To My Curvy Sisters
The neat thing about having curves is that you are inextricably a muse for movement. Your body is a living testament to the art of flow, a canvas where rhythm and grace collide in a symphony of undulation. Every sway,…
The Judge’s Commandments: A Guide to Fair and Thoughtful Judging
Maybe you’re an ancient crypt keeper of the judging world, or maybe this is your first time wielding the mighty clipboard of power. Either way, one thing is undeniable: Judging is hard work! Competitors put their hearts on the line,…
Bring the office to the studio AND bring the studio to the office
Typical corporate-type “day jobs,” can help inform the way that we cooperate in the studio, as students, as teachers, and as studio owners. Similarly, the love, camaraderie, and closeness of human experience that we learn in the studio can also…
The Naked Truth: Being a Pole-preneur
It seems like everywhere you look, someone else is quitting their day job and launching their full time career in the pole world. Some have won competitions, catapulting their first worldwide workshop tour, while others are creating interesting niche products…
Dance as a Sacred Practice
Last night, I took a non-pole dance class for the first time in a few months. The instructor had us improv to the lyrics of a song. Creating choreography to lyrics is often the easiest place to start for those…
You can say “no”
Psssst… you don’t have to do everything your instructor tells you to do. You can say “no.” Only you know what your body is *actually* feeling. If you feel unsafe, not ready, or if a movement is just not working…
A story about kindness
About a year and a half ago I made a concerted effort to reframe how I was looking at the world. I chose to focus on kindness. For me this means granting others grace and compassion and generally believing that…
Are you a “generous” pole teacher?
I saw this comment come up on social media recently. That some pole teachers aren’t generous, they don’t share their knowledge out of potential fear of students surpassing them, fear of declining income, or some other reason. There are likely…
Drag bans hurt pole dancers too
The title is click-baity on purpose >> If you aren’t paying attention to the “drag bans” because you think they don’t impact you as a cis-gendered, straight person, they impact everyone, and you should pay attention. So-called “drag bans” which…
FINDING MY WAY AFTER LOSING MY POLE COMMUNITY
One of my favorite things about learning & teaching pole dancing is the sense of community. I live in Los Angeles, which is car-centric beyond all reason, and I really think that's one of the reasons why it's so hard…