Monthly Archives: January 2014

Power & Pole: Some Thoughts

Jan 27

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A note about this post: I’m working on a theory about pole that I have not fully fleshed out, but this post is my attempt to get some of it out of my head. I apologize if it is not fully formed, or does not make sense, but I hope to eventually get it all put together in a coherent form.

When someone asks you what you’ve gotten from pole, or how it has changed you, what do you say?

  • It’s fun
  • It makes me happy
  • I have made great friends
  • It’s an awesome work out
  • I’ve lost weight/gotten in shape
  • I have more confidence
  • I feel sexier

Do any of these sound familiar?

I think all of these are common expressions of the types of things that people enjoy from pole. One of the great things about this activity is that it can bring so many great things to so many different people. What I am curious about, though, is how these may fit into a larger picture.

I have a theory that pole brings one thing to the majority of people involved in it, which manifests itself in all of the ways I have listed (and more).

Pole brings Power.

I think that the reason that pole is so challenging for some people to accept – especially in those they love – is that the power that comes with it is scary. When people who were not previously empowered begin to change and grow, it challenges those around them. How their community responds to them is interesting to me.

If you think of a person as part of a whole community, and the idea that the community reacts to them in a certain role, think about how a change in that person can challenge how the others in the community see and know themselves. (It’s related to Gestalt Psychology.) If you are an insecure person when you begin to pole, and pole inspires you to have more confidence in yourself, what happens to those around you who knew you – or even relied on you – to be insecure? This isn’t to say that people be aware enough to know that your insecurity was something they relied on…but…think about it. If the change in you causes a shift in you, and a shift in the balance of your relationship with others…wouldn’t that be considered a threat to them?

Why am I talking about this?

A friend of mine recently spoke with me about the reactions her significant other was having regarding her journey with pole. The reactions range from pouty when she goes to class to demanding (if not borderline controlling) regarding the amount of time she would like to spend with pole. In chatting with her about how she has changed since the inception of their relationship, and particularly since pole came into her life, it made me wonder: was the new insecurity expressed by her partner a result of the shift in her personal power? Or, does it have nothing to do with pole, i.e. the fault lying only in the insecurity of the partner in question.

I would love to hear about the personal journeys of those of you who read my blog, particularly in terms of pole and your own empowerment. How have others responded? What changes have you noticed yourself, and have those changes heralded changes in others in your circle? It’s certainly something to think about.

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Free Dance Pole and Floor Exploration: A Class Review

Jan 18

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If you follow my Facebook page, you’ll know that I recently began taking class with the lovely Sparrowhawk (Iris) here in LA. She teaches a class at Metamorphosis: Mind, Body, and Pole called “Free Dance Pole and Exploration”…and I am in love!

As of late, I’ve been feeling really disconnected from pole. Taking time off over the holidays did not help, as my strength and endurance took a hit, which causes me to feel even more at odds with the movement. So, I found myself gravitating more toward dancing. Not throwing in many tricks, but just working on the floor, or around the pole. It helped me feel the joy I had been missing from my trick attempts.

Iris’s class is based in that very element: moving away from the drive to be so trick oriented, and focusing on the freedom that can come from letting go within the movement. However you choose to express it is fine, because your movement is yours. She sets parameters for each guided exploration, and you explore within those parameters. It’s incredibly freeing in a weird way – whenever I dance in her class, I find myself being aware of when I am not lost in the moment. I know when I am in my head, and I then have the opportunity to choose to let go again. I get to explore things organically, see where I bump up against challenges, see where I open up to certain things, and more. Most of all, I get to move and enjoy the movement without the feeling of needing to nail whatever I am doing (or, related to that, feeling so bad that I am not nailing anything).

On Thursday, it happened to be just myself and Iris in class, so we taped our exercises for the purpose of watching them after each dance (in a larger class, we do rounds and watch each other, although taping is permitted). I gave Iris permission to post it, so she created a supercut of the work we did, along with some info about the class and each exercise. Here is the video:

This class is beyond yummy. I love it. I love getting to MOVE and DANCE in a way that is expressive. I miss acting, and this is a way for me to explore that sort of expression again. I love getting to move in a way that allows me to feel confident, as opposed to feeling so down about not nailing tricks, or about feeling so tired after taking time off. I love the idea of exploring exercises, even when I run into something confronting.

I think what Iris is doing is so important, and I also believe there’s a place for it in our community. I suspect it is where we are headed next, too – a return to the organic nature of dance and a celebration of movement for each individual, as opposed to feeling like we have to fit into some box of This Is Good or What Is Acceptable.

If you’re in LA/SoCal, come check out Iris’s class sometime. It’s well worth it. The class is currently on Thursday nights at 6pm, in Studio City, but the time/date may change in the future. Full details can be found on the Meta website. And, if you aren’t, watch the video above and think about some of the explanations she has included. Consider playing these explorations on your own. Even when I am not in her class (because I can’t always make it), I have begun to try to incorporate the ideas into my free styles. Below is one that I recorded today, at The Pole Garage. All I focused on this time was not being in my head, following the movement where it lead me, and including one inversion on the pole. So, you see, you can set whatever parameters you want for yourself. The most important thing is to allow yourself the freedom to explore without judgement. 🙂

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