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No matter if you are new to pole or a seasoned pro, somewhere along the way you’ve run into issues with grip.  Grip and fear of slipping are a common theme amongst pole dancers, especially when it comes to competition.  There are endless articles and shared posts about various grip aids: types, what to use, what works best, what to avoid, etc.  Therefore, I am choosing not to address the topic of grip from those previously and well-covered perspectives.  Rather, I want to share some insight and tips on things that I’ve discovered over the years, that hopefully will shed some light on the issue of grip and give you a good starting point for improving your grip issues.  Overcoming grip and slip is a very personal journey, as there is no one-size-fits-all solution.  I’ve included a few key tips to help you better understand the common causes of grip troubles, a quick into to grip aids and a few strategic and creative ways to solve them.

Understanding the source of your grip slip is key. I like to identify what it’s not, and use that to get closer to discovering what the problem is. There are both internal and external factors that can impact your grip-ability. And just because the popular Mighty Grip powder or Dry Hands that your pole peers use don’t seem to work for you, doesn’t mean that all hope is lost. Keep in mind that everyone’s body responds differently to the chemicals in grips.  It just means that you have to dig a little deeper to find the right solution for you. The internal (or personal factors) that affect grip include your skin type (is your skin normal, dry, oily?), body temperature, grip strength, and fitness/endurance levels. Then there are also external or environmental factors like temperature, humidity, class size and pole diameter.

The biggest thing to understand is that some grip issues may be completely out of your hands.  This can include things like Primary hyperhidrosis (consult your physician) and actual hand size.  Primary hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating, not typically related to your body temperature or physical activity.  Having small hands can affect the ability to grip a 45mm or 50mm pole and can make even the easiest moves more challenging. Good thing 38mm and 40mm poles are becoming more popular! So what can you do and where do you start? I’m glad you asked! Read on!

1. Explore grips.  If you haven’t explored grip and dry body options then start there so you can get educated on grip and test them out. There are lots of different types of grips, each with a different purpose and each can respond to skin types differently.  Within the world of grips, there’s a variety of options, and each carries a different purpose. Some grips are designed to dry your skin, while some are slightly tacky, others are super sticky and finally, you have some that are antiperspirants.  You’ll also find that some grips work on your hands and others are better used on various parts of the body. A few quick examples include: Antiperspirant grips such as Tite Grip can combat perspiration, sticky grips such as Firm Grip can offer a ruthless stick, iTac can be great for knee and elbow pits, but not so friendly on the hands. For more details, check out  Aerial Amy’s grip aids post which explores more grip aids and offers some helpful insight.
2. Apply Correctly! Not all grips are made equal and each have their own best practices. Make sure you are aware of the application procedures and you follow the recommended steps. For example, Might Grip powder is heat activated. This does not mean that a warm body will activate the grip, what their directions actually require, is FRICTION. It is Friction activated, so you really have to rub rub rub those hands together (almost like you’re trying to start a fire) and that is what makes the magic happen. Other grips like Dry Body wipes require you to shower first, some do require clean, freshly washed skin. So be sure to read the instructions on the labels. 
3. Explore grip alternatives. For some, solution grip aids such powders, liquids, rosin, sprays, etc., may not be an option or just might not work. In this case, try looking into alternatives such as glove, tack anklets and knee-pads with tack. This is also ideal for those who work with their hands and need to protect them from the callousness of pole such as massage therapists or doctors, who need soft hands.
4. Warmup. Make sure that you are always properly and fully armed up. A warm body will always be grippier than a cold body. Getting your heart rate and body temp up will provide a natural stick which goes a long way. You’ll also find that your body temp can also affect the way grips work once applied.
5. Respect your level. When it comes to routine building, select tricks that work with your current body type and grip type. This will change as you progress in your pole career, but for the time being, stick with what works best for the you that you are now. Especially when it comes choreographing routines for performances and competition. For example, if elbow holds are not your strong suit, then don’t try to force one into your routine…sliding out of it may be more of an issue with upper body engagement and being able to manipulate your weight distribution than it is with actually grip issues. So play it safe and save it for a later performance.
6. Routine sequencing.  Order matters! Put your more difficult moves at the beginning of your routine when your hands are most dry, freshly gripped up and when you’re less sweaty and your energy levels are still high. You start at 100% and every move from there drains you, so sequence accordingly.
7. Personal Sequencing. Learn how to sequence in ways that work for your body and grip ability.  Some combos may have to be remixed for successful execution. For example, maybe you envision a pole climb to a sit and then into a jasmine, but during execution, you end up sliding down the pole not able to nail your jasmine. On the other hand, your jasmine from a floor cupid is strong and steady. Go the route of least resistance. Execute your jasmine from the floor cupid and then maybe see if you can pull up into a pole sit from there.
8. Personal Fitness + Endurance. One thing I found true to my personal journey is that sometimes the sweaty factor is caused by fitness level and endurance. These go hand-in-hand with your pole fitness journey. Routinely working on fitness and endurance, through cross-training and conditioning, will improve your ability to grip the pole in various moves, improve strength and give you the energy to go harder, longer. If you’ve ever taken a class with me, then you know I’m BIG on this. My students do a LOT of conditioning, so we can make sure that their bodies are working with them and not against them.
9. Core, core and MORE CORE. If you are not utilizing your core during pole then your shoulders are having to take up the slack and take on more stress…which in turn can be the source of grip issues. Core warm-ups and core conditioning are vital. Another fun part of taking class with me! 😉
10. Building Grip Strength.  Improving grip strength in the hand can help, so make sure that you working to build a more powerful hand grip. There are a variety of hand grip strengtheners and finger strengtheners that you can invest in.
11. Mask it.  This specifically applies to sweat attacks that catch you off guard during a performance, or if you’re in a bind and need a somewhat “quick fix”. Let’s face it, sometimes things just catch us off guard or don’t go our way.  In that case, sometimes, you just have to get creative and learn how to hide grip on your body or casually wipe your hands on your clothing to reduce sweat. A few ways you can mask a quick hand dry are: tugging on your clothes, crossing the arms across the chest (self-hug) and wiping them on your shirt as you uncross, a gentle squeeze of the buttocks.  Just make sure that it fits into the theme of your routine and your music and also that the outfit you’re wearing will work with your plan. Props that you can wipe your hands off on or choreo where you can wipe your hands on your clothing
12. Costume selection. There are three key things I like to consider here (other than picking a costume that fits your theme/character. The first is anchor points: make sure that you know which body parts need to be free and clear of fabric so that you can grip the pole. The second is airflow to overheated areas: if your neck sweats then keep your neck clear of hair and fabric so it can breathe.  The third thing is: covering areas that sweat with fabric…as long as they aren’t a required anchor point or a cause of overheating. For example, if your armpits sweat and you don’t need a pit grip for any moves, then find a fashionable top with short sleeves that can soak up that sweat so that it doesn’t travel to other parts of the body inhibiting moves. A personal example, my forearms sweat like crazy. I’ve found that wrist bands can help with traveling sweat, so costumes where my armpits and sides are revealed but my forearms are covered are ideal.
13. Hair styling.  Styles such as hair up in a ponytail/bun or in a side ponytail will allow the neck to breath and help keep the body remain a little cooler. And speaking of hair, keep your hands out of your hair so you don’t transfer hairspray, gel or other hair product to your hands.
14. Towel selection. This is minor, but I’ve found that it does matter.  Not all towels are absorbent and wipe down the poles the same. I’ve found that some types work better than others. Microfiber towels clean and dry whereas others just seem to smear the sweat/moisture more.
15. Talk to your doctor. If all else fails, seek medical attention from your doctor to check for any sort of conditions (or side effects to current medications) that can cause excessive sweating, such as Primary hyperhidrosis –  a condition where you just sweat excessively, typically on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and armpits.

Side note for those on the competition circuit: I often hear talk about how “if only they [the competition] would let us put grip on the pole then I could grip and execute my routine successfully”. Newsflash, this is absolutely NOT the solution. Sorry! Although I too will apply grip on poles in class from time-to-time, I am actually happy that this practice is not allowed at most competitions. I realize that there are many people that will disagree with me and that’s okay, we’re all entitled to our opinions.

Here’s where I feel we need to step back and look at the bigger picture. Individually, we’re all focused on what’s best for “ME” to help “ME” grip and be most successful at competition. The competition organizer’s job is to do whats best for ALL of the competitors as a whole…and this is the perspective I choose to share from. It makes a tougher job for the pole cleaners to clean and takes longer between each performer, which ultimately can throw the schedule off. Additionally, the guarantee that each pole gets completely clean and de-gooed also goes down, which could affect you negatively, as the more grip build-up on a pole can change the consistency of the poles finish to the touch. What you feel can help your chances can hurt another person’s chances and vice versa. And best believe, if you even thought that a previous performer’s grip affected your performance, you’d be extremely vocal about it – and with good reason.

The buzz on social media is a sizzling feud between two brands that I know, like and support. Maybe you’ve heard, maybe you haven’t. You’re not missing much either way, but by the time you finish reading this, you’ll get the skinny of what’s going on. The dialogue between Liquid Motion® and Xoticy® isn’t the first time brands have been at odds;  nor will it be the last. Now, typically I stay out of drama and socially sustained conversations such as this, however, I actually find this one interesting from a business standpoint. While this is not an attempt to put my two cents in and further perpetuate drama, I did have the inkling to analyze things from a business perspective. And let me go on record now to say that I’m NOT picking sides either. I’m simply looking at the problem, the facts, some of the perspectives and possible solutions from a Business standpoint. 

I was introduced to Xocticy first by some friends that I went to college with. Liquid Motion I came to know not too long after through a friend in the Pole Fitness community. Let me go on record to say that I support both brands and what they stand for equally (Let me point out that I support the BRANDS, now what the owners post on their personal social media and how they react to conflict is another discussion and to that I simply say: to each their own! XOXOXO).

So there’s no denying that Monica of Xoticy has been going through some things lately as can be seen from her more recent posts. I can appreciate the transparency and vulnerability, or what some may describe as a rawness in her posts. Although, personally I do believe that there is a right and a wrong way to go about things. While my personal approach may be different, I get the bottom line and her concerns. HOWEVER, in reading her posts, never once did it strike me that she was referring to Liquid Motion. I only came to realize this today after a post in my feed from Accro Brandon. And perhaps this is what stuck out to me the most and generated the need to write this. A pole fitness professional that’s heavy in pole and aerial community, one would think that I would’ve made the connection, but I didn’t…so that there should tell you something about the distinction between the two brands. While there some similarities and overlap, there remains an enormous amount of difference between the two. 

Similarities

Let’s look at a few quick things these brands have in common (although not a comprehensive list). Both brands are created by strong, fearless women with a passion for movement and dance. Yay for women in business!! Jeni and Monica both stand up for what they believe in and are quick to speak their mind with little regret. These two women took something that they were passionate about, identified an opportunity in the market to bring their brands to life.  Both brands have flourished over the years, creating a movement and army of supporters along the way.  While the concepts learned through both programs can be adapted to any form of dance or apparatus, floorwork is the key commonality and foundation of both.  So who owns the floor? Everyone and NO ONE!  Which leads us in to their differences.

Differences

Understand that products and services can be copied, but a brand is unique. The Brand represents your image, customer perception, how a product/service is able to help customers solve a problem or fulfill a need, the value provided and emotional response generated. As with any business, your mission statement/purpose and target audience is largely what separates you from similar businesses. 

When I think of the Xoticy brand, I see a female owned company that caters to plus size, minority women between the ages of 25-40. Now, of course, there are other shapes, sizes, ages and races mixed in there, but even a quick survey of event coverage from videos and social media posts will support that a large portion of the brand’s following falls within those parameters. Monica positively promotes a safe place for sensual exploration, where women are free to be themselves and be comfortable with their bodies. Classes speak to women wanting regain a sense of self and build confidence. I’ve also seen classes/routines that appear to be catered towards women that might want to perform for their man and create sensual connection…or even a spark in the bedroom 😉

The Liquid Motion brand, to me, promotes movement exploration and fluidity. Jeni’s vision caters to women and men (although like pole the male numbers are less), ages 24-40. Now while some people might see some previous posts from Jeni which may imply moves that are overly sexual, I assure you that is not the case.  That’s  just her personal flare (which I’m not gonna get into right now) but she is DAMN good at! Again, I don’t see that as being what the actual Liquid Motion Brand is about. Secondly, Liquid Motion’s roots are in the Pole Fitness community, and that’s primarily where you’ll find Jeni and her team. Yes I’m sure she has hopes of expanding beyond the Pole and Aerial community, but I don’t see it as anything that infringes upon what any other non-pole/aerial dance brands have going on. Liquid motion has gone on to create a certification program because they’re trying to spread this idea of movement throughout the world.

Look at the brand names. Liquid Motion is exactly what it says it is: a focus on building fluidity in movement. Xoticy is sexy as hell and capitalizes on being more exotic and sensual. The names alone say it all. So then that brings the question: What is the exact issue here? Different names, different brands, different communities, different target audience, different products/services. I can see it. If others don’t then maybe you should really look the state of branding, mission and target audience. There really isn’t a way to think these things are the same because they are not the same. And for anyone that disagrees, I implore you to take a class from both of these women and you will quickly see the difference and have an appreciation for both.  

Quick Case Study

As a fan, I feel like I fall into the target audience of both brands. I am a 32 year old, minority female. I was once overweight and struggled with confidence and have been on a journey to find and redefine myself. I support black owned business, I support small business, I support female owned businesses, and I support businesses that cater to the pole/aerial community.  I am also active in the Pole/Aerial community as an athlete, instructor, performer, competitor, and supporter. See how that works? TWO brands, ONE me and THREE happy campers!

I think what happens all too often, especially in the pole community, is that owners start to worry more about what the next person is doing, who is copying them, and in the process forgets their target audience. Your unique selling proposition (USP) and target audience are largely what differs your brand from another. We don’t see Lexus, Audi, Subaru and Kia out here bashing each other online just because they all decided to offer cars and SUVs (side note, I love Subaru’s current marketing and how the tap into the whole “family and generational” experience).  While offering similar products, each company has created their own customer experience and products that cater to them based off of their target market and USP. Their focus is to fulfill customer needs and maintain customer loyalty. 

What Were We Talking About?

Back to the two brands at hand. These two brands parallel but are not the same. They are on different playing fields. Xoticy was never catered towards the Pole/Aerial community, although I think a lot of people would be interested and enjoy it. On the other hand, you have Liquid Motion which was sort of born from within the pole community. You can take both of these classes and come out with two healthy, positive and fulfilling experiences.

The fact is that both of these brands CAN coexist peacefully. One does not take from the other, regardless of a few commonalities. At this point, I think the focus should not be on the fight for who is right and social media slandering. Rather, it should be on making a better distinction between the two brands and the target audience, and continuing to build your brand…your dream regardless of what you think someone else is or isn’t doing. Don’t put your dream and growth on hold for a fight because there will always be something and time the one thing that can’t be recycled.

Healthy competition is what creates progression. As a business owner, there is a given expectation of healthy competition in the marketplace. If these car companies weren’t challenging each other then we wouldn’t have cars that open and close their own doors, can start with remotes, can drive/park themselves, etc. Or think about cell phones. We’re 7 iPhones deep now, but without healthy competition, we’d all still be using T-Mobile Side Kicks and Motorola Razors.  lol. Or how about this…Take stock of what you have in your house. Now tell me that you only have ONE brand of clothing, one brand of make-up, one brand of food…umm NO! I know everyone has an eclectic mix of everything because we are creatures of exploration, and different products/services fulfill different needs. 

If pole fitness and strippers can (for the most part) successfully coexist then why can these two brands? Here’s some additional food for thought: Xpert, Spin City, ElevatED and Fawnia all have successful certification programs. Why is that? The fact is that brands can peacefully coexist without actively brand bashing and social media beef. 

Personal Note

This right here is a super personal opinion. In general,  I believe there is a right and a wrong way of doing things. Social media perpetuates drama. Most things would come to a swifter, less dramatic resolution if handled directly between the two parties behind closed doors. Additional commentary, likes, dislikes, negative opinions, and attitudes help to solve nothing. Yes feelings are hurt and business might be affected but at the end of the day, your fans and potential customers are watching. What is this behavior COSTING you?

Impact of Social Media

I also have to wonder what impact social media and technology has had on this? And I’m talking about beyond the scope of spreading the word/drama via posts. I’m talking about the capturing and claiming of certain moves. There’s no doubt in my mind that some of these “iconic” movements have already been done in the past without coverage. Hell plenty of our mothers probably did some of these moves in bed when we were conceived and DIDN’T get a sex tape deal out of it nor were they able to lay claim to that move/position lol. (Okay, back to business) For real though, when it comes to dance and movement, there’s really only so many things that the body can do. I’m sure back in the days before camera phones and livestreams, much of what we do and claim today was already being done. Hell, every pole dancer and stripper I know does Jade and the Fireman spin, but I can’t tell you where those moves come from.  Nor are we sitting around fighting over them and bashing each other publicly.

Furthermore, I think dance is often a lot like songwriting and article writing. Like words, some dance moves or elements of movement just flow well from one into the next. There are only so many combinations that you can make up that make sense at times. This is also why transitions are a big key with winning pole competitions; this is where your personal touch and character comes into play. The judges want to see combinations and sequencing other than the standard predictable stuff we learn in class – but that is for another article, at another time.

Moving Foward

While people will continue to add their two cents, I think the focus needs to be on getting back to business. If your business is doing well (and people are coming after you for it) then keep doing what you’re doing. If your customers are happy, your business methods are ethical, you aren’t breaking the law and you aren’t hurting the environment then kudos to you! If your business is struggling or you can’t handle the competition then take a look at your business plan, branding and target audience. While making money is clearly the goal of any business, the objective is to focus on helping your customers so that they 1) remain customers and 2) share your business with others. Word-of-mouth marketing is the best! So what are your customers and non (but potential) customers saying about you right now?

No matter the state of your business, an audit of your business/practices and some business/marketing consulting is something I recommend to every business owner. Especially those that are struggling, haven’t reached all of their goals or that are wanting to take it to the next level.

And before anyone comes for me, as I said in the beginning, I’m not picking sides. This is just my nerdy perspective on something that caught my attention. What gives me the right? My MBA and current pursuit of a Ph.D in business.

Featured Photo Courtesy of Maaillustrations

This is a post about change, but really about nails, that turns out to still really just be about change (and not the kind that jingles in your pocket).

When I started writing (what ended up to be this post) I was actually intending to write about my decision to give up fake nails and go the natural route. Somewhere between reviewing my last word and planning my next, I unexpectedly started to reflect on the journey that led me to where I am now and what I’ve discovered as a result.

The Compounding Effects of Change // The Butterfly Effect

It’s crazy, almost ironic, the things that you can discover just by changing your habits. I’m in awe at how much you can discover just by making a simple change. The effects of change in your life is like a savings account, what you withdraw and deposit is impacted by the interest and thus your balance. And over time, you can end up with something substantial – the compounding effect. The choices we make and habits we have either contribute negatively or positively to our lives. That’s right, every thought, action, and decision impacts other things that you probably never even considered. We are always one decision away from a different outcome and a different life. And if we play our cards right, maybe it’s a life that we desire.

Discoveries > Fake Nails

For example, I made the decision to finally give up fake nails and to invest the necessary time to grow my nails naturally. I’ve maintained this commitment for the past six months and along the way I’ve made a few pivotal discoveries:

1. I found lost (ok, wasted) money
2. My skin has improved
3. I’ve been able to create dedicated ME time
4. I found a piece of me I didn’t realize I’d lost

Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money!

The discovery of extra money was the first big impact of my decision to go all natural and care for my own nails. I found that I’m saving about $120 a month. In addition to my routine full-set, I would often get fancy designs (complete with a fancy additional cost), and I like the gel polish which is typically more expensive – even for take off! As with any products or services, there’s always upselling, so I’d usually end up leaving with a pedicure and/or waxing of some sort as well. So when I cut out the fake nails, I also cut out the unnecessary pedicures and waxing. Now rest assured, I’m still well-groomed, I just took it back in-house. I realized that I am fully capable of doing these things at home on my own and that purchasing theses services just wasn’t as essential as I once thought.

Healthier, Happier Skin

The second discovery was less skin irritation. It’s also the one that I was most surprised by and happiest with! For as long as I can remember, I’ve had bad skin. I break out easily, and dark spots from any injury, bite or irritation are just standard. On top of that, I have a nervous habit of scratching which only makes things worse (Le sigh). As a child, my skin raised a lot of questions and often resulted in me being teased. It was so bad that for the longest time I avoided shorts and skirts, even in the midst of summer I’d rock pants just to avoid having my skin be seen. Hell, I once had a boyfriend (who actually happened to be my first love) tell me that if he could change one thing about me it would be my skin. Anyway, one of the things that I’ve noticed since getting rid of the fake nails is that when I am tempted to scratch, my skin doesn’t get as irritated by my natural nails as it did with the fake nails. As a result, I’ve noticed my skin has been healthier, happier and has even cleared up in some areas.

Back to Me

One of the things I’ve been working on is getting to know ME better and creating the best version of me that I can. So the third thing I discovered is that setting time aside to do my nails has been a great opportunity for Me time. I’ve been able to use this time to reflect, brainstorm and rediscover myself. It has also led to the [fourth] discovery of something I used to really enjoy as a kid. I remembered how much I used to love nail polish and painting my nails. I had a Caboodle filled with every color imaginable.

In Closing

This is just one example of the compounding effect that choices and change have. I’m sure there’s an infinite amount of these that I could trace throughout my life. My goal now is to simply share the power of change and how one relatively small decision has led to even more good than I could have anticipated.

Now YOU

What are your goals? What small change can you make today to help you get a step closer to your goals and on the path to compounding effects?

Competition is right around the corner and I know we’ll all have open eyes and ears when it comes to any sort of tips and tricks that can help ensure success. While we all want to do our very best, there’s a few things that you just shouldn’t try out for the first time before your competition. Here are my top five no-nos.

1. Do not change your shaving/waxing/laser habits. Proper grooming is a definite necessity, heaven forbid you have a forest peeking through your bitsy bottoms, but stick to your normal routine.  All grooming and hair removal come with side effects, and if you have sensitive skin then the risks are even higher. Don’t risk a breakout or irritation by trying out a new procedure. In addition to being visible on stage and in your photos/videos, the sheer discomfort can affect the way you walk, dance and move through your routine. Curiosity killed the cat, so save that curiosity for after competition!
2. Tanning. If you don’t normally tan then now is not the time to start. This includes tanning beds and spray/lotion tans. You don’t know how your skin will respond. The last thing you want is a burn/irritation from the tanning bed or sun, or a change in your skin’s “stickability” to the pole.
3. While we’re on the topic of skin, no new lotions, perfumes, soaps or anything else that could break you out or change the condition of your skin and it’s response to the pole that you’re used to. These things can also affect the way your grip products work on your body.
4. Your routine. Yep that’s right! Whatever you have now, SET IT IN STONE. Last minute changes to your choreo and costume can be more harmful than helpful. If you think of something that’s just absolutely brilliant, save if for your next competition.
5. Exhaust yourself. Part of competition training is having proper rest and recovery days. Don’t wear yourself down with practice as this can lead to injury. A healthy dose of visualization and professional massage is highly suggested to help keep your mind and body up to the task!

Just as the right outfit can make a good impression at a job interview, on a first date or even just help you feel good during the day, the right costume will have a significant impact on the competition stage. And believe it or not theres a lot that goes into finding the right costume. I’m going to share with you a few of (what I think) are the most important things to consider when it comes to your costume. I’m also going to include links to a handful of places to help you get your search started.

First and foremost: consider your body type! I like to think of this as camouflaging areas of concern, while accentuating areas of pride. Face it, we all have things that we love about our bodies, as well as ares that we might feel slightly insecure about. Be honest with yourself about your areas of concern. Your insecurities and concerns can been seen and felt by the audience and judges, so use this honesty to help you when selecting costume coverage. For example, if your tummy is not as toned and tight as you prefer then consider a one piece, high-waisted bottoms (I love the tummy control ones) or even a monokini. On the flip side, maybe you have a stunning rack that you want to show off so you have a cleve enhancing top (just make sure there’s no opportunity for a nip slip!) or maybe you’ve got a great ass and you rock some super cheeky bottoms. If you got it, flaunt it!

The second thing to consider is the areas of contact/support needed for your combos. When it comes to pole, skin is IN! Review your combos to see where you need exposed skin at or even where you may need some padding/protection (knees, tops of feet, balls of feet). Ensure that the costume you pick, allows you to have access to the areas of contact that you need and doesn’t restrict movement or get in the way of your movement (nothing like a beautiful flowing skirt getting tangled between you and the pole)

Once you have your requirements, body type and areas of contact, then consider your song/theme. Your costume should be expressive and bring your theme to life, especially if you are doing an entertainment or dramatic piece. Remember that your costume is another visual connection that ties the audience and judges to your music. It is also an extension of your movement. If you don’t know where to start for costume ideas, then consider your song. If your song has a music visor or is from a movie, then take inspiration from there. Dance teams that may have performed to your song is another great place for ideas and inspiration (look up dance teams + “Your song title” on YouTube).

Think of ways to accessorize! Necklaces, hair flare, body paint, lashes, arm/legs bands, etc.

Things to consider when ordering:
– Sizing. Is it true to size? Contact customer service, talk to friend that may have tried the brand and read reviews.
– Consider turn around time. If you are having a costume designed and custom made specifically for you and your routine then be sure to ask the designer how long it will take. I would also suggest you let thrm know that you Oder is time sensitive and let them know w the date of your competition.
– Consider shipping times. International orders take longer to arrive and can often get held up by customs. You want to ensure that you have your costume not just in time for competition, but well in advance. You want to have your costume sooner so that you canker flare practice in it to ensure it fits, no tits and bits pop out and works for your routine. This will also allow time for additional customizations, alternations or the purchase of another costume if it doesn’t work.
– While I don’t recommend going the “off the shelf” route (purchasing a cookie cutter set) if you do, then I suggest mixing a different color top and bottom. For example: Black Bad Kitty Brazil Shorts with a White Bad Kitty Spider top.
– If you do purchase off the shelf then find ways to make it Unique to you. Add rhinestones, feathers, fabric, etc.
– Are your bottoms see through or low rise? Get a safety thong!
– Wig Tape and Firm Grip can help fabric sticking to skin to minimize shifting.
– Have a backup costume! ANYTHING can happen. You can get your period and bleed on your costume (yea I’ve seen it happen), you can tear/rip your costume, you can forget it, if you’re traveling it can get lost (so pack your backup in a carry-on/different bag).
– If your competition falls during SHARK WEEK then be sure to cut and tuck your tampon strings. If you wear pads, then consider how that might look, feel and possibly shift in your costume bottoms during your performance.

Where to Shop:
Don’t only shop pole dance specific companies. Explore ALL online and brick and mortar dance stores.  They are a lot of great finds in the dance world: ballet, gymnastics, etc. Etsy is another great place to find unique and custom options. Swim wear, fitness wear and halloween costumes are other great sources. Below is a list of places to start your search. There are many more out there, but these are some of the most popular and some of the most unique I’ve come across. Pinterest is a great place to go for inspiration!

Pole Wear:
Artista Apparel (Texas Based)
Bad Kitty® | PoleFit®
cleothehurricane.com
DerbySkinz
Pole Candy
Wink Designs
Dragonflybrandusa.com‎
Dragonflybrandusa.com‎
Pole Dancer KA
Pole Addict
Vekker
Kelly Maglia
RAD POLEWEAR
Backbone Polewear
Rarr Designs
Juicee Peach
Point Out Pole Wear
Boom Kats
indi pole wear
Nao Pole Wear.com‎
GloryLA
Pole Dance Costumes
Body Melody
FiBourke Designs
Creatures of XIX
Grata Designs
Unicorn pole wear
Pole Dance | Etsy‎
Pole Dance Wear Carolina
Polerform Pole Wear
Paradise Chick

Dance Wear:
All About Dance
Discount Dance
BD DanceWear

Exotic Dance Wear:
Electric Boutique
Yandy
Snaz75
Body Zone Apparel

Fitness Wear:
Mika Yoga Wear
Indira Active (Bra’s)
Alo Yoga
SanDiego Fit

Swim Wear:

Second Hand:
Dallas Vintage and Costume Shop
Texas Pole Community Garage Sale
Olive Avira’s Online Closet

Shoes:
Tiffany’s Glitter Heels

Recently i’ve been training more in Lyra, aerial yoga/hammock and TRX to diversify my knowledge and increase my aerial ability.  One of my 2017 Goals and an overall goal on my Lyracorn journey, was to complete Lrya certification.  As with my first pole certification, my objective was to build on my lyra foundations, rather than just jumping into teaching lyra.  I am proud to say that a few weeks ago I took the first step in making that goal a reality.  I attended an intense two-day Spin City Beginners Aerial Hoop Instructor Course here in Dallas, led by Kimberly Meinhart and Shelly Courtney.  I’ve successfully completed couple of Spin City’s other training courses including: Anatomy & Physiology and Flexibility, although I did these online. The 16-hour training was torment on my hands, but so fulfilling to my aerial heart.

Before I dive into the awesome training, I want to point out how much of a perfect fit Kimberly and Shelly are as leaders and master trainers for the Spin City Lyra Program.  I’ve known both ladies for years now, and have trained with them many times.  Their talent and professionalism extends beyond their work as aerial athletes and into their training and leadership. Throughout the training both ladies brought enthusiasm and consistently exemplified the principles that we were learning.

There are several different instructor training courses out there, each worth the time and financial investment, although I’ll leave it to you to do your research to see which is the best fit for you.  Rather on focusing on what was taught over the weekend, I want to highlight the differences I noted in how the program was designed and ran in comparison to other certifications I’ve completed – and my overall thoughts of the program.

Leading up to the training we received a handful of thoughtful reminder emails that kept us excited and in the know, but of course this is not the kind of thing that we’d forget was on our calendar.  Within those pre-training emails, we received a PDF copy of the training manual – about a week before the training session.  Because I was so used to receiving a printed manual at the start of training, I was initially caught off guard by the PDF manual that I needed to get printed on my own.  It wasn’t until I had the printed manual in my hand that I realized the benefit of having the manual ahead of time and not just the day of.  All it cost was a quick trip to FedEx-Kinkos and less than $20, but the value I got in return, by having the manual ahead of time, was the opportunity to nerd out and get familiar before the start of training. And when I say I nerded out, I NERDED OUT!!!
The 16-hour training was split into two days.  Day one we jumped right into the manual and hands-on work.  Often with two-day trainings, much of what is to be learned in “jammed” into the first day and the second day is dedicated oral/written/demonstrative testing.  What I like about Spin City’s training is that they removed the testing portion from the 16-hour training so that both days were focused on learning the material.  We spent both days examining the beginner moves, breaking down moves, teaching moves, learning various cueing techniques, creating and teaching choreography, and we even got some hands-on spotting interaction amongst the attendees.  Having done a variety of testing iterations at various certifications, I must say that I love and respect this change. The Spin City team hit the nail on the head with this altered program design.  Forgoing the typical written exam and focusing on the practical hands-on portion, is ideal because these are the actual skills you need when in the aerial classroom.  More on this testing change in a bit.

The 16-hour training was well laid out, with a plan of attack clearly posted each day.  The material focused on classroom management, the role of an instructor, and beginner-level warmups, tricks, conditioning and choreography. Side note: I also appreciated that we were taught moves/variations that were not included in the manual; it was a sweet added bonus!  The teaching objectives were solidified via a mix of reading, group discussion, demos and hands-ons activities.  The activities were a great way to immediately put what we learned and discussed to use.  Sometimes we worked in groups of two, sometimes groups of three, and instead of always selecting our partners, we were often paired up. This ensured that we all got time with each other and you were gently forced out of your comfort zone and talking interacting with other people.

Choreogprahy was a major focal point in training and had several activities surrounding it.  As an instructor and competitor, I know first hand how crucial and how difficult choreography can be, so I appreciated the focus that was put into the choreography excursuses that we participated in. We are provided and taught beginner level lyra choreography and then given the challenge to not only come up with our own choreography but also to teach that to our fellow trainees. I felt like a proud (soon-to-be) lyra instructor.  And shoutout to my fellow attendees, since pole is my primary apparatus, naturally I kept calling the lyra a pole but they didn’t hold that against me lol.  We also discussed a few of the different type of student personalities and participated in a few exercises that highlighted and tested our ability to maneuver around those while teaching. I think that exercise was extremely helpful to anyone who hasn’t taught before, or those who haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing the many types of personalities you can encounter while teaching.

In lieu of the on-site testing, participants are required submit written curriculum and a host a full 1 hour class of their teaching ability via recording – post training.  Your passing is based on an actual observation of your teaching ability, incorporation of the learned training skills and classroom management.  It’s not just a, can you teach this one trick that was assigned to you, but can you actually do what you are training to do and thoroughly plan and safely execute a successful class?  I think this is a better representation and demonstration of a person’s ability to properly plan, execute and manage an aerial class, and their retention of the Spin City learning objectives. Although, as of writing this, I have not completed the portion of my training, I am looking forward to knocking it out in the coming weeks.

One of the most beneficial parts of the training for me was the group discussions.  I believe that it’s extremely helpful to share ideas, experiences and mistakes…this makes for the best learning.  Personal experiences are can help solidify learned principles and often highlight factors and situations that general outlines and trainings overlook or aren’t able to include.  I enjoyed the fact that Kim and Shelly allowed us to gear off-track at times to share with one another.  If added an extra level of learning to the training and helped us connect with each other.

Since I’m already an instructor, learning “how” to instruct wasn’t a focus or a big takeaway for me.  What did walk away with was a better understanding of the lyra foundations and a new goal for my personal/professional growth.  I was really able to observe the impact that Shelly and Kim had on all the attendees and it was a wonderful experience to see them blossom as instructors.  I’ve decided that in addition to teaching students, I also have the desire to help train instructors, and I will pursue that in the near future!

Initially, this post was a part of my Spin City Beginner Lyra Training review.  I wanted to share my thoughts on that experience, but as I started writing I realized that I had much more to share on teaching training and certification in general.  I decided that separating my training thoughts from that training experience was the best route, and much easier for those of you reading this to digest!  So after you check out part one, feel free to jump right into part two which is linked at the bottom.

I consider myself a lifetime learner and I’m forever nerding out, specifically in my aerial journey. The thirst for information and diverse training has become sort of an addiction.  Books, articles, workshops, privates, training sessions, online certifications, you name it…I’m all for it!  I feel like there is always new information, techniques, and resources popping up that I can use to improve my craft – as an athlete and as an instructor.  As an instructor, I feel like I have the responsibility to myself to continue working on my personal development, and to my students to continue learning so that I may improve my work with them on their goals.

My aerial journey started in 2009, and I attended my very first teacher training/certification in 2012. Although it until 2014 (ish) that I actually started teaching.  When I attended the training, it was not with the intention of teaching.  Instead, I simply wanted to solidify the foundations to better my personal growth.  Let me tell you, it was everything I hoped it would be and more.  Certification is one of the best moves you can make as an aerial athlete and as someone that has an interest in teaching.
I think sometimes when people attend a certification, it’s with the assumption that they are ready to teach and should be in the classroom the next day.  However, I don’t see it that way.  Just because someone completes a certification does not necessarily mean that they should or are ready to teach.  To me, it just means that they had some discretionary income available to put towards it, along with an interest in teaching (hopefully).

In my opinion, when you do a certification, you don’t leave with every single tool and ability you need to be the perfect instructor.  However, you do leave feeling empowered and armed with knowledge and resources that you can use to help develop your teaching ability and your personal teaching style.  I also believe teacher trainings aren’t just for new or hopeful teachers.  Continuing education should be a normal part of any aerial instructor’s growth and development as a classroom leader – as it is with most other professions.  I also believe that cross training is another key element that both instructors and students should incorporate into their regimen.

My Top Five Tips For Those Thinking About Teacher Training:
1. Do Your Research.  Every program has its pros and cons.  Do a self-assessment, what do you already know?  What do you feel you’re lacking?  Where are you teaching (or wanting to teach) and what are their qualifications/requirements?  What are your areas of weakness?  Compare your findings against the offerings of each program to see what’s the best option for you.
2. Consider the Investment.  Look at the cost of the program and the overall value it will add to your ability and teaching resume.  You aren’t just investing your money, but also your time, so ensure that the training will provide a solid ROI.  How long will it take you to make your money back via studio classes and/or private lessons?
3. Look at training options.  Some certification programs offer online training options, which in my experience are slightly cheaper.  Consider your learning preferences.  If you are good with self-management and time management then online training may work better for you, while saving you some green.  If you’re hands on, prefer immediate feedback or just like in-person training then on-site will be the best option for you.
4. Plan for a Nesting Period and Practice. Allow yourself sufficient time to absorb and apply the materials learned in training.  Give yourself a nesting period where you can get settled into the dutiles and skills needed for your new role. Before jumping into a teaching position, practice your teaching skills and develop your personal teaching style.  If you have the ability, shadow other instructors that teach the same class/level that you’re wanting to teach and if they allow, offer to lead certain parts of the class for them such as the warm up, cool down or conditioning drills.
5. Continuing Education.  Training isn’t over once you receive that certificate.  Make your training the beginning of an endless journey.  Students will always be working to advance in their craft and so should you.  Engage in discussion with other instructors, get feedback from students and studio owners, consume any and all resources you can get your hands on, cross-train, and do any additional programs/certifications that you can (and that provide good ROI)

BONUS TIP: Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas have the best sales!

Read part two: Instructor Certification Part Two Spin City Lyra