medication again. I'm about four weeks into being fully medication-free. And I'm bummed to report that I'm finding myself getting irritated and frustrated a lot faster than I used to. I really don't want to be reliant on medication, so I am working to get through that (I mean, I should be able to deal with a small amount of irritation without Hulking out). But I have definitely noticed a difference in my stupidity tolerance level.

This week has been a little emotional. My friend's granny passed away February 13, 2007. A couple of days ago, Rob found a tiny spoon in his pocket. Gran had given me the spoon after gastric bypass in 2004 because that's all I would be able to eat. It was really sweet. Rob has no idea how it got into his pants pocket. He hasn't even worn those pants since he stopped working last September, and he would have no need to put a tiny spoon in his work pants anyway (although I joked, in poor taste, that maybe he took it for his tiny heroin habit, since he worked at a methadone clinic). I joked that Gran was playing a trick on us. We later found out that my friend's three year old son, Mason, who was born on the anniversary of Gran's death, and is her great-grandson, has been having trouble sleeping because people are "talking" to him. I figure it must be her! :-) I also found out that my friends (who are sisters) just booked a trip to England to meet their granny's family. Maybe coincidence. Maybe not. Maybe Gran just wanted to say hi. Either way, it brings back a lot of good memories and sadness for a lady who was really sweet to me.

We are also coming up on the anniversary of the death of my sister's friend, Tyler. I didn't know him *that* well but it was a young life gone way too soon under suspicious circumstances. It makes me sad and I still see the posts on his memory page on Facebook. He is missed by so many people.

My brother got married last night. He and his wife are just good people -- the best couple I've ever met in my life. I normally don't get emotional at weddings but I did get a little teary when Melissa came down the aisle. I have always been kind of "meh" about marriage but seeing two people who truly do make relationships look easy, is making me wonder if I need to soften my view of marriage. I also had a hard time seeing my own grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer's. She's in that stage where she's forgetting things and people but she's very aware that something's wrong and it gives her anxiety. She was always such a pillar of strength in my life and it is so hard to see her so frail and sad. So another emotional day...and no drugs to "even me out."

Rob and I recently heard another commercial...this one saying how this girl didn't realize that depression could lead to suicide. We thought it was a dumb commercial..."happy" people don't kill themselves, right?! So, of course depression can lead to suicide. However, not everyone might be as aware of it as I am. My Auntie Lori killed herself three years ago -- in a horrific manner. The anniversary of her death was a little over a week ago. She wasn't my real aunt -- but my mom's best friend and the person after whom I was named. She dealt with major depression, anxiety and suffered from anorexia. She was troubled for my entire life. I remember when she first passed, I first felt relief. Relief that her mind was finally at peace. Now I just miss her. Maybe the anniversary is what is setting off this feeling now. Or maybe some days, it's just harder to face the world than others.

My point of talking about this is not to get sympathy. I wrote this today because writing is my outlet. Every single person has their own issues to deal with. Some people are just better equipped to deal than others. I don't know if I was born with a brain that can't deal as well, or if I just grew up in a way that didn't give me great coping skills. Nature versus nurture. Maybe its both. It doesn't matter. The end result is that I do deal with a crazy brain sometimes. And I hope that if you have someone in your life that struggles, you will be understanding of their problems. Or, if you are someone who has a hard time coping, I hope you will ask for help before you go to extreme measures.

This post is dedicated to my Auntie Lori. I'm sorry you felt that was your only way out. I miss you and love you.

Pole Etak's Quest For A Pole Venue in San Francisco!

2012-02-23T14:49:00.000-08:00

You are known as Pole Étak on Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook... Do you have an actual studio location?

I call myself "Pole Étak" for a couple reasons, the main one being a type of branding that's in line with my other creative endeavors: Étak Productions which is my film making business and Club Étak which is the name of this upcoming venue (It's pronounced "Attack" and is "Kate" backwards, in case anyone didn't catch that). The other reason the name "Pole Étak" exists is to connect my students that I have privately at my in-home studio and my students from the Crunch gyms in the Bay Area. I don't have a "proper" studio yet, but the intended day use of Club Étak will be to act as my new legit studio (the awkward moment of inviting strangers into my apartment is nearing an end).

You are trying to get a pole-friendly performance venue in the San Francisco area (I live near SF and am 100% supporting you). Here is the Kick Starter link, but also tell us in your own words about the venture and what you hope to accomplish.

Please watch the video and DONATE here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/219102719/club-etak-a-performance-venue-and-dance-studio

I've been trying to condense the multitude of beautiful reasons why San Francisco should house a pole performance venue, and I think I've narrowed it down to this: The stigma we as pole dancers encounter every day is at times tolerable, but also at times tiring and endless. How are we to show the public our incredible art form when all we have are the bright neon lights of Broadway's topless venues jading their opinions, and the exclusivity of private pole studios unintentionally shying away the average interested patron? If we have a dedicated venue where we can expose the public to pole dancing as we know it, then we will certainly empower our path to a more objectively valued and respectable community, rather than just subjective.

Oh, and it's just going to be incredibly kick-ass...

Do you already have a venue/location in mind?

There's a couple spaces I'm eyeing - but the main goal is to find a space near to BART/CalTrain so it will be easily accessible by all of the Bay Area. My students aren't just here in the City, so I know they would appreciate easy access (and of course those hailing from the East Bay would like that too!)

Which other local pole celebrities or studio owners have teamed up with you for this project?

Besides you my dear Lori?! Unfortunately no one has committed to teaming up with me at the moment. I've had interest from a few studios in the East Bay, but no interest (yet) from the ones currently operating in San Francisco and the South Bay. I'm hoping that my feature in this blog may persuade them that this is a legitimate venture and that I want to team up with literally everyone I can. I love networking and I LOVE pole dancing so I hope this one space can eventually bring us all together.

What is your pole dancing background? (What brought you to pole and how long have you been poling?)

I was a receptionist for Crunch Fitness for many years and really was not the epitome of health for the longest time (University habits got the best of me and stuck). So when they installed the poles upstairs at the Chestnut St. location 2 years ago, I almost was dared to go up and try. I was quite grumpy about it and thought everyone was pretty skanky, but then I had the "moment." I think it was when I did the pretzel spin pretty quickly and nobody else got it, and my instructor complimented me up the wazzoo. I had never been complimented like that, let alone for something athletic (which I never was). The mere dose of instant confidence in my body as a temple (which I previously thought of as a temple's dumpster) encouraged me to practice like crazy. Soon I started subbing classes for Crunch, and last year became a certified X-Pert Pole Instructor (HIGHLY recommend that, by the way). Now I am the regular instructor for Crunch Chestnut & San Mateo and nothing makes me feel more joy than finding girls like me who are starting from scratch and complimenting them just like my first instructor did for me. All about positive reinforcement, in my book.

Have you participated in any competitions?

I have not. Eventually one day I'd like to, but I'm very realistic about my body and my current limits. One has to be in that competitive mind-set in order to push their bodies to greatness, and right now my mind is more set along the lines of playing host to those people who really are interested in going the step above what they thought they could do.

It feels like the pro/competition pole dancers are all going the route of contortion and extreme tricks. Do you feel like something is lost from pole dancing when it is all tricks and no dance?

I think about this a ton actually...but in a way I don't feel comfortable criticizing the way someone wants to perform, whether to impress or to inspire. What I can say is what I feel myself - and I do know that when I'm focused on trying to mimic the Pole Stars' Extreme Tricks I become instantly miserable as a human being. It's frustrating, and I lose that confidence I once gained. The beauty of incorporating "dance" with the pole is that you can have an amazing outlet for all sorts of emotions. It doesn't matter if I dance well or if my split isn't flat or if my "lines are gorgeous" or anything like that - what matters is what is portrayed to the audience and what is felt in myself as a performer. I go at my own pace, and would prefer it if everyone did as well. It's nice to have different tiers and sectors and genres of pole dancing, though, so there is always something to aspire to. To each, her own.

Tell us something that people would be surprised to hear about you?

People tend to be surprised by the multitude of things I participate in. I'm really all over the place and it confuses the average friend of mine. I have a habit of learning as many things in this life that I can, but never mastering them. Examples: I can read and write Arabic, speak French, write and produce short films, paint with India Ink, play guitar and piano and sing, and do triathlons and running races - but I've never mastered any of these subjects. I call myself the Jane of All Trades, Master of Some. I find it makes the life way more enriched, and it really tends to confuse and surprise anyone that meets me.

Besides this awesome project, what else does 2012 hold for you?

2012 is really revolving around this project, but the second biggest thing I'm looking forward to is participating in the Olympic Distance London Triathlon in September. I still don't understand how I'm going to ship my bike over to England, let alone myself...

I really understand the need for venues that are pole-friendly and hope that everyone will support Kate in her quest (or maybe you can start one for your area!). Please join Pole Étak on Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter.

Ummmm....I'm a Pole ARTIST

2012-02-23T11:41:00.000-08:00

Continuing with the pole dancer versus stripper debate... Get caught up here: http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2012/01/stripper-versus-pole-dancer-debate.html

A couple of weeks ago, Twirly Girls were part of a local radio show's live event [http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2012/02/twirly-girls-at-sarah-vinnie-secret.html]. Going into the event, I knew the "stripper thing" was going to come up. The general public associates pole dancing with stripping. As we know, one can mean the other. But it doesn't have to. I warned the girls that the topic would most likely come up. I figured it would be mostly in good fun since Sarah and Vinnie have an entertainment show to put on. It did come up and the S&V show felt like one of our girls in particular was a little bitter in her response. I didn't think she actually came across bitter or mad, but I know her and they don't, so maybe that's why the disconnect happened. Either way...on the radio a day or two later, they made the point that we are all swinging on a stripper pole, so we shouldn't be that shocked when the subject came up.

In my mind, they are right.

Are you a stripper? A pole dancer? A pole fitness enthusiast? A pole artist? There are many names for what we do. And there's nothing wrong with being any one of those things, or all of them. But when someone says to you, "oh you pole dance?!" Are you the first to say, "but I'm not a stripper!"?

Now this is where I get stuck. If someone comes at me with the whole, "oooh, so you're a stripper, right?" thing, I usually respond with, "If I had a nicer body and a little more rhythm, I'd definitely consider it!" But I also grew up in a religious home where acting out and being a little naughty held some appeal. I've also spent many years learning how to ignore those who tried to make me feel bad about myself or guilty for things that I do. I sometimes forget not everyone has had that kind of life training.

I don't want to disconnect from my pole community either. If it is offensive to some to be called a stripper, am I belittling them by telling them to get over it? On the other hand, do we owe it to the "pole fitness" community to explain to the general public that there is a bit of a difference between stripping for dollars and taking classes at a pole fitness studio? Granted, I like working out and feeling stronger but I really enjoy putting on "stripper heels" and cute clothes too.

In my mind, I say, take me or leave me...I owe you no explanation for anything I do or say. However, I feel like some of my pole sisters may feel like I am not hearing them or taking their feelings into account.

At the end of the day, regardless of the words we use to describe what we do, we're still doing it -- swinging around a pole. And, it's like some of us are almost waiting for the fight...waiting for that outsider to bring up pole dancing, daring them to call us a stripper, so we can attack and explain that we are pole artistes! We should not be ashamed of what we do. I feel like if we make excuses and try to distance ourselves from stripping, it almost becomes, "we doth protest too much..."

It seems like a lot of the negativity and disharmony comes from WITHIN our own pole dancing community. Some spend so much time debating the words we should use to describe what we do -- and even more time judging other dancers in the industry. I think we need to first band together, then we can worry about what the outsiders think.

At the end of the day, a person who will judge you for pole dancing, doesn't care if you're a stripper or not. They will judge you the same. So why not hold your head high and proudly proclaim: YES, I AM A POLE DANCER [or insert your favorite term here]! That's what I plan to do.

Project 365: Days 223-253

2012-02-23T10:40:00.001-08:00

Day 223

Monday, January 23

Day 224

Tuesday, January 24

Day 225

Wednesday, January 25

Off to LA

Day 226

Thursday, January 26

Bumble Bee on Hollywood Boulevard

Day 227

Friday, January 27

Natasha Wang!

Day 228

Saturday, January 28

Jenyne Butterfly

Day 229

Sunday, January 29

Day 230

Monday, January 30

Day 231

Tuesday, January 31

It's Diana on a shirt!

Day 232

Wednesday, February 1

Day 233

Thursday, February 2

Day 234

Friday, February 3

Day 235

Saturday, February 4

Day 236

Sunday, February 5

Day 237

Monday, February 6

Day 238

Tuesday, February 7

Day 239

Wednesday, February 8

Day 240

Thursday, February 9

Day 241

Friday, February 10

Day 242

Saturday, February 11

Day 243

Sunday, February 12

Day 244

Monday, February 13

Day 245

Tuesday, February 14

Day 246

Wednesday, February 15

Day 247

Thursday, February 16

Day 248

Friday, February 17

Day 249

Saturday, February 18

Day 250

Sunday, February 19

Day 251

Monday, February 20

Day 252

Tuesday, February 21

Day 253

Wednesday, February 22

Draw bridge UP

Prana: Celebrating Black History Month and Pole Dance

2012-02-22T15:26:00.000-08:00

Prana's story: I started Pole Dancing after my 15 years of Rhythmic Gymnastic. I found in this discipline a way to use my RG past and mainly my way to give all of myself. But especially my favorite thing is to share and give that I know: I LOVE TO TEACH!!!

Confessions of a Twirly Girl Turns Two!

2012-02-22T11:25:00.000-08:00

Happy bloggerversary to me. A little over two years ago, I wrote my very first blog. Ever. Confessions of a Twirly Girl has given me an amazing outlet. Enter the Twirling Viking Warrior. Also known as lolorashel. And a monster was born. :-)

Here's my very first post from January 29, 2010: http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2010/01/tales-from-pole.html

Here's my first anniversary post: http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2011/03/yer-mom.html

I am now up to 73 "followers" on Blogger. However, I have 2,000 Facebook friends and over 1,200 followers on Twitter. I am on tumblr and pinterest. Between all of the cross-posts, I have had over 60,000 hits on my blog. I average 300 hits per day. I apparently also have Klout (today my score was up to 62...whatever that actually means). I am writing for Twirly Girls and a couple of other shall-remain-unnamed studios. I am also writing for The Pole Dancing Shop. I have written various guest blogs for other websites. I am working with Social Sonar and I am their main blogger on social media topics. I will soon have published articles in Vertical Art and Fitness Magazine.

I swore that I was going to brand myself, and it certainly seems to be happening. Projects for other companies have morphed into starting Lorita Productions so that Rita, Andrew and I (GO TEAM HONEY BADGER) can work as a team to produce videos and photos for the pole community.

I am not only blogging about pole dancing but I am now teaching two classes at week at Twirly Girls. I still have my day job, but I am otherwise immersed in pole. I have met some really awesome people and have checked out some fun studios and events. I feel very lucky to have the opportunities being presented to me now. And I owe it all to Bel, Twirly Girls and this blog.

I have learned a lot in the last two years. About pole dancing. About people. About blogging in general. Although its very exciting to have a blog that receives 200-600 hits per day...writing provides me with a much-needed outlet, which I would still receive if no one was reading anything I wrote. However, it is so satisfying to meet people at events or receive e-mails from people who hear my voice and feel their own story is being told as well. It is fun to talk to pole-celebrities, but I am very much interested in the everyday pole dancers who are like me.

So thank you to everyone who has made my blog a success. I look forward to some traveling so I can meet even more pole friends. Please let me know where you are so I can add you to my map of planned pole travels!

Pole Dancing with Kelly Maglia

2012-02-21T16:30:00.004-08:00

I recently saw Kelly Maglia perform at Pole Show LA. I knew she designed awesome performance costumes, but was not aware that she was also a pole dancer! Not just a pole sister but a curvy pole sister! She and I exchanged some e-mails and she wrote a great story...so I wanted to include part of her e-mail to me here...and then I asked her a few follow-up questions. This is Kelly Maglia!

... yes, being curvy has presented some challenges, but I decided early on that I was not going to let it be a problem! I've always been overweight, and yet I was a gymnast as a kid, and then a ballet dancer in college. I always figured I would just have to be that much stronger than the other girls to lift my body weight. Which in my head was no big deal. It's like lifting weights at the gym. Ok, so a 110 pound girl has less to lift than me. So what? It just means I have to be stronger - and isn't that cool? It became a little game I played with myself! All that is to say that ANYTHING is possible with enough desire and belief. I know for sure that curvy-ness need not be a limitation. And isn't it nice to show the skinny girls what's up? :) :)

I'm going on and on about this because it's a subject that's near and dear to my heart - and I think to a lot of women! I went through college with an eating disorder because I didn't look like the skinny ballerinas I was training with. I knew that even though I was good at ballet, I would never be hired as a dancer looking the way I did. So, I gave up dance for over a decade.

And then I took my first pole dance class! Ah, the freedom! Suddenly, curvy-ness was OK - and in some cases, even desired! I was accepted for who I was, and it was like having a first sip of water after years wandering in the desert. I was hooked on pole - not only because if the grace and athleticism it required of me - but because I could actually be ME.

Now don't me wrong: I still have fantasies of being a skinny girl! But I'm wise enough now to know that hating myself won't get me there. Neither will too strict of a diet or doing cardio till I puke! I decided that I was going to be gentle with myself no matter what - and interestingly enough, in the 3 years since I've been pole dancing, I've very slowly lost weight. It appears to be continuing - I've gone from a size 16 to a 12 in 3 years, and now, even my size 12 jeans are too big! It's nice to feel lighter and leaner - even though extra weight does not hinder me on the pole one bit. It's even nicer to know that I haven't lost weight because I hated myself. It has happened naturally because I was so IN LOVE with what I was doing on the pole. :)

I first saw Kelly Maglia Couture during the California Pole Dance Championship last year. Were you a clothing designer or pole dancer first?

I've been a costume designer for the last 10 years. I began designing custom costumes for "regular" dancers. This developed into a catalog collection, Triple Threat Dancewear, that I still run with my sister. Finally, once I discovered that there was a viable market for "pole couture", I launched Kelly Maglia Couture. Since then, I've been lucky enough to have my costumes featured on "So You Think You Can Dance", as well as in Dance, Dance Teacher, Dance Spirit, and Vertical Art & Fitness magazines.

When did you decide to start making costumes for pole dance performances?

Once I started pole dancing, I saw there was a real need for costumes designed specifically for the competition-based or performance-oriented pole dancer. Most of what was available was either workout wear, or exotic dance costumes designed to be revealing - and ultimately removed. This didn't work for the new breed of pole dancer who still needed to show a lot of skin (for grip purposes) but who also needed something tasteful, beautiful, and inspiring to dance in. It was very easy to translate what I'd done for years with Triple Threat into costumes for pole dancers. The biggest challenge was actually to make my designs a little sexier! The typical Triple Threat Dancewear client is a teenage jazz dancer, for whom I need to keep my designs relatively modest. But designing for adult women who want a sexy-but-tasteful design has been really fun!

I understand you also run Kelly Maglia Vertical Theatre. Tell us about that (especially when we can come see the next performance)!

Vertical Theatre is my baby - and is a truly hybrid genre. I like to say "bordello meets Broadway, circus meets rock concert, pole meets stage play." I was a musical theatre performer and rock singer in my late teens/early 20s, but I walked away from all that to focus on play/screenwriting as well as costuming. But eventually, the daily pressures of running my business simply took over and I didn't have time to pursue a writing career. But when I started pole dancing, I immediately saw a way to unite all of my various artistic pursuits. It was the like the pole was a linchpin - and catalyst - to a new vision of music theatre. I realized that the pole could represent so many things, both literal and figurative - the mast of a ship, a tree, or simply a woman's sensual awakening. I wanted to create a new genre of music theatre that was inspired by Cirque du Soleil (but with a nearly exclusive focus on POLE rather than other the aerial apparatus), 80s hard rock, and the classic musicals I grew up on.

Although I'm currently writing a full-length rock operetta, the next Vertical Theatre show will actually be a "rock and pole" cabaret. It's called "Once Upon a Pole" and it will utilize the various fairy tales we know and love to explore the pleasures and pitfalls of modern romance. I'm really excited to add men to my cast this time around, and I will be holding auditions soon. I'm primarily casting pole dancers, but I will also be looking for aerialists, hand balancers, contortionists, etc. The show will feature a live band and we're looking to open in May. And of course, I will design all the costumes!

My last show, "Catalyst" premiered at the El Portal in July 2011. Here's a recap:

I saw you perform recently at BeSpun for Pole Show LA 2012. Do you enjoy performing?

I do enjoy performing - but don't ask me if I do on the day of! Most of the time, I'm pacing around back stage wondering why I agreed to do this. :) I still get really nervous, and I have to talk myself off the ledge sometimes! But once I get onstage, I feel like I belong there.

How long have you been pole dancing?

3 1/2 years.

What first drew you to try it?

I initially was drawn to pole dancing because of its combo sensuality and athleticism. I'll never forget the moment I decided to become a pole dancer. I was at a friend's birthday party at Jumbo's Clown Room. And suddenly this woman took the stage, flew around the pole in some amazing way and then ended up hanging by her ankle! She was so strong AND sexy - which is what I wanted to be. I signed up for classes the very next week.

Do you have your own studio? If not, where do you dance?

I do not own my own studio. I currently train at BeSpun and Cirque School LA, but I have been to pretty much every pole studio in Los Angeles. I spent a lot of time at X-Polesitions before they closed. I find that studying with many different teachers is the best way for me to learn new things, as each person will have a different style and will teach you in a slightly different way.

What else do you do to keep your body in shape to pole?

I cross-train in ballet, contortion, hand-balancing, and I've recently added hiking and strength-based conditioning to my regimen. Needless to say, I'm a little busy. :)

How do you feel like pole has improved or changed your life?

Words cannot even begin to express how pole dance has changed my life. I can only describe it as bringing me back home to myself. It feels to me that Vertical Theatre is what I was born to do. For a long time, I felt like I was wandering - dabbling in dance or music or creative writing. And then Vertical Theatre appeared on the horizon like a lighthouse. And I was home.

Tell us one thing about you that people might be surprised to hear.

I'm a super nerd! I was that girl who cried over getting an A-. I also won a British Marshall Scholarship (which is the equivalent of a Rhodes Scholarship, but you don't have to study at Oxford) to pursue theatre in London. I love to 18th and 19th century British literature, the French language, social science, animals, and astrophysics. If I weren't an artist, I think I would've been an astronomer or a zoologist!

What does 2012 hold for you?

A new costume collection, and of course "Once Upon a Pole" - which I hope to showcase in a variety of arenas, including the Hollywood Fringe Theatre Festival and the Sunset Strip Music Festival. That will take us up to the Fall, and then I really will have to finish my rock full-length operetta. That's the show I've been waiting to write my whole life...

Takeila Fox: Celebrating Black History Month and Pole Dance

2012-02-21T15:42:00.001-08:00

Photo by Logan Cyrus.

Takeila's story: 2007 is when I discovered pole dancing. Being self-taught I had a rough start so I started to watch Studio Soiree's YouTube to learn different moves. I came across people who were actually competing and I wanted to join. I went to Las Vegas to compete in my 1st competition and didn't place but I loved the experience, learned other moves then became an addict. I kept competing at different competitions and ranked 3rd on the east coast in 2009 and top 12 in the nation in 2010. Pole dancing gives a boost of confidence, pole fitness gives a boost of strength and pole art gives a boost of creativity and I love it all.

A Twirly Girl Weekend With Philip Deal

2012-02-21T14:15:00.000-08:00

Not too long ago, I interviewed the bad boy of pole, Philip Deal. On Facebook anyway, Philip does have a reputation for being a little racy and raunchy. That's my kinda boy!

So when I heard Philip was coming to the West Coast for a Bad Boy Tour, I wasn't sure what to expect when I met him. Philip did a meet and greet performance at Twirly Girls last Friday. Philip greeted me with the biggest smile and hug -- like we were old friends. Turns out the Bad Boy of Pole is really a sweetie and softie deep down.

Philip has an extensive background in classical dance training. But he's also got a naughty side. If you haven't watched his Polesque video, check it out here:

Philip's performance at Twirly Girls was a little mix of pole strength and bad boy fun. He was wearing these fantastic patent leather pants (made me think of the "gimp suit" in American Horror Story). His performance came complete with a little chair dance and lap dance for one lucky audience member. It was pretty hot.

On Sunday, I had the pleasure of taking a beginner workshop with Philip. He gave us some great strengthening exercises to help get us pole-ready. He also worked well with such a large group -- making sure everyone could do the moves, even if we needed a little help.

After the workshop, Rita and I sat down with Philip for a quick video interview (to be released soon...). And I think that is where I fell in love with our darling Philip. I know all too well that sometimes when a person is very in-your-face and happy to be labeled "bad," it is usually because they are protecting themselves. I think for those who haven't met Philip in person, and might think he's a little over the top on Facebook, they should take the time to meet him in person. They will walk away with a very different opinion of him. I don't want to say that I found him to be fragile because that might insinuate he was weak. But I did find Philip to be a very open, honest and sweet person -- not nearly as "BAD" as I expected. I am really excited for his video interview to be released.

Philip was a really good sport and came out to the drag show at Club 1220, even though he'd had a long day of workshops and adventures around town with Bel. The queens seemed delighted to have such a cutie in the audience and Philip happily played along when he was brought on stage. It was truly a fun night. (What happens at the drag show, stays at the drag show!!!)

Philip heads off to Vegas this weekend for the National Aerial Pole Art Championship. He told Rita and me about his routine and we were already in tears just hearing about it. My brother gets married this weekend, so I can't make it out to Vegas but I am hoping there will be video released of the event. We definitely wish him good luck!!!!!!!!!!

Many people have preconceived notions about the Bad Boy of Pole...and I realize that not everyone will like everyone else...but I really am happy I got to meet Philip in person and I look forward to the next Twirly Boy adventure!

Now, THAT'S How I Pole!

2012-02-17T14:55:00.002-08:00

December 2 is my Polerversary (March 17, 2004 is my surgiversary and my bloggerversary is January 29, 2010...love having -versaries...). December 2, 2009 was the first time I took a taster class with Bel at Twirly Girls Pole Fitness, which completely changed my life. I wrote about what I had learned from two years of pole dancing in this post:

http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2011/11/what-have-i-learned-in-two-years-of.html

Today, Heather posted a link on Facebook to the questions I answered for her blog two years ago. I was only two months into pole dancing. Check out her post here (credit should also be given to Heather for being one of my inspirations, along with Jennifer from PoleSkivvies, to start a pole dancing blog!):

http://thatshowipole.blogspot.com/2010/01/meet-lori-myers.html

Heather asked me if any of my answers had changed. I thought it would be fun to go through and re-answer them to see!

Meet Lori Myers: A 33 year old Pole Enthusiast from California!

1. How long have you been Pole Dancing? How often do you do it?

1/28/2010: I started with Twirly Girls Pole Fitness in Pleasanton, California a little over two months ago with my friend, Rita. I initially started looking into pole dancing a couple of years ago and took the intro class at S Factor in San Francisco. But it was a little too far for me to drive every weekend. As soon as I found Twirly Girls, Rita and I signed up for a taster class and have been hooked on the pole ever since! We take class once a week at the studio, plus I try to sign up for extras at least once a month. This month, we took an Ooh La La burlesque dance class. Just this past Sunday, I got my very own pole at home so I have been on it every day!

I printed out the core strength test that you posted this week. I failed miserably! If you do all of the things you asked, you'd be in plank position for 3 minutes. I was able to hold each variation for about 10 seconds, so the entire thing took me about a minute. I have much work to do!!

2/17/2012: I take pole class with Bel twice a week -- Wednesdays and Saturdays. However, I am now teaching burlesque (Sassy Pants) and beginner pole on Mondays. I also take Twirly Tuff with Bel's boyfriend Doug (gets us ready to be amazing polers) on Tuesdays and Saturdays (sadly, I will be dropping back to Saturdays only soon because I've been burning the candle at both ends lately). I've been doing pilates reformer, and recently just started doing pilates chair...trying to strengthen that core. I still suck at plank.

2. How did you discover Pole Fitness?

1/28/2010: I was turned on to pole dancing about two years ago when I heard the S Factor girls on the radio. I thought it sounded interesting and so I looked them up online and went in search of a friend who would be interested in coming with me.

3. What do you love MOST about it?

1/28/2010: I LOVE that I'm getting myself back into shape and having fun doing it. I lost 165 pounds about six years ago. But being thin(ner) doesn't mean being healthy and in shape. A couple of years ago, I started spending a lot of time at the gym and got into pretty good shape. In the last 6 months or so, I got lazy. And I was having a hard time motivating myself into working out again. Pole fitness is it!! I am having fun and I can already see a difference in my arms (which is good because it was my arms flapping in the wind that made me realize it was time to get back into shape).

2/17/2012: Well, as most of you probably know, I've been floundering in the weight loss/strength gaining department. I'm getting stronger but not losing weight like I had hoped. I'm also two weeks into a cold that has been kicking my ass all over the place. *sigh* I will probably always be a work in progress. What I LOVE is the camaraderie at Twirly Girls and all of the doors that have been opened for me recently thanks to pole dancing.

http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2012/01/year-of-viking.html

http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2012/01/found-motivation.html

4. What is your favorite song to 'pole' to?

1/28/2010: I have three favorite songs right now. Actually, five. haha! My ABSOLUTE favorite is My Pony by Daniel Wesley. But I also love Rihanna's Rockstar 101, Beyonce's Video Phone, Mazzy Star's Fade Into You, and (of course -- its so cliche) Def Leppard's Pour Some Sugar On Me.

2/17/2012: I think my Twirly Girls play list has over 100 songs in it right now. Everything from rock to R&B. I need to pick a song for the Lovely Rita Fundraiser very soon. For one of the monthly challenges for February (can't remember if its Studio Veena or Pole Junkies), I'm going to do a Phantom of the Opera song!

5. What do consider your 'Pole Essentials'? (What do you need or typically use when dancing? I.e. Certain outfit or article of clothing? Certain Prop? Certain Music? Etc...)

1/28/2010: When I am actually on the pole, I generally like to wear plain workout stuff: shorts and a tank top. For learning how to climb (which I am still doing, and not very well), my patent leather boots help me stick like glue. So, now that I'm advancing, the boots are probably my must-have.

2/17/2012: Not much has changed, other than I try not to rely on boots or grip aids to help me stick. I want to get strong on my own.

6. How do you feel about the stigma that is attached to Pole Dancing? i.e. people associating it with stripping...

1/28/2010: Ugh. This was such a hot topic on my Facebook page today. I understand where the stigma comes from, although I also feel like people should get over it. I love the shirt that the Twirly Girls have for guys: Pole Dancing Is Not A Crime! Anything that encourages women to get in shape and be healthy and sexy and feel empowered should be celebrated. I feel like pole dancing has been associated with stripping (not that there's anything wrong with either one), and my attitude is this: I'm an adult, I'm not hurting anyone, and its no one's business. Shoot, I have respect for a stripper who incorporates pole dancing into their routine. That takes a lot of physical strength! Good for them!

I do occasionally catch myself bristling when people ask me if I'm wearing my g-string to stripper class. And I am trying to get over that. I have so much fun in my class, so it shouldn't matter what other people think. Bel teaches us to be sexy and strong but also encourages us to dress up, be silly and have a good time, which is totally my personality!

2/17/2012: I've stopped caring for the most part. Most people who are going to give you a hard time about pole dancing don't care if you explain the difference between pole dancing and stripping (and I don't feel like they are owed that explanation anyway). Here are a couple of posts I've done about the subject:

http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2012/01/stripper-versus-pole-dancer-debate.html

http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2012/02/twirly-girls-at-sarah-vinnie-secret.html

I actually have another blog on the topic in the works. I should be releasing that in the next week or so.

7. Favorite Pole Move?

1/28/2010: I don't know if I have a favorite move yet. I am still doing such basic moves. Pretty much every move my instructor, Bel, does is my favorite. She is so graceful and makes it look so easy. I feel like Buddy the Elf at Christmas. Every time Bel does a new move, I hear myself saying, THAT ONE! That's my favorite! haha!

2/17/2012: Pretty much any move I do. I am feeling so fat and out of shape... I guess handstands are becoming my signature move.

8. What do you hope to accomplish by Pole Dancing in general? What would you like to accomplish within the next 6 months?

1/28/2010: Within the next six months, I hope to be able to climb and invert (without breaking my neck). Ultimately, I want to have the core strength to hang off that pole like its nothing. I've been all over youtube watching pole dancing champions and I want to do EVERYTHING they can do! I'm six feet tall and probably not built to do some of the stuff they do. But I can dream!

2/17/2012: Nothing has changed. I still need to climb better and invert. I'm closer and closer every day though!

9. What do you friends & family think about your Pole Dancing? How does that make you feel?

1/28/2010: Most of my friends and family are very supportive. My boyfriend is VERY supportive of my new hobby! My mom's side of the family is pretty religious, so I don't know how *excited* they are about my new choice in fitness classes. However, no one has directly called me out for it either. My sister worked in a bar that had a "stripper pole," and she was given a very hard time about "tarnishing the family name."

That may be part of why I reacted so badly yesterday on Facebook to some of the people who were rude to me about being in pole dancing classes. But the majority of my friends think this is great, and that makes me happy. I have an amazing following of friends on Facebook who look forward to the weekly posts of photos and videos. So, its been fun to keep them all updated on my adventures.

2/17/2012: I am trying to surround myself with supportive people in general. Whether it's pole dancing or whatever...I'm tired of wasting time on people who aren't worth it. I've been judged my whole life so it gets a little easier every day to ignore those who are saying things about me. So I can honestly say that my core group are very supportive of me. Mostly because, if they weren't, I wouldn't be friends with them!

10. Pole Dancing in the Olympics. Your thoughts?

1/28/2010: I absolutely believe pole dancing should be in the Olympics! I am so impressed and in awe at the amount of strength it takes to do what these women (and men -- hello Chinese pole acrobats!) are doing. When I'm watching videos, I swear some of them must have strings holding them up. But I know they don't.

I don't even have the words to express how awesome it is to watch pole dancing. If someone thinks pole dancing is inappropriate or dirty...put them on the pole and just ask them to pull themselves up and hold it for a minute. When they can't, THEN they will understand the amazing shape one has to be in to be a pole dancer!

2/17/2012: Barely a month after this post, I weighed in officially. And my attitude hasn't changed in two years. I'm not against it but I am not passionate enough about it to rally for it. http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2010/03/weighing-in-on-debate-pole-dancing-in.html

11. On your Facebook I saw that you had mentioned something about a contest involving a Fire Dept...Tell me about that!

1/28/2010: At our studio, Bel likes to give us fun assignments each month. The winner either gets a t-shirt or can take Bel's portable pole home for the week.

Around Christmas, we were asked to take interesting photos in our Twirly Girl shirts, so Rita and I took a picture with Santa (he was a good sport, you can see the picture on my Facebook page). I also went to Texas and took my Twirly Girl shirt everywhere and put it on for some really funny pictures (hanging off of Neptune's arm in Galveston...rocking a Bumpits in Houston).

This month, Bel thought it would be fun to take photos in our Twirly Girls shirts at fire stations with poles in them. They're actually kind of rare on the West Coast, which is part of the fun...finding them!

Anyway, I shot off a bunch of e-mails to local fire stations. I was honest about WHY we wanted the photos (we are girls from a pole fitness class) but promised there would be no monkey business (a couple of girls in jeans and t-shirts...no pole tricks or "stripper clothes"). Most fire stations turned us down. Some were polite enough and just said they couldn't help us (and they may not have had poles, so that was an easy "no" for them). A couple came right out and said that they thought it was inappropriate and wouldn't help us (even though they admitted to having poles). One station actually set an appointment with me and apparently someone higher up found out and e-mailed me to say we weren't welcome. Another fireman (who was referred to me by a friend) initially said he could set up an appointment and then came back the next day and told me he wasn't willing to put his job on the line for me (uh, not sure why standing in the station taking a photo would put his job in jeopardy). It was a very difficult day for me. I felt like they were making a moral judgment about my choice in fitness classes. And I was also irritated because all of these fire stations have websites that say they are open to tours with the public. Had I been dishonest and just asked to come in and take a tour, I'd have shown up in my Twirly Girls shirt and gotten my photos without incident.

I can somewhat understand where they are coming from (they don't know me, and who knows if I was really going to try to show up and pull off some shenanigans), I just don't like how most stations handled it. So, I was (and still am) disappointed and I feel very judged. Its now become less of a desire to win the contest at my studio and more about proving that THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH POLE DANCING. The saving grace is that my friend's stepdad has a station with a pole and is welcoming us with open arms. So we have an appointment next month to come in and get our photos. We will definitely come bearing gifts -- shirts for the boys that say "POLE DANCING IS NOT A CRIME" and cookies! :-D

2/17/2012: A post from March 2011: http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2011/03/firemen-rock.html

12. What is "Twirl Around the World?"

1/28/2010: A side project that I'm putting together to have other people find fire stations willing to take a picture with their guys and gals (and if people don't have time to go inside a fire station, just stand outside...this is more about making people aware of pole fitness and less about fire stations).

I have a logo from our studio I can e-mail. Or, they can simply write "I heart Twirly Girls" on a piece of paper. Take a picture, and e-mail it to me at tazzie at yahoo dot com (with a short description about where they're from and who they are).

I want to mark them on a map and put their photo in a Facebook album. I am calling it the 'Twirl Around the World'! So if you know anyone willing to participate, please send them my way!

2/17/2012: Definitely still taking photos for this project if anyone is interested in participating! http://lolorashel.blogspot.com/2011/10/twirl-around-world-update.html

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with Pole Dancing Lori!!

2009

2012

lolorashel posts on The Pole Dancing Shop's website

2012-02-17T11:58:00.002-08:00

Sheena LaShay: Celebrating Black History Monthy and Pole Dance

2012-02-16T15:40:00.000-08:00

How did I get into pole dancing?

The simple answer to how I got into pole dancing is that I was looking for a fun, creative way to stay active, fit and healthy and somehow the timing worked out that a deal was available to take an intro pole dancing class.

I think the more profound truth is that the timing of my involvement with pole dancing seems to be divine. I started taking pole classes a few months before I ended a significant, long term relationship. Pole dancing was a way to heal myself. I started taking pole classes when my sexual and sensual self were begging to be brought to life again. I had buried that part of me to appear “appropriate.” I started taking pole classes when I needed something to devote my energy, creativity and time to that would allow me the utmost freedom of expression. I’m a writer, stage manager and many other things but even still I needed something that gave me a more authentic, whole way of expressing myself. I didn’t get into pole dancing. Pole dancing got into me and started to affect everything from the way that I moved to how understand the world in which I live.

What does pole dancing mean to me?

For me, pole dancing and sensual movement were the missing link in my life. I NEEDED a safe and open environment to explore my sensuality and sexuality outside the bedroom and outside relationships. I also needed the space to explore the facets of my expression. Pole dancing is a conduit to a deeper understanding of sexuality for me. It means so much to me! I feel as if I had balance with many areas of my life from spirituality, my career, relationships/friendships and such but when it came to my sexuality, it needed more than a date or a relationship. I have an insatiable desire to express myself sensually and the great thing about pole dancing is that there is always another class, another showcase, another video, new pair of heels, or dancing assignment & routine that will help my hunger for this kind of expression.

Sheena LaShay

Twirly Girls at the Sarah & Vinnie Secret Show!

2012-02-15T14:46:00.000-08:00

So on Valentine's Day, the Twirly Girls were part of the Sarah and Vinnie live Secret Show at the Supper Club in San Francisco (Alice @ 97.3 FM on the radio in San Francisco or www.radioalice.com). What an EPIC day to add to the list for the Year of the Viking!

When I first saw Uzette talk about pole dancing on Facebook a couple of months ago, I had NO idea this was going to be the ultimate outcome. Initially, she went to some classes at Poletential in Redwood City. When she mentioned that she was going to do a performance for an event, I invited her to come to Twirly Girls for some one-on-one lessons to prepare her. I still had NO idea how awesome the event was going to be.

Uzette only came to Twirly Girls twice for private lessons with Bel and me. I know a lot of people think that pole dancing is easy but learning all the right moves in a safe way really can't happen in two classes. Plus, she was nervous about performing and learning a routine. We decided to go the silly route. It gave her lots of room to just dance around, and then she only had to spend about a minute on the pole. Bel entered the picture as Uze's pimp just to make sure there were no issues with crowd control. Uzette has an amazing body and legs and she ROCKED her dance!!!! I give her HUGE props for getting up at a public event in booty shorts and stilettos! I thought she did a great job and the response to her performance seemed to be pretty positive.

Last week, they started talking about an additional performance: Icky stripping. Icky's performance was ... almost indescribable. I know he was super nervous but he looked SO handsome in his dress-up clothes, and has an amazing body, so he looked GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT with his clothes off too! Former intern, Bryn, was also off the hook...showing off his awesome body and some pretty advanced Chinese acrobatic moves.

Shelly did her first performance next and, as always, she is so impressive to watch. Diana is so freakin' adorable and I love that her performances are more dance-inspired (she had no reason to be nervous!!). It reminds me that I need to get in and take a class with her soon. Shelly finished up with a slow Metallica song...I love Metallica.

I really want to thank EVERYONE for yesterday's event. The entire Sarah and Vinnie Morning Show and Alice Radio for including Twirly Girls and for all of the mentions on the air. Uzette for coming all the way to Pleasanton so we could teach her (and to Johnny V for driving -- Bel does expect you to come back for a Twirly Tuff workout someday, JV!). Icky for being so brave and HOT! Bel for allowing me to pimp out her studio without even asking. Shelly for busting her ass to bring that heavy stage pole and perform twice. Diana for performing when I know she was SO nervous. Grace for giving us a mini warm-up performance before the show started. Andrew and Rita -- my TEAM HONEY BADGER. All of the Twirly Girls and honorable TGs who were able to come to the city on a week day to support us. And Supper Club SF for offering up a pretty cool venue.

I know that my usual purpose in life is to promote the positive image behind pole dancing, although I recognize the stripper roots, which has a negative connotation for some. I always go back and forth on the subject. Sure, what I do is different from stripping. I don't get naked and I don't get tips for what I do. But is there anything wrong with the people who DO strip for a living? I don't think so. I hate bringing up Claire's quote so often, but it is my favorite: "If for some reason, the idea of your dancing being connected to the strip club scene is upsetting to you, if you desperately need to distance what you do from what those 'other girls' do, if you truly believe that you are doing this because it’s just a really good workout, then I strongly suggest you spend some time thinking about why you chose pole dancing. Because there are a million ways to get fit without putting on six inch stilettos, a bikini and swinging sensually around a pole." Quote from The Pole Story.

Yes, I get that many are trying to insert a fitness-only aspect. Circus and contortion. Aerial acrobatics. Chinese Pole. All non-stripper aspects. And that's okay too. But the history is still there. I accept the whole history. Anyway, stepping off my soap box... I had a great time. I really love my pole sisters (and brothers) and I am looking forward to our next adventure.

Oh yeah! Andrew of Liquidpulp was with us to take photos and Rita ran our video cameras. Rita's husband, Dave, even got in on the action when the owner of the club asked him to run the spotlight. I ran around with the tools to change the pole from static to spinning and made sure the pole was wiped down between performances. I was a sweaty mess (as usual) by the end, so I felt like I didn't even get to see the show as it happened. I'm looking forward to the videos and photos.

I will be linking podcasts, videos and photos below as they become available. Were you at the show? Tell me what you thought!

The podcast of the live Secret Show (from Tuesday, February 14): http://radioalice.radio.com/2012/02/15/podcast-valentines-day-live-secret-show/

The podcast of the aftermath (the "Lost 30" from Wednesday, February 15): http://radioalice.radio.com/2012/02/15/podcast-aftermath-from-yesterdays-live-show-on-the-lost-30-2-15-12/

Video of Shelly (1): COMING SOON!

Video of Shelly (2): COMING SOON!

Diana: COMING SOON!

Link to Andrew's photos: COMING SOON!

Meet Natasha Tonelli!

2012-02-13T13:15:00.000-08:00

When did you start pole dancing and how did you start?

I started Pole Dancing in 2005 in Arizona. I met my brother's girlfriend who was an exotic dancer. I was over at her house one day and saw her 8" heels and I freaked out. I have been hooked ever since. She told me she could teach me but I would have to go audition at her club. Of course I was terrified lol but I did it not knowing anything. And I just fell in love with the pole the first time I touched it. The house girls taught me a basic fireman and knee hook. so that I had something to do when I performed the next few weeks. I ended up loving it so much I started working and over the space of the next 2 years learned a lot of things. How to move my body and be confident. I never went into an invert or seen anything super crazy like an arm bar/matrix etc. BUT I couldn't believe how my body changed. This was a static pole and I got so ripped my legs and abs were amazing. I have always been athletic in high school I swam and ran. I worked at "Curves for women" when I was 18 as a personal circuit trainer and diet consultant. I lifted weights on and off for years and was always in good shape. But I always got bored and ended up taking long periods of time off so I never got to the point that I was just 100% from head to toe ripped hard and strong until I found pole

What is your fitness routine (on and off the pole)?

I pole 4 days a week for 4-6 hour sessions. I start with 30 min of warm up(kicks, pirouettes around pole to slow music, floor work, body rolls), 1hr of contortion and then 3 hr pole, and then 30 min leg and butt work normally. I do squats and booty pop for 3-4 (3 min songs) without stopping. And then take a break. I go over combos that I want to perfect...a combo for me being 3 -4 tricks put together that I have already mastered each trick individually and now the goal is to do them all back to back and make it look like 1 smooth swift movement. No struggle. A routine is 4-6min of combos....on my off days I am normally so sore that I rest other than 350 crunches and 25 pull-ups with the aid of my pull-up bar also I like to rest in headstands it feels so good to just relax on my head. My Boyfriend thinks im nuts haha. I take hot salt baths and stretch. When I am preparing for a competition I only take 2 days off a week and train 5. I have a stack of note pads that have 100+ combos written on them and every routine I have ever done is written down on them when I watch videos I see something I want to learn and perfect I write it down. They are my own personal pole bibles.

What kind of diet do you follow?

I am 100% VEGAN which means NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS, MEAT, EGGS OR DAIRY. I am very strict!!!! There are four basic food groups: 1. Whole grains, such as rice, oats, corn, or pasta, are great for energy. Whole grains provide protein and fiber, along with complex carbohydrates for energy. They are a good source of B vitamins and minerals. Whole-grain breads, brown rice, whole grain pasta, corn, millet, barley, bulgur, oatmeal, and quinoa. I aim for 5 or more servings per day. 2. Legumes (i.e., beans, peas, and lentils) are loaded with protein, minerals, and fiber. Legumes—all types of beans, peas, and lentils—are great sources of fiber, protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and B vitamins. This group includes chickpeas, baked and re-fried beans, black beans, navy beans, lentils in every variety, peas, and the full range of soy products: tofu, soy milk, tempeh, and veggie burgers. Not only are legumes free of cholesterol and animal fat (like all foods from plant sources), but they also help reduce cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar. I aim for 2 or more servings per day. 3. Vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, carrots, sweet potatoes, and many others, are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Vegetables are nutritious for two main reasons: First, they are rich in nutrients your body needs: vitamins and minerals, fiber, and special plant nutrients called phytochemicals. Second, they don’t contain any cholesterol or animal fat at all. The same is true of grains, fruits, and legumes. Some of the most nutritious vegetables include dark leafy greens like broccoli, collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens, spinach, chicory, and bok choy. Other highly nutritious choices are the yellow-orange vegetables, such as carrots, winter squash, yams, and pumpkin. I aim for at least 4 servings or more per day. 4. Fruits, from apples, oranges, and bananas to mangoes, papayas, and watermelon, provide vitamins and minerals, too. Fruit is loaded with fiber, vitamins (especially vitamin C), minerals, and phytochemicals—special disease-fighting compounds found in plants. Citrus fruits, melons, apples, pears, bananas, and strawberries. I aim for 3 or more servings per day. I use a 100% hemp protein powder for added protein and when I am preparing to compete I take Creatine supplements for strength and stamina as well as MSM for joint health. Also 10 glasses of Lemon water a day. The lemon cleanse' the body to flush out toxins that training and exercising release.

Which competition(s) do you like to do? Do you have any title(s)?

I have done fitness competitions that are held in venues and dancer competitions that are held in clubs. I like both. I have a title as Pole Queen Champion Midwest USA 2011 held at Club On The Border in Wisconsin and Pole Olympics Fitness Competition 2nd Place Champion 2010 held at The Office Nightclub in Illinois. Also 1st place Champion Instructor Fitness Competition held at Roxx 2010 Wisconsin.

Where do you train? Do you have your own pole studio?

I train in Rockford, Illinois at POLE CHICKS WOMEN'S FITNESS CENTER. I do not own the studio I work as a pole instructor. This is the place where I have grown and learned enough to become what I am today. The facility's focus is pole fitness, flexibility, and core strengthening. Great women, Great team!!!! I love them all and I am so GRATEFUL I found this studio when I moved to Illinois. www.polechicksonline.com

Tell us about the Pole Dance Awards.

My project that my partner, Chris Artigado, and I have going. He contacted me one day as someone he thought would be successful in getting this going because I am obsessed with the industry and everything pole. Our focus is to make it the ACADEMY AWARDS AND OSCARS for Pole Dance. The awards that all the actors and actresses go on the red carpet every year to receive. Well we want that for pole dancers. Red Carpet and everything. It will be a live television event in the future that I myself will be broadcasting. Viewers vote monthly on their 2 favorite videos by liking them, videos that I myself and Chris hand select and post on the page. And then 2 top winners are chosen every month to go head to head at the end of the year for the AWARDS In the December challenge!!!!!!!! This was our first year doing it and we had huge feedback. We will have it with plaques and cash prizes in the future.

THE 2011 WINNERS ARE

For the award of:

"THE FANS FAVORITE POLE DANCE LIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR"

Marion Crampe

(Latino night club) video

For the award of:

"THE BEST POLE DANCE FILM OF THE YEAR"

Marion Crampe

(at Milan pole dance studio) video

For the award of:

"THE SEXIEST POLE DANCE VIDEO OF THE YEAR"

Chalese Hathaway Stevens

(pole dance dragonfly) video

Tell us something about you that people would be surprised to hear.

That I was never into gymnastics or dance. I never danced before in my life. Before pole. And it took me awhile to find rhythm. BELIEVE ME LOL!!!! I found that a lot of the best athletes in the industry have either taken gymnastics or ballet or cheer. I am a beginner at the performing arts....I work extra hard because of it.

What else do you have planned for 2012?

Competitions!!!!!!!! I pulled a ligament in my knee on December 23rd and have not been able to pole. I will not be able to pole until April and it has been very, very hard for me. I will miss 4 Midwest competitions, Pole2Pole cup USA and THE GREAT MIDWEST POLE DANCE COMPETITION AND CONVENTION. By the time I am healed and I am able to start training again. It has been so hard for me to not be able to pole and train and compete a true death sentence lol...but as with athletes injuries happen -- look at Felix Cane. We truly just have to PUSH PAST. There is a national competition being held at Club On The Border called The Vertical Pole Showdown U.S. Open. In November, I am planning on making that my comeback. I do judge a lot of competitions here in the Midwest so that helps make up for me not being able to compete. I just recently judged The Pole Chicks Pole Olympics competition that was sponsored by Platinum Stages. And that was a great event and great competition. I have an awesome support team me and all of the pole girls from my studio and the surrounding areas really band together and share the love with each other. I know this year is going to hold great things and the pole industry is only going to get better and better. My goal is to compete in the U.S. Championship by 2015 and IPC and hopefully Worlds. So with my determination and work ethic anything is possible!!!! Only great things to come. and as Natasha Wang said "There is no rush to the top we need to just slow down and enjoy the journey!!!!!!" I am thankful I have so many athletes to look up to. We are all so blessed.....

If you'd like to connect with Natasha, please visit one of her sites below:

www.facebook.com/POLEQUEEN7

www.facebook.com/pages/Pole-dance-awards/137247949701005

www.youtube.com/natashatonelli

www.polechicksonline.com

www.twitter.com/natashatonelli

Sherice aka Coatcheckgirl: Celebrating Black History Month and Pole Dance

2012-02-13T12:30:00.000-08:00

I wanna say the first pole dancer I saw on you tube, was Felix Cane back in 2007. I remember taking one of her photos and putting it on Myspace page, that I had at the time. Underneath her picture, I put: "one day I will master the pole."

In 2008, I took my first pole class at Flirty Girl Fitness. I loved it, but at the time I wasn't able to go again. February 28, 2010, I took a class again at Flirty Girl Fitness, now this time I was hooked. I went to the front desk and said I'm going to be late with my rent, please sign me up.

Almost two years later I'm still hooked. This is the only exercise that I continue to take. I love how I feel, and look. I will never stop...

Sherice aka Coatcheckgirl

Celebrating Black History Month and Pole Dance with Tiffany Fuller

2012-02-08T17:20:00.000-08:00

Tiffany's story: I started taking pole classes July 20, 2009.

It has been a great and very big part of my life I have evolved so much since taking class I feel like a Phoenix that has risen from the ashes. I have had a of set backs and disappointments in my life the encouragement I get from my girl is and my mentor Karen Price who I love dearly I could never put a price on it and my strong support I get from my wonderful mother Willa Kendrick and family I am shooting for the stars and hope to do some competitions.

PoleSkivvies' Make a Difference Award

2012-02-07T15:11:00.000-08:00

Right before I left for Los Angeles, I had the chance to chat on the phone with THE Jennifer from PoleSkivvies! She is so sweet and she is absolutely who I wanted to emulate when I started blogging about pole dancing. She has been part of this industry for awhile now and wants to recognize the people who are really, actually making a difference. Please check out her website below for more information on nominating someone you know:

http://poleskivvies.com/make-a-difference-award/

I hope you will be nominating someone in your pole world! The nomination deadline is May 1, 2012. I already have someone in mind and I can't wait to fill out my nomination form!

Celebrating Black History Month and Pole Dancing with Kelly Yvonne

2012-02-07T13:24:00.000-08:00

Kelly's story: I heard about pole dancing classes one year before I actually started training. Like a perfect storm, three conditions in my life served as the catalyst for me finally stepping into a class: 1) my relationship at the time was quickly unraveling, 2) I had gained about 30 pounds and out of shape and 3) I was a "retired" dancer, but secretly REALLY wanted to be on stage again.

In the Fall of 2009, I attended a student recital at Xpolesitions and it was the first time I'd been inspired in months. In the weeks following the recital, I was taking classes at three different pole studios. Three months later, I launched Girl Next Door, a pole dance soirée!

Celebrating Black History Month and Pole Dance with Kira Lamb

2012-02-06T12:56:00.000-08:00

Kira's story: Pole dancing entered my life at a time that I felt... broken. My 6-year marriage ended suddenly and I basically fled LA with a broken heart and shattered ego. Thankfully, I immediately booked the Off-Broadway show, Fuerza Bruta, which is so raw and emotion-driven that I got to explore and express the wide spectrum of feelings I was experiencing; something I call PMSD (post-marital stress disorder). I felt eternally grateful to return to my first love, performing, and to get paid for such an emotional and creative outlet. Besides performing 8 shows/week, I was somehow teaching Pilates and practicing massage therapy. My goal? Stay busy and distracted from my sadness.

So when my old friend Wendy Traskos tried to coerce me into embarking upon a new career of teaching pole dance, I felt far too busy and overwhelmed to even begin learning a new skill. And when in the world would I even have time to teach? But she somehow suckered me into taking “just one class.” And we all know how the story goes. I fell in love with first spin. Just like Fuerza Bruta, pole dancing allowed me to feel my strength, my power and my femininity. It allowed me to be creative, emotionally expressive and absolutely authentic. I’m still performing in Fuerza Bruta but I quit Pilates and massage to dedicate the rest of my time to pole dancing; ultimately becoming the Co-Creator of Climb & Spin Inc and teaching at NY Pole Dancing.

Circus Side Show with Kara Nova!

2012-02-06T12:35:00.000-08:00

Shelly Lamb has turned me on to another amazing pole dancer. And she's LOCAL! I'm really excited to see Kara Nova perform live very soon!!!

What first brought you to pole dancing -- and how long have you been doing pole?

I've been poling for nearly four years. I discovered pole upon moving to the Bay Area (from the Midwest) in 2008. I have always been an artist of one medium or another, pursuing photography and creative writing back home; when I moved to San Francisco and found pole dancing, I was absolutely mesmerized! I'll admit, my first exposure to the art occurred within the dimly-lit exotic clubs in North Beach-- some of my friends were dancers at the time. One in particular introduced me into the competitive world of pole, showing me videos of Felix Cane and Jenyne. Soon after, I bought an X-pole for my tiny apartment and began to practice, primarily teaching myself the basics and occasionally taking a workshop when the pros came to town.

My friend and I attended USPDF weekend in 2010 (the year Alethea won), and that trip really inspired me to take my poling to the next level. That summer I submitted a video to a contest, hoping to enter the competitive world of pole, but I never made the cut. Feeling somewhat discouraged, but still yearning to perform, I sent the same video to the manager of a local burlesque and variety act troupe and he immediately invited me to perform with his ensemble. So in 2010 I began performing locally with Hubba Hubba Revue, and since then so many more doors of opportunity have opened! Last year I was recruited by our West-coast circus, The Vau de Vire Society, and I can now officially say I've run away from home and joined the circus.

In retrospect, I'm glad I never made it into that competition, because I may never have found my local burlesque and circus world. "Performing" rather than competing really allows me to express my creativity, too, rather than stress about being "the best." This past Halloween I did a "Resident Evil" themed act with back-up zombies, so needless to say, this outlet certainly nourishes my creative spirit.

It looks like you have some circus training in contortion...tell us about that.

A friend recommended that I check out the San Francisco Circus Center for flexibility classes. About a month before joining my burlesque group, I began taking a beginning contortion (aka acrobatic stretching) class with my teacher Xia. I'm naturally very strong, but I had never been able to do the splits (or anything beyond).

Attending that class, and the SFCC in general, really changed my whole perspective. The SFCC trains recreational students, but it's also a training facility for professionals who are pursuing careers in the circus field. The trainers and instructors are some of the best in the world. For a year, I was attending my beginning contortion class 1-2 times per week; in addition to gaining physical progress, I gained so much inspiration and insight from mingling with the staff and students there. Somewhere along the lines my passion for circus began to surpass my original passion for pole dance-- which is a story unto itself-- mostly because circus is much older and requires such patience and discipline. The pole world sometimes frustrates me because everyone desires immediate results and abilities, hoping to nail the newest move, but, in circus at least, the performers endure years of training and conditioning before certain moves are 'ready.' It takes time and a severe dedication.

These feelings flowered a love of contortion, and I've been cross-training in this field since 2010. After about a year, I gained over-splits and my legs made tremendous progress. I should note, though, that in addition to attending the class, I also did my 'homework.' If you're hoping to increase flexibility, you have to stretch every day in the beginning. I like to think of the muscles as Play-Doh-- you take it out of the jar and it's stiff but, through warming and molding, you can begin to stretch it and make it more pliable. With contortion, through daily practice, the muscles begin to adopt the new, more flexible shape, slowly but surely.

I'm fortunate to have some of the best contortion trainers here in San Francisco. I don't think I'll ever 'be a contortionist,' but I'd like incorporate a lot of contortion-influenced moves into my act. It would also be cool if I could sit on my head, which requires absurd back flexibility, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

Where do you train?

Top secret ninja training headquarters.

Do you teach as well?

Yes, I teach independently in addition to teaching at Phoenix Aerial Art & Pole (Berkeley) on Tuesday nights.

Where can we see you perform?

I live at DNA Lounge. Okay, not quite, but I've performed there a ridiculous amount of times. I perform pretty frequently in the Bay area, and occasionally along the West Coast. If anyone wants to check out a show, I have a calendar on my website-- karanovasf.com

It feels like the pro/competition pole dancers are all going the route of contortion and extreme tricks. Do you feel like something is lost from pole dancing when it is all tricks and no dance?

Good question! Since pole has gained more momentum the past 5 or so years, it has begun to grow in so many various directions. There's also a plethora of organizations and affiliations trying to establish their own version of pole. Originally, the Australians (like Bobbi's) and USPDF spearheaded the movement with the sexy and athletic styles of Felix and Alethea, pushing high-heels and fluid floor work. Later, other groups and competitions began arising, focusing on the 'sport' of pole. Some of these organizations are trying diligently to distance themselves from the exotic roots of pole, even forbidding those in the adult industry from participating in certain events. I personally think these policies are very insulting to a number of people. I mean, take this with a grain of salt, but exotic dancers made huge contributions to the current state of pole. Before the large affiliations were even created, local clubs were holding pole contests, and some of the most famous polers out there today were born from these strip club competitions (for example, Pantera!). It's stupid for an organization to take something that dancers helped create and then excommunicate them from the community. I think these groups are purely thinking about business and profits rather than nourishing the community and promoting values of awareness and acceptance.

I think that pole is really confused with itself right now. In addition to the original high-heeled pole styles of USPDF and Bobbi's, we now have elaborate spinning-pole routines that resemble ballet and lyrical dance, and then there's also pole acrobatics drawing from the ancient sport of Chinese pole, which is a circus discipline. These branches of pole are fantastic, as it's beautiful to see how this apparatus can lead to so many different styles and movements, but because these styles haven't officially been distinguished from one another I think that many people are confused about expectations.

On a competitive level, whereas a few years ago there were people with gymnast and ballet backgrounds, we are now seeing competitors with backgrounds in circus, like Rebecca Starr or Timber Brown. When an individual has a background and has been thoroughly trained and conditioned in a physical discipline, they have a much greater advantage than someone who lacks this training. I feel like the bar is being raised to super high standards, which is fascinating to observe as a spectator. However, it's a little disheartening to those aspiring competitors who lack backgrounds. It's almost as if the rest of us are left aspiring towards something that we'll never quite reach, at least without years of dedication, first.

This is the reason I really encourage people to develop their own styles. It's nearly impossible to be able to do everything. Even the professionals play to their strengths, whether it be flexibility, choreography, strength, endurance. Find something that you like and explore your potential, rather than trying to conquer every move that comes along. Oh, and don't forget to have fun!

Who are pioneers of pole dancing that you admire?

Felix Cane, Jenyne Butterfly, Anastasia Skukhtorova, Marion Crampe, Alethea Austin, Rebecca Starr, Prana, Polina Volchek

What advice would you give to brand new pole dancers?

Make sure that you stretch!! Poling will transform your body and strengthen your muscles, but this new strength will also lead to tightening, particularly in the upper back and shoulders. Stretch stretch stretch so that you are a limber ninja!

Tell us something about yourself that people would be surprised to hear.

People are often surprised to learn that I myself lack any gymnastics or dance background. I ran track and cross country (very slowly). I simply dedicated myself to this craft and have stuck with it. I'm very grateful to live in a city that harbors these endeavors and provides outlets for such shenanigans.

What can we look forward to seeing from you in 2012?

More ridiculous shows, costumes, and make-up jobs. Also, before the end of the world happens, I'm really hoping for a solid handstand and a kick-ass backbend!

Confessions of a Twirly Girl (As The World Twirls)

Twirly Tuff

Suzy Q and the Pole Life Documentary!

Pioneer of Pole: KT Coates of Vertical Dance!

Pole Show LA Interviews and Performance Videos

Pole Candy: Linna Tan from Bobbi's Pole Studio - Singapore

Depression and the Viking Warrior

Pole Etak's Quest For A Pole Venue in San Francisco!

Ummmm....I'm a Pole ARTIST

Project 365: Days 223-253

Prana: Celebrating Black History Month and Pole Dance

Confessions of a Twirly Girl Turns Two!

Pole Dancing with Kelly Maglia

Takeila Fox: Celebrating Black History Month and Pole Dance

A Twirly Girl Weekend With Philip Deal

Now, THAT'S How *I* Pole!

lolorashel posts on The Pole Dancing Shop's website

Sheena LaShay: Celebrating Black History Monthy and Pole Dance

Twirly Girls at the Sarah & Vinnie Secret Show!

Meet Natasha Tonelli!

Sherice aka Coatcheckgirl: Celebrating Black History Month and Pole Dance

Celebrating Black History Month and Pole Dance with Tiffany Fuller

PoleSkivvies' Make a Difference Award

Celebrating Black History Month and Pole Dancing with Kelly Yvonne

Celebrating Black History Month and Pole Dance with Kira Lamb

Circus Side Show with Kara Nova!

Now, THAT'S How I Pole!