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This week has been an interesting one when it comes to pole because I was rehearsing for a pole performance on an x stage lite. Normally I train / rehearse…

This week I have been rehearsing an old dance work (created within the last few months) that I would like to perform again. The urge to perform this particular piece…

There is much confusion about where pole dance stems from so I thought I would share my research, originally posted on www.rowenagander.com, so that it could help some of my…

Instagram is the place to be if you’re a pole dancer who is looking for inspiration for new tricks, combinations or floor movement. There are millions of perfectly posed pictures to view and a very rare few that show any imperfection. This can be off putting sometimes which is why I’m writing this post. Yes, everyone wants to look their best because of the hard work and perseverance that went into nailing the trick. However, I can guarantee that even the most perfect videos and screen shots were filmed at least 3 times until the right angle, lighting and movement was achieved. But, where does this leave the “outtakes”? How can we use these void clips to our advantage?

If you read last week’s post “pole dance choreography games” and you did as I instructed, i.e. video record your movement, I want you to look at that video as if it were in slow motion and choose a still that looks interesting to you. (more…)

Leading on from last weeks post, Pole Dance Plateau, I thought it would be useful to share some pole dance choreography games that you could use to explore and expand your movement vocabulary. Even if you are a pro at choreography it is good to go back to basics every so often. Moreover, choreography games are useful because sometimes we can get so caught up in what people expect from a pole dance, or from any style of dance, that we forget that the movement has a voice. The games listed below will keep you occupied for at least an hour, so make sure you give yourself time and don’t rush. You can do them on your own or with friends. Or if you’re a teacher, you can use these techniques with your students as a fun way to spice up their training session or as a way to generate movement material for an upcoming show. (more…)

We’ve all been there, we’ve all hit a pole dance plateau at some point or another, and it even happens to the world’s best at their art. We are taught that to become better at something, we must repeat the same actions over and over whilst never giving up until we reach the desired destination. However, whilst this is true, it can sometimes become a bit draining, and as a result of this, training can suffer due to the feeling of being overworked and uninspired. The key to getting over this is to recognize the signs and continue pushing through, i.e. if training feels like it is becoming a chore, it is a sure indication that something needs to shift. When I have experienced this kind of plateau in my training I have found that the tips listed below really help me find my training flow again. Try them out and let me know what you think. (more…)