Pages

Thursday, July 25, 2013

How long can you pole dance?

Last weekend was full of lots of pole goodness.  One of the conversations I had was about the length of a pole dancing career.  Sure, we currently see amazing dancers of all ages...teens, 20's, up to 50's and 60's.  When you see a pole dancer in his or her 60's, though, can you imagine their bodies still doing that in their 80's?  One might think that starting young might extend that career, but sometimes putting that much pressure on a young body isn't good either.  I also understand that the body really starts to change in your 30's, so maintaining muscle and flexibility becomes more of a full-time job.  

The pioneer of pole dancing in North America is Fawnia Dietrich.  She started pole dancing in 1994.  That means Fawnia is 19 years into her pole career.  Fawnia may be one of those people who is the perfect mix of great genetics, hard work and good luck.  Her body is amazing and she may easily have another 20 years in her.  The industry as a whole is still very young, though -- mostly under 10 years old.  And I think the average dancer may not luck out with a 40 year career. 

I think there are so many factors and no easy answers.  What is your fitness background?  What kind of training did you do before pole?  Genetics.  Injuries.  Pure luck.  

Pole is still a somewhat new sport.  However, I'm sure if you look at the careers of ballet dancers, gymnasts and circus performers, you will see that most bodies can't handle the physical rigors of dancing for 50+ years.  I was reading up on ballet dancers and many start by the age of 7 but retire by the time they are in their 30's (and I am sure many have a much shorter career).  Hopefully they have picked up some additional skills along the way to pay the bills since true retirement age is still 30+ years away.  I imagine gymnasts follow a similar pattern (and I wonder if they are all putting their health at risk by starting to train their bodies at such a young age). 

I worry about the health of the pole industry as I see studio owners struggling to keep their doors open.  Not only are some barely able to cover their studio bills, but they can't even pay themselves, or buy medical insurance and retirement plans.  And they are doing a sport that has a very high risk for career-ending injury.

I don't have an answer to my own question.  So, I put it out to the pole world.  How many good years do you think a pole dancer has, regardless of the age they started?  

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

A Poletastic Nadia Sharif Weekend

Last weekend was one of those unexpected, fun adventure weekends.  I knew Nadia Sharif would be in town but couldn't sign up for any workshops.  Wonky foot is having a bad life right about now (surgery in two weeks!!).  I did, however, hope to at least see her since she is the biggest lover of my boobies (it's good she doesn't mind them...they are face height for her). 

On Saturday, my good friend Kate from Pole Etak had hooked up some of us Twirly Girls with the opportunity to have bit parts on a reality TV show.  If you've ever filmed a reality TV show, it isn't all that real.  But we got to sit around for the afternoon and chat and have fun with our friends while we were waiting for our turn.  The show is called Let It Ride, which will be on the National Geographic channel.  You can read an article about it HERE

That evening, Kate, Rita and I met up with awesome pole ninja, Nadia Sharif to have dinner.  On our way, we stopped for a photo adventure on Grizzly Peak.  It is really beautiful up in the hills between Moraga and Berkeley.  And it often feels like I am rushing from one thing to the next without really enjoying what I'm doing.  So it was nice to take a few minutes to be silly and take in the beautiful views.

On Sunday, Nadia had a workshop at Sedusa in Campbell, California, which is about an hour away.  She asked if I could drive her and I am always down for an adventure with Nadia!  I asked if Kate could join us.  She did and we had a great time.  The studio was really beautiful.  There were ten poles in the main room -- three up on a stage.  There was also an 11th pole inside a cage on the side of the room, which I claimed as my home.  It was awesome.  I loved the cage.

My foot really limits me physically right now but I did do the warm-ups for each workshop.  Oh man was I sore on Monday!  I made me realize how much strength and flexibility I've lost since my foot really started hurting in April and I started limiting my exercise.  I have made a new commitment to at least get some yoga in four or five times a week (which I did last night at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco -- Yoga on the Labyrinth -- check it out!). 

After the workshops, we stopped for dinner before delivering Nadia to the airport.  Kate was participating in a yogangster yoga pose photo challenge.  So, in front of the strip mall restaurant, we stopped to take photos of Kate attempting a crow pose variation with her leg extended behind her (I couldn't even dream of doing it).  A drunk dude from some nowhere bar (no really, I think it was called Nowhere Bar & Grill) came out and was staring and talking shit. So we left and Kate didn't get her official yogangster pose.  He felt like Nadia and I weren't being supportive enough of Kate.  bahahahahaahahahahahaha!  He drunkenly stumbled to his motorcycle where his wife informed him that he'd ruined our day.  HA! 

We left San Jose and sadly dropped Nadia off at the airport.  Kate and I continued our adventure into San Francisco where I dropped her off at her apartment in the Tenderloin district.  The Tenderloin in San Francisco is such an interesting place.  Mostly little white girls like Kate should not be hanging out in that area.  The night before, there had been two shootings within blocks of Kate's apartment.  We tried to find the body chalk outline but apparently the police don't use those anymore.  I dropped Kate off and started my own adventure across the Bay Bridge to get home (WTF is up with that much traffic on a Sunday?!). 

Thanks again to all my poletastic friends for a lovely weekend!!  I can't wait for the next one!

Monday, July 22, 2013

Chunky Girl Comics

Recently, through a chain of awesome events, I was chosen to represent a comic book character named Candy.  Chunky Girl Comics is about the Heavy Response Unit.  "The Heavy Response Unit storyline follows four friends who go from being happy, well adjusted, overweight women in Northern California to having to fight for equality when it essentially becomes illegal to be overweight in America.  Not only are the girls curvy, but they are all of different ethnic backgrounds."

"Chunky Girl Comics is breaking down barriers and introducing the world of comics to Rosie, Sage, Sweet Pea and Candy, a group of ladies with curves in all of the right places that are determined to break the standards of what a typical superhero should look like." 

I am really excited about this project.  I know that I struggle with self-esteem and body image issues but I still want to be a strong role model for little girls.  I want them to know that they are beautiful no matter their size.  When I was younger, I stood a head taller than everyone in my class.  I was not designed to be a delicate flower.  I definitely didn't have any tall, strong female role models back then.  I hope that Candy is that role model for younger girls and that I can help bring Candy to life.

My first adventure with the Chunky Girl Comics crowd will be Sunday, August 4th at Stockton-Con.  Providing my foot agrees post-surgery, a photoshoot is being planned for late August/early September.  I have been debating going back to being a blonde, but won't have time prior to these events so I will be wearing a wig.  Pray it's chilly because you know that's gonna make this girl sweat!  

Chunky Girl Comics also has a kickstarter-type campaign to fund the printing of their first full length issue of the Heavy Response Unit.  If you are able to donate in any way, please click HERE.    

I'm really excited about this next adventure!  I feel like Candy and the Twirling Viking Warrior would make great friends, so the red-headed Viking and the big blonde bombshell will co-exist very peacefully in my world.  

If you are able to help with a donation and/or can join us at Stockton-Con, I would love to see you!  Please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from strong, curvy role models like the HRU girls!


Friday, July 12, 2013

Twirl for a Cause: AIDS Walk San Francisco Fundraiser

On Saturday, July 6, 2013, local pole dancers came together to help us raise money for my good friend, Jimmy Gale, and AIDS Walk San Francisco.  We received a ton of awesome raffle prizes from friends, local businesses and some online pole companies.  Club 1220 graciously hosted the event and Twirly Girls Pole Fitness was a co-presenter.

I want to thank Dew Point Pole for sending a box FULL of goodies to raffle.  I also want to thank our friends Lety, Rita and Mary, who donated items and baskets.  Liquidpulp Photography donated three beautiful prints.  Vanessa Howell donated a Bedroom Kandi goodie bag.  Grace from Twirly Girls donated an hour class for ten people.  Diana from Twirly Girls donated adorable Harry Potter jewelry.  There was also a gift certificate from Everything Under the Rainbow.  The Starlight Room donated tickets to Sunday's A Drag for auction.  Plus, there were many, many other prizes that I haven't listed.  Thank you thank you thank you to those who donated!

We had many dancers from around the Bay Area, including recent transplant, Amy from Boston Pole Fitness, Kate and Sasha from Pole Etak, and the amazing Jill Anne.  From Twirly Girls, we had Sean Michael (who is also a coach at Kinetic Arts Center in Oakland), Diana, Kim, Patrick, Robert, Alyssa, Grace, Jimmy and Yolanda (aka Team Greazeh!).  I want to thank the dancers who donated their tips to the fundraiser.  Thank you to Diana and Kim for arriving early and setting up Diana's pole.  Thank you to Diana for letting us borrow that pole!  Thank you to Bel for allowing us to use her stage pole and for trusting us to honor the Twirly Girl name at an event when she had to work at the studio.  Thank you to Patrick for helping me set up the pole and to AJ and Robert for helping me take it down (it was a little difficult to do anything but stand upright in that corset).  Thank you to Robert and Rita for taking photos.  Thank you to 1220 for allowing us to use their bar for our fundraisers.  Thank you to DJ Mikey for not only running the music but for always donating his own money to tip the dancers and join in on the auctions!  I especially want to thank Farrah from Twirly Girls, our tireless pole cleaner and doctor-in-training. 

I really cannot thank everyone enough for coming out to dance, to donate raffle items and to watch the show.  You helped raise about $1,200 towards Jimmy's $10,000 fundraising goal.  If you couldn't make the show but would still like to donate, please click THIS link. 

And one more thank you to anyone I may have inadvertently forgotten.  My brain...it's getting old and it doesn't remember everything anymore.  :-)  I have never met a more giving group of people.  If you missed the event and you'd like to watch a playlist of the videos, please click THIS link. 




Tuesday, July 9, 2013

July Blog Hop: A day in the life of a pole dancer

This month's blog hop is about chronicling a day in the life of a pole dancer...  If you want to check out other entries for this month, click HERE

I am no average pole dancer.  Especially not lately with this 9 month old foot injury that is causing more and more pain every single day.  Even on my best, most pain-free day, I am not the most awesome pole dancer you will ever meet.  I am not putting myself down.  Just stating a fact.  But what I love to do is put on pole events.  So today I will tell you about the day in the life of a pole dance event coordinator.

Last Saturday, Twirly Girls Pole Fitness and Club 1220 sponsored Twirl for a Cause: An AIDS Walk Fundraiser to benefit star walker, Jimmy Gale.  Truly setting up this event started many moons ago, when Jimmy and I had to set the date with our location, Club 1220, a bar in Walnut Creek, California.  We also had to invite dancers willing to perform and find sponsors willing to donate raffle items.  But this post is about a single day in the life of, so...

I purposely picked up the stage pole from Twirly Girls the night before the event.  We had two poles but Diana from Twirly Girls was transporting her pole to the event separately.  Twirly Girls is 25 miles from my house and I was worried that Saturday would be hectic and wanted to have one thing checked off my list.  I also had the dancers sign liability and photo releases the night before.  Two things checked off the list.

On Saturday, I woke up and ran some errands.  I picked up water, ice and snacks so the performers would have a little something during the time they were at the club.  I then had to get myself ready.  This is where it gets fun.  See, I debated back and forth on whether I wanted to dress up since I figured I would be co-MC at the event, or whether I wanted to dress comfortably, as I knew I'd be running around a lot.  Biggest drawback to dressing up cute is that my foot won't allow cute shoes, so I'd have to be barefoot (plus I'd be setting up the pole without the ability to breathe in the tight corset I wanted to wear).  Biggest drawback to not dressing up is I end up in a million photos looking like a homeless lady.  So I dressed up.  Now I have to transport a heavy stage pole and set up wearing the corset.

I got to the club around 4:30 PM to set up.  None of my cohorts were there yet so I mostly wandered around outside.  Got a thumbs up from some firemen on my outfit at least.  Soon enough, people were arriving and thank goodness, Patrick, and others did most of the unloading of my truck and setting up of the pole. 

The next hour and a half were kind of a blur.  I was mostly running around, setting up, getting the dancers into the dressing area, gathering CDs of music...  Then at 5:45, I realized I'd forgotten three raffle items at home.  My house is only a mile away but it was bad timing.  The show was supposed to start at 6 PM.  The bar was still kind of empty, so with Jimmy's help, I decided to run home to get the missing items.  On my way back, one of the dancers called and needed a ride, so I swung over to BART and picked her up.  We arrived back at the club around 6:15 PM.  The bar was suddenly packed.  We got started around 6:30. 

I felt like the event went really well.  We allowed tipping of the dancers and the dancers were then able to decide how much they wanted to donate to the fundraiser.  Normally, of course, we don't allow tipping at our showcases.  Although I love pole dancing, I really feel like dancing is very personal for me.  So, I do participate in showcases but I don't feel like performing is my life calling.  I felt much more comfortable being behind the scenes and sharing MC duties with Jimmy (I have a lot of work to do to sound better on the mic, though).  I did participate a little in a "twerking" finale, which was fun.  I felt like I was running around the entire show -- barefoot on a cement floor.  I saw some familiar faces but didn't really get to say hi.  I really, really appreciated everyone who came out to support us, though.   

After the show was over, it was clean-up time.  The minute the show ended, I ripped that corset off and sucked in as much air as I could get into my lungs.  At the end of the event, I had been on my feet for over six hours and my foot was definitely toast.  We got to dinner after 9 PM.  We celebrated the $1,200 raised for AIDS Walk San Francisco by hitting up a sushi bar and eating some "healthy fried vegetables," aka tempura.


So, that is one day in the life of a pole dance event coordinator.  I really, really enjoy setting up pole shows.  I realize I am still learning about how to throw a huge event and I am hoping to apply what I learn each time to making the next event bigger and better. 


Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Twirly Girl Pole Dancing Documentary

Awhile ago, Bel mentioned to me that she had been contacted by a girl named Karen about doing a pole fitness documentary for her school project.  Bel said she had talked about me and that Karen was interested in interviewing me as well.  I get excited/nervous when opportunities like this present themselves.  Will I look okay?  Will I say the right thing?  Will I represent pole properly?

Initially, the idea was presented to me as a documentary about pole fitness.  I have talked about the difference between pole dance and pole fitness.  The lines are blurred for me but there is often a distinct difference for those who prefer one or the other.  I wondered if I could properly present a good story about pole fitness when I am not exactly the best representation of society's desired "fit" person.  I pulled on my Health At Every Size big girl panties and said I'd do it.

I chatted with Karen before we met.  She said she'd send me the questions to review prior to our interview.  I had my whole pole dancing story ready in my head, ready to present it in linear fashion.  Then I received the questions.  Clearly, Karen had done her research.  She knew everything about me.  My entire history with weight issues.  My religious up-bringing.  Everything.  This wasn't just about pole dance.  This was about my life journey.  From being a big kid to a fat college student.  This was about weight loss surgery.  It was about re-gaining weight.  This was about health and fitness and pole dance.  This was MY story.  Suddenly, I was more than nervous. 

I cried as I read the questions, re-counting stories in my head from when I was younger and made to feel like I wasn't good enough because I was chubby.  I followed the questions and re-gathered my thoughts.  This interview was going to be WAY harder than I thought!

Tina and I met on two different occasions.  We did talk about my story.  About my weight and upbringing.  And about how pole dance has changed me as a person.  And I didn't cry!  But it was a really awesome experience.  I've been on such an amazing journey, starting with Rita and I meeting Bel in December of 2009, all the way to now, dancing with my class, Boys, Girls and Twirls on Monday nights.  I have met so many awesome people and I thank each and every one for being part of my life. 

So, without further adieu, here is Karen's class project, a documentary about ME!  Please check it out and feel free to leave a comment on YouTube to let Karen know what you think about her project.