Mel Nutter as Baudelaire

Aerialist

Show menu Hide menu

Tagpole

Four years of pole dancing

November 8, 2015 /

20151108_200722I have blogged before about my pole journal and how important I believe it is to document and reflect on your dance journey.

I started my journal in 2011, about 6 months after I started dancing, as a way to record my first pole performance.

I still remember the night – The Art of Pole Christmas Party. Held at the Vanguard, Newtown, it was a daunting venue for my first time on stage. The whole night was surreal, sitting in the audience watching the show, then heading backstage to warm up and get into costume, and then in a matter of minutes, resuming my seat to watch the finale. I remember thinking, did I really get up on that stage, that Jamilla Deville is now dancing on? Were the crowd really watching me?

Brad from Vertigo Photography was there and he gave me a few shots from the night, that confirm it wasn’t just a blur of a dream. And they, along with choreography notes are in my journal.

Four years later, I just wrote on the last page in this journal. What a milestone! Over 15 solo routines, countless showcases, 2 Encore! Sydney Pole Shows, and a couple of comps.

Moving into 2016, I’m about to start Book 2. Will it be four years until I reach the last page? In 2020?

What I do know is that I’ll still be dancing 🙂

 

Big hair, big heels – Solotude 2!

November 2, 2015 /

sunday bumdayLast night was Solotude 2, an event created by the lovely team at Sydney Pole to offer a Showcase performance environment for upcoming and recognised pole dance artists.

The line up was amazing! Penelope Pitbull, Porsche, Blue Phoenix, Bailey Hart, Elle Lacroix, Ebony and Oryx! To share the stage with these fabulous performers, and chat backstage with their humble selves was incredible!

So pleased with my routine too! First time dancing in heels for some time, but managed not to stack it, and even danced with my hair out – in all it’s long goldilocks glory!

The feedback was amazing, particularly about my hair! Cannot wait to see the shots from The Black Light, but for now here is a backstage shot for #sundaybumday!

On such a performance high!

Obsession – Fabric

October 26, 2015 /

fabricIt’s day 26 of the Miss Filly Pole Challenge, and she has asked about #FrillsandThrills – “What’s the most extravagant thing that you love to death?”

So .… I have a confession to make.

Aside from making my own costumes, designing, sewing, and sequinning …  I have a fabric obsession!

So much so that I have choreographed four routines that directly involve dancing with fabric – lacy, long, stretchy, flowy, sensual, enveloping FABRIC!

 

fabric 2My most excessive was a 6m long piece of stretchy white lycra. The sheer size of the piece meant it was too large to train with properly at home, so I spent hours in the studio flying around at the top of the 4m poles, engrossed in making sails as it spun around underneath me.

 

JDPS Showcase - August 2013

 

Slightly out of the box, I also made a dark, stretchy, tube that wrapped myself and the pole inside. Inspired by an article from Lisa Faulkner for BodyBinds.  I wanted a way to impose limits on my movement, and thereby explore the possibilities of freedom within those limits. This is still one of my favourite routines to date, and I can’t wait to further explore this idea.

 

 

This year, I also created a beach routine for 5th Encore! Sydney Pole Show, where I used a large beach towel. And for Solotude, my burlesque inspired routine involved a fifties style, large, lacy, flowy night dress.

Maybe this is a sign I should get into silks, but I just love the way the fabric flows behind you on a spinning pole, highlighting your movements and exaggerating it’s meaning. I’m in heaven!

Have you ever danced with fabric?

Keeping a pole journal

October 11, 2015 /

journalI’ve been unwell recently, which means little to no pole and lots of lying in bed. The extra time has afforded me time to catch up on a few things though, a forced self retreat, so to speak, and time to reflect.

Catching up on my pole journal, I allowed myself to be taken away to dream land looking at photos and souvenirs from previous performances.

I highly recommend keeping a journal to document your pole journey. Mine has a copy of each routine I have choreographed, photos from performances, group shots with my pole family, and record of special events and workshops with my pole idols.

In this digital age, everyone keeps photos online, on Facebook, in the cloud. But having something tangible, something to curl up in bed with, something to keep you inspired and motivated even when feeling down, that’s something special.

 

 

Miss Filly Pole Challenge!

October 1, 2015 /

UntitledI am really enjoying the Instagram Pole Challenges this year. They have a great range of tricks and conditioning exercises and I’ve found new motivation to pole at home!

October sees the beginning of the Miss Filly Pole Challenge! Rather than just posting a list of tricks, this challenge is a chance to explore the many facets of pole dance – freestyle, floorwork, pole fashion, pole family, nutrition and food, being fierce, and being feminine!

Looking forward to getting creative and getting to know other pole dancers as they share a bit more about themselves too!

Pole Goals

September 26, 2015 /

tea

 

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!

Older posts Newer posts

Newsletter Sign Up

© 2024 Mel Nutter as Baudelaire

Up ↑