“Whatever you do, do it with elegance” – so reads the motto of ballerina Helena Lehmann and she seems to follow it with every fiber of her heart and every inch of her body. At the age of  four, Helena tried her first steps into the world of ballet and worked for many years as ballet  dancer in Odessa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater in Ukraine. When she moved to  Germany, she discovered pole dancing. And now she is working with her artistic performance  “Helena Vertical Dance” all over the world.

1. Helena how long have you been doing pole? What is your story?

I started with pole dancing five years ago and I loved it from the first moment. Even though it  was not easy for me to climb up on the pole at first . Ballet dancers are flexible and have strong  legs, but no power in the arms… But I had a vision: to combine pole dancing with my ballet  skills and to create an artistic performance to beautiful lyrical music. Nothing could stop me from  my dream! I was on “fire”, and I wanted to learn fast. That is why I decided, beside my work as a  ballet dancer, to take private pole lessons at least three times a week. I also went regularly to  the Gym to work on my strength. I just kept practicing, kept this vision in mind and already after  four months I had my first professional performance in  Germany!

2. What challenges did you have when you just started your artistic career in pole
dance?

My challenge was to be so good at what I do, that it would be accepted and seen as an artistic performance. Back then the German Variety scene was very skeptical about pole dancing.  When I presented my artistic performance, I chose to call it “Vertical Dance” not “Pole Dance”.  Otherwise, some producers or agencies would not even have looked at it. Now I am very happy  to see that pole dancing is accepted and seen as an art in many different types of shows and  events.

Featured photo and this photo by Gerhard Grossberger 

3. How is your creative work process when you prepare your performances?

Everything starts with the music… I find a music piece which inspires me and listen to it many times while I am visualizing a choreography… I see it in pictures, kind of like drawing a sketch in  my mind of a future  performance. Then I create three or four combinations of different pole  tricks and try them on a part of  the music where they could fit. In the end I combine all these pieces with a dance choreography. I practice until it gets “smooth” and fits perfectly to the  music. If I take a song with lyrics, first of all I listen to the meaning of the words, so I can  transform it into a dance. I like to change songs, so I can keep my feelings “fresh”. I also work  with live music quite often, the band and I we play and perform together and the result can be  truly magical .

4. What do you appreciate the most in a performance and in an artist?

In a performance, what I appreciate the most is uniqueness. In an artist, beside the love and dedication to his/her art, I appreciate a true personality on stage and backstage.

5. In which countries have you performed? Do you have some funny episode to  share?

I have performed in Japan, India, China, Turkey, Holland, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland,  Austria, Germany.  Once I was working in Germany, where besides my artistic performance I had to act and talk on
stage. The story of the show was that all artists are acting as themselves and we show to the  audience what our life is like. The show was taking place in the hotel where all artist live and  work together (like in real life). My first appearance on stage was:  I enter with my suitcase, like I had just arrived from the railway station and wanted to check in to  the hotel. I see the hotel owner and his assistant but they are busy. I say “hello” to get the  attention, they turn and as the owner of the hotel sees me, he is falling in love with me from the  first moment (he was a pantomime artist and played this moment very well with). When I ask  him a question, he cannot not talk, because he is so amazed by my beauty. His assistant  answers my question instead, gives me the key to my room and I go off the stage.
Well, on one of the shows I come on stage, I say “hello” and at this moment when the owner  turns to me a big fly lands on my nose, so instead of falling in love with me he starts to laugh,  points a finger at my nose and says “there is a fly”… I was not prepared for such a reaction and  we all three started to laugh on stage… The difficult thing was that I still had to continue the  conversation with his assistant, but all three of us could hardly talk through the tears from   laughing… I do not really remember how I handled it until the end of this scene, but I remember  I just wanted to go off the stage, because I was so embarrassed…

6. What is your favorite pole movement and which trick was the most difficult for
you?

Ballerina is my favorite, it is just so perfectly beautiful. The Flag was the most difficult trick for me! It took me long time to get it right!

7. What bands, singers or composers do you like for your pole dance training and
performances? Is it easy for you to find the right music?

For performance I take for example Ludovico Einaudi, Adele, London Grammar, Lana del Rey.  For practice I like to listen Trip Hop, Chillstep, lofi Hip Hop, Bonobo, Ta-ku and many others .

Photo by   Sifu Hans Schenkel 

8. Who are your pole inspirations?

Anastasia Skukhtorova, very elegant and graceful.

9. Which pole do you like to use and why?

I use X-Stage Lite 45mm Chrome or sometimes Silicone Black. It is comfortable and easy to  transport by car, easy to install and put on and off the stage.

10. What is your favorite pole store?

Normally I order online by www.poleshop.de or www.polesportshop.de

11. What tips can you give for those who are on the way to become professional pole
dancers?

First of all you have to take good care of your body. Your body is like a house where your soul  lives. You can practice a lot and intensively, but do not forget to take a good rest after. I do  practice a lot and I do different kinds of practice, not only pole tricks. Sometimes I do stretching  and ballet lessons, on other days I go to the gym or do exercises for my strength. Or I practice  pole with a stretching session afterwards. It is always different, depending on how I feel and if I  have a show in the evening or just free time. We are all different. It is important that you listen to  your body and to it needs, otherwise sooner or later you will get a burn out. You have to take at  least one day in a week off and do something nice and relaxing for you. It can be a massage, a  spa day or just a lazy, cozy day in bed. Eat a good organic food, a lot of vegetables and fruits,  you will have more energy and feel better. I do not speak about diet, no! I speak about your  lifestyle, about your well being. It must feel good to you!
Also there might come a moment, where you feel that there is no progress and you will get into  a little depression. Well, that is okay, it happened to me too. Try to understand where it comes  from. Maybe you practice to hard? Then take a little rest today. Or maybe you criticize yourself  to much? Go easy on yourself and stop comparing yourself to others! We are all different and  have a different learning curve. Acknowledge all your little successes and write them down. Say  to your self “well done” for all that you have already reached! Maybe your practice becomes a  routine and you just have to change something… do something new, different. Maybe learn a  new style of dance, or change your training space, music or practice outfit? You just have to  know, that this feeling will go away and very soon you will feel better and that it is all okay.  Stay focused, be brave and have fun with it! Find your uniqueness!

Photo by   Lutske Veenstra

12. Where one can book you for a show or visit your classes and workshops?

For the next five month I will be performing everyday ( Mondays off) in  Hansa Theater in Hamburg. You are welcome to see my show or contact me for  booking.

Thank you very much Helena!

Do you ever feel too sluggish to get out of bed, let alone go to your pole dancing class? We all have those days, especially during the cold months of the year, when that familiar feeling of “the winter blues” kicks in.
Putting aside all the comfy excuses we can make to stay in, here are some of the simplest ways you can ensure higher energy levels and avoid skipping pole dancing on any given day!

1. Pick a Short Wake up Routine

In addition to ten alarm clocks strategically dispersed all over your room to force you to get out of bed, there are less painful ways to get your juices flowing.
My personal favorite is doing the Sun Salutation for about 10 minutes as soon as I wake up. It helps me stretch, prepare my mind for work, and it gives me a much needed morning warm up which ensures a consistent energy flow.
Your routine, however, can be anything else. Taking a not-too-hot shower while listening to your favorite tunes or doing some other exercises can be equally beneficial.

2. Monitor Your Diet

Taking care of your diet doesn’t mean paying attention only to what you eat, but also when, how and how much.
Make sure to have a generous breakfast with proteins and complex carbs that will allow a steady release of glucose into your bloodstream.

This doesn’t mean that you should neglect the quality of your lunch or dinner, so keep your food versatile and nutritious, and your meals moderate.
Regular healthy snacks can also help, especially before an intense pole workout, so there is no need to shy away from some fruit or a handful of almonds.

3. Sleep Better

Perhaps eight hours of sleep every night is not what everyone needs, but we could all use a healthy sleeping pattern.
Since your body operates on an internal clock, it can get confused if you keep changing your bedtime, so stick to a schedule.
It would be best for your mind to remove all artificial light sources, such as your TV, phone or computer, and take a time-out from those gadgets about an hour or two before bedtime. This way, you will give your eyes and your brain enough time to unwind.

4. Find Time for Some Sun

I know that it can be difficult to find a sunny spot in a city during winter, but if there is even the slightest chance of doing that – take it!
Sunlight is your best friend for gaining more energy. It will not only give your body plenty of vitamin D, but it will also keep your skin safe and healthy.

5. Get Creative

Getting stuck in repetitive tasks is the perfect way to get bored out of your mind, which will only make you want to not do anything. Dancing will also seem less attractive, so taking up new hobbies is your way out.

It can be as simple as learning how to make a new hairdo or experimenting with a meal, but starting a whole new hobby is an even better choice. This will keep you alert and active, so your pole classes will seem even more appealing than before.

6. Meditate

Perhaps it seems counterintuitive, but allowing yourself a few peaceful moments through meditation can increase your energy.
Practicing mindfulness and meditation is not only good as a before bed routine, but also as a technique to relax your mind in preparation for the entire day, which will help you cope with stress and be more creative in your pole classes.

7. Go Outside

Even if it’s not sunny! Nature has an incredible effect on your mind and your body, so spending some time outside on a regular basis will do wonders for your mental and physical health.
That feeling of being tired can more often than not be associated with mental lack of energy. Being outside, breathing fresh air and surrounding yourself with nature’s wonders is one of those few perfect scenarios that put your mind at ease and into a state of recuperation.
After a brisk walk in the park, or better yet, in a forest, you will feel energized and focused, ready to bust some moves and break a sweat!

8. Drink Water

So many people care about their diet, but they forget that crucial element – hydration.
While you can always enjoy a glass of orange juice or a cup of tea, water is your key ingredient in staying focused and full of energy, especially if you are just starting out to learn how to pole dance.
Any physical activity, especially difficult ones like dancing put plenty of stress on your body. You need to keep yourself hydrated, to make the class more comfortable and to be better equipped to handle your muscle soreness.

9. Avoid Alcohol and Smoking

Even if you stick to all the rules mentioned above, if you go overboard with drinking alcohol or smoking, you will put your body under lots of stress, which will deplete your energy levels.
If you find it almost impossible to do this, find a support regime that will help you kick those unhealthy habits for good! It is not just dancing that will benefit from this change, every aspect of your life will bloom with energy and positivity.

10. Enjoy Some Music

If you need an instant energy boost that will also last you the whole day, play some uplifting music, sing along and use that chance to prep for the pole class. This is not just a random idea that could potentially help, but a foolproof, science-backed method to have your whole body brimming with energy in no time.
So pick your music or listen to the radio, but if there is such a thing as the perfect way to put a smile on your face and get your pumped up for pole dancing, this is the one!

Mary nurtures her passion for fitness every day and eats chocolate on Sundays. She likes to do what ‘‘girls are not supposed to do.” She loves to train at the gym and at the dance studio where she teaches pole dancing.

1. How this idea occurred to you and Arloa?

Natasha: We attended CatCon in Los Angeles at the end of last June (yes, Cat Convention is an actual thing) and saw just about every cat toy and accessory under the sun catering to every type of cat owner – whether you’re into heavy metal, comic books or yoga. We realized there was no consumer pet product that merged pole fitness and cats, and why shouldn’t there be? Pole dancers notoriously love cats, and cats have been photobombing home cat videos since YouTube began, so why shouldn’t there be a product for them?

The light bulb went off, and we literally came up with the idea for X-Purr right on the CatCon show floor. A week later, we built our first prototype and have never looked back!

2. How was reaction of the first people who heard about it and tried it out?

Natasha: We officially debuted X-Purr at Pole Expo this year in Las Vegas, and the reception was so positive! It’s pretty obvious the X-Purr is a parody of the X-Pole Stage Pole, and X-Pole has been so cool with our project, and will even be handling our ordering and fulfillment. When we first launched our Kickstarter (now ended and fully funded at 129% – yay!) we saw people making Facebook comments like, “Is this for real?” and “Is this a joke?” It’s clear now that it’s not! We’re very serious about making X-Purr the best scratching post it can possibly be, but tongue-in-cheek and catered to polers, of course.

Arloa: What’s more important though, is that cats love it! Between Natasha and I, we have 5 cats, which are all obsessed with the X-Purr (check out my cats Monet and Tabitha getting jiggy with the pole – watch below). We also brought the X-Purr to Cat Connection, a local cat rescue in L.A. where Natasha and I adopted all 5 of our cats. The kitties at the shelter there went nuts. (check out a video of that action – watch below).

3. Are you distracted if you pole cat dance?

Natasha: Well, it’s certainly distracting when you’re training at home and your cat is getting in the way, attempting to climb your pole, or more dangerously, batting at your hair and face when you’re dangling upside down in an inside leg hang! That was one of the things we thought about when we created X-Purr. The X-Purr allows your cat to dance on its own pole while you get to work out in peace on YOUR pole.

4. Can it develop creativity for you as a pole dancer watching your cat?

Natasha: Of course! Cats are an endless source of creative inspiration. They’re lithe, flexible and move with intent and purpose – all qualities we can certainly adopt as pole dancers.

5. How is the cats reaction to music?

Arloa: Cats love anything with a groove and a slinky beat. We don’t think cats like heavy metal though.

6. How does it changes cat´s behavior, for example less scratched furniture?

Arloa: Cats have a natural inclination to rip things to shreds, whether it’s your couch, rug or a roll of toilet paper, and as you know, it’s a massive pain in the ass. Anything you can add to your home that will get in the way of this ingrained destruction is a plus. We want cats to attack the X-Purr, not your expensive couch, so we loaded the X-Purr with catnip. Our sisal rope is treated with catnip after it’s attached to the post, there’s a catnip-filled disco ball at the top of the pole, and we also sell a catnip “Pole Cleaner” spray that people can spray onto the pole, or on any favorite kitty toy.

7. How does a cat behave when you are training pole dance?

Natasha: My cats always look on with concern when I’m hanging upside down, and then they try to spot me, usually in the form of a bat to the face! For our Kickstarter video, we put together a compilation of at-home pole training videos of how difficult it can be to train at home when your cat wants to play too, or when your cat photobombs your video at a critical moment (like in Heidi Coker’s video).

8. Do you think there should be pole dance competition between the cats in 2017?

Arloa: We actually have something similar in the works. Watch for news of this in 2017.

9. What tips can pole dancers take from their cat? Do you see some benefits?

Natasha: Get enough sleep. Naps are good for you. Stretch every time you get off the couch. Look out the window. Sleep in the sun. Never stop playing.

10. Could you teach our readers 2 movements on the pole or floor work that you and/or Arloa learned from your cats.

It will be amazing if you could make 2 funny videos. Maybe people will really get inspired to get the cats and the cat pole for the new moves.

Video Tutorial with Natasha Wang inspired by her cat.

Video Tutorial with Arloa Reston inspired by her cat.

10. For those who love your idea, how can they support your campaign and buy X-Purr pole stages for their cats?

Arloa: Our Kickstarter wrapped already, but those who want to be kept up to date on X-Purr can follow us on Facebook @XPurrPole , where we’re posting all our latest news . We’re shipping to our Kickstarter backers starting in December, and will make the X-Purr available to consumers as of this March. We have other products in the pipeline that merge the world of pole and cats, and maybe some other furry animal species too!

11. Win X-Purr Giveaway T-Shirt from Natasha and Arloa. Here are the rules:

1) Comment below  this post on Facebook with your picture doing pole with your cat.
2) Tag @activonga and @xpurrpole
3) Use the hashtag #XPurrActivonga
4) Like the Activonga and X-Purr Facebook Pages
5) Tag a friend

The winner will be announced in 2 weeks .

Have a great day and get some new moves from your cat pole dancing. Share this article with your friends so that they could participate in the giveaway photo competition.

Natasha Wang is an L.A.-based performer and instructor who has won the titles of IPC Ultimate Champion 2013, Pole Art 2012 Runner-Up, US Pole Dance Champion 2011, USPDF West Coast Champion 2010, California Pole Dance Champion 2010, and East Meets West Miss Pole-AM 2010.

In 2015, she was named the IPDFA “Instructor of the Year” and in 2014, she won “Female Performance Artist of the Year” and “Inspirational Artist of the Year” at the inaugural PWN (Pole World News) Awards.

1. Natasha, could you please tell me about yourself? How have you come to pole dance?

What was your biggest challenge when you started pole dance and how you overcame it? How was your process of becoming a professional pole dancer and instructor? What and who inspired you when creating your own style?

I started pole dancing in 2006 at an LA studio called Sheila Kelly’s S Factor after a friend dragged me to a teaser class. It was one of the first pole studios in the USA (and in the world I believe) and it gave me a great foundation for freestyle movement. We didn’t have YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook back then so there wasn’t a culture of pole experimentation and sharing over social media, so I spent many of those early years just perfecting fireman spins and inverts. Eventually, other studios opened in Los Angeles, and I began taking classes with Leigh Ann Reilly, Alethea Austin, Amy Guion, Lisa Wilhoit and Estee Zakar at BeSpun, which really opened my eyes to what was physically possible with pole.

The challenge in those early days was simply learning how to move and control my body. I didn’t grow up taking dance, gymnastics or any other type of movement, so I had to completely program movement from the ground up.

The journey from hobbyist pole dancer to professional happened really fast. Prior to pole, I was a publicist working a 9-5 job, with pole really being my only hobby outside of work. Riding on the coattails of a friend who wanted to start competing, I entered my first competitions in 2009 (the California Pole Dance Championships and USPDF West Coast) and didn’t do very well in either. By 2010 however, I won both those competitions and by 2011, won the US Pole Dance Championships as well. That’s when I quit my nine-year career in public relations to pursue teaching and touring full time.

I think the main catalyst for developing my own style was joining the cast of The Girl Next Door Show, the longest-running pole dance show in the US. Before then, I was trying to mold myself into the sexy style that was currently popular, and that I had learned at S Factor and BeSpun. But body rolls and hair flips have never felt natural in my body – I think because of my natural upper body stiffness and inflexible back! But once I joined the GND cast, I started working with Kelly Yvonne. She not only praised my sometimes obscure indie song choices, she made me realize that I could set myself apart by my different music choices, costume and quality of movement. I stopped trying to copy Felix Cane and became truly comfortable in my own skin.

Photo: Alloy Images

2.  Why have you chosen pole dance? What is special in pole dance for you in your opinion?

What other aerial arts are you doing? How do you feel the difference between doing aerial hoop and pole dance?

I prefer to think that pole dance chose me! I played a few years of volleyball in High School but was never very good. In fact, I was quite traumatized by some of the experiences on the team, and swore when I quit at age 17 that I would never exercise ever again. So from the age of 17 until 28, I held true to my promise. But when I started nearing 30, I realized I needed to change some lifestyle habits, so reluctantly agreed to go with my friend to an intro class at S Factor. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either, so I stuck with it and of course, eventually grew to love it.

I’m so focused on pole these days that I rarely have time for other aerial pursuits, although I’ve dabbled a bit in both Chinese Pole and Aerial Silks. But pole is my main love.

3.  How does your usual day look like?

How long and how often do you train and stretch? How long do you warm-up and stretch before the performance?

My ‘usual day’ depends on whether I’m away on a workshop trip or tour, or whether I’m at home during the in-between weeks training.

When I’m at home, I focus all my time on healing my body, as well as training and getting back into shape. Most people assume that teaching keeps you in shape, but in fact teaching tours are when I suffer most of my injuries, mostly from lack of sleep, carrying heavy luggage, and teaching long hours. Tours also don’t typically allow me adequate time to train, so when I’m home from tour, I pack in as many classes and practice jams as I can. I usually take 1-2 contortion classes a week from my flexibility coach Kristina Neykia, 3 HIIT cardio classes, 3-4 pole classes, 1 yoga session with my fiancé (usually restorative), 1 hike, 1 hand-balancing class, and 5 days of private pole training. I always take 1 day of rest every week.

Before a performance, I usually warm up for no more than 20 minutes, which includes lots of movement to get the heart rate up and active stretches.

Photo: Diego Castillo Photography

4.  How do you create your pole dance transitions?

Could you give some tips for interesting transitions? How is your creative process when preparing choreography? How do you choose your music for your performances?

I am a huge proponent of freestyling, so I make time during every training session to put on some music that moves me, and just hit the record button and see what comes out. I often return to familiar combos and tricks and experiment with ways to alter them, whether with a grip change, a thread-through of an arm, limb or other body part, or in the orientation of the move (i.e., inverted, upright, sideways, etc.). I make sure to record EVERYTHING because I often have ideas for new transitions and moves after I’ve reviewed my training videos.

My creative process when preparing for choreography – doing all of the above, reviewing my videos, pulling out my favorite combos, and finding ways to sync it up with music. I sometimes work with choreographers also.

The selection of music for performances is never very straightforward, but it’s usually a song I’m in love with at the moment that has either an emotional bent or lots of dynamics (slow, fast, hard, soft parts). I find most of my songs on Spotify during my training sessions. Right now most of my artist radio stations are based around Perfume Genius, Active Child, Robot Koch and Matthew Dear.

5.  What is the most important in a pole dance performance in your opinion?

Being connected and authentic to the movement. That’s #1 always.

6.  What are 2 of your favorite pole tricks and how to do one of them?

I love ‘lower-third’ hand-balancing type movement around the bottom of the pole, and did two online tutorials for Tantra Fitness on my signature moves, the ‘B-Girl’ and ‘Side Valdez Mount.’

B-Girl

Side Valdez

7. How to do Downsplits or Russian splits?

What is important to take into consideration in this move? What exercise can a pole student do to master this move?

I believe the Downsplits is a move where the legs are flush against the pole in a downward split. The Russian Splits only has the hands and one foot in contact with the pole.

Russian Splits require a good deal of hamstring flexibility, but also core strength and balance. Students should practice holding a needle scale with one foot directly in front of the base of the pole, and the other leg extended vertically along the length of the pole, and with both hands cupping the pole around the standing leg. Outside hand should be placed roughly behind the knee; inside hand about mid-thigh, and both hands should be actively pulling and engaged. Students can then practice lifting the top leg off the pole a few inches while keeping the standing foot flat on the floor and both biceps engaged. Once they can do this easily, they can try the Russian Split from standing by placing the heel of the standing foot against the pole, and ball of the standing foot on the floor. They should of course attempt with a spotter.

8.  As 2015 IPDFA Instructor of the Year what tips can you give to pole dancers and to other pole dance instructors?

I meet so many new pole dancers – those in their first or second year of doing pole – who are attempting strength and flexibility moves that I took me years of training to learn, and getting injured in the process. It’s ok to be doing pole for 2 years and not be able to deadlift or do the Russian Split. We are bombarded on social media by videos of former gymnasts and dancers taking to the pole so easily, and it’s easy to think that we are lesser athletes because we can’t do these things. My best advice would be to take the learning process in a safe, slow and measured way, like I did. I started pole at 29, and didn’t do a deadlift until I was 34, a full 5 years after I started learning pole. I partially credit my patience for the fact that I’ve sustained few injuries during my more than 10 years of pole and didn’t rush into moves I wasn’t ready for, whether it’s a basic invert or a back flip.

9.  What are your best tips to those who think that they are too old for pole dance and wish they have started young?

Tip 1: Look up Greta Ponterelli on YouTube

Tip 2: Look up Mary Caryl Serritella on YouTube

Also: Approach the learning process with proper technique. Don’t rush it. Hydrate and fuel your body with adequate sleep and good food. Last but not least, relish in how your confidently sexy movement quality is based on years of wisdom and knowledge that comes with living!

10.  You won a lot of championships. How was your experience during the championships?

What tips can you give to those who want to participate in a championship?

My experiences competing have been largely positive, and any negativity surrounding them is a result of my own disappointment with the outcome of my performance, but that’s totally normal. It’s so easy to get hung up on the idea that we are only as good as our last performance, but that’s simply not true. A performance is only a small extract of who you are as an athlete and artist, and it certainly doesn’t define you as a human being.

11.  You travel around the globe giving pole dance workshops and performing.

Sure during this time you had interesting experiences and impressions. Could you please share some funny or maybe unexpected episode during your performances?

I once spent a month touring Mainland China and performing in massive nightclubs as a featured artist. While my management company did all they could to ensure I had a safe poling environment, sometimes we’d arrive to the venue and find that the pole was a 65 mm unfinished industrial-grade metal pole with no grip, or a flimsy 30 mm wobbly thing. Once my ‘stage’ was a 6×6 inch raised platform about 2 feet off the ground, so when I landed I had to do so on my tippy toes, as the stage was too small for my feet!

12.  Where one can book you for a show? Do you also give classes and workshops?

To book performances, classes and workshops, they can contact my manager Kristy Craig at Poles on Tour: kristy@polesontour.com

And here’s where everyone can find me on social media:  Instagram   @polecricket,  Twitter @polecricket,  Facebook Fan Page:

Featured  photo:  Edward Light,  Atmosphere Light Photography

Sarah Scott has been competing, performing and instructing for the last 7 years at a national and international level.  She is a Master Trainer for XPERT Pole & Aerial Fitness and currently travels the world teaching workshops and hosts training packages in South West England.  Being a brand ambassador for XPOLE has led to representing them at events such as BeFit, FIBO, Rimini Wellness and has presented at the International Fitness Showcase for the past 4 years.  Sarah loves her strength moves and her biggest passion is to pass on her knowledge in both pole and physical training.

1.    Sarah, could you please tell me about yourself?

How have you come to pole dance? What was your biggest challenge when you started? How was your process of becoming a professional pole dancer and instructor? What and who inspired you when creating your own style?

I came to pole by accident really! I went with a friend to a class for support but ended up falling love with it! I was at a bit of a crossroads in my life and decided to re-train as a fitness instructor and pole instructor and opened my studio. There were a few different styles emerging – the graceful and bendy style seen with Felix Cane and then the more strong and powerful style like from Zoraya Judd. I didn’t come from a dance or gymnastic background and found my flexibility was a little limited at the beginning so was more drawn to the strength side.

2.    Why have you chosen pole?

What is special in it for you? What other aerial arts are you doing?

For me it’s the varied training. It’s constantly challenging and massively rewarding. You can dance in different styles, different techniques – and the community is so inspiring.

I’ve trained aerial hoop a little and tried aerial silks but found I don’t have the time to dedicate to them with everything I have going on. I fully respect all the aerial arts, as it is incredibly hard to make look effortless. It’s that respect that keeps me from taking them further as at the moment – I look far from effortless!

3. How does your usual day look like?

How long and how often do you train and stretch? How long do you warm-up and stretch before the performance?

My usual day starts around 8-9 am depending on where I am. I play with my dogs and have some breakfast – usually something with eggs and avocado. Then I catch up on emails before I head to my gym which I share with my fiancé. I have 2 poles, a weights area, rowing machines and some gymnastic equipment and we’ll pretty much spend the rest of the day there!

I usually do 1 – 2 sessions if I’m at the gym and that can include pole training, weights, circuits, or stretching or a mixture of them!

If I have a performance, a lot of the time we don’t have long to warm up at all! Sometimes 10 min, but if I’m competing, I will usually start around 45 min to 1 hour before I have to go on, and a few hours before getting my face on 😉

4. Do you travel a lot giving workshops and performing?

Could you please share some funny or maybe unexpected episode during your performances?

I travel every weekend at the moment teach workshops and teacher training for XPERT – every other month or so I will judge a competition where I usually do a guest performance also.

I once was performing at a show in LA and there were 4 poles on stage with audience seated all around. I hadn’t practiced with this set up so when it came to perform I ended up getting disorientated and went to the wrong pole. In the moment I made a bad decision and rather than moving over to the correct pole I started climbing the wrong pole and just remember thinking “Where are you going! Now you have to find a way to dance down!” The internal dialogue onstage can be amusing!

5.  How do you create your pole dance transitions?

Could you give some tips for interesting transitions?

For transitions I like to put together a great playlist of music – some new, some old and then film free styling. After watching it back, I try to find sections I want to develop and then I do the process again, but this time work with the idea to make it smoother.

Transitions come from the ‘basics’ and being able to move in a controlled way in and out of tricks – so I take my time, when learning new things to try as many ways in and out as I can and re-visit it until I’m happy I can use it

6. How is your creative process when preparing choreography?

How do you choose your music for your performances?

My creative process can vary, but in general I start with the song. I research and search for music and then freestyle to a few until I find one that I can start to see a performance with.

7. What is the most important in a pole dance performance in your opinion?

When it looks like the music is following the dancer rather than the other way around. I love to see highs and lows during the performance and for it to look fresh – not like they have run it 100 times (even if they have!)

8. What are your 2 favorite pole tricks and how to do one of them?

It´s so hard to pick favorite pole tricks! But I love invert rolls because you feel like you flying and look like your flipping! And power spins on static. You need to really pull down through the lats and keep lifted, start with enough distance from the pole to create opposition as you fly around the pole. So many variations, but always looks great.

9. What advice can you give to those who want become pole dance instructors?

You have to give up a lot of your own training time and it’s a different skill to develop. Make sure you know how to break moves down in a variety of ways to suit different learners. Everyone needs to succeed in at least some thing during class and learn how to spot safely and effectively.

10. What tips can you give for good pole drops and flips?

Go see an instructor who has lots of experience in this area and use safety mats. They just aren’t worth learning on your own.  There are some simpler moves (like the invert roll) that look like a flip but aren’t nearly as difficult or dangerous to achieve. Start small and don’t rush.

11. What is the best supplement for a pole dancer to add to the daily meals?

This will vary hugely on the current diet, goals and training etc. But one I like to add in is a BCAA drink – Branched Chain Amino Acids. These are like the building blocks of muscle and can aid with muscle repair. They are usually fruit flavoured and light and are very easily absorbed so can be used as a great energy source during training too.

12. What are the common mistakes that pole students do, in general or in 1-3 tricks as examples?

So a few mistakes I think we all can make is getting frustrated when we don’t get something right away. We have to give our central nervous system time to adjust to what we’re doing, as our bodies don’t recognize these new movement patterns. Try to think of it as a weak signal at the beginning and more you do it, the stronger the signal and the easier the move gets.

Another is not focus on alignment of the shoulders during pretty much everything! Just because something doesn’t hurt, doesn’t mean its not causing issues further down the road.

And a trick example I would say the Iron-X as its so popular: People tend to focus on the legs but if you focus on bringing the shoulders in line and lowering the hips slowly it allows the oblique’s to fire and then the legs will follow. It’s not quite as simple as that – but if a student is close this can be a good fix.

13. Where one can book you for a show?  Do you also give classes and workshops?

I can be contacted at info@sarahscott.co.uk

My website has all of my workshop info and upcoming schedule.

And my training packages are run in Somerset UK, where you can stay from 1-3 days and train at my facility in a variety of ways from pole, gym and mobility.

Facebook,  Youtube,  Instagram: @sarahscottpole,  Twitter: @sarahscottpole

14. Are there some giveaways to share?

I have a free tutorial for a fun floorsweeper move on my Youtube Channel:

And I’m currently giving away free drinks bottles with any Protein order on my website.

Photos:  The Image Cella

Jordan Kensley is a performing and competing pole dancer and instructor from Los Angeles with a unique strong and sexy style. She combines  quick and strong tricks  with exotic dance.

Jordan´s awards

2015
Arnold Pole Classic: 1st Professional Alternate
Pole Theatre USA: 1st Place Pro Comedy Division, 3rd Place Overall Champion
PSO National Championship: Pro Artistic – 3rd Place

2014
PSO Pacific Pole Championship: Championship Lv4 – 3rd Place
National Aerial Pole Art: NEO – 2nd Place
North American Pole Dance Championship: Professional – 2nd Place
PSO Pacific Aerial Art Championship: Dramatic Professional – 3rd Place
Paragon Championship: International Amateur – 2nd Place

2013-
PSO Pacific Pole Championship: Championship Lv2 – 2nd Place
PSO Pacific Pole Championship: Entertainment Lv2 – 3rd Place
PSO Nationals: Championship Lv2 – 2nd Place

I´m happy to present here Jordan Kensley. We had a great interview and in the podcast below you can listen to it from you computer, laptop or on the way.

Podcast Interview

In this interview you can learn about Jordan´s usual day, how she discovered pole dance for herself and a lot of valuable tips. Here are some things that you will find in this podcast:

How to find out your own style in pole dance. Jordan´s experience from avoiding exotic pole  to a becoming sexy style pole dancer. It´s a very interesting story.

Jordan also gives very good tips how to choose the music for a performance and how she creates her transitions. By the way Jordan does a lot of strong moves and fast tricks.

Jordan also gives tips for competing pole dancers and those who would like to compete. The same tips can serve for aerialists or any competing artists as well.

Jordan also shares a lot of tips about skincare and what to do against the bruises and nickel pole allergy, as well some good tips for those who would like to try pole.

At the end of the interview you can learn about pole scene and different places where you can take pole dance and Chinese pole, as well as contemporary dance classes in Los Angeles.

You can contact Jordan at  JordanKensleyPole@gmail.com

Please comment and share your experience about skincare. How do you create your transitions and choose the music? Did you ever thought that exotic pole is not for you and finished dancing it? Share your story with other readers and pole community.

Photos:  Alloy Images

Anastasia Skukhtorova – one of the best pole dancers in the world, pole dance/pole fitness instructor, performer, competitor.

• The most photogenic pole dancer of the world 2014
• World pole cup champion 2012/2013
• 2nd runner up in Pole World Cup 2011/2012
• 2nd runner up in Pole Art 2011
• International pole dancing judge
• The Finalist of the World Pole Dance Championship 2010/2011
• The Best Russian Pole dancer 09/10
• UPA’s Pro Pole Dancer of the June 2010

1. Anastasia, could you please tell me about yourself? How have you come to pole dance?

What was your biggest challenge when you started pole dance and how you overcame it? How was your process of becoming a professional pole dancer and instructor? What and who inspired you when creating your own style?

I’ve been practicing pole dancing for 7 years now. Wow, time flies!  I always wanted to be a dancer. I dreamed about ballet when I was little.

When I became 18 years old I realized I want to be more feminine, I want to learn how to move. So I decided to try pole dancing. It was in Moscow. December 2008.

I took my first class and instantly fell in love with pole.  It was very difficult, but it didn’t stop me cause I liked the challenge.

I liked to overcome myself everyday. I wanted to become flexible and strong, fit and elegant.
After 2 month of training the owner of that studio invited me to teach beginner classes. Because I was learning all basic spins and transitions quite fast and if I could not do something I could explain it very well.

So that’s how I started to train everyday and slowly teaching 🙂  At the same time I saw a video of Felix Cane. It was stunning. I thought everything she is doing is impossible, it is something from the sky.  But I was so motivated to work hard. I wanted to do everything she is doing.

And I don’t know why I believed i will.  I have so many people who inspired me that time – Felix , Jenyne, Zoraya, and Vardanush, Elena Shtalinskaya, Dima Shine.

2. Why have you chosen pole dance?

What is special in pole dance for you in your opinion? What other aerial arts are you doing?

I think in pole dancing you have it all.  Exercise, dancing, stretching, fitness.  It makes you fly. It makes you happy and confident, opens up your mind.  For me this also opened the world.  I’ve been practicing aerial silks, hoops.

3. How does your usual day look like?

How long and how often do you train and stretch? How long do you warm-up and stretch before the performance?

It is always different because of traveling. A little bit difficult to keep the same schedule when you are moving so much. But when I come home I wake up at 10am, drink water with lemon, have breakfast and then it can be dance classes, or private lessons, pole dancing, flexibility training or reading. Meeting with friends, doing some work on my computer or phone.

Usually my training is about 2/3 hours. I start with stretching, handstands, then go on the pole.  Warm up before performance depends on how hot is in the room.  But usually 15/20 min.

4. How do you create your pole dance transitions? Could you give some tips for interesting transitions?

How is your creative process when preparing choreography?How do you choose your music for your performances?

Well, I think you need to really feel the song.  Maybe you can rely on something when you listen to it. To any situation in your life. That helps to do performance more artistic.

And I always create my acts with professional choreographers. Because they can give a good advice , correct you. And they see better.

5. What is the most important in a pole dance performance from your point of view?

I like when people go with music. When They feel it. Have expression. I like when act touches you. Leaves emotions after watching.

6. What are your favorite pole tricks and how to do one of them?

I like the Rainbow, Russian split, different drops , iron X. There are so many!!  Oh it is impossible to explain by words.  But we have all the instructional videos  on poleandaerial.com  Check it out 🙂

7. You have amazing pictures and such beautiful clothes!

Where one can buy pole dance dresses with long flying skirts? Could you give some modeling tips for pole dancers?

Thank you so much! It was made for me in Moscow. Valeria Malinovskaia is amazing artist. She was dancing herself so she knows what we need, what material and how to make it fly 😉

8. What exercises would you recommend to get a good back bend for Extended Flexi Embrace?

What should one consider when doing this move? What tips or exercise can you give to master deep back bends?

I like to train now with stretch band, it helps me a lot. You can use it in any way you want. There are a lot of videos and pictures in Instagram or YouTube. And for any level.

9. You won a lot of championships. How was your experience during the championships?

I liked performing on the stage but I never thought of it as a competition. It was more to meet new people, to see new country, to have fun and to show how you see pole dancing.

10. Where one can book you for a show? Do you also give classes and workshops?

Usually it all goes through my Facebook and Instagram @anastasiaskukhtorova  🙂

I also have YouTube and VK.

Featured Photo: Vadim Stein

Amy Hazel is known for her flexibility, interesting pole transitions and her instagram @amyhazel92. Amy started pole dancing in 2010 and quickly built her reputation to becoming one of Australia’s top pole dancers. Without professional background training, Amy has always had a passion for dancing and choreographing attending dance classes from the age of 6. Her love for fashion can also be seen in her costume designs and decorations.

Amy´s Accomplishments:

• 1st place Aerial All Stars 2015
• 1st place Miss Pole Dance Victoria 2015/16
• 1st place Pole Theater Classique HK 2015
• 2nd place Victorian Pole Championships 2014
• 2nd place Miss Pole Dance Victoria 2014/15
• 3rd place Miss Pole Dance Australia 2014/15
• 3rd place Beijing International Pole Championship
• 1st Place – PPS Aerial Performance Tournament – Professional Pole Champion 2013
• 2nd Place – Ms. Bikini Australia – Musclemania Australia 2013
• 3rd Place – Model Australia – Musclemania Australia 2013
• Official Bad Kitty® Brand Ambassador
• Official Pole Ugg Brand Ambassador
• Official Bling It Heels Brand Ambassador

1. Amy could you please tell me your story.

How did you come to pole dance? Has jazz / funk influenced your pole dance style? 

I started pole dancing in 2010 after hearing a radio advertisement for Pole Divas Melbourne (Australia). I attended my first class with the lovely Lou Landers and fell in love with the sport straight away! As I had always loved dancing, my jazz funk definitely helped me with coordination and fluidity but i definitely struggled with my flexibility to begin with – especially my active flexibility.

2. Does training influence your meals habits?

I have always been a health conscious person having struggled through years of an eating disorder. I try to be more relaxed about my diet throughout the year but definitely make sure that the majority of my diet is healthy. My diet usually consists of organic, vegetarian, raw foods however I am not vegan or vegetarian and do allow myself meats or treats every now and then. I also try to avoid all sorts of refined sugar.

3. Do you have a special training routine that you are doing daily?

How does your usual day look like?

I usually wake up, run for 30 mins at the gym, stretch, drive to the studio, train in pole or hoop for however long I last (sometimes i just lay at the studio, sometimes i train for 6 hours), teach classes then drive home to sleep.

4. You won a lot of pole dance competitions.

What do you think is the most important in a pole dance performance? What is your biggest inspiration in pole dance?

I love feeling the music, engaging the audience and hearing the crowd. It depends which competition you are doing but I definitely like fluff time (unchoreographed sections of the song used to get the audience attention). I pick songs that mean a lot to me and it helps me to want to do my best with the piece. I come from a very musical background (my brother is a great drummer and my mum was a DJ in the 80’s)

5. What tips can you give for good and fluent transitions in pole dance choreography?

How do you invent your transitions?

I train them in slow motion. If you can do it in slow motion then you can control it smoothly and it will look fluid. I create them by getting into positions and wondering ‘what if i move my arm here… what if i move my leg here’

6. What are your favorite strength exercises to get strong arms, shoulders and back for pole dance?

I mainly just train pole and hoop for my upper body. Lots of pull ups, slow transitions, stretch band exercises and long pole combinations.

7. Could you please share 1 or 2 flexibility exercises using a pole.

8. How long does it take you to prepare a pole dance choreography and to choose the right music?

Do you have a special training process for this?

Choosing the music takes FOREVER and it drives me crazy! The choreography is about 2-4 weeks. I train combos I like, then place them in the music then make the dance in between.

9. What are your favorite music bands and singers for pole dance?

Anything! There is so much inspiration in all genres of music but it definitely needs to have a build, a peak and a finish.

10. I know that you also perform adagio. How long are you doing adagio?

Has aerial adagio influenced your style and in which way? Could you please give some tips for a good adagio?

I only trained with Blue Phoenix for a couple of months when we competed together at Pole Candy as Tinkerbell and Peter Pan. Trust is the biggest tip and being very comfortable with your partner. We would research tricks on youtube or instagram and try them out.

11. Which workshops do you offer with as a duo with Blue Phoenix? When and where?

Blue Phoenix moved to Sydney last year and so we no longer train together and have not been able to do Adagio for over a year. I do miss it dearly and hope to firstly train with him again and then teach some in the future.

Photos:  Kimberly Russell

Yvonne is a total poledance-addict. Since she started in 2011 not a single day has gone by without her training (or thinking about training) on the pole! Originating from the wallclimbing scene, she immediately fell in love with the physical challenge poledancing gives her. Now, 4 years later, she teaches and performs her passion across the globe. We asked her a few questions:

1. Yvonne how have you discovered pole dance?

How was your learning process to become a professional pole dancer and Dutch Pole Champion 2014? How was your pole dance experience in the Dutch TV Show?

I discovered it through a friend who took a pole course and showed me some moves. Because I was already strong from my climbing background, I could immediately go upsidedown. I love that feeling!
After that, my life changed, but I didn’t realise it yet. The road after that first moment upside down all the way to a professional dancer (eek! Can I call myself professional now? Sounds strange XD) doesn’t happen overnight. Basically, a lot of training happened. And with a lot I mean: A. Lot. Because in my sport there are no coached or trainers to be found yet, everythings takes longer to figure out. But at the same time, it allowed me to develop my “own” thing, my “own” style, my “own” way of moving. Training by myself made “me” more “me” in a way. Crazy! 😀

In both my national championships and TV show I really had a positive experience and grew a lot. Maybe not directly physically, but more mentally in the way I approach pole, dance and the way I look at things. Meeting other dancers (also from other disciplines) is always inspiring. They move so beautifully!

2. You have your own pole school Vertical Balance.

What is the difference in teaching women, men and kids pole classes? What have you learned about yourself when you started teaching pole dance?

Every human being learns in a different way. For example: some learn my looking at a pole move, some need a long explanation, some just need to simply let their body try it. During many years of teaching I try to “sense” for every of my students which way they prefer and cover as many ways as possible when I demonstrate the move in front of the class, often resulting in me trying to talk in some weird upside down position hahaha. Naturally, kids classes are organized differently than adult classes as they have a different learning curve, and also the goals of a kids class are different than adult classes.

I learned that besides teaching (demonstrating), I think I have learned how to be a good spotter. With great spotter I don’t always mean the strongest catch, but also the mental peptalk that goes along with it. I think I am quite capable of  giving that extra little push when necessary (JUUUUUSSST DOOOO ITTT!!!!!)

3. How does your usual day look like?

What else do you like to do besides pole, for example aerials, dance or fitness and why?

I try to take as many aerial and dance classes as possible, but because I run my own business besides my own training it doesn’t happen as often as I want to. In my usual day I get up in the early morning, answer emails and messages, go train in the early afternoon and teach in the evening. When I don’t teach, I like to take tricking classes or dance classes. My body loves other movement!!!

4. What is your favorite pole combination?

How do you develop your transitions, drops and flips?

I looooooooooooooooooove combo’s!!! They are my favorite things. What I love the most are spinning, upside down rotation combo’s on a static pole. Oh and handstands. I am obsessed J

All transitions start the same: in my head. Usually when I am in a quiet place: the train, walking the dog, in the shower, etc. Or often when I listen to music: then I kind of “see” a trick happening. Sometimes, it happens in a freestyle. But then I might not remember it at all: it’s hard to be thinking of pole moves when you are freestyling.

Depending on the transition, it has a different developing stage. For example, in handstands I can train a single transition for hours in a row, and try different exits. Flips, I don’t do that much in a row. I want my mind to be focused, and my body to be awake: this sh*t is dangerous. It takes a lot of more time to do a perfect flip than a perfect handstand combo.

5. What is the most important for you in a pole dance choreography?

How long does it take to you to prepare a performance?

GOOD QUESTION! <3 Nobody ever asked me this.

I think showing something truly me is the most important. I feel like in a pole performance, I take a little piece of my inside; something that’s been on my mind, in my heart, that’s been troubling me, that I love or something that moves me, and I morph it into movement on stage. It always starts with something close to myself, that I want to show. It is the reason I move.

Ideally I would have 4 to 5 months for preparation. I take time to find good music, interesting combo’s and create new movement for my body. And get my stamina up, haha. 4 minute performances are no joke:)

6.  Do you travel and perform often? Where?

How is the organizational part of a pole performance in another city or country? Do you have to take a stage pole with you?

I travel quite a lot to teach, usually 4 times a month to other countries. Sometimes a performance goes along with the travel, usually when I judge a competition or showcase. The poles are always provided, taking a pole with me would be impossible to carry around!:)))

7.  Which material of a pole stage do you recommend: chrome, brass or something else?

I think all hands/skin types prefer different stuff. So I always recommend: try it before you buy it. If you have a natural dry skin, you allergic to chrome or your hands sweat a lot, it can all depend on your choice.

8.  Could you please tell our reader about a funny episode during your performances or competition?

It was one of my first performances with a live orchestra of 80 people, and I was super nervous. My name was announced and I was about to step on stage but for some reason I looked down and saw my pole pants had splitted in the middle (!!!) and my underwear was out. Luckily there was a lady at the scene who could sew my pants together very quickly, but I was extra carefull with my splits that day J))

9. Could you share a pole drop and a pole flop to our readers?

Pole Drop: one of my favorite ones is a classical Chinese Pole drop, where you go from a true grip handspring to a simple sit in the pole. I love that you can easily combine it with other tricks or dance movement on the beat. And it’s an easey one to learn but really looks impressive!

Pole Flip: One I really like is a simple cartwheel to bicep/funny grip. It’s a little hard to describe in words, but what I love about is that you start the motion on one side of the pole and continue on the other side with the same energy. And again, this one is easy to combine with other moves!

10.  What tips can you give for those who are on the way to become professional pole dancers?

I know this will most likely sound as a cliché, but: enjoy the road. Enjoy the hard work. Realise things will not always be easy. Remember why you love your art, your passion show it every damn time you are on stage. Let the audience feel why this passion defines you. Dance the way you want to and don’t worry about the rest. Things will come to you when you do “your” thing. Find you <3

11.  Where one can visit your classes and workshops or contact you for a performance?

Most recent info about workshops and performance I post on my Facebook Page: Yvonne Smink – Poledance Artist

For getting in touch, you can visit my website www.yvonnesmink.com or email me at info@yvonnesmink.com

Photos: Faceiro

Arlene Caffrey is one of Ireland’s best known and loved pole dance artists. She became addicted to pole dance when it was first introduced to Ireland as a fitness concept and has since progressed, to travel all over the world to perform, compete, teach and develop her artistry. She hopes to bring a theatrical and expressive edge to pole dance and to create something beautiful, unique, expressive, free and daring, to rise above the ordinary and defy convention.

With almost 10 years of pole dance experience, Arlene has 7 Irish titles under her belt, including All Ireland Pole Dancing Champion 2014 and Pole Theatre Ireland Classique Winner 2014. She is also United Pole Artists ‘Bringing Sexy Back’ Poster girl for 2015. She is also a successful business woman and runs a world-famous pole dancing studio called the Irish Pole Dance Academy, with studios in Dublin and Galway.

When Arlene isn’t pole dancing to rock ‘n’ roll music, she loves Burlesque, cats and drinking tea.

1. Arlene, could you please tell me your story and how your first discovered pole dance?

How was your process to make pole dance to your career?

I started pole dancing 10 years in my hometown of Drogheda, as a fitness hobby. Back then it was more ‘pole sport’ and ‘pole fitness’, there were no sexy elements, no heels, no pointed toes! At that time I was studying graphic design in college. When I graduated in 2009, it was difficult to find a job as a graphic designer, due to the appalling state of the Irish economy, and I decided to try my luck turning my hobby into a business. I started out as a fitness and pole dance trainer and grew my business from there. It was never meant to become a full-time career, it just sort of happened that way! But I am much happier and very fulfilled doing my work in the pole dance world.

Don’t be fooled… My life doesn’t look like what people think! Unfortunately I don’t spend the whole day pole dancing in the studio to my favourite music, in my sparkly hotpants and heels and rolling around in money. A lot of hard work has gone into building this business; I spend a lot of time in front of the computer doing marketing activities, taxes and strategic planning. I have 2 studios, in Dublin and Galway, with 10 people who work with my. So it takes a lot of time to do the all of the administration and management that a growing business requires.

Photo: Chris Donald

2. Do you have one style or do you combine different styles?

What inspires you most in pole dance? How do you create your characters?

My biggest inspirations ‘growing up’ are Alethea Austin, Karol Helms and Amber Ray. Training and working with these ladies helped me to develop and refine my own style of pole dance, which is centred around the sexy or exotic side. I also am now greatly inspired by the Russian exotic dancers, such as Olga Koda and Eva Bembo, as well as Aussie pole dancer Fontaine Bradbury.

For inspiration I also like to watch what other pole dancers are doing; I like to explore elements that I like and put my own ‘spin’ on them, creating my own transitions so that it develops into something different.

When I’m working on a performance piece, usually the music is what helps me to create the characters. I like to visualize a story that the music is telling, and create a character based on these cues and emotions. I also use Pinterest to collect photos that inspire the feelings / imagery that I want to convey and use this to guide the creation of my character.

–       That´s interesting, as a graphic designer you have your own original visual creative process.

–       Arlene: Absolutely, I use a similar creative process and I would have done as a visual artist…

3. What in your opinion special about pole dance? Do you also train with some other aerial apparatus?

I´ve done pole dance for 10 years, so I guess it that´s why I feel very comfortable with the pole. What I love most about pole dance is the connection between the floor and the pole. There are endless possibilities for movement and dance here. In the past I´ve done aerial hoop, aerial silks, trapeze and some corde lisse. I even spent a brief time working with a contemporary aerial circus group as was part of an aerial dance production. I feel that pole dance is the most complete and most difficult ‘aerial’ art. It requires a lot of strength and flexibility as well as refined movement. Also because I love floor work, I miss this in other aerial training. I love the flow from floor to apparatus (and to the air) that pole dance allows.

4. How does your usual day look like? How long and how often do you train and stretch?

Do you have special training rituals or is each of your trainings different?

Unfortunately running a business means that I don’t have as much time to train as I would like. I train my active flexibility 5 days a week. I focus on a specific area in each flexibility session. For example, one day for front splits, one day for middle splits, one day for back bending and shoulders, one Hot Yoga session, and then another for middle splits. Because I am naturally very stiff I need to work on my flexibility a lot to reach the specific goals that I set out for myself. I am naturally quite strong, so I will spend some time conditioning (usually first thing in the morning, most days) for about 20 mins. I train on the pole for specific elements and dancing 2 sessions per week.

5. You travel giving workshops and performing. Could you please share a   funny  episode during your trips with the readers?

In 2011 I was at ‘Miss Pole Dance Germany’ competition, I came to Hamburg together with my boyfriend Padraig. So as I arrived, the organizer said to me “Arlene, you came with your boyfriend, great! The one who was supposed to clean the poles has canceled and we urgently need somebody who could do that. Could your boyfriend do that?” Padraig hadn´t done pole before. So I had to teach him how to climb and to clean the pole before the competition was due to begin, to ensure he did a good job! And he did!

– Has your boyfriend continue doing pole dance afterwards?

-Not really, but he knows some tricks. But he prefers swimming and cycling more.

6. How do you create your pole dance transitions and floor work? What are your best tips for the readers?

I’m always inspired by watching what other pole dancers are doing. I like to watch their transitions and floorwork and think “What can I do with that” or how can I do it a different way. When I’m training I will explore the transitions in a different way. I really love transitions and I consider myself a ‘transition’ dancer. I prefer doing things that are easy for me and my body. When I‘m performing I like to do tricks and elements and that I know I can well, rather than trying to do really difficult things. I prefer to show my strengths rather than my weaknesses. I take my time working on new elements so that I don’t injure myself, and I never put them in a performance until they feel ‘easy’. So I like doing tricks and transitions that I am good at, and focus more on telling a story through my performance. I love telling stories, maybe it’s because I´m Irish and we love stories! Also, I believe the audience loves stories more than tricks.

Photo:  Jass Foley

7. What do you appreciate most in a pole dance performance?

How is your creative process when preparing your choreography? How do you choose your music for your performances?

I like when the legs are fully (and properly) extended, from the hip, through the knee, to the ankle. And the feet are PROPERLY pointed, not just the toes, but the ankles! Especially when the dancers are wearing heels. I am very strict on these elements when I’m judging pole dance competitions. I like people to tell a story and to show their emotions rather than trying to do difficult moves that they haven’t yet mastered. When some people perform, I can see that they are preoccupied with their technique and they choose the most difficult movements, the result is that they look like robots instead of creating a dance. The audience wants to feel emotionally moved by a performance; they will forget the tricks you did but they’ll remember you if you brought some sort of emotion, story or beauty to your performance.

Yes, that´s true when you know the movements well, they look light and fluent, like a dance, and you can express yourself freely without struggling with your body and boring the audience.

Yes, audience wants to see your performance. A simple move is more worth than an impressive that has ugly or difficult transitions; details like that takes the audience attention away from what you are doing.

When I’m choosing music, I like rock music so that´s why most of my performance music is rock.

In which languages are the songs you perform to?

I like to understand the song in order to express it. That´s how I feel about it. So I choose rock songs in English. Because that´s what I´m listening to.

Have you seen people suffer during the performance?

Yes, I´ve seen this before and sadly many pole dancers and aerialists are still doing that. Recently I was judging a pole dance and aerial hoop competition, one of the competitors fell very badly from the trying to do a move that she was not yet ready to do. So she fell on her face and there was blood everywhere… It was a very scary thing to witness, but thankfully she was not seriously injured. This is why I believe that simple moves executed well with flawless transitions and good lines are more beautiful and worth more than the ‘hard’ ones.

8.  What are your secret body care tips?

What tips can you give to those who just start pole dance and need to adopt their body to the pole?

I recommend not to use crèmes with oil, as it affect your grip and make it difficult to hold onto the pole. The Body Shop has a really great body sorbet that is not greasy, so I recommend that one. For new beginners, Arnica is really good to help the bruises that you will acquire when learning pole dance. It’s very normal to get a lot of bruises when you’re starting out!

9. What tips can you give to make a good closed inside leg hang?

What are your 2 favorite pole dance tricks? Could you please describe how to do them to those who maybe want to learn them?

For a good closed inside leg hang you need to have a good split, good backbend and even better shoulder flexibility. I find this trick is safer with the inside shoulder around the pole as an extra point of contact, and also to make the line prettier. I also recommend to ‘kick’ the leg into your hands rather than trying to pull that leg over your head using only the strength of your arms. It’s also a lot easier in heels!

Another trick that I like is Jamila. It´s a simple move that´s always looks beautiful. I have a tutorial about it here:

10. You have your own pole dance academy. What things should one consider when opening one´s won pole dance academy or school?

How does it work with pole dance equipment? Are there possibilities to partner with pole shops?

I in my ‘spare’ time, I give business coaching to fitness professionals who want to start their on business or improve the business that they already have. To anyone considering opening their own pole school, there are a lot of things to consider and it takes a lot of time. It is a business like any other, so you need to spend the time writing your business plan and taking necessary steps, such as registering for paying tax, getting insurance, knowing your target audience, building strategic alliances, developing a marketing plan, setting long-term goals and also taking time to ensure you will have a good margin.

As for the equipment, I work a lot with X-Pole and they have a lot of different types of poles, including those that you can fix permanently and those that you can put up/take down. The equipment is very important, so it’s better to buy expensive poles than cheap ones. They last longer and are better and safer for your students. Remember, your poles are your business. Without proper poles, you don´t have a pole business.

11. You won many championships. How was that experience for you?

How were your preparations and feelings? How is the atmosphere at a pole dance championship?

I like competing in pole dance championships and I have won a lot of them. I use the same creative processes as I’ve already talked about to prepare myself for my performances. I always enjoy being on stage and I love performing, so I think that’s a huge part of the reason why I’ve won so many! In every competition I’ve won, I’ve not always been the competitor with the most strength, most flexibility or ‘coolest’ tricks (I stick to what I’m good at, as I’ve already talked about), but I always have a story/character/theme and I always put a lot of energy and emotion into my dancing.

I love the atmosphere at competitions and I love the backstage camaraderie, I love how everyone supports each other. I think it’s very unique to the pole dance scene and I hope we never lose this.

As it´s quite often cold in the backstage rooms, I take a hot water bottle with me. I also bring lots of healthy snacks and water, as sometimes the competitions are very long!!! About 30 mins before my performance, I like to do a short warm-up with similar movements that are in my routine, so as not to use all my energy.

12. How is pole dance scene in Ireland?

I think it´s a really good moment in time for the Irish pole dance scene. There are now a lot of pole dance studios in Ireland, more than ever before. When I first started there weren´t very many and it was very difficult to find a teacher and a good studio, because they were all so far away from each other. Now there are more studios and more teachers. They have good skills and good qualifications. It´s a nice community and everyone is friendly and supportive to each other. Yes I´m very happy to be the part of it!

13. Do you prefer pole X stage standard or lite? Why?

I prefer the X-Stage Lite because I drive a small car and this pole is not as heavy. Also I feel that because the base is closer to the floor it´s easier to do floor work and to make nice transitions. The other one is very big, so transitions are difficult and floorwork is very, very difficult.

14. Where one can book you for a show? Do you also give classes?

Yes, I have two websites. My personal website is arlenecaffrey.com, and my studio’s website is irishpoledanceacademy.com. The Irish Pole Dance Academy website is the best way to contact me, if you are interested to visit my studios and take classes with my team and I. I also give private lessons through Skype, so it´s possible that I can train with you anywhere in the world! If you are interested just contact me through either of my websites!

I’m also on Facebook  and Instagram @arlenecaffrey.

Thank you very much Arlene!

Featured Photo:  Deirdre Ní Fhinn