inspiration – Page 6 – Mel Nutter as Baudelaire

Pole Goals

How long is your pole goal list? I would put money on it that it includes “flat splits” and “deadlifts”, but it’s important to set realistic goals as well. And create a plan to be able to work towards them.

A plan will keep you on track, and support your strength and flexibility training so when you do finally reach that goal, you’re less likely to injure yourself.

My pole goals include both strength, flex, technique, and performance goals. Things like straight leg inverts, something I find I get lazy about maintaining because I really just want to get up the pole and do that other amazing trick!

Another one this year was working out what to do with my hands! I have so many videos and photos of a great trick that is spoiled by sloppy lines caused by weird hand shapes.

Planning to work toward these things can be hard. To work on my lines and hand gestures, I’m trying to find a ballet class in the area, hoping it will help me learn how to use my arms more effectively when I’m dancing.

I also had a goal this year to work solidly on my bad side. This is a hard one to keep, but I made a commitment and spent an entire term in the studio focused on my bad side. I let my instructor know and she committed to the pain with me. It was hard work, but it has definitely paid off. I can now hold a comfortable inside and outside leg hang on both sides, as well as brass monkey with both sides. Now when I’m trying more advanced moves, I have a solid starting point and am working on balancing out my strong and weak sides.

As the end of the year approaches, have a think about the pole goals you started with and reflect on what you might need to change in your pole practice to make them happen. Like my extracurricular ballet classes, some might even involve cross training, or conditioning away from the pole.

Happy poling!

Sydney Pole – Pole Changed Me

September 4, 2015 / mel

In a similar exploration of the power of pole, Sydney Pole has put on a Pole Changed Me Challenge, asking for a one minute video of how pole dancing has changed your life.

There have been some humorous commentaries about the size of biceps and willingness to wear shorty-shorty-short-shorts, but underneath this comedy is some truly beautiful messages about the effect that pole dancing can have on your life.

Here is my contribution:

Feel it, before you try and say it

August 23, 2015 / mel

As much as training for a showcase is fun, or prepping for a comp makes you incredibly motivated to smash your pole goals, sometimes I just like to turn the lights down and dance.

I have a pole playlist on my Spotify account that I return to again and again. A list of songs that I can put on and just flow. Some are fast, hip hop beats, others are slower, melodic, and sometimes instrumental. All of them ring true in someway, and reach a place in me, no matter how many times I hear them.

Last night I taped my freestyle, but didn’t really have any expectations that I’d be able to share anything from it worthwhile.

But then I really surprised myself.

Watching back, I saw a fluidity and grace that is often missing from my choreographed routines. A flow and sense of movement that comes from just being with the song.

There were no big tricks, I don’t even think I inverted. Just spins and floorwork that became amazingly cathartic and gave insight into how emotions could be represented in my dancing.

The pressures of a competition or performance night can shroud the flow and grace that comes from just moving and dancing.

Perhaps a way to overcome this is to freestyle to a piece of music for a while before laying down the chorey. To feel it before you try and say it.

Something to ponder.

What Pole Gave Me

August 2, 2015 / mel

One of my pole instructors started a hashtag, promoting an honest and heartfelt space to share your pole journey – #whatpolegaveme

This was my contribution with a few photo memories of some powerful pole moments from the last four years.

“Four years ago I stepped into the studio at Art of Pole. Pretty ghetto, no foyer just a room with brass 50s, floor to ceiling mirrors and poster sized photos of some fierce women flying through the sky on a pole. What was I doing here? It was a far cry from the blissed out yoga space of my previous obsession but something deep inside of me wanted to stay.

It’s such a cliche but it’s try, pole has given me confidence. A fearlessess to be myself and say “hell yeah I can!” I am still on a journey out of my shy little box but pole has opened the lid!

It’s a space to be creative and try something new, be accepted for being a bit outside the box and be pushed to make whatever it is the best it can be. To make me the best me i can be.

Pole has also taught me about being a woman! How to own my body and move and dance to how I feel.

And on a lighter note, pole has also given me a reason to shave my legs in winter and walk around with no pants! Best ever!”

Check out the #whatpolegaveme to read some inspiring stories from Aussie pole dancers. You may need a box of tissues for some.

How well do you know that pole trick?

July 20, 2015 / mel

It’s Day 20 of the Volare Magazine July Pole Challenge and my submission of a spin combo started a discussion that got me thinking.

What are your standby combos? Have you explored another way to get into your favourite trick?

After dancing for four years, I’ve lost count of the many routines I have learned in the studio as part of groups. In an effort to cater to everyone’s skills and create a routine that people can remember and achieve, the combos are often very similar.

For instance, a beginner’s combo might be a layback – hello boys – hangback/cross knee release. Or in an intermediate class you are probably going to be asked to straddle/invert – outside leg hang – starfish – cupid.

There are definitely benefits to practicing and refining these basics, but I also think it’s important to try to learn new ways to get in and out of tricks. For the sake of your own creativity and for that of the audience!

I heard an instructor once say that this is something she strives for, noting “you haven’t really mastered a trick until you can get in and out of it from three different transitions and be able to do it on both sides!”

There are not many tricks that fit such a criteria for me! But I have been working towards expanding my repertoire of transitions.

Which brings me back to the comments on my post for today’s Pole Challenge. A fellow pole dancer commented on my transition into a martini sit (pictured above).

When I first learned this trick we came from an outside leg hang, climbing above and swinging the straight leg around to the front of the pole to catch with the inside hand, knees together.

Switching this up, I presented a new combo –
hollywood – layback – stag layback – thread top leg through to hook behind the knee – straighten the outside leg – catch with the inside hand.

If you’re a competent pole dancer you might also notice a possible transition to a Q/Dangerous bird.

By learning a variety of ways to transition in and out of your favourite tricks, your combos will be more interesting and your choreography will also benefit.

Now to just do it on my bad side *sigh*

Pole Challenges

July 11, 2015 / mel

This month I’ve joined the Volare Magazine Pole Challenge on Instagram. A week in and most of the tricks have been familiar to me, but it’s been great motivation to get on the pole everyday.

I’m not sure how people go about entering these challenges when they don’t have a pole at home. Being in the studio everyday is tough (and expensive!), but I also recognise that poling at home can be difficult. You don’t have a peer group to motivate you, you don’t have a spotter for harder tricks and sometimes life just gets in the way.

Having a pole community is so important to the effectiveness and longevity of your practice. Instagram and Facebook and other types of social media are great in helping you build that community and help you learn new tricks or just feel inspired to dance.

So I committed myself! For the month of July, I will stick to his challenge. It’s winter here in Sydney, so this is also extra incentive to get up and get moving.

Check out my Instagram to see where I’m up to! Maybe I’ll even win a few prizes!

Mel Nutter as Baudelaire

Aerialist

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