Pole Dancing; The good, The bad, and The shoes.
I am from a small town in South Carolina. My county, at least when I was in high school 10 years ago, ranked second highest in the US for teen pregnancy. We were also pretty famous for our STD statistics, no big deal. Sex was happening. Sexuality, however, was not. Considering I moved from there when I was 18, this didn't really affect me too much. I went to the mountains and studied geology and soils. I graduated and moved to California to be with a boy. A few months after I moved here, my boyfriend insisted that I learn to shoot a gun. I was pretty freaked out by handguns, and I still am, but we went shotgun shooting at our local gun range. For the record, I'm a pretty good shot at Trap. There was a girl there, decked out in camouflage, knitting. I knew with that kind of juxtaposition we would be good friends; and we were. What do you get a girl like that for Christmas? Pole dancing classes. We went. It was awkward. Giggly even. And Thus begins The Good, The Bad, and The shoes.
The Good: We are not present in our bodies. We don't own sexuality, we don't own our movements, we don't own what we are capable of without using our words. In movement we can say "approach me" or we can say "bug off". We are taught mechanics of movement; walking, sitting, standing, running. Sometimes we learn a sport but we do not learn, usually, the art of conversation in movement. In this, pole dancing isn't unique. Dancing is conversational movement. However, pole dancing is a pretty specific conversation. So pole dancing has taught me to appreciate what I can do, and what I can present with my motions. Pole dancing is hard. It's basically one solid pull-up for however long the song you are dancing to is. Pole dancing, especially in practice (as opposed to performance) is a reminder to not take yourself too seriously. Much like other dance classes there are mirrors. You can watch your face scrunch up as you realize you are about to hit the ground hard. You can see how silly you look when you are learning something new; but you can also directly observe improvement.
The bad: There's a stigma. Pole dancing is for strippers. Pole dancing is trashy. Pole dancing is a way to make money when you aren't smart enough to do anything else. People have asked me if I get naked in class. It sounds harsh, but I've heard it. Because people think pole dancers are trashy and stupid, they also assume it is easy. This, depending on your outlook, can be a major benefit. Watching people realize how hard it is their first time in class, is fun. I've been doing it on and off for 2 years, and I still can't do basic things. Pole dancing requires physical fitness; or at least the pursuit of it. You have to be willing to look dumb. You will look dumb, and just like most other things in life, it is unlikely you will be the most talented person in the room. General etiquette in class is that it's not about anyone else but you. I've been a number of times and have never felt like the "in the business" dancers were looking at me at all.
The shoes: They are so lame. Some people wear shoes like that every day, on purpose, and aren't in the business of pole dancing. As I sit here with my orthopedic clogs, reveling in their comfort and ease of putting on, walking, taking off, I know I'm just not that kind of girl. I have one pair of kitten heels (less than 1.5 inches in height) that I can wear for a few hours, but that's about as far as I can take it. I can't walk in the platform stilettos. I can't really even put them on without being overwhelmed. But, here's a fun fact: the tops of the heels are usually plastic, or a really grippy material. Grippy shoes means less grippy arms and legs. This is a good thing. Metallic poles burn your skin if, say, you lack a little upper body strength and your forearms and calves slide. The shoes are a huge ego boost if you can't do a pull-up but you want to climb the pole. It's the equivalent to using stretch bands to assist on a pull-up bar. So, if you go, get shoes, don't put them on until absolutely necessary, use them for what they are good for, and then take them off. Or prance around in them with all of the grace and elegance that I lack.
In conclusion, pole dancing is a non-traditional means of expressing self, working out, and testing your own limits. I know a handful of students who are amazing artists in pole dancing, aerial silks, and aerial hoops. If you have ever been curious, Atomic Allure, Twirly Girl, Phoenix Aerial Art and Pole are reputable places in the area, each one has their own focus though, so check out their websites and see which one fits you best.
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