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I Resolve . . . .

It’s the time of year when resolutions are made, and I’m wondering about my goals for pole in 2016. Leaving pole class last night I realized that I am finally at peace with what I can and can not do. There are SO many avenues to explore in pole and I know that sometimes we beat ourselves up for not being able to do it all. I think this year we all need a resolution that allows us to grow in what we love. I LOVE floorwork and dance. I can do tricks – even advanced tricks – but I am not always comfortable there. I can get into superman, but don’t ask me to transition beautifully into something else because I will probably just jump off the pole at that point in pain. (side note here – how DO you transition out of Velcro butt?? Do you just end your routine at that point and go to lights out?). But I am not going to beat myself up for not doing the latest craziest trick. And that is what is so great about pole. You can dance, you can writhe on the floor, you can spin, you can invert, you can go with a static pole or a spin pole, you can freestyle, you can choreograph. So in the spirit of picking what you do best, here are some resolution ideas for ALL the different aspects of pole:

Our instructor McKenzie is great at adding contemporary dance.
Our instructor McKenzie is great at adding contemporary dance.

DANCE:

Resolve to smooth things out. Maybe take a contemporary dance class to learn more moves to incorporate in your pole practice. Resolve to change up your music. Play different characters and explore different moods. As Heidi Cocker once encouraged in her workshop – explore different LEVELS – dance low to the ground, dance high, etc. Be willing to look silly in order to discover something new.

FLOORWORK:

Resolve to learn something new. Take a workshop. Watch a video. Resolve to change it up. Are you usually smooth and classic? Maybe be the nasty girl and make it a little dirty. Practice different ways of getting up and down from the floor.   Try to travel more in your floorwork. Try different clothing strips from the floor. Choreograph an entire song on the floor.

TRICKS:

If you are feeling like you can’t possibly learn a new trick right now, try instead to focus on putting tricks together. Do you always go from butterfly to flatline? Reverse it and try flatline to butterfly. String as many tricks together as you can. Work on entry and exits (email me a video on exit from Velcro butt!).

CHOREOGRAPHY or FREESTYLE:

Are you stuck in a choreo rut? Stop stressing and just freestyle – see what comes out of you. Don’t worry about looking silly. You may be surprised with what your mind and body come up with! Find fun freestyle drills. Our instructors play the “numbers” game where certain numbers correspond to being on your back, or knees, or standing, etc. They call out numbers in different orders during a song for the students to dance to. It really makes you be creative. Maybe resolve to choreograph a doubles routine this year, or a chair routine, or just about anything you feel like!

FITNESS:

You can also resolve to set an overall goal for your practice. Perhaps it’s to work on flexibility, or strength, or to eat more power foods. I am resolving simply to drink less coffee and more water! (I probably should resolved to drink less wine, but where is the fun in that?!).

Whatever you decide, make it positive and attainable. It’s no fun to beat yourself up everyday – after all – pole is supposed to be fun!

Lisa Adams
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