My 2014 Pole Goals!

My pole goals for the year of the horse, 2014!

First on my list, is more of a continuation from 2013. I want to continue working on my flexibility. I have been slowly getting a little more bendy with the help of AJ at Twirly Girls Pole Fitness, but I really want to push myself this year. I know I have it in me, as I have seen how far I can flex in some areas when AJ pushes on my body. I just need to get to where I can do it on my own. Oh, and remember to breath while I am stretching myself out.   

Next on the list is getting into Superman, on my own. This will be happening soon I hope. I can get into Superman out of Jasmine with a little help now. When I say a little help, I mean someone grabbing my ass and pushing me thigh over and popping into position. I know I can hold the position once I get into it. Then, of course, I want to keep working on other moves as well. I can only get better, right?

 

The third item on my list is dealing with choreography. I am lousy at learning choreography and coming up with it. I think part of this has to do with my dyslexia. I seem to get moves switched around or backwards. So, right now, when I perform, I do it free style. One thing that I have planned to do to help me get over this is a pole number with Jade for the Lovely Rita Fundraiser later this year. I am hoping this will build my confidence with choreographed numbers.

What you will see next on my list is I want to just continue to have fun! I enjoy my classes, dancing with my fellow pole dancers and promoting pole. That fun also includes looking forward to going to Pole Expo in Las Vegas! I have to wait till September for that though.

 

The last thing on my list is actually a goal for 2015. I want to be the Might Grip Guy of 2015. First step is becoming the Face of Mighty Grip for a month in 2014. I am on my third try, for the Face of February. At least I know I have 9 or 10 more tries if I don’t get February. After I win a month, I go on to the next level for Mighty Grip Guy 2015. Don’t you think a Cowboy would make a good Mighty Grip Guy? I do have to say I love all the support I have gotten from the folks at Mighty Grip, especially Stephanie! So if you see my photo post from Mighty Grip on FaceBook, please ‘like’ it!

So, I think that ends my list, for now. I know as the year progresses, I will want to add more to it. I will keep you up dated as we go. 

Keep it wild!

My Pole Family

I have heard that Armistead Maupin once said “there is your biological family and then there is your logical family.”  I lucked out and my biological family is part of my logical family. Today, however, I am going to talk about the non biological family, my pole family.

When I started pole dancing, I figured on a couple of things. One, I would be getting some exercise and probably shed a few pounds. I also know I would have some fun doing it. The biggest thing I got out of pole dancing, and unexpected, was the sense of family.

On the first time entering the pole studio, I was a little apprehensive. I was entering what I thought was the girl’s club house. That feeling went right out the door. I was immediately considered one of the girls and family bonding time had begun. I was just blown away by the instant support at was shown towards me over just the first few pole classes I had taken.  That sense of belonging just continued to grow from there.

 

(Ok, I have to interject here… As I am writing this blog about pole family, I am also dealing with my pole show I am doing February 1 for my AIDS LifeCycle fundraiser. They say family is there to help you out, well, Diana, one of the instructors from the studio I go to, just volunteered her stage pole for us to use at the show. This is what I am talking about! Ok, now back to your regularly planned blog.)

 

Now, this new family all belongs to the same studio. I did a pole show last year as a fundraiser and I cannot tell you how lucky and proud I was to be a part of this group. The performers volunteering their time and donating their tips, it was amazing! Then there is the learning. If someone thought of something that might help me progress in pole dancing, they let me know, even if I was not in one of their classes. And again, the support is amazing. I am not a great pole dancer but the way this group cheers you on, you can’t help but feel great about your performance. But like I said, this was my pole studio family. It wasn’t till I went to Pole Expo that I saw how big my whole Pole Family was.

Pole Expo was amazing for me! (Thanks to my hubby for paying for me to go! Love You!) I got to meet so many people. How can I describe it? It was like every person I met, regardless of what level they were at in pole dancing or how well they were know, I was on that same level, I was just as important.  It was like, ‘oh, you pole? Then you’re family’.  And the connections continue on, even after the expo was over. Most of it might be on FaceBook, but the communication continues. The notes of support, the comments of encouragement, all of it makes me feel like I belong.

Then there are even the people in pole that I have not met in person, but treat me like family. It makes me feel good and appreciated.

The last thing I’ll say about my pole family is you have all affected me one way or another. Because of you, I push myself harder and further. Not just in pole, but in all aspects of my life. I feel that I can’t fail; I have too many hands holding me up and pushing me higher. I can only imagine what this world would be like if more people were this accepting and giving and caring as my pole family.

 

Putting on a Small Pole Show!

I want you to know pole dancing! How do I do that? I put on a show!

I am about to put on my third pole dancing show on February 1^st. This one will be a benefit for my AIDS LifeCycle ride in June. I am doing the main chunk of the organizing for this one. The other two, I had a lot of help from my friend and fellow pole dancer, Lori Myers. She has shown me the ropes for getting these little shows organized.

 

The venue for theses shows have been a little club in Walnut Creek called Club 1220. We set up a stage curtain for the performers to get ready behind and one or two stage poles on the dance floor. It makes for an intimate evening of pole dancing.

I have been lucky, because the club does not charge for use of the space and lets us keep the money that is made at the door. The door money has all gone towards the fundraiser or invested into putting on future shows, like the one coming up.

I like the small venue for these shows. It gives a place for the pole dancers to perform without the pressure of a big audience. This is a great chance for the ones that want to show what they have learned in class to friends or family.

Then there is a show that I just went to last night, Volare Variety at the Stage Werx Theater in San Francisco. This was a Burlesque style show with singers, a drag queen and of course, pole artists. The wonderful Kate Cotruvo produced this show. The theater seats 70 and also makes for an intimate atmosphere. All the seats had great views without feeling far away from the performances. I look forward to more of Volare Variety show there.

I guess what I am getting at is these small venues are great for putting on a pole show. And these small pole shows are a great way to introduce new people to pole dancing and see what it is all about. 

Becoming Superman

I’m becoming Superman! Well, I am doing Superman. The pole pose ‘Superman’ that is.

I have been poling for a little under two years now at Twirly Girls Pole Fitness.  One of the moves that I have been working on is the ‘Superman’ pose.  This is where you body is horizontal to the floor, the pole squeezed between your inner thighs, legs extended, one arm reaching back and gripping the pole and the other arm extended out in front of you.  There are a few ways to get into this position. As for myself, I have been working on getting into ‘Superman’ from a ‘Jasmine’.

Well, my first attempts did not look that great. One thing, it hurts like crazy on the inner thighs. My legs were bent to where I looked more like I was in a horizontal squat.  I also needed help getting flipped over from the ‘Jasmine’ into the ‘Superman’.

I just needed to practice more at it and that’s what I did. The pain has become less on the inner thighs and I was able to extend my legs longer. I still needed help getting flipped over into position, but I was getting closer to it.

Finally, just a few nights ago, we worked on ‘Superman’ in pole class. I still needed the help on getting flipped over, but I got into the position. My legs were extended long and toes pointed with my arm reaching out for the sky.

I have to give a big thanks to one on my instructors, AJ, for getting me this far. I know with a little more push and a little more effort; I will be getting there on my own. I will have become Superman!

Poling in 2013

What a great year 2014 is going to be! How do I know that? I just look back at what I accomplished and where I was in 2013!

 

Yeah, I have to say that 2013 was a pretty great year. I got to meet some amazing people and see some fantastic performances. The thing is that none of this would ever have happened if not for pole dancing. I have come a long way in 2013 in my pole adventures, especially in the last four months. 

One of the first big events for me was my fund raiser for the AIDS LifeCycle.  I was so amazed by the turn out and the unbelievable support from my fellow performers. Unfortunately, I injured my knee not too long for the bike ride and I was unable to do it. I am gearing up to do it this year and have another fund raiser in the works. 

March, 2013 had me reaching my first year of pole dancing. That made me an ‘OTG!’ an Original Twirly Girl at Twirly Girls Pole Fitness.  I was very proud of that and looking forward to reaching two years.  

I had a great time in 2013, but I have to say, the best part of the year started in September. First, there was Pole Expo in Las Vegas. That was an amazing event for me!

 

 

I got to meet so many amazing and wonderful people!  I took one of Zoraya Judd’s work shops and she had me doing some moves that I had never been able to do and gave a couple of great pole bruises too. I also got to meet and hang out with some of the most amazing performers, like Josiah “BadAzz” Grant, David Owen, and Suwasit Ritthiphon. Oh, and I got to meet Timber Brown, who had just come off of America’s Got Talent. By the way, it was Josiah “BadAzz” that gave me my stage name Cowboy Wild.

 

I also got to meet some other great people in the pole industries while at the expo. Of course there was Fawnia herself.

 

Then there were Trisha and Jack from Bad Kitty. I found some great shorts to pole dance in because of Trisha. I secretly want to be a Bad Kitty model!

 

There were the amazing ladies at Just Pole. They had donated to my AIDS LifeCycle so I had to personally thank them.

 

I also got to meet some amazing photographers, Christopher Donald and Sam Green. I’m still enjoying FaceBook banter with Sam. He has such a positive outlook on life.

I also got to do a photo shoot with Somer Ahonen of LockBox Studios. I never know I looked that good!

 

 

All I know is that I had such a great time at Pole Expo that I am going again this year! Everyone I have meet there has been so supportive! Pole Expo has even donated two passes to my fund raiser on February 1, 2014. Speaking about support from being at Pole Expo, I can’t forget to mention the crew at Mighty Grip! I didn’t get to meet Stephanie Brinlee, from Mighty Grip while at the last expo, but I am sure we have a date at the next one! She has been a great FaceBook friend and can’t wait to meet her in person! 

 

The other big thing for me in the last part of 2014 was meeting AJ. I started taking one of his classes at Twirly Girls Pole Fitness just a couple months ago. With him pushing my boundaries and body, I have come a long way in pole dancing. His encouragement and support is amazing and I am glad he doesn’t let me get away with me saying “I can’t do that.” 

 

Finally, while all that was happening in 2013, I continued to have a blast with the Viking Warrior, Lori, in her Boys, Girls and Twirls class. The place and person that got me started on this great adventure in Pole Dancing!

 

 

So, as you can see, 2013 has been a pretty amazing year for me. Now, lets get going and make 2014 even better!