Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Ottobre e i miei buoni propositi nello sport
Monday, September 28, 2015
5 Things Your Pole Instructor Hates to Hear You Say
[Alex Taylor | PWN]
Ok, ‘hate’ is probably too strong of a word. More like, ‘not super duper fond of’. Below is a lighthearted list of comments (in no particular order) that we, as pole instructors, occasionally hear from our students in some varied form or another regardless of skill level, and kind of wish we didn’t. This is not to say that I, myself, haven’t been guilty of uttering such words. Teachers were, after all, students first—and the good ones still are. But having had the privilege of instructing countless classes over the past few years, one learns that being a good student is just as crucial to a fulfilling pole journey as it is to having a good teacher.
1. I don’t get what I’m supposed to do, so I’ll just go up and have you tell me.
Listen, we completely understand that when it comes to learning a new move, words only go so far. More often than not, experiencing even just a part of a trick or transition firsthand is the best way to understand where your points of contact are or what’s rotating and where, even if you, as the student, aren’t able to fully execute the move yet. What isn’t helpful (or safe) is when a student chooses not to take the time to comprehend the breakdown, gets on the pole, and then expects the teacher to physically guide them through each step in the short time it usually takes before their grip starts to slip, all the while spotting them throughout the whole process. Confusion and frustration ensue, strength is needlessly spent, and we’re back to square one. There have been numerous studies on the power of visualization; if you can see in your mind’s eye what your body needs to do during a specific trick, your chances of success increase dramatically. Even if you get stuck—physically or mentally—once you’re actually on the pole, you’ll have a better idea of what to do the next time you try, especially after your instructor helpfully points out what went wrong.
2. This move you’re teaching kind of looks like that other one. What’s the point?
Details, people. Style. Variation. I remember showing a student cup grip for the first time, specifically in an ayesha. Her response took me a bit by surprise, “If I can do my ayesha with twisted grip, what’s the point in learning it with cup?” I explained that different grips allow for more fluid transitions into subsequent moves, but she was right in a way. What is the point in learning any move? Well, that’s entirely up to us. As awesomely tight knit as our community is, we’re all on our own unique pole journey. That’s the beauty; we can pick and choose what to learn and master. There’s something for everyone, but not every trick is for everybody. Are there a bunch of moves that are visually similar? No doubt. There’s only so much a human body can do on a metal stick, even though innovative shapes and transitions created by our fellow dancers inspire us daily. As both an instructor and a student, I relish the challenge of taking what I know and expanding upon the variations, even if they’re not immediately obvious. But I totally get there are those who would rather stick to learning moves that look completely different from one another. Nonetheless, the next time you’re not feeling what’s being taught in class that day, I humbly ask that you respect the possibility of its value to another student.
3. I don’t know what to do anymore. Teach me something new!
This one completely depends on the situation. We’ve all been there: the dreaded plateau. Sometimes all it takes is learning a new trick to re-ignite our passion; other times we find that shifting our focus—from tricks to flow, for example—is what lifts us out of our rut. When my students clamor for something new, that’s awesome. I mean, what kind of teacher doesn’t love a motivated learner? Occasionally, however, a student will express boredom of what they know without having mastered the fundamentals, and that’s when the comment above rustles my jimmies. Case in point, I would be more than happy to teach you a combo you’ve never tried before involving an aerial invert, but why don’t we solidify our inverts from the floor first? Nah, I just want to learn something new. Well, alrighty then. At the end of the day, all we want as your pole instructor is for you to improve, and it irks us (some more than others) when a student forgoes improvement for novelty.
4. There’s no way I can do that.
No one knows our bodies better than ourselves. Sometimes we’ll see a move on Facebook or Instagram and know without a shadow of a doubt that our body is physically incapable of doing it. Chances are, however, your regular pole teacher is also fairly aware of your body’s current limitations as well as potential, which allows us to effectively help you push past them. Some of my favorite moments as an instructor are when a student initially refuses to try a move for fear of guaranteed failure, and I get to prove him/her wrong. Pole can be downright terrifying, and it’s smart to have a little fear, but if you trust your instructor, you may end up surprising yourself. They say it doesn’t get easier; you just get stronger.
5. …
So, uh, was it good for you? Any pole instructor will tell you that a silent class is the worst. Chatty Cathies talking over your lesson aren’t much better, but when I’m one-on-one with a student, it can be hard to gauge how their experience was after trying a particular move, which in turn, makes it more difficult to offer tips. Your pained expression and string of expletives says a lot, but if you abort a trick mid-way and don’t offer any clue as to why, I’m forced to assume what when wrong by sight and wisdom alone. Sometimes that’s enough, but it’s always helpful for you as the student to tell us what didn’t feel right so that we’re better informed when giving advice on how to correct it. Did you feel your top hand slipping? Was your shoulder stuck? Did you find it hard to balance? Was it just painful as fuck? Good to know!
So there you have it. Now you can be sufficiently paranoid about saying something in class that your teacher is going to blog about later. Just kidding. I obviously don’t speak for all pole dance instructors, but if sharing my own experience helps students get more out of their classes, we all win.
The post 5 Things Your Pole Instructor Hates to Hear You Say appeared first on Pole World News.
Friday, September 25, 2015
Why Free Dance? Pt I
[Stella Melina |PWN]
Introduction
Free dancing can be a very fulfilling, rewarding, and fun form of movement that bestows many benefits for everyone including those looking for a great workout or the seasoned professional dancer/performer. For me, it definitely did not come naturally but as with any skill, it takes some learning, dedication and time.
At first, I was terrified, awkward, and incredibly self-conscious. Luckily, I started my pole journey at a studio that encouraged and supported the exploration of feminine movement not only on the pole but also on the floor, the walls, furniture – any place the body wanted to discover. This safe, supportive environment helped me to keep opening up to free movement as my body unraveled and absorbed the concept of moving for pleasure, exploration, and release.
Much of my growth as a dancer is attributed to free dancing. As I changed my focus to more body awareness movement such dance improvisation, floor movement, and somatic movement, it has allowed me to step back, listen to my body and let it to have a stronger, more expansive voice. This has not only fed my mind and spirit but it has also improved and expanded my range of motion, technique, and ultimately enjoyment through dance.
Below are some benefits that some from free dance and improvisational movement:
Part 1
1) Increase Confidence
Free dance or improvisation helps people overcome shyness and insecurity by learning to relate to the body in new ways while connecting to its most primal, inherent movement. The movement performed during free dance functions like a mirror that allows one to notice the emotions, abilities, and behaviors that arise. By embracing and celebrating the body and its ability while also noticing any limitations, one is able to keep expanding and learning while gaining confidence.
2) Become Fearless
For many, gaining confidence also leads to making bold choices and dancing uninhibited—all helpful whether you are choreographing a routine, auditioning or performing on stage. With confidence comes courage and willingness to step out a little further from our comfort zone. You no longer fear that which you cannot control but learn to trust your ability and strength.
3) Assist with Healing and Tending to Injuries
There is much research and documentation on the ways dancing relieves stress but forming the connection with the mind and body during free form movement also helps heal emotionally and physically.
For example, last year I suffered a severe back and neck injury during a pole accident. Movement was severely restricted and prohibited for several weeks but when my medical providers gave me the go ahead, I was able to gently ease into slow, gentle movement. I used this time to reconnect with my body and the ensuing pain, frustration, and sadness that emerged. I experienced terrible loss in my range of motion, strength and flexibility. Using my breath and a supportive instructor, I explored the various barriers that all I suddenly had to face in order to continue on my path to recovery.
This exploration took time, patience and some heartache but each time I was able to push a little further reassuring my body each step of the way. Slowly I gained back my confidence while taking my time and respecting my body’s wishes at each phase. Using free dance as a mindful, slow approach back to well-being made all the difference in my recovery.
Stay tuned for the second half of this series where I will share more great reasons to free dance!
© Stella Melina, 2015
Learn more about Stella Melina and keep up on articles and inspiration at http://www.stellamazing.com
The post Why Free Dance? Pt I appeared first on Pole World News.
Come vincere tre biglietti per il Pole Dance Passport Training Day
Get Started w/ Content Hubs: Tips from our #BizHeroes
According to Twitter user statistics, 6,000 tweets are sent every second, adding up to 500 million tweets per day. That’s a lot of photos, links and videos to go through and just from one social network. There’s no question that we’re bombarded with lots of information every minute of our online presence which in turn... Read more »
The post Get Started w/ Content Hubs: Tips from our #BizHeroes appeared first on Paper.li.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
The Inner Sweet Tooth
[Cali Cutler | PWN]
Nobody does well on refined sugar and processed sugar substitutes like high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, aspartame, sucralose, and splenda. Of course there is a physical, chemical addiction that your body has when it is addicted to sweets or processed carbohydrates, BUT… and that’s a big BUT, most people turn to sweets, or any food when they are not hungry for that matter, when they feel a lack in their lives. A feeling on not-enough. Geneen Roth said something that changed my life, “We don’t want hot fudge sundaes as much as we want our LIVES to be hot fudge sundaes.”
Take a moment to explore what you’re really wanting. Many times I just want to feel like I’m getting a break, or I really want a nice cool glass of water, or go in the sunshine for a moment and stretch, and cuddle my puppy, to feel loved. That is the kind of sweetness that is real, it is lasting, it really hits my inner “sweet tooth.” Because we want our lives to be sweet. We don’t want a whole pack of Oreos and then to feel gross after we are done. That’s not having a sweet life, that’s escaping your body and using food to bridge the gap.
Overeating is a sign that you are not recognizing what, right now, of which you have enough. Hunger is natural. Satisfaction is natural. Overeating is stemmed from pain and avoidance. Overeating is rooted in filling a void that you don’t want to address because maybe it’s too scary, too painful, and it’s better to numb yourself with food than to confront it.
That emptiness, that not-enoughness, immediately disappears the moment you come back to your body and start noticing what you DO have. Your focus upon lack is suddenly replaced with a focus upon all the things in your life that you are grateful for. When you allow yourself to be in your body, to feel your fingers against the keyboard, the light coming from the computer screen, the thirst on your tongue, the weight of your hair, your skin against the cool air, you come back to the present. You come back to being here in your physical body. You find that you’re actually ok. That your body is actually doing thousands of different chemical exchanges and sensations that are actually doing what they’re supposed to. Your body works. Your eyes work. You tune into the miracle of your body, you allow yourself to actually be here, instead of escaping with your food of choice.
In my magical and mind-blowing coaching program, we explore the ways that you really want your life to be sweet. About the ways you escape from food, about how you act out your feelings of feeling ashamed, or abandoned, or nervous, or sad, by choosing sweets or overeating or medicating yourself through food. There’s a whole universe between “I want that piece of cake” to licking your fingers with the last bite. That universe is the access point to your true nature. Come play!
Check out Cali’s 12-week “Eating from the inside-out” Coaching here:
http://calicutler.net/
The post The Inner Sweet Tooth appeared first on Pole World News.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Should You Cross Train with The Bar Brothers?
[Eileen Regina | PWN]
Klaus and I co-founded Pole World News and the Annual PWN Awards and Showcase in order to celebrate the beauty, power, and energy of pole and aerial athletes and artists all over the world. We celebrate the achievements of all of the movers and shakers who have contributed to our industry. We also salute anyone who exercises the courage to get on a pole or aerial apparatus for the first time. All of us remember what it was like our first time…and how intimidating it can be initially. Throughout the years, I have seen people be transformed by taking pole classes and immersing themselves in the pole and aerial community.
Many of us are now in the best physical shape of our lives, as well as constantly being challenged to grow mentally, emotionally, and creatively. Cheers to everyone who has ever had to fight for what they want and achieved victory. Cheers to everyone in our industry who trains hard, competes internationally, and represents our community in a positive way. For those who identify with experiencing struggles, overcoming obstacles, and finding your purpose through it all, check out The Bar Brothers. Their system seems to help pole and aerial artists take their fitness goals to the next level physically and mentally and they are living success stories. If you are into street poling, you will love this system!
Cheers to success in all of your pole and aerial pursuits!
Love,
Eileen
The post Should You Cross Train with The Bar Brothers? appeared first on Pole World News.