Miss April 2011: LILY
 
Occupation: Inventory Planner

Your motto: i can’t not shop

How long have you been pole dancing at Divine? about a year and a half

Did you have any previous dance or fitness training before starting pole? i’ve danced ever since i was little- ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and even a little salsa.

What made you decide to take pole dancing classes? i took some of those “cardio striptease” classes at the gym when they started becoming popular a few years ago but they weren’t anything like i thought they were going to be. when i started hearing about pole dancing being the next new fitness craze it seemed like a logical next step, so why not try it out?

Favorite class? (spins, inversions, or boudoir), and why? inversions because i’m doing things in that class that i had never thought i would be able to do

What is it that you LOVE about pole dancing at Divine? i still cannot get over how supportive all the women are towards each other. i think the last time i had such good relationships with other females was back in grade school before hormones kicked in.

Platforms or legwarmers? i’m going to go with platforms only because they don’t get in the way of climbing or inverting.

What are you currently working on technically? solidifying my twisted grip handspring and starting on my twisted grip descend
 
What are you working on artistically? dancing in my inversions

Do you have a favorite song to pole dance to? i don’t think i have just one. it depends on the mood. i’m really digging the new adele album right now, 21, but black and gold by sam sparro and secret by missy higgins are always good to dance to

We LOVE music at Divine.  What 3 songs would be featured on the soundtrack to YOUR life?

1. unfold by jason mraz

2. numb by linkin park

3. i will follow you into the dark by death cab for cutie

Guilty pleasure: trashy romance novels, young adult novels (which are basically the same thing just rated PG13 or R), the disney channel

Any inspirational advice you would like to share with newcomers? don’t give up. it’s hard, sometimes it hurts, and maybe you don’t think you’ll ever be able to do it, but one day you will. i never thought i would be able to climb a pole or hang upside down on one until i started taking these classes. a month ago i didn’t think i would be able to do the tricks i’m learning (and starting to stick!) now. be patient and keep trying. you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish.

I hope you are eating well and taking excellent care of your body. I know you never indulge in anything that may have an ill effect on your health – like dark chocolate peanut butter cups or Molly Moon’s ice cream, or those delicious, moist, frosting-topped Trophy Cupcakes. Right!!

If you are anything like me, you may have tried many times to quit the crack-rock sugar habit  – to no avail. Well, I have decided that instead of the madness of trying to take things out of my diet all the time, I am going to add things to my diet. It’s easier, and you can pat yourself on the back way more often.

I was encouraged this week after watching the documentary film, “Food Matters” on my Netflix. What an inspirational eye-opener! I have been wanting to eat more raw foods for many years, but felt under inspired because I didn’t fully understand the rewards of eating raw foods. I was also frequently discouraged by my seeming inability to change 36 years of eating habits.

The most shocking and motivating thing I learned from “Food Matters” is that when we eat cooked food, our immune systems react to it as if we were consuming a toxin. Shocking. Unbelievable. The cooked food then starts generating white blood cell activity against the cooked food we have just ingested. Apparently, cooking the food changes the food’s structure so that our bodies don’t recognize it. What a bummer! So what is a savory hot-food-lovin’ girl to do? Never eat another hot meal again? Curl up in a ball and cry? Resent my parents for not starting me young on raw food? Naw!

The happy news is that if we eat 51% raw, our immune systems will not activate the false alarm. As I’ve learned more and more about the beauty and benefits of eating raw, my resolve has strengthened and my commitment to eat raw foods has been reinvigorated. I’ve also learned a few new tricks that keep me going in my quest for great health. I will share these golden kernals of wisdom:

1. Inspire yourself by learning about the AWESOME benefits of eating raw food.
It is simply the best fuel for your bod. I like to feel high, but I don’t like to break the law. Eating raw is the new “mommy’s little helper.”  Who needs Percocet when you can eat raw and get a clean, healthy, guilt-free high? How many people are out there medicate themselves with drugs when all they really need is food?

2. Add. Do NOT try to take out all the foods that you eat and love.
This is a discouraging mess. Just add some raw at every meal. Slow and steady wins the race. Someday you will make it to 50%, and then 51%, and who knows where you will go from there?

3. Be patient.
Sometimes our bodies have been malnourished for so long that they simply get overwhelmed with the introduction of raw food to our systems. Start out slow. My body used to get really irritated by raw food. My stomach just didn’t know how to handle anything alive. It was accustomed to food that was dead and processed. Squeeze yourself some fresh veggie juice (store-bought stuff is pasteurized and therefore ‘dead’). Drink it often. Eat some raw veggies. Once you start to feel the love, it will be easier to continue. You’ll be amazed.

4. Add Supplements.
It’s pretty easy to swallow a pill, but be careful. All vitamins are not created equal. Most vitamins contain isolated nutrients and are not whole foods. Our bodies don’t like isolated nutrients. I learned a lot from my friend, Amy, who is an expert on eating raw foods and effective supplementation. She introduced me to a a line of supplements by Dr. Chen -  a physician, pharmacist, and biochemist. I have been eating Dr. Chen’s Nuplus (it’s a whole food shake) for over eight months now and it has helped my tummy get used to raw foods and has eased the transition by lessening my sugar cravings!  LOVE it. * See below for more info on the shake.

3. Don’t give up.
Eat a little raw every day! Even if you miss a meal, get back on the horse. Your body will thank you once you start to feel the biochemical goodies.

Remember! Raw foods have amazing super powers which we need to stay strong and to conquer all those crazy pole moves. We all know that pole dancing gives us special ninja powers, but who knew that eating raw could take things to the next level and make us feel like a superheroes?

You know the feeling. Your dancing along and it’s just not happening.  What is a girl to do?  Dance is an elusive thing and the high you get while dancing can be even more elusive.  I have found over the years that sometimes I am just stressed or tired but that most of the time my music choice has a bigger affect than either of those things.

In your journey to find your groove there may be hurdles to leap and brush to blaze through, which is all a part of the process. Without it your dancing would not have that beautiful, rare and complex depth.  Dancing can be so reflective of life and what is going on inside of us and so I cannot tell you what your Boudoir Dance journey will hold for you , but I can share with you how it was for me.  My dancing revealed some pretty personal things about me over the years and I hope it will do the same for you even though it is not always fun!

In my dancing I had the difficult recognition of my need to please others, to look good and to be in control at all times.  Basically I have an ongoing struggle with vanity.  Although being admired on center stage can have a certain satisfaction it is not the purest form of art and I have found it is a lesser satisfaction than what can be had!!  What can be had is creative freedom and emancipation from that sneaky little fear block that all artists must endure and strive overcome at some point.  Although music isn’t everything in the chemistry of a great dance I have learned that  music can affect me in a way that triggers my ‘vanity’ response and certain types of music support my goal of honest expression and sublime surrender.  It is up to each dancer to pay attention and learn how her heart and body respond to music.

It has been so difficult for me to let go of appearances and to be in the moment unfettered and free, gaining courage one dance at a time . But in this process I have found in myself a nurturer, a lover, a heroine and a wild women.  What would I ever do without them?  They bring me joy as they come out to play with reckless abandon, sometimes graceful, sometimes sloppy but always Divine.

I have to confess that I had, for years, trouble understanding why women loved shopping.  It seemed frustrating, exhausting, and most often disappointing.  I also felt I was missing out on something.

Since I started dancing, though, I have done a complete 180.  Seriously, I think that the womanly, sensuous style of dance we do releases estrogen or something.  I really feel like a girl.

As I savor these moments of joy and delight at being a girl and all the fun things that come with it I feel a pang of grief for all the years that were void of that joy and a sigh of relief for my new perspective.

I headed over to Bartell Drugs today for wrapping paper.  It’s always clean and quiet in this particular store.  As I walked in the entire world outside just disappeared.  Suddenly I was transported into a world of colors, textures and smells.   I was in the moment.  It hit me like a ton of bricks, “this is why we love shopping”.  Sure, we like a good deal and the glee that comes with purchasing something new, but it is the experience of the moment that really delivers.  I feel calm when I am in the moment.  It’s a tiny island oasis or that bite of chocolate.  It’s what I learned from dance.

I love the feeling I get when I am putting the key into the door of the studio.  I feel a sense of relief as I step through the door, and into the world of music and dance, knowing that soon I will feel the warm glow of dim lights and the slow, sweet wave of music washing through me.  I know that in those moments where I listen, follow and obey I will be pulled into the  moment and in that moment be restored and invigorated.

Divine Ladies!  We are excited to introduce our Student of the Month blog.

Miss June 2010: Nikki B.

Occupation? Fashion Designer

How long have you been pole dancing at Divine? Since January 2010, so like 5 months (wow, seems so much longer then that!)

Did you have any previous dance or fitness training before starting pole? No formal dance experience.  I have always been involved in sports, worked out at the gym and I meet with a fitness trainer twice a week.  But I have friends that have no athletic training and they love pole as much as I do!

What made you decide to take classes? Honestly I was watching The Girls Next Door and the twins were asked to audition for a pole-dancing role in a Sophia Coppola movie.  The whole episode was them practicing and it looked like so much fun!  They had never done it before and they don’t seem at all athletic so I knew I could do it.  Plus I was looking for new FUN ways to exercise so I signed up the next day!

Favorite class (spins/transitions, inversions, boudoir), and why? Well, Boudoir is great for practicing, but I have to say Spins and Transitions is my favorite right now.  It is always fun to learn new spins and practice them over and over again until you can do it without even thinking! AND this class is a great workout, especially when it is a climbing week!

What is it that you LOVE about pole dancing at Divine? Wow, there are so many things that I LOVE about pole dancing here.  It is a secure place where you can just let go and have fun while getting a great workout.  It’s like being a kid again when we are learning all the new moves.  I also love that when I go there and we begin the workout all the stress of the day just sort of disappears when we begin the warm up.

Favorite move? Probably the Angel, it is so flowy and pretty and you have a free hand to mess up your hair with!

Pants or shorts? Shorts for sure!!  I swear I just keep buying them shorter and shorter!  I could never climb the pole well until I switched to really short shorts.  I am not the skinniest person so I never wore shorts before pole fitness, but now I own like 12 pairs.  And there are the cute running skirts with the short under which are perfect for pole because you get to show your feminine side (also great for boudoir class when we dress up in fun outfits!).

What move is challenging you right now? The straight leg dismount from a climb and sit where you swing your leg around and down, then spin down the pole.  I barely get around the pole once and it is yet to be graceful!

Favorite song to dance to? Hearing Damage (Thom Yorke) hands down.

Edward or Jacob? Edward of course!!  But MY Edward from the book.  Not the movie. (although he is growing on me)

Any inspirational advice you would like to share with newcomers? Stick to the routine and really have fun with it.  I think I was on the routine for almost 4 months before I really started free styling.  Of course now and then I would change up the moves within the routine, but that’s how I am able to freestyle now.  I still go back to the routine whenever I am having an off day.  Also, just really let go!  This is a safe environment for all ladies of any size, shape and form so there is nothing to get nervous or embarrassed about.  No one is judging so give in to the music and express yourself through the dance!!

Once you’ve learned and mastered the basic principles of Boudoir Dance it’s time to let go.  The beautiful thing about mastering the wave and learning the moves is that you have created a safe and structured space for your body.  Now you are ready to fly!!

When we were kids ( I observe this in my own girls) we played without a bunch of rules.  Playing was ‘freestyle’(unless you had a bossy sister).  We made it up as we went along.  We weren’t afraid of sounding stupid because we knew we were playing and thus creating our own little reality right in that very moment. No boundaries, no rules. Kids just know how to play by instinct.   Trying to follow all the rules makes it cerebral and sucks the joy right out of our playful spirits. Rules are for learning, playing is for letting go and being in the moment.

You’ll know your have let go and are on the way to the zone when your movements start to evolve, organically, beyond recognition, and to live and breath a life of their own.  You will be surprised!

Dancing gives us an amazing opportunity to play again!  Just play.  I really relish the rush of an accomplishment or the mastering of a new move, but the greatest moments of joy I’ve had while pole dancing were had in the moment.

As Prince once said, “Make the rules, then break ‘em all ’cause you are the best”…..

I want to dance.  I want to dance when I’m driving in my car, I want to dance when I’m folding my laundry and I do dance in my kitchen!  (My household chores take twice as long when my ipod is on, but they are twice as fun.)

My favorite part of dance is the surrender.   I love to let go and feel the music.  The suspense of not knowing what comes next is exhilarating.  Although it has taken years for me to learn this aspect of the dance every step was worth it.

Today, I had some moments between loads of laundry that were truly Divine. My body just moved.  I listened and watched and followed in a lucid trance.  In these moments I feel creative potential bust wide open and I feel the endless stream that flows through me and for a few moments I have escaped the burden of my physical body.   I want every woman to know what it feels like to ‘let go’ if only for a moment at a time.  To feel the rush of this creative force pulse through their limbs.  To Surrender.

I believe that every woman is capable of learning this style of dance.  I have seen students grow from their first hesitant steps in 101 to poised and confident and truly captivating.   I love this job!.

What is it about pole dancing that we women love so much? Why has it spread like wildfire? Is it the adrenaline rush of achieving something you thought impossible? Is it the novelty of something totally new? Sure!  and it’s fun too, but what is the true secret of the pole’s allure? I know that a lot of people assume it ‘s just to impress your man.  Te he he he. Not quite.  

 Why do we really love pole dancing ladies? I know, I know! And although it is top secret I am going to tell you. (You are one of the lucky and privileged few). Are you ready? ‘Cause it’s a shocker!!! Here ‘goes: We women like to feel beautiful. That’s why.

Pole dancing is a sensuous and gorgeous movement that feels beautiful and gets us in touch with our womanly side. It also challenges our female bodies in a feminine way, a circular way that conserves our beautiful curves. Why be a robot on a treadmill when you can dance? Why take yet another step aerobics class when you can spin, pivot and flip yourself into shape?

The allure of the pole goes even deeper. Something of our feminine spirit gets lost as we try to keep up with the pace of this world. White knuckled and jaws clenched we power through our days. Stress can make us tense and unyielding, burying the soft inviting warmth that is innate in a woman. Devouring the quiet stillness and the ‘at rest’ peace, that defines inspiring beauty.
Dancing in a hypnotic, sensuous flow helps to unwind all of that tension so we can be soft once more and alive inside our bodies.
Besides being good for a woman’s body and stress levels, the inherent playfulness of spinning twirling and dancing is healthy for a woman’s heart. The support and encouragement from other women fulfills a need for community that we women have built into the fiber of our beings.
So, to those who say pole dancing is a temporary trend, I say, think again!

Well, here we are on the subject that comes up a lot and sort of circulates around the topic of pole dancing:
Dancing/stripping for your boyfriend…….
Many women come to class to surprise their boyfriends and come to realize that pole dancing is not for him. It is for her! (read my secret of pole’s allure blog to find out why).
I have given it a lot of thought over the years and am convinced that it does more harm than good to give your man a dance. (Husbands not included. Married ladies dance your hearts out). Controversial, I know.
Here are my 5 reasons why:

1. It won’t get you what you want. Pole dancing for your boyfriend will not get you a wedding ring, secure your relationship, nor will it give you special powers over him. So, put down the Cosmo and start using your brains! Guys want more than just sex. (Oh goody)

2. It reduces your worth in his eyes. Most women think they will be his favorite super-star girlfriend if they pull off the perfect strip-tease or pole dance.
Guys are a lot smarter than we thought ladies. (Oh darn). Contrary to popular belief a man’s brains are not located in his pants. They may use their penis to make short term decisions, like whether or not to sleep with the girl who just lapdanced him, but you don’t want to be one of those short term decisions, do you? Long term decisions like getting married, commitment, or falling in love are made with his head and heart. You gotta respect that!
What your boyfriend, or that dude your sort of seeing, is really thinking when you dance for him is, “she is really working hard to impress me”, Translation: “she is really desperate”, or “How many guys has she done this for?”; Translation: I’ll sleep with her but then I will move on. You have just established yourself as a public playground in his mind. (ouch! that hurts) Public playgrounds can be fun for now, but where would you rather spend your life? A public playground or a private garden?

3. Your are not a public playground. You are a beautiful private garden and the key to unlock your garden gate is security, honesty, trust and love. The trust is earned. He will earn it and love every minute of it if you would only let him. By sleeping with and dancing for your man you are depriving him of his essential manly drive to earn it!  (That’s not nice).  Men value what they earn.

4. Most important!   You are disabling the best bad seed eliminator that you have. You don’t dance for him, you don’t sleep with him and he walks. High five!!! You just avoided a whole lotta heartache.

5. He will value you and the relationship more if you don’t. You will increase the worth of yourself and all women by doing your part. Men today are so used to getting it on the 3rd date that they have become like spoiled children who don’t value what they have. Total entitlement.  Ugh.

Do we really need to give it up like that ladies?
To some it may sound a bit old fashioned, but we are so far from old fashioned today that It would take a major miracle to return us to that level of chastity. I mean let’s get real! I only say these things because I wish someone would have told me. Not to embarrass us for our past actions but to give us hope for the future.

Most of my students come to class with the hopes of a fun, exciting new way to work out and of course pole dancing is all that and more. Since starting pole dancing in 2005 I’ve discovered it is also challenging, rewarding, exciting, exhilarating, creative, beautiful, and more inspiring than any other movement I have tried.
Besides all of that, though, it has been a learning experience about myself as a woman.
I’ve learned that I really do like high heels, lace and the color pink a whole lot! Finally, I have come to admit I do want to feel pretty. It’s like my ‘being a girl’ got lost for awhile, or maybe I just had no idea what to do with it, but I have absolutely decided to deny it no longer! I am hardwired to feel beautiful. Let the pretty begin!
I am talking about a kind of pretty that is a feeling, a sensation that comes from gratitude. It’s the kind of beauty that doesn’t require a mirror or photograph. It comes from inside when the sun shines on your cheek and the wind gently tousles your hair. The kind of beauty that makes you giggle or throw your head back with laughter. The kind that makes you want to get together with the girls and twirl and dance. The kind of beauty that is reflected in the heart of every woman.
It is the kind of beauty that liberates. And finally, it is the kind of beauty I feel when I am dancing.