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:
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*
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!
© 2024 Mel Nutter as Baudelaire