Liberation From The Corner, How To Stop Hiding

By Patricia Buck

Reposted With Permission From Sheila Kelley S Factor

There are times when to be a women can feel restrictive, oppressive: don’t wear that, don’t say that, don’t be provocative, don’t be flirtatious, don’t be too loud, don’t be too powerful, don’t be too free, don’t be too emotional, don’t be too liberated.  In short: don’t lay unapologetic claim to all that you are.  Where are the voices of encouragement, of support?  Where is the space that says there is no such thing as too much emotion?  Where is the place that says give me the worst; I can take it, I can hold it, I can reflect it back and reveal that even your darkness is infinitely beautiful and glorious?

When I walked into S Factor five years ago, I was lost, bereft and seeking.  I’d just come out a controlling and somewhat verbally abusive relationship with a man who said he wanted to marry me.  He had written a Jane Austin style letter to my father expressing his intentions.  It felt wildly romantic to me.  So romantic, that I turned a blind eye to everything that was wrong in the relationship.  When he ended the relationship it felt as if I was losing my last chance at marriage and children.   I was approaching forty and could feel my uterus exploding, expiring, imploding.  It was in fact this belief in scarcity that kept me in such an unhealthy situation—I didn’t believe I had any other options.  This was my last shot.  It is a singularly isolating experience to be single and childless and constantly confronted by the marriages and subsequent pregnancies of all of your friends and colleagues.  You become very intimate friends with envy.

And so, I went to an intro class with a friend. Mostly I was seeking a connection with my own sensuality.  I didn’t feel attractive or sexy.  I didn’t feel worthy.  I wanted to find that feeling and self-confidence.  I wanted to reconnect. With myself.  In the early days I remember the awkwardness and self-consciousness of not wanting to touch my own stomach.  I hate my stomach.  And then I realized, if I hate my stomach and I can’t touch my stomach why would anyone else want to?  I had to learn to love my body.

That’s when the journey really begins.

I’ve had so many profound experiences of being seen, held, and supported by this community of women.  It’s quite a transcendent experience to wordlessly lay yourself bare. To wordlessly say: I am deeply sad, I have unspeakable shame, I am angry, I am confused, I am losing faith, I’m not comfortable in my own body.

You communicate without words and yet you are heard.

And the resonance of feeling and experience reverberates.  And you are not alone.  It is magical, mystical and holy.

The women who bear witness to your story, your journey come to know the most intimate, vulnerable, and authentic you.  How often do we tell the people in our lives that we are fine, when we are far from fine?  The sacredness of this experience is the permission to remove that wall of politeness and conformity to social norms. This has been particularly liberating for me as I have a tendency to economize my speech—saying as little as possible lest I give away some awful truth: the awful weakness of admitting I am not fine.  I don’t have it all together.  Some days I’m just hanging by a thread.

I’ve been in traditional therapy, and movement therapy feels like a whole other level of truth.  It feels like you can’t hide.  What you might omit or gloss over in talk therapy cannot be done in movement therapy. Your body doesn’t lie.  I once had a teacher say to me, “You say you want to be seen, you say you feel invisible, but you’re always dancing in corner.  Get out of the corner.”  What I’ve been privileged to experience through this work is a deeper knowledge of self.  What an amazing gift that is.

As I continue to grow and evolve in this movement I sometimes cast back to the woman I was at the beginning of this journey.  I am not where I would like to be; but, I am moving, I am striving, I am reaching.  The teacher who told me to get out of the corner recently told me to focus on my breastbone.  “Your heart is opening,” she said.

The post Liberation From The Corner, How To Stop Hiding appeared first on Pole World News.

Does Your Body Naturally Give or Receive?

By Lisa Faulkner

Reposted With Permission By Sheila Kelley S Factor

In September I danced under the full moon eclipse with friends near and far. It was magical, mystical, star-filled, red-moon-glow, beach dancing bliss.

Afterwards, those of us on Ocean Beach in San Francisco climbed the sand dune in the dark. I wore a backpack. A duffle bag hung from one shoulder. Two damp blankets and a towel were draped over my right arm. Sand clung to them like metallic flakes drawn to a magnet.

Next time I’d leave them in the duffle bag because no one used them. Though someone did borrow the extra headphones.

As I trudged up the steepest part of the hill, my breathing became heavy and I stumbled twice near the top, falling to my knees.

As I struggled to get up, two of my companions offered to help, but I declined, “No, thanks, I’m okay.”

As we reached our cars, I asked if anyone needed a ride. One of the ladies had taken public transit into the city; she didn’t live far from me, so I drove her home.

Shadow Is Showing

The next day, I read an article about the eclipse to help process the intense energy. Parts of it flashed at me as if written in neon.

 “….we’ve been called on to let go of our old behavior patterns of reacting to situations with anger, domination and aggression, as well as our need to ‘go it alone’….

Usually, full Moons help us become aware of something within us, some feeling or belief that we keep hidden. At a lunar eclipse, these feelings and beliefs come out unconsciously. You could say, our shadow is showing. So look for your Shadow turning up this weekend, and instead of pushing it back into the Unconscious, embrace it, name it and allow it into your life.” ~ Cathy Pagano

Our Shadow is a trait or characteristic—often a strength—in extreme, causing an imbalance.

For example, my persistence used to get me in trouble with stubbornness until I developed flexibility.

My independence gives me trust in myself; it enables me to do things alone that others often won’t, like travel and dance on the beach. But it’s hurting me too.

How could I expect to receive abundant gifts from the universe, if I couldn’t receive help carrying towels up a hill?

I needed to cultivate receptivity. I vowed to experiment with saying yes to offers of help.

My first opportunity came a few days later.

That Friday I led a campfire chat before a clothing exchange and pure dance at S Factor San Francisco. A friend offered to bring snacks. My instinctive reply “No, thank…” Remembering my experiment instead I said, “Yes, that’s a great idea!” And it was. All the food was consumed during our 3.5 hours together.

That night I danced to I Want You to Want Me by Chase Holfelder, a song that felt like a prayer to receive. While dancing, I felt like a flower revealing her tender center to absorb more sunlight into her soul. It felt exquisite, and oh so vulnerable. My entire body trembled after.

Perhaps this is why asking and receiving is so uncomfortable for many of us. Receptivity requires an open and vulnerable heart.

Receivers Give and Givers Receive

Receptivity is also a gift to the giver.

Giving makes us feel valued. It increases our joy and feelings of connectedness. In whole-hearted voluntary exchanges, both parties simultaneously give and receive.

Consider our beloved S Factor classes. Each dancer shares her story through movement, emotion, strength, and vulnerability. As witnesses we hold space with our attention, cheers, applause and bodies. We all give and receive during every dance.

One of my favorite examples of this reciprocity of exchange is the Miami ‘couch surfing’ story Amanda Palmer shares in The Art of Asking Ted Talk (at 4:51) and book (on pages 159-160). I won’t spoil it for you by sharing the details so you can hear it from her directly.

What Feels Most Natural to You?

Giving? Receiving? Balance between both? Reflect on your experience during Bliss Miss week in October for clues. I danced to My Wish by Rascal Flats. And made my chair sitter’s heart explode (her words). While I actively showered her with love, I also enriched my understanding of what it means to write and offer workshops to an audience of one, rather than trying meet everyone’s needs, something we hear again and again.

The more I say, “Yes, thank you” and think of ways I want to receive help, the more magic the universe brings. For example, I recently convened a women’s circle called Blood Moon Goddesses, inspired by our experience dancing with the eclipse. Our purpose is to help each other make our dreams a reality. The day after we met and shared details of our dreams, a book (powerful mentors for me) crossed my path. The first chapter removed an obstacle that’s been blocking me.

My body is more comfortable giving than receiving. This is evident in a self-portrait I created with one hand giving and the other receiving. The photo shows how natural and happy my right hand is and how awkward my left one feels.

Still I’ve made progress. It’s like when you first learn a new pole trick. With practice it feels normal and shows up spontaneously in dances.

Before my last class I had no song. I wanted another ‘receiving’ one. I was surprised by a virtual hug from a retreat sister with a story and a song I’d never heard—Scars to Your Beautiful. I listened to it and got chills when I saw it was by Alessia Cara. The night before my husband forwarded me an article recommending six new albums with his annotation, “The 6^th one sounds S’able.” That album was Know-It-All by Alessia Cara, which includes this song. At first I thought I’d dance to Scars; it’s gorgeous. Another song from the album grabbed by body and heart and wouldn’t let go. When my teacher used her ‘rivers’ playlist, I knew Stone was my song.

It’s only now, while writing about this moment I see the whole picture. I received the gift of the song immediately and instinctively. I said yes before no. Then I relied on my creativity and independence. And I flowed with the magic and synchronicity of my class.

Whether you and your body prefer giving or receiving, practice both. They get easier and become more natural. Ultimately, they both come from love.

I’m heading out the door to another Friday pure dance class. I think I’ll dance to Stars by Alessia Cara. I’ll probably cry.

….An uphill climb

Fighting what the heart, really wants to do

See I need you

And sometimes we need to

Shed our facade and be just who we are

All broken and torn, then we could be stars

Oh we could be stars

We could be stars….

The post Does Your Body Naturally Give or Receive? appeared first on Pole World News.

Transgender in the pole community

By Kate E. Gaga, PSO amateur competitor

The new language in Pole Sport Organization’s rules for competition confirms what I already know about the pole world – that we are, and should continue to be, a community that values inclusion and understands the importance of affirming and including identities that are often marginalized in society. I hope that all polers, regardless of gender identity, will feel welcomed and valued as an important part of the pole world.

It is also important to think about what inclusion looks like at our home studios and local pole communities. How do we create spaces where all genders feel welcome and safe? There a lot of ways we can make our spaces open and inclusive to all who want to try pole – one great firststep can be to think about the language we use!

Inclusive Language Ideas for Instructors, Studio Owners, and Pole Students

• How do you refer to groups? “Ladies” really gets at me. I know not everyone in my pole classes identifies as female or male (I also don’t), and it sounds so darn patronizing!

Here are some of the words and phrases we use at my home studio to refer to groups of people – choose ones that are appropriate for your group and speaking style!

• Hello lovely humans!
• Alright, dancers, please move to your starting poles
• Hey folks!
• What’s up, peeps?
• What a great group of polers!
• Nice work, friends!
• How are y’all feeling about the routine today?

Of course, if you know for 100% that everyone in your group identifies as female, there isn’t anything inherently wrong with saying “ladies”. It’s just about being as inclusive as you can be, helping any student feel welcome.

Safe spaces

Sometimes pole classes can be listed as “Women Only” spaces. This is a great way to create a safe space for women. Does your studio affirmatively include transgender women in these women-only spaces? How do you/could you communicate this? How do you make it a safe space?

Pronouns of choice

Try to use student’s first names! Sometimes we may not know if someone uses “he”, “she” “they”, or other pronouns. Using first names is a great way to avoid mis-gendering someone, and also lets your students know that you’ve taken the time to learn their name.

While these things may seem small, they can be very meaningful to people who enter your pole world, unsure if their gender identity will be welcomed. We have a lot of power to make these spaces safe!

PSO’s Stance

You can check out PSO’s language below that they added in December 2016:

In order to continue our mission of inclusion, it’s become necessary to clarify our policy on transgender competitors. We have consulted with several individuals as well as reviewing NCAA rules and Olympic rules in order to come up with a policy that respects all participants.

For professional level competitors who identify as transgender:  One year living as the gender you identify as, including average gender testosterone levels. Documentation may be required to confirm current status on a case-by-case basis. If documentation is requested, all information can be sent to info@polesportorganization.com for confidential review. Any inquiries, questions or comments by competitors will also be kept confidential. Medical documentation of average target gender testosterone levels for our purposes are approximately 270-1,070 ng/dL for men and approximately 15-70 ng/dL for women.

For amateur level (levels 1-4 pole, levels 1-2 lyra, all levels flow tools) competitors: Competitors may enter as the gender they most identify with and are currently living as. Any inquiries, questions or comments by competitors will also be kept confidential.

About the author

Kate E. Gaga is a Boise, Idaho based transgender genderqueer person who works in higher education social justice programming by day, and is a pole dancer, pole instructor, and burlesque artist by night. Kate uses they/them/their pronouns.

The post Transgender in the pole community appeared first on Pole Sport Organization.

Natale tante idee regalo per le poler dancer

Come ogni anno vado in giro sulla rete per trovare le cose più carine da regalare ad una pole dancer tra cui ci sono diverse cose che vorrei io. Se avete un’amica che fa pole dance, una fidanzata, una zia o una collega in questa lista troverete tantissime cose a partire dagli accessori ai gadget.   […]

2016 Season Updates

At the end of each season, we do a review of the year, and see what worked, and what we could improve. Here’s our list of new happenings for 2016:

OPTIONAL LEVEL EVALUATION RESOURCE

For the competitor, one of the main challenges with the registration process is deciding which level to enter. While mandatory level testing is not something that we want to require at this time, an optional level evaluation is a service that we would like to begin offering, along with recognition of leveling up. It should be cool to be at a higher level!  

You can read more about the optional level testing resource here.

To cover the cost of testing and recognition, a $19 fee per test will be assessed. The fee goes towards paying the pros who will evaluate you, the pin and certificate per level, and updating our website and newsletter with the level ups. We will also be including our new Competitor Training Manual, to those who submit for evaluation.

You can purchase the level evaluation here.

We would like to give special thanks to Ruby Red as the model for the demo videos, and Renee Wu for filming. Thanks also to guinea pigs: Caitlin Marco, Dana Carina, Lauren Manzano, Melissa Hyde, Rage Monster, and Reamey Belski, who all took the beta test to help us work out the kinks.

COMPETITOR TRAINING MANUAL

This manual was born out of the need to address the challenges that pole dance competitors face when they are training for competition. We have studied the habits of competitors from all areas of the United States, and we see the following as major issues that competitors face, in both the amateuer and the professional realm:

• Overtraining, injury and burnout
• Lack of support from the home studio, or lack of effective training methods available at the home studio
• A sense of being overwhelmed by the task at hand
• Lack of knowledge about routine building

This manual attempts to address each of these issues. If we are successful, we want each competitor to feel:

• She or he worked very hard physically, but without injury or repetitive stress issues.
• There was a logical program of training to follow.
• Preparation for competition was challenging, but a task that she or he could complete successfully.
• Confident that she or he can put together a routine.

The training manual is included in the optional level evaluation fee of $19, and will be emailed at the time of purchase. The manual will be updated on a yearly basis. Contributors and editors of this manual include Seanmichael Rau, Amy Guion, Amy Rosvally, Katerina Paskaris, Rikki Little, and Tristabel Akila. Pro tips are by Seanmichael Rau, Shaina Cruea, and Maggie Ann.

JUDGES EXAM

Trained judges are the next step in improving our judging system.

A preliminary version of the judge exam is now available. The exam is free to anyone who wishes to take it! You can take the exam at this link. The exam is 60 multiple choice questions about PSO rules, levels, and ethics. Coming soon, it will also include videos to be evaluated. Taking a course and passing the exam will eventually be required to be a PSO judge. For now, have fun learning, take the test, and get a certificate of completion if you pass.

https://www.onlineexambuilder.com/pso-judging-exam/exam-51420

The judge exam will be helpful to those who are planning to judge at a PSO event, and also to those who are training themselves or others for a PSO competition. Knowing the rules and how the judges are scoring a performance is a great way to improve your own routines.

We would LOVE feedback on this program, as it’s in the very beginning stages. You can email us with suggestions at info@polesportorganization.com.

LYRA RESTRUCTURE

We would like to welcome Caty Mae as our 2016 Lyra Program Director. As director, Caty is our specialist on all things lyra, as is the advocate for lyra artists in PSO events. She has reviewed our rules and setup from last year, and has recommended several changes to the program that we will be implementing. If you are interested in learning more about Caty, booking her for workshops, or would like to contact her about the PSO lyra program, you can find that information here.

Lyra competition will be available at Pacific, Central, and Nationals, with fall artistic shows TBA. There will be a 36” hoop available to all competitors that will not have a tab or taco (one smooth circle). The spanset will be choked directly onto the lyra.

Our new level structure:

• Level 1: This is the appropriate level for the beginner/intermediate lyra artist. Competitors may not be teaching lyra nor performing lyra for compensation.
  • Planches are not allowed. A “planche” is defined as a hold where the body is held parallel to the floor, with contact points of the hands on the bar only.
  • Backward dynamic movement is not allowed (ex. rolls, elbow circles). Beats are fine.
  • Drops between the bars are not allowed. “Drops” means a complete release of weight from the top bar and catch on the bottom bar.
  • A mat must be used underneath the lyra during performance.

• Level 2: This is the appropriate level for the intermediate/advanced lyra artist.
  • All moves are allowed, except for safety violations, including not hanging from the truss.
  • Competitors at this level may be from anywhere in the world.
  • A mat must be used underneath the lyra during performance.

• Professional: This is the appropriate level for the advanced lyra artist.
  • All moves are allowed, except for safety violations, including not hanging from the truss.
  • Competitors in the professional level must be a citizen or resident of the country where the competition is taking place, as we have cash prizes at the National level.
  • The top 3 competitors at regionals will move on to the U.S. National Pole & Aerial Championships.

FLOW ARTS COMPETITION

Registrations are now open for Pacific Pole & Aerial in the disciplines of Hoop Flow, Staff Flow, and Poi Flow, together known as the Flow Arts. We are trying this out as an experimental discipline with a limited number of competitors to see if you like it!

Judges will include Samantha Taylor of Rawktails, Lester Mooney of Fire Groove, and Jeweliette Luminess of Bombshell Fire Entertainment.

Here are the Rules for Flow Tools.

Not ready to compete yet in Flow Arts? You can also catch some free demos and try out flow tools for yourself at PPC.

SWITZERLAND

We’re going to Switzerland! Pole Sport Organization Competition, European Edition, will be on May 7 in Zurich. Our local coordinating committee for the event is Gravity Arts. We are doing just a one day show, and are about half way sold out for competitor spots at this time. More information, including competitor registration, is at www.polesportorganization.com/events/europecompete

ARTISTIC PROFESSIONAL FINALS

In the spirit of separating the Artistic Professional division more clearly from the Championship Professional division, Artistic Professional finalists in the 2016 U.S. National Pole Championships can have people as props or backup dancers onstage for Nationals with approval. Concepts, ideas, and additional props that have to be moved by stage hands, can be discussed and cleared with Amy at amy@polesportorganization.com. As we get closer to the event, Amy will be reaching out with deadlines for submissions of additional materials, dancer names, etc.

In the spirit of keeping the Artistic Professional finals judged based on the actual finalist’s performance and not the individual skills of back up dancers, any additional person on stage may not touch or make physical contact with the finalist.

TRANSFER INFORMATION

We’ve been looking for a balance between keeping our registration management under control, and honoring the fact that hey, sh*it happens, and sometimes you need to drop out. We’re going to try this policy for 2016 and see how it goes. If you are a competitor wanting to transfer a 2016 registration and had previously been denied, please email us again and we can make the change for you now.

If you are signed up for a competition as a performer, and wish to transfer your registration to another person, you may do so up until we close registration for the competition. You must email us with the following information for the person you are transferring to, before the close of registration:

• Stage name of new competitor
• Email address of new competitor
• Studio affiliation (if any) of new competitor
• Event, level and age group of new competitor

Restrictions:

• Transfers must be to the same section, for example lyra professional competitors may only transfer to other lyra professionals, and pole amateurs may only transfer to other pole amateurs. Transfers between sections are not allowed.
• Transfers are only for the same competition, for example, you could not transfer your registration for Central to a registration for Southern.
• Transfer requests must be emailed BEFORE the close of registration. Many times, this is far in advance of posted deadlines, because we sell out! We are unable to honor requests sent after closing.
• If you are getting paid for your registration spot by the person you are transferring to, we are not responsible for making that happen, and are not liable if that transfer person defaults on their payment to you.

TRANSGENDER INFORMATION

In order to continue our mission of inclusion, it’s become necessary to clarify our policy on transgender competitors. We have consulted with several individuals as well as reviewing NCAA rules and Olympic rules in order to come up with a policy that respects all participants.

For professional level competitors who identify as transgender:  One year living as the gender you identify as, including average gender testosterone levels. Documentation may be required to confirm current status on a case-by-case basis. If documentation is requested, all information can be sent to info@polesportorganization.com for confidential review. Any inquiries, questions or comments by competitors will also be kept confidential. Medical documentation of average target gender testosterone levels for our purposes are approximately 270-1,070 ng/dL for men and approximately 15-70 ng/dL for women.

For amateur level (levels 1-4 pole, levels 1-2 lyra, all levels flow tools) competitors: Competitors may enter as the gender they most identify with and are currently living as. Any inquiries, questions or comments by competitors will also be kept confidential.

Happy 2016, and we hope to see you at a show soon!

The post 2016 Season Updates appeared first on Pole Sport Organization.

5 accessori che non devono mancare nella tua pole room!

Care home polers, Natale si avvicina ed è il momento di pensare ai regali. Perché quindi non regalarvi qualcosa di utile per vivere meglio la vostra passione? Ecco la lista degli oggetti che non dovrebbero mancare nella vostra stanzetta-palo. Vi saranno utili per migliorare la vostra esperienza di allenamento. Materassini Avere dei materassini da yoga […]

8 MUST-DOs Before Your Next Pole Competition

Competing in the new year? Whether your competition is next month or 10 months from now it’s never too early to get the most out of your pre-competition training. Just don’t miss out on simple changes or additions to your routine that might take your competition piece to new heights. So let’s dive into our 8 “MUST-DOs” for competition prep:

1. Start your conditioning early

Signed up to compete? Pretty sure you are going to competition? Thinking about maybe, sometime competing? Well, start your conditioning now! Make your pre-comp life easy by starting your conditioning (including strength building, flexibility training, cross training) early on. First off you will see the most benefits by slowly building your additional conditioning exercises into your routine, allowing yourself to gradually increase its intensity. Second, it will make the additional pole work you take on in pre-comp mode easier to tackle. That jade split will be a whole lot comfier when you already have your over-split perfected.

USNPC 2013

2. Don’t forget to freestyle
It can be tempting to schedule your pole practices down to the last second, filling every moment with specific tricks and combos you need to work on for the competition. So making space for freestyling can feel like a waste of time, but it isn’t! Freestyling is where the magic happens. Allowing yourself time to just enjoy your competition music and not stress about what you SHOULD be doing frees you to discover new and interesting movement AND rediscover old combos and tricks you may have forgotten. Just make should you are recording that way you can be in the moment when you are freestyling.

3. Video early and often
As a general rule, polers tend to be perfectionists, which often means we don’t want to start recording ourselves until we have our moves down pat. Unfortunately, there are a lot of missed opportunities in waiting till the last moment to video your training sessions. By recording early and often, you get to see your performance for the audience’s point of view from the get go. You’ll learn that while you might feel like you are over-emoting, your movements don’t actually come across as big as the feel. And of course, video is a great training tool to use in correcting form and technique.

4. Angle your tricks
Part of what sets the pros apart from the amateur polers is their skill in angling each trick and each big moment towards the audience and judges. They know not to waste all the work they did on nailing an Iron X by accidentally ending up with their body angled towards the back of the stage. Confidently knowing you will end up on the side of the pole you want to takes practice and muscle memory. Start early and use your video recorder as the audience so you can perfect your pose with certainty!

CPC2014-Brittin Wagner

5. Schedule breaks
Along with being perfectionists, polers are also known for their intensity in training. We just love pole so much we want to do it 24/7! The unfortunate fact of the matter is that that just isn’t the safest way to go about it. By pushing yourself to pole when your pole is telling you to take a break, you are setting yourself up for more long-term fatigue and even injury. Also have you ever noticed that when you take a few days or even a week off of pole after intense training and then return, you are stronger than ever?! It’s awesome! So schedule breaks into your training schedule and really listen to your body when it tells you, you need to slow down.

APC2014-Pam Vettleson

6. Get your costume early and practice in it
No, this is not just an excuse to dance around in sparkles, but it is a perk of this “must do”! Costumes and props create unique challenges in pole performances and you do not want to have one of those challenges pop up mid-competition. Do your best to prevent possible disaster by practicing in costume and with props as early and as often as possible – even use similar props or style pole wear to recreate the experience if you don’t have the real thing in yet. Most likely everything will go as planned on the day of, but if not you are prepared to deal with the worst.

7. Make healthy changes
Get enough sleep – that means to leave parties early or set your DVR to record if you have to. Cut down or completely out unhealthy eating habits. Up the fruit and veggie, decrease the take-out. Drink lots of water. Eat more protein. Remember you are training more than ever so you need to support your body’s increased activity. You already know to do these things, you just need to actually do them!

8. Keep your partner, family, and friends in the loop
Training for a pole competition can be a solitary, even lonely experience, one that our non-pole partners don’t quite understand. You willingly put yourself into a very intense and stressful situation and others may not know the right way to support you through the experience. Be honest and open with those in your life about why competing is important to you. Then explain (to the best of your ability) what time and energy commitment it will take and any changes you will be making to your lifestyle. If you break it down for them from the beginning they are more likely to become your p[ole comp cheerleader than the begrudging partner who can’t wait till the comp is over.

The post 8 MUST-DOs Before Your Next Pole Competition appeared first on Pole Sport Organization.

Happy Holidays

The post Happy Holidays appeared first on Pole Dancer Today.

What can Paper.li do for you?

The end of the year is quickly approaching and this gives us the opportunity to look back and see the big picture. In light of the end of 2015, we wanted to gather up our Most Popular Features this year and answer that one question that always haunts us: what is it that Paper.li can... Read more »

The post What can Paper.li do for you? appeared first on Paper.li.

Sexy Chocolate Green Power Balls

By Melissa Ramos

So if you’re looking for a good protein power-packed boost then I’ve got a great little recipe that’s sure to please all my followers – including the vegans!

Ingredients

• 1 cup tahini paste
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 4 tbsp hemp hearts
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp spirulina (or greens powder of your choice!)
• 1 tsp organic vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Couple pinches sea salt

• CHOCOLATE SAUCE
• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• 3 tbsp cacao powder
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• Couple pinches sea salt

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients of the ball recipe into a bowl.
2. Carefully spoon out 1 tbsp of the mixture and roll with wet hands.
3. Place all balls onto a parchment-lined plate and place into the freezer.
4. Then begin the chocolate sauce.
5. Melt butter over low heat and remove from heat.
6. Add in cacao powder and remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
7. Take balls out of freezer and roll in chocolate with hands and add them back onto parchment-lined plate.
8. Freeze for 15-20 minutes.

The post Sexy Chocolate Green Power Balls appeared first on Pole World News.

Liver-Loving Paleo Apple Cranberry Crisp

By Melissa Ramos

Now onto the recipe for the week which is made with apples. Apples are loaded with fibre but also with Calcium D-Glucarate which aids in liver detoxification. So enjoy folks and don’t forget to get your Five Must-Have Tools To Balancing Your Hormones Naturally.

Ingredients

• CRAN APPLE MIXTURE
• 3-5 apples (depending on size – about 1.5 lbs), peeled, cored and chopped
• ½ cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg

• GRAIN-FREE TOPPING
• 1 tbsp organic butter
• 3 tbsp tapioca starch
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• ½ cup coconut sugar
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine honey, coconut oil, and spices to melt and then mix thoroughly.
3. Pour honey, oil, and spice mixture over apples and cranberries. Then toss to combine.
4. Spread fruit in glass corningware bowl that’s oven safe.
5. In a small bowl, mix all topping ingredients and mix well.
6. Sprinkle mixture evenly over fruit.
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until fruit is soft and juices are bubbling and topping is browned and crisp.
8. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes and serve warm.

The post Liver-Loving Paleo Apple Cranberry Crisp appeared first on Pole World News.

Paragon Latinoamericano

El 8 de Agosto se llevo acabo en el Distrito Federal La competencia de Kelly Yvonne Paragon Latinoamericano. La primera competencia Internacional Artística de Pole Dance en Mexico reunió a 22 atletas de Mexico, Estados Unidos, Venezuela, Rusia, Colombia, Costa Rica y Jamaica, panel de 15 jueces y mas de 300 espectadores. Durante tres horas se presentaron coreografías de un nivel artístico jamas visto en Mexico. Esta es la segunda competencia de Kelly Yvonne y la primera Internacional. Pudimos ver coreografías de personajes de video juegos, nostálgicos, el gato de Alicia en el País de las Maravillas, una marinera, un cotórro, fantasma de la opera, una bruja, un baile de tango entre una pareja, un reo, una espía, una araña y hasta un gato borracho que hacia mortales en tacones! Una de las cosas mas interesantes de la competencia fue el gran ambiente que se vivió en los vestidores, todos los atleta se apoyaban con palabras de animo así como con el maquillaje y peinado. 3 horas fue lo que duro el evento y la mayoría de los asistentes mencionaron que el tiempo se paso muy rápido, durante todo este tiempo el publico se mantuvo emocionado, y al borde del asiento de ver trucos increíbles en el Pole. Los 10 jueces quienes estuvieron divididos en dos paneles para poder realizar la calificación de manera oportuna, precisa y mas profunda otorgaron los premios para los ganadores.

FEMALE CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION

1er lugar: Crystal Belcher (USA)

2do lugar: Thalía Valtierra

3er lugar: Andrea Plancarte

MALE CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION

1er lugar: Gregorys Garcia (VENEZUELA)

2do lugar: Sergio Chan

3er lugar: Bernardo Casillas

FEMALE AMATEUR DIVISION

1er lugar: Maria Gonzalez (MEXICO)

2do lugar: Mia Shanté

3er lugar: Michelle Weil

MALE AMATEUR

1er lugar: Boris Kyñonesz (MEXICO)

2do lugar: Luis Edmundo Teos Suarez

MASTERS

1er lugar: Svetlana Zaytseva (MEXICO/RUSSIA)

1do lugar: Imelda Cabello Larios

3er lugar: Elizabeth Hernández Vicario

Puntuación mas alta: Gregorys Garcia and Crystal Belcher (tie)

Mejor disfraz: Sergio Chan

Mejor Coreografía: Crystal Belcher

El interés y apoyo que esta competencia despierto en Mexico fue tal que la próxima edición de Paragon Latinoamericano se realizara de nuevo en la Ciudad de Mexico el 13 de Agosto de 2016.

Rebeca

Dragonfly Pole Dancers

www.poledancers.com.mx

The post Paragon Latinoamericano appeared first on Pole World News.

A dicembre siamo tutte più bone… #cosedapoler

A dicembre siamo tutte più bone… ehm scusate un lapsus volevo dire buone. Ma dicembre è anche il mese dell’anno in cui mi piace guardarmi indietro e fare i resoconti di quello che ho  fatto, vedere cosa è andato bene e cosa no. Ho pensato da quest’anno di farlo insieme a tutte voi poler, partiamo? Ogni anno quando arriva […]

Abbiamo scritto il primo libro sulla pole dance!

Non ci posso credere, finalmente ce l’abbiamo fatta: è uscito il primo libro dedicato alla pole dance in italiano scritto dal team di PoleDanceItaly.com! Non ve lo avevo mai detto prima perché ogni volta che pensavo di essere lì lì per lanciarlo succedeva qualcosa: rileggendole c’era qualche parte che non andava bene; riguardavo l’indice e mi sembrava […]

Periods For Dummies

Reposted With Permission by Thinx

What even is it?

Let’s start from the very beginning (a very good place to start – h/t Fraulein Maria). When females are born, we’ve already got like one or two million eggs in our ovaries. By puberty, only about 300,000 are left. And of those, only 300 – 400 go through ovulation. Once a month, the “ripest” egg gets released. At that point, if it gets fertilized by a sperm cell and attaches to the uterine wall, badabing badaboom, you’re preggo. If not, the egg will break apart, hormone levels will drop, and the uterine lining sheds, coming out as your period.

Are menstrual cycles and periods the same thing?

Nope, not really. Our “cycles” are technically the day you start bleeding until the first day of your next period (roughly 28 days if you’re of the rare “regular” species), and it consists of a bunch of super important stages (like ovulation, for example)––and there’s actually two different cycles goin’ on at a time: the ovarian cycle, and the uterine cycle. Menstruation is a part of the uterine cycle. The period itself is only 5-7 days, which might also be around the same time you start craving ice cream… Or is that just us?

PMS? IDK. 

Cut it out, mainstream media. PMS is not another way to say “perpetual grumpiness.” PMS stands for Pre-Menstrual Syndrome, and refers to a variety of symptoms: soreness of breasts, bloating, breakouts, headaches, nausea, food cravings, moodiness, sadness, etc. There are more than 150 physical and psychological symptoms associated with PMS (#blessed). Why exactly it all happens isn’t 100% understood, but it’s definitely connected to the hormone changes that happen during our monthly cycles.

Why do you feel like a tiny dinosaur is clawing its way out of your ovaries?

Well, your body is literally tearing apart the nice uterus-home it built for the fetus you didn’t create, after all… but that isn’t really why you’re hurting. The pain is actually caused by prostaglandins (i.e., fancy word that’s not super crucial to your understanding of cramps) telling your uterine muscles to contract. Some feel this in their lower bellies, others feel it in their backs.

How much do you actually bleed each month?

The amount of blood that comes out of the cervix each month varies, but it can be anywhere from 4 tsp – 1 cup. Yes, 1 cup. Like the measuring cup you have in your kitchen cabinet. It’s a lot of blood, we know. This is why we are basically superheroes (sheroes, really); vigilantes, out to save bedsheets, pants, and skirts around the world.

What is period blood really?

Raise your hand if you thought period blood was the same as regular ol’ blood. …NOPE! It’s fine though, we didn’t know until we became period pros. In addition to the 4 – 12 teaspoons of blood you lose each cycle, your body is also shedding its uterine lining. This is why it’s thick or clumpy sometimes (don’t deny it). Maybe even goopy. Heh, goopy. Thanks Gwyneth.

How am I supposed to handle this?

There are a number of solutions that women around the world use— everything from tampons, pads, and menstrual cups (all either disposable or reusable) and sea sponges (yes, really, look it up). Every woman manages her period differently, but if she’s really awesome, she probably has some THINX to back her up every month, too 

Why should I care?

A lack of understanding about periods and how remarkably normal they are fuels stigmas against menstruation worldwide. As long as periods are something to be ashamed of, menstrual hygiene will simply not be a priority, which means that millions of girls will continue to miss school during their periods, which ultimately contributes to a cycle of poverty and marginalization for women around the world. Awareness and education are the antidotes to ignorance, and are the first steps in breaking this taboo. See how we help.

The post Periods For Dummies appeared first on Pole World News.

Who Nurtures You?

By Sheila Kelley

(Posted With Permission by Sheila Kelley S Factor, April 2005)

I love being a woman. I love everything about it. The foul moods. The shimmering glee.  The curves, bumps and soft skin. The enormous, ever changing heart.

Round, grounded, fertile, arid, wet, unpredictable and peaked, we, like Mother Earth, radiate with warmth, understanding, internal and external beauty, grace, peace, and the push and pull of polar opposites that comes with the waxing and waning of the moon. In this cyclic process, we create balance, stability, and security in moments of chaos and are Mother Nature, or, better yet, mother nurturer to all.

But who nurtures you? Who nurtures the women of the world?

We came from mothers and fathers and, hopefully, they were nurturing in one way or another. We moved away from home, some of us went to college, some to work. Then, maybe, we found a love, and he nurtured great until…well, his needs overwhelmed yours and you began nurturing him, because you know guys do that sometimes. Then, maybe kids came, or not, but you’re still nurturing him and the kids or child-like friends in your life who need nurturing. Work gets more consuming as you grow up and, before you know it, you’re nurturing work and him and them, and if you have a pet, you end up the nurturer there, too. And as your parents age they start to need someone to lean on and that someone is probably going to be you.  And you’re about to fall apart because you’ve spent every last cent of giving on everyone else and you’re tired and you feel empty ‘cause who’s filling you up? Most days we feel like Mother Earth with our natural resources tapped, our natural beauty disappearing, and our purity tarnished with pollution.

So, who’s nurturing you? Maybe you used to nurture you before him/kids/pets/work/parents, but then you became last in line, and you got use to it, and by the time it was your turn to get your attention, there was nothing left. Who do you turn to? A shrink? Tried that and, although it was good for a while, where was that unconditional love in return that I give so freely? Do you turn to God and religion? God’s great, and religion…? Sure, it can be helpful but I need some human touch and nurturing and physical warmth. Do you turn to another man? Tsk tsk, uh uh, no. That’s just too damned unreal and too damned destructive.

Do you turn to friends? In this compartmentalized, insanely busy world, are friends really there to nurture you? Hell, they’re probably in the same boat as you, nurturing him/kids/job/pet/parents. So one day, just like Mother Nature you erupt and scream “enough!” and discover that what you are left with is a choice. You cannot be all things to all living creatures if you don’t have YOU anymore. You must put yourself first or all else fails. I believe this fully and heartily and I try to live this every day of my life. Oh yes, I say no to him, I say no to work, I even say no to the pet until I get what I need, and sometimes, when I’m sure they have what they need, I say no to the kids. It’s survival.

And one of the things I need more than anything else in the world is my time connecting to my feminine core. It regenerates me like nothing else. It inspires me. It fires me up and impassions me. How do I connect to the pure feminine in me? One way is lingering in moments of deep and true emotion rather than running past or squelching them like I used to do. If I am overwhelmed with emotion, I let it ring out, runny nose and all! So what if it makes people uncomfortable. It is time for the world to understand that emotion is not shameful. It is not weak. It is one of the greatest gifts that we have been given in our lives. Another way I connect to my feminine soul is in my S Factor undulations. Whether it’s in a class for two hours of pure femme time. Or home alone in my living room I get an hour of pure invigoration. Healing time. Resurrection time. It’s my unconditional love time for me. It’s the time when I reconnect with the Earth, which grounds me. I feel high as a kite and grounded securely to the Earth at the same time, connected to the Earthen woman inside of me. And when I give her—the sometimes forgotten woman inside of me—focused time, I get nurtured.

By shifting my focus from outside myself to deeply into my body, my senses and my emotions, I feel calmed. This inner focus transcends me to a euphoric state of being, and opens me up to the ‘something’s coming’ of life. How do you focus your attention inward? You can find a way, but you have to put your foot down and demand private, alone time. I can’t say that any more profoundly. Oh wait, yes I can. You need PRIVATE-ALONE-TIME. During this time—I would suggest no less than two hours per week—spend it lovingly on your body. Try a weekly massage or manicure. Eat a tasty and healthy self-prepared meal served with candles on your best china and savored slowly. Do a workout that focuses you inward. Meditate. Whatever it is that you do for your body, make sure it is something that feels good. That feels like it fills you back up instead of depleting you.

Yes, I love being a woman for so many reasons. I love my high heels and I love flirty skirts. I love my shit-kicker motorcycle boots and warm sudsy baths with rose scented bath bombs. I love facials and hot oil hair massages. I love my curves and even my not-so-curvy curves. And what I love the most is the sexual woman inside of me who has the power to heal, comfort, and nurture me through life.

Think about it. And ask yourself, “How will I nurture myself today?”

The post Who Nurtures You? appeared first on Pole World News.

You never know whom you are healing

By Makeda Smith

Everyone once in a while, my over active brain will try to outwit my mind and label me a narcissist. Granted, social media does seemingly encourage narcissism. I blog daily at FlyingOver50.com and post across a series of platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and every once in a while YouTube and StudioVeena.com.

So sometimes I am prone to ask myself – ‘what are you doing???’ But whenever this happens and I hesitate to hit send on a post, spirit always and all ways intervenes … and I get a clear message that though seemingly my writing, my posting, my dancing is all about me – it really isn’t about me at all.

I know spirit guides me because out of the blue, I’ll receive an email or a Facebook message from someone; a woman or a man, local, in another state or even another country – and they are thanking me for my courage, for my inspiration and for being me. And the blessing I receive from that is pure soul nourishment.

As polers, aerial artists, dancers and yes, strippers (shout out to my strippers!) our art is a powerful healing force. That pole climb, simple invert, spin around the pole, floor slither or advance aerial trick is often just what someone needed to see to move them out of the mundane – even if only for a moment. Seeing us do what maybe they want to do, or cannot do, has an impact that ripples across physical, spiritual and etheric layers. We are feeding hopes, stirring dreams and sending light out into the world. And this world needs it and it needs it badly. With the news media constantly bombarding us with ‘bad’ news – any thing we can do to counteract those messages with good news is in fact angelic work.

I wondered out loud on Facebook one day, what did polers do before social media? I am a newbie to this art, so it’s an honest question. With only four years in the community, I can’t imagine the interactions without social media. Social media doesn’t just gift me a worldwide stage for my art, as my ego and narcissism would have me believe – but more importantly, it also ‘connects’ me globally, allowing me to be a vessel for healing is more ways then I could ever imagine.

Pole dance heals me every time I touch a pole. It’s a wonderful thing to know that as I heal myself, I am healing others as well.

Let’s dance y’all !

Makeda Smith

www.FlyingOver50.com

flyingover50@gmail.com

Photo and Art Credit: Donnell Spencer Jr.

The post You never know whom you are healing appeared first on Pole World News.

How User-Generated Content Transforms Social Commerce

Editor’s Note: Shayla will be joining us on #BizHeroes this coming Tuesday, November 24th, to talk about User Generated Content. Don’t miss it!    Social commerce represents one of the most executed marketing strategies for companies. However, some brands fail to meet their customers’ high expectations. The onslaught of banner ads and pop-ups has created... Read more »

The post How User-Generated Content Transforms Social Commerce appeared first on Paper.li.

Becoming a Freelancer? Here’s What You Should Know

  Technology hasn’t only changed the way we live, shop and interact with other, it is also quickly shifting the way we work. Yes, “freelancing” is the new black! According to Freelancers Union, there are 53 million Americans doing freelance work, adding up to 34% of the whole workforce in the US. And there are many... Read more »

The post Becoming a Freelancer? Here’s What You Should Know appeared first on Paper.li.

Workshop con il Pole Dance Passport Team Edizione Speciale di Natale

Il 25 Ottobre ci siamo riscaldate con il primo evento e questa volta abbiamo preparato una cosina bella tosta. Per organizzarla abbiamo pensato al Natale e alle feste che ci terranno lontane dalle nostre amate scuole. Ok non è come agosto, ma almeno due settimane staremo a casa. E cosa facciamo non ci alleniamo? NON […]

Mi metto a dieta perché mi voglio bene

“Tu che inizi una dieta, ma sei pazza!! Non sei mica grassa!” Questa è la frase tipica che mi sento dire quando racconto che voglio fare una dieta. Giusto per ricordarlo il termine dieta (dal greco dìaita che  significa regime, stile, tenore di vita) è sinonimo di alimentazione corretta, sana ed equilibrata, primo passo verso la prevenzione e […]

Il nostro contributo per la campagna “lo sport difende, la violenza offende”

Senza forze. Impaurito. Vuoto. Gli stati d’animo chi è stato vittima di una violenza. Ma non solo: ciò che davvero devasta l’essere umano è la paura che possa succedere di nuovo. Il terrore che non sia finita lì: torneranno quel dolore e quell’umiliazione? Quando? Domani? Stasera? L’elemento più spaventoso, nel subire una violenza, è la […]

Italia Pole Dance Shop l’eCommerce e il negozio per chi fa pole dance

Quando ho iniziato a fare pole dance per trovare il materiale per praticare come i pali, i prodotti per fare grip, ma anche le scarpe che all’inizio usavo molto, dovevo comprare tutto dall’estero. Se acquistavo dall’America dovevo pagare il doppio: c’erano le spese di spedizioni per nulla economiche e in più le tasse doganali. Negli ultimi anni fortunatamente le cose in Italia […]

Come scaldare il palo da pole dance d’inverno (Metodi poco ortodossi)

Berlino, malgrado sia solo ottobre già settimana scorsa siamo andati sotto lo zero. Nonostante il riscaldamento acceso al massimo dall’inizio del mese, se mi voglio allenare in casa le possibilità sono due: io sono calda e il palo è freddo; il palo è caldo e io sono fredda. Ora, assodato il fatto che se scaldo il […]

A Story of Salvation

By Erin Ghiringhelli

Pole has saved my life. My teenage years were not exactly filled with prom night, sleep overs or homework. After losing my mother my world began to spiral out of control. I fully embraced harmful coping mechanisms that are all too common in today’s society. My sadness turned to hatred that I aimed towards the ones closest to me and then at myself. Each of my days consisted of feeding myself lie after lie after lie. I focused every ounce of my energy on being sickly “thin”, hoping that I could starve myself to perfection. I was about as far away from healthy as one could be.

I never would have thought that I would find my key to happiness in pole dancing- but I did! Within the first year of taking classes I knew that I would never stop. I was addicted to the achievements! I was finally proud of something. It was undeniable the strength that I had gained and my body was beginning to take on a fabulous new form that I had only ever dreamed possible through starving myself and endless cardio. Pole has become a way of life. I have become part of a family that stretches all across the world. I have found some of the most welcoming, supportive and talented women I have ever met who do nothing but love and accept me. I am beyond blessed to have found a sport that lifted me up from the depths of despair and gave me my life back. I am happy to say that I actually love myself and who I am now, I concentrate on being healthy instead of skinny and I have endless faith in my own ability! I know now that I can do anything I want to do with discipline & determination.

The post A Story of Salvation appeared first on Pole World News.

Introducing Allison Sipes

By Eileen Shoals

Please welcome Allison Sipes to the Pole World News family as the newest PWN staff writer. Allison has been a valuable member of the Pole and Aerial Community for many years, but she is new to the family of writers at PWN.

Allison Sipes was a national junior olympic gymnast and trained in professional dance as a child. She is now an ACE and AFAA certified group fitness and aerial instructor, an international performer and instructor, and an entrepreneur.

Allison is an X-Pole Sponsored Athlete, a USPDF Pro, and recently placed 3rd in the 2015 Miss Pole Dance America competition. She is a Master Trainer for XPert Pole Fitness as well as Spin City Aerial Fitness, and has created her own accredited spinning pole teacher training program called Aerius Fitness. Allison is the founder of OnlinePoleLessons.com, The Florida Pole Fitness Championship, The Florida Pole & Aerial Arts Showcase, and is the co-creator of Foxy Kleen, a fun scented fitness equipment cleaner. She recently became the Vice President of the US Pole Sports Federation – which is part of the push to get pole recognized as an Olympic sport. In addition to all of this, Allison also offers private coaching and consulting for students, performers and studio owners who are looking to improve their skills or business, with a new website launched this year called PoleAndAerialStudioOwner.com.

Allison has been Pole Performing and Instructing since 2005.

Her classes focus on combining dance, spins, aerial tricks and flexibility training from beginner through advanced levels. Allison also emphasizes proper technique and stretching for injury prevention. Allison not only brings her professional competition experience but also her classical dance expertise from her over 20 years of training to create a unique teaching environment in the “art of pole.”

In 2013, Allison demonstrated for X-Pole at one of the largest fitness and body building expos in Europe at FIBO for over 80,000 attendees. She has special guest performed and judged many pole and aerial competitions including Miss Texas Pole Star, the Canadian Pole Fitness Championships, the Halifax East Coast Pole Championships, Polesque, the Southeast Aerial Art Championship, and the North American Pole Dance Championships.

Allison has also been a featured guest performer at the International Pole Convention for the past 4 years.

Allison is available for training, performances and workshops around the world. To find out more please contact:AllisonCSipes@Gmail.com

Social Media:

Facebook.com/AllisonSipesAthlete

YouTube.com/AllieGatorUF

Instagram: @AllieGatorUF

—

Allison Sipes

352-665-2554

USPDF Pro Pole Athlete

XPole Spokesmodel & Sponsored Athlete

Aerius Fitness Master Trainer

XPert Master Trainer

Spin City Aerial Hoop Master Trainer

ACE & AFAA Certified Trainer

www.OnlinePoleLessons.com

www.FloridaPoleFitnessChampionship.com

www.FloridaPoleShowcase.com

www.FoxyKleen.com

www.AeriusFitnessTraining.com

www.PoleAndAerialStudioOwner.com

www.XPertPoleFitness.com

www.XPole.com

www.USPoleSportsFed.org

The post Introducing Allison Sipes appeared first on Pole World News.

Scarica la scheda di allenamento total body, per spalle più forti

Mentre rileggevo il mio articolo sui buoni propositi di quest’anno, mi sono accorta che di tutto quello che ho scritto non ho fatto assolutamente niente, anzi ho cambiato proprio i piani. Complice un’influenzina stagionale che non mi ha fatto allenare per due settimane… due settimane che mi sono sembrate un’eternità. Il cambio di piani ha […]

The Clitoris Doesn’t Have an Expiration Date

By Sheila Kelley

Reposted With Permission By Sheila Kelley S Factor

It happened at a party. One of those Hollywood meets Washington D.C. kinda parties at a mansion that used to belong to a child TV star from the 80s. Every 45 minutes you could take a tour of the house and grounds, which included a bowling alley, an indoor shooting range, 3 family rooms, a secret door down to a speakeasy, a squash ball court, putting green, tennis court, two pools, and – I kid you not – a pygmy pig farm with 5 itty bitty tiny miniature pigs. You gotta love Hollywood!

I had just finished my tour when a woman I vaguely remember meeting several years earlier came up to me and started speaking as if we knew each other very well, “How’s Richard? How’re your dogs?”

I realized that she was a very Famous Spiritual Thought Leader (FTL) whom I had met at an event years ago in Santa Barbara! FTL knew of my passion empowering women through their bodies and I, along with everyone else on the planet, knew of her work making miracles happen. She proceeded to launch into a deep discussion about the work I do with women. She mentioned that she was starting a new program directed toward women and she wanted to learn more about what happens at S. There isn’t much I love talking about more than the feminine so I jumped right in about the wildly exquisite Erotic Creature within every woman’s body and how she fuels your life.

FTL stopped me mid-sentence and said definitively, “Not me. I don’t have one. I’m over 60 now and being erotic just doesn’t hold much weight for me or women my age anymore.”

Ahhhhhh!!!!!

Well, this just about sent me sideways. What?! Inside I was exploding with a cacophony of words and thoughts that I frantically tried to gather together into a cohesive sentence. I couldn’t understand her calm finality. She seemed to be at peace with this self-imposed life sentence of sexual, sensual celibacy.

I blubbered, “FTL, what do you mean? Being erotic is a lifelong gift of being human, isn’t it?”

FTL: “When you’re my age, life becomes about something bigger, something more spiritual.”

Feminine sexuality. It’s the hot button topic of the millennium.

Me: “Why can’t spirituality be erotic?”

FTL: “It’s just not.”

Me: “Well, I don’t mean to be presumptuous here but I beg to differ, the journey of S Factor is a journey toward the soulful expression of your erotic body. Your soul speaks through your body which by definition is an erotic creature!”

Bam! Nailed it!

FTL: “Hmmmmmm…I’ll have to think about this.” She turned her gaze uncomfortably away from me. This conversation had taken a turn that was making her quite uneasy. Goodness. Was I altering her mind, her amazing brilliant mind that had settled into a belief that she needed to forever ban her erotic body to silence?

Me: “FTL?” I asked tentatively. “Could it be that you never thought of yourself as an erotic creature?”

FTL: “Oh, well, when I was younger I was a very erotic woman.”

Me: “What happened?”

Her: “I told you. Life has become about something far more elevated than sex.”

“I didn’t say anything about sex, FTL. I said ‘erotic creature,’ aka, the body, the fully matured feminine body that you live in, that carries you through life. Your feminine body is by definition a sexual being. The way your breasts curve out into the world, your waist indents, your hips swerve out. When fully relaxed that body knows how to undulate easily and send her erotic signals far and wide throughout your entire life. But if you want to talk about sex we can talk about sex. I know for a fact that the clitoris has no expiration date. Desire doesn’t give up! Lust is the healthiest most invigorating energy that rolls through our bodies! Every woman – exempting possibly those who have undergone female genital mutilation – is capable of feeling pleasure throughout her entire body for her entire life.”

FTL looked at me like I had been speaking in Swahili.

It may have been my mention of the word “clitoris.” Maybe I should have pushed my point further. FTL seemed to have a similar reaction to her erotic body that our culture has. Women who can no longer bear children don’t have desire, aren’t seen as sexual beings, can’t receive or give pleasure. Seriously? Let’s permanently debunk that evil little myth. The clitoris is the sole organ in the human body, male or female, that has one single lifelong purpose and that is to bring the owner pleasure. Period! It does that through the more than 8,000 nerve endings it has over its entire surface (the penis has only about 4,000). And the clitoris expands with age! Meaning that by the time a woman is say, 65, the age of our FTL, her clitoris will be seven times the size it was at birth! Think about it, seven times the pleasure! As I said to FTL, the clitoris has no expiration date. Don’t even get me started on the erogenous zone known as your skin and how many nerve endings of pleasure there are on it. Erotic pleasure is a human gift.

The concept that FTL’s body was a creature with desire and fire seemed to spin her. She seemed at a loss. Her eyes shifted and bobbed as if trying to find center again, drifting toward some kind of deep body awakening. She looked away from me and then just as suddenly caught herself. And very methodically she turned toward me, “Sheila you are adorable, you and your pole dancing, but until you are my age you really can’t understand where I am coming from. But I admire you. I really do.”

With that she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and disappeared into the party. Escaped! Whoa! What? Was I just dressed down? Yes, I was!

Fifteen years into this journey of guiding women toward their body truth, their beauty, their soulful sexuality and I am still astounded with the controversy it provokes. Feminine sexuality. It’s the hot button topic of the millennium. So hot that it sends even some of the most awakened thinkers of our time running for the hills. It keeps women enchained in darkness with frozen bodies yearning to fly, stretch free, curve and be seen in all of their magnificent radiance. How can we move away from a place of unease toward the female body towards a place of elevation and celebration of her? Fully awakening to her true potential and the luminosity of her feminine light?

FTL is coming to town to speak next week. I bought tickets. I will go and shake her hand. I will nod my head and try to remain silent. But I know me. Maybe this time my words will seduce her into the light. Her own beautiful erotic feminine light of being. Wish me luck!

The post The Clitoris Doesn’t Have an Expiration Date appeared first on Pole World News.

Pole Dance e Loop Bands®, forza e flessibilità

Scritto da Andrea Boaretto Nel corso della mia carriera di personal trainer e preparatore ho seguito professionisti di svariate discipline, convinto che il metodo d’allenamento da me proposto fosse adattabile a qualsiasi categoria di atleta. Tuttavia non avrei mai pensato che un giorno avrei lavorato con delle ballerine. Non che abbia qualcosa contro chi pratica […]

Il primo Pole Dance Passport Training Day: 25 Ottobre 2015 Milano

Tornare a casa, farsi una doccia, mettersi direttamente il pigiama perché te lo senti che da lì a poco crollerai sul divano. Così è andata la mia serata dopo la prima giornata del Pole Dance Passport Training Day. Una giornata full-immersion dalle 10:30 alle 19:30 di solo workshop e tante poler più un maschietto, che […]

Honesty

An Essay by David Whyte

Honesty is reached through the doorway of grief and loss. Where we cannot go in our mind, our memory, or our body is where we cannot be straight with another, with the world, or with our self. The fear of loss, in one form or another, is the motivator behind all conscious and unconscious dishonesties: all of us are afraid of loss, in all its forms, all of us, at times, are haunted or overwhelmed by the possibility of a disappearance, and all of us therefore, are one short step away from dishonesty. Every human being dwells intimately close to a door of revelation they are afraid to pass through. Honesty lies in understanding our close and necessary relationship with not wanting to hear the truth.

The ability to speak the truth is as much the ability to describe what it is like to stand in trepidation at this door, as it is to actually go through it and become that beautifully honest spiritual warrior, equal to all circumstances, we would like to become. Honesty is not the revealing of some foundational truth that gives us power over life or another or even the self, but a robust incarnation into the unknown unfolding vulnerability of existence, where we acknowledge how powerless we feel, how little we actually know, how afraid we are of not knowing and how astonished we are by the generous measure of loss that is conferred upon even the most average life.

Honesty is grounded in humility and indeed in humiliation, and in admitting exactly where we are powerless. Honesty is not found in revealing the truth, but in understanding how deeply afraid of it we are. To become honest is in effect to become fully and robustly incarnated into powerlessness. Honesty allows us to live with not knowing. We do not know the full story, we do not know where we are in the story; we do not know who is at fault or who will carry the blame in the end. Honesty is not a weapon to keep loss and heartbreak at bay, honesty is the outer diagnostic of our ability to come to ground in reality, the hardest attainable ground of all, the place where we actually dwell, the living, breathing frontier where there is no realistic choice between gain or loss.

‘HONESTY’ Excerpted From CONSOLATIONS:
The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning
of Everyday Words
© 2015 David Whyte and Many Rivers Press

Now Available
http://davidwhyte.stores.yahoo.net/newbook.html and Amazon.com

When the director Mark Pellington approached me with his wish to make a short film of my essay ‘Honesty’. I was intrigued but had absolutely no idea how he could accomplish such a task. An essay in film? In the end, I was completely floored by the result, a visceral sometimes overwhelming look, literally and figuratively at the inner complexion of a freeing honesty emerging through the face of grief and loss. Thank you Mark.

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What Is Yoga and Is It Right For You?

By Paras Saini KabirPanthi

Yoga is a form of exercise that unites breath, mind, body, and spirit. The word and practice YOGA conjures up images of Eastern philosophy and ancient practices. Modern day yoga practice has been discovered in the Western world by many people who want to strengthen their bodies in a new way.

Yoga is not the fast pace cardiovascular workout like running, dance class, or a sport like
tennis. Yoga is learning how to slow your thoughts way down, place all your attention on the present moment, and create an oasis of stillness in your movements.

Striking a yoga pose builds strength in every part of your body. It reconnects you to your higher spirit while your body and mind learn to BE still.

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Scared to get off the pill?

By Melissa Ramos

Hey Friend?

I don’t know about you, but women tell me all the time “Melissa, I want to get off the pill, but I’m scared to.” Truthfully, I don’t blame them. Hormones will fluctuate and I’m sure people have told you that you may gain weight too. Well before you jump off the pill, I want to talk to you about the deficiencies that are created and that you should know about before doing anything. (In fact you can take these supplements while on the pill too!) Plus I’ve provided a recipe that you are seriously going to go organic bananas over.

PS – Don’t forget guys,

my private hormone Facebook group, Sexy Lady Balls Private is open right now and free until the relaunch of the program, so join now if you haven’t already.

xo

Melissa

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How Can I Improve My Pole Skills?

By Meri Burgess

The number one thing I would say is practice…putting in the hours is so important. Your rate of improvement varies greatly depending on how much work you put into it. The two things I’ve done to push myself to practice? The first, is entering competitions and showcases. With every competition I do, I break through plateaus and gain strength in new ways that I might not have even necessarily been training for that specific competition.

So far I’ve been in about 6 competitions in the past 2 years, plus at least another 6 shows. Each one has been well worth it! Competing can sound intimidating, but I started out with Pole Sport Organization (PSO) events that have specific levels you can enter without any qualification rounds. It is a great place to start.

The second thing I did was enroll in a 9 month professional aerial dance training program through Frequent Flyers Productions in Boulder, Colorado last year. It was 20-25 hours a week of training in pretty much any aerial apparatus or aerial related cross training you can think of. Not only did this teach me a lot of skills, but it taught me how to train smart. Within the program we had a 6 week kinesiology course with a very skilled trainer, and beyond that I took half a dozen private sessions with her to work on very specific muscle engagements and alignment techniques. We also did a lot of ground based dance classes, which have expanded my vocabulary greatly.

You don’t necessarily need to find a program exactly like the one I did if you don’t want to move or pay for something like that, but rather, you can build your own based on resources around you. I’ve only been doing this for 3.5 years, with absolutely zero athletic or dance background, and I was pretty rough around the edges to start…I’m only just beginning to feel semi-competent!

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Fermento, troppe idee| La pole sopra Berlino 3

Come scopro che c’è la possibilità di dire la mia su quello che mi aspetto dalla nuova palestra che aprirà, ovvero la mia seconda casa, letteralmente tempesto di email questa povera martire che è la mia insegnante. Lei apprezza tantissimo tutti i miei suggerimenti, prende perfino in considerazione l’idea di istituire un corso di anelli, […]

Preparazione del grande evento: Pole Dance Passport Training Day

Per la serie viziamoci sto preparando questa giornata del primissimo Pole Dance Passport Training Day in tutto e per tutto. Le lezioni sono pronte e il team io, Valentina Domino, Shishi McDonald e Chiara Salvadé carico per farvi passare un’ottima giornata di pole. Alla Body Rock Pole Dance Studio c’è, oltre alla sala dove allenarci, uno […]

There are a lot of great pole dancers with exceptional skills today.

Then every now and then, a routine just stands out!

I just had to share this one.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Dear SmallBiz, Are you Being Human Online?

  All small businesses share something that no one can take away from them: passion. And, with online communication channels and networks, we can all share and enjoy that passion. How? By being human. It’s not your fault, we all forget that online interaction should be no different than face-to-face. Yes, you’re talking and communicating... Read more »

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Dieci anni di Miss Pole Dance Australia

Miss Pole Dance Australia non è solo il principale campionato di pole dance in madrepatria, ma è anche una delle più famose manifestazioni di pole dance nel mondo, a cui prendono parte ragazze provenienti da tutto il territorio australiano. Firmato Bobbi’s Pole Studio, di cui ricalca l’inconfondibile stile caratterizzato da sensualità, acrobaticità ed eleganza, il […]

Calisthenics per la pole dance, funziona davvero?

Un famoso proverbio africano ci insegna che, ogni mattina, il leone e la gazzella si svegliano al sorgere del sole e sanno di dover correre per conquistare la meta. Bene. Noi polers, per quanto diversi/e l’uno/a dall’altro/a nelle capacità, nei propositi, nei limiti, ci alziamo dal letto ogni giorno con il desiderio comune e la […]

Arriva il corso federale di Allenatore Agonistico Nazionale di Pole Sport-Pole Dance

A Gennaio si terrà presso la sede della FISAC GYM la Federazione Italiana Sport Acrobatici, il primo corso per “Allenatore Agonistico Nazionale di Pole Sport-Pole Dance”. Un corso interamente teorico che preparerà a diventare Allenatore del mondo agonistico della pole dance, un ruolo che sarà sempre più richiesto visto l’evoluzione della pole dance. Tra le lezioni […]

La dura ricerca di una scuola | La pole sopra Berlino 2

Nonostante Berlino sia una città stato, in 800 kmq ci sono solamente 5 scuole di pole dance. Una, la migliore, scartata per i motivi di cui vi ho parlato nell’articolo precedente. Non mi resta che vagliare le altre quattro. La prima viene scartata a priori: ha corsi incompatibili con i miei orari lavorativi, la seconda […]

La mia vita tra coulotte, leggings e tacchi alti

Qualcuno una volta mi ha detto “se metti i leggings fuori dalla palestra, li metterai sempre”. Non ci credevo, alla fine in ufficio ci andavo spesso vestita elegante con tacchi e vestitini.  Mi aiutavano a ricordarmi che ero al lavoro e dovevo provare ad essere seria, anche se non ci sono mai riuscita completamente. Poi […]

Samantha Fabbrini You beautiful legend

“You beautiful legend”. Non me ne voglia Lisette Krol, ma quando ho letto il post che ha lasciato sulla bacheca di Samantha, all’indomani del suo terzo posto agli ultimi mondiali IPSF, ho pensato che non ci fossero parole migliori per descrivere questa splendida atleta. Samantha Fabbrini è indubbiamente tra le migliori pole dancer Master 40+ […]

When is The Right Time To Hand Over An Online Community?

Are you thinking about building an online brand community? 95% fail within the first 12 months. Click to read more about the most common fail factor and how you can get around it.

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Pole Dance Matters: Performers tribute to #blacklivesmatter

Los Angeles – Dance has always been a catalyst for empowerment. As a powerful tool of artistic expression, its potency can liberate the viewer and incite change. After being bombarded with news and images per the recent upsurge in senseless killings, from Trayvon Martin to Eric Garner to Sandra Bland, Mia Shanté knew she had to do something. Her spirit was calling her to dance out the trauma, the pain and the hurt. Shanté gathered together an ensemble of some of Los Angeles’ top pole dancers to participate in a dance ritual to Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us” and has released a performance video entitled, “Old Fight. New Dance: Black Lives Matter.” at https://vimeo.com/channels/miashanteproductions .

“Old fight. New Dance: Black Lives Matter,” quakes with bold defiance while resonating with heartfelt compassion. Expresses Shanté, “In particular, I envisioned this as a piece for black women.   We haven’t really been highlighted during this movement. We have had to mourn the deaths of our fathers, husbands, brothers and children and often we are there to build the men who have been victimized back up. This video is to let people know that as pole dancers, we hear them, we feel them, we are them and to still hold on to hope. Black lives do matter.”

Filmed in a warehouse location, eight pole dancers move fearless and graceful between vignettes of protest footage interspersed with passages of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I have a Dream” speech over Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us.” The pole dancers, dressed in black, move in sync and solidarity, passing through pain to triumph.

“Old Fight. New Dance: Black Lives Matter,” was directed by Shanté for Mia Shanté Productions. Pole artist/performer Phoenix Kazree choreographed the production. Kazree, an Alvin Ailey American Dance School, Joffrey Ballet and “The Lion King” alumni, holds pole champion titles from around the world. Brandon Deese served as the director of photography. The pole dance collaboration includes some of the industry’s top polers including Candace Cane, Divine Em, Jamé Elis, Kelly Yvonne, Kitty Marie LaVeaux, Melody Amber-Marie, Onyx Black, Sasja Lee and Tehera Nesfield.

Left to right back row: Sasja “Fierce” Lee, , Kelly Yvonne, Mia Shanté and Divine Em Left to right front row: Jamé Elis, Tehera Nesfield, Onyx Black and Candace Cane

A Chicago native, Mia Shanté aka The Vegan Bodybuilding Pole Dancer, is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, a 2014 National Figure Competitor, a 2015 Pacific Pole Championships Level 4 Dramatic Champion and most recently the 2015 Paragon Latin America Championships 1st Runner Up. She is also a member of Kelly Yvonne Productions’ Girl Next Door cast, the first and longest running pole dance revue in the world featuring top ranked local and international pole stars. With a background in television production, Shanté has combined pole with production to produce “Old fight. New Dance: Black Lives Matter,” the first release from Mia Shanté Productions.

Shanté’s interpretational dance concept at https://vimeo.com/channels/miashanteproductions indeed moves the Black life movement forward. Dance with her at @justmia23 on Instagram.

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