Tag: Pole dancer

pole dance floorwork

Meet Sophia: Positive Spin Student of the Month

Sophia

She/her
Student since May 2019

Pole Dancing

What inspired you to try pole dance?

I always wanted to try it, ever since I was in high school.

What are your other hobbies and interests?

Writing poetry, making and selling earrings, and making collages!

What is your career?

I currently work at Lifelong, a local HIV resource nonprofit, as an admin and HR coordinator.

What has been the biggest challenge in your pole journey?

Flexibility!

What has been the most rewarding part of your pole journey?

Finding a form of dance that can be sexy, artistic, acrobatic, and different every time is super fulfilling. Also, big muscles.

Pole Dancer Invert

What is your favorite thing about positive Spin?

I love how queer and funky everything is, it’s super supportive and encourages everyone to never be afraid to shoot for their goals.

What is something people are surprised to learn about you?

I survived Atlanta summers for 5 years.
 

What advice would you give to new polers?

Don’t be afraid to try anything, you’d be surprised what you might be good at!

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Meet Peri: Positive Spin Student of the Month

Peri

She/her
Student since July 2018

What inspired you to try pole dance?

I’ve always wanted to try Pole but meeting Alyssa at pride is what really made me have the courage to enroll in my first class. She was so friendly and it made me less intimidated to sign up.

What are your other hobbies and interests?

I’m a social dancer who primarily dances Lindy Hop!

What is your career?

Administrative Assistant

What has been the biggest challenge in your pole journey?

Getting over the mental block that says I can’t do something cause it’s too scary/hard/painful. I can do it but getting over that mental block has been my greatest foe.

What has been the most rewarding part of your pole journey?

Finding out just how bendy I am. I’ve always been fairly flexible but excelling in this area is now a source of pride. Getting into a splits for the first time in my life was worth all the painful months of stretching beforehand.

What is your favorite thing about positive Spin?

It’s really hard to pick a favorite thing cause the studio is wonderful. The community that it has built is something that I’m proud to be a part of and I love all the instructors that teach here. It’s truly my happy place.

What is something people are surprised to learn about you?

Not only do I social dance but I also compete and have won competitions in Colorado, of all places.
 

What advice would you give to new polers?

Just try it. If you like it then sign up for the monthly pass cause poling every day is great! If you don’t like it then you’ll have a new appreciation for the people who do this for a living or for fun.

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Meet Juliann: Positive Spin Student of the Month

Juliann

She/her Student since November 2018

What inspired you to try pole dance?

Seeing more experienced strippers do super sick pole tricks.

What are your other hobbies and interests?

My undisputed favorite hobby is napping. But I like to paint whenever I gather enough inspiration. These days I like to vibe out and listen to music or binge Netflix like a good millennial.

What is your career?

No career yet. Just a normie day job. I’m still growing up.

What has been the biggest challenge in your pole journey?


The hardest part is waiting for yourself to get stronger. There’s no way you can rush progress, otherwise you’d put yourself out of commission. Learning how to be patient and take it step by step is something I had to learn because I typically like to jump head first into trying new things. But that’s not recommended for pole.

What has been the most rewarding part of your pole journey?

All of it. Every class I never fail to experience fear, excitement, and joy. However there’s no better feeling than finally being able to land a move you’ve been working so hard towards. I think that’s why we all do it.

What is your favorite thing about positive Spin?

The name is punny. But Alyssa’s done a wonderful job of creating a small community of super uplifting people who have pole as a common interest. I love it when I come to class and see friends who have stuck around the studio for a while. We all get to see each other grow!

What is something people are surprised to learn about you?

My age! I’m 20. Everyone thinks I’m so much older. And it definitely doesn’t help that I feel like it. My soul is 75. *insert shoulder shrug here*
 

What advice would you give to new polers?

Everyone starts somewhere, you can’t rush it, and also the more you like pain, the better you’ll be.

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Meet Meredith: Positive Spin Student of the Month

Meredith

Student since September 2017

What inspired you to try pole dance?

I’ve been dancing my whole life but have always wanted to try pole! I really admired the combination of flexibility and strength that it requires, and wanted to build on those skills myself.

What are your other hobbies and interests?

I love reading fantasy novels, gaming, and going out with friends!

What is your career?

I teach gymnastics to kids.

How has Pole Dancing changed you and impacted your life?

Pole dancing has become one of my main hobbies and forms of exercise! I’ve never had much muscle before or ever done any strength training, and it’s been so cool to see myself getting stronger through pole. I have more confidence than before and have met some really great people!

What do you like about positive Spin?

Positive Spin is so much different than any other studio I’ve been to. I really benefit from the individualized instruction and love the smaller class sizes. It’s awesome that everyone can go at their own pace and the community is so positive (haha) and supportive!

What has been the proudest moment of your pole journey?

So far, my proudest moment was getting my invert for the first time. It took me a while to figure out so when I finally got it I was so excited! Now I invert all the time!

What is something people are surprised to learn about you?

Actually, that I pole dance! It is a great conversation starter. When people find out they usually end up wanting to try it themselves!
 

What advice would you give to new polers?

Practice, practice, practice! You’ll be surprised at what you can achieve. If something is tricky for you, just keep trying! Eventually it will happen. I’m still working on my superman but I know I’ll get it soon!

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Meet Mia: Positive Spin Student of the Month

Mia Cao

Student since December 2017

What inspired you to try pole dance?

My friend who pole dances in South Korea and posts photos of her awesome tricks all the time.

What are your other hobbies and interests?

Eating, movies, and going to warm places around the world.

Follow me on Instagram! @mia.yuan

What is your career?

Marketing Program Management and Promotional Modeling

How has Pole Dancing changed you and impacted your life?

It has given me more motivation to work out so that I can be stronger and accomplish more moves. It also has helped me make more friends, and gives me a topic to surprise people with when I meet them. It has given me more structure in my life at a time when pretty much anything can change in a moment, but pole is still reliably every week. Also, I now realize how inflexible my hips are… and have the opportunity to work on that and on pointing my toes!

What do you like about positive Spin?

It is a community studio. Alyssa really cares about her students, and it’s a place where everyone can feel included. Students support each other and cheer each other on, even though it isn’t actually a team sport.

What has been the proudest moment of your pole journey?

When I managed to get upside down for the first time! Now I just have to figure out how to climb things and twist my hips while being upside down.

What is something people are surprised to learn about you?

That I eat and travel. A lot. Like…really A LOT.

What advice would you give to new polers?

Things will hurt, but not forever. You’ll get to make new friends and learn new moves on the pole. And you’ll definitely get stronger!

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Meet Andrea: Positive Spin Student of the Month

Andrea Nicole

Student since September 2017

What inspired you to try pole dance?

I wanted a fun workout where I could learn something new.

What are your other hobbies and interests?

Yoga, reiki, baking, cooking, and crafting.

What is your career?

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

How has Pole Dancing changed you and impacted your life?

Pole has really helped me step out of my comfort zone… mostly get out of my own head. Especially when it comes to floor work. I have learned that if you are focusing/worrying about how something look, then it’s not going to look so good.. but if you just let go it typically looks beautiful.

What do you like about positive Spin?

I really enjoy the small group environment. It has been great getting to know everyone and having such a supportive environment.

What has been the proudest moment of your pole journey?

Finally being able to get my invert down without jumping.

What is something people are surprised to learn about you?

I feel like I can be reserved, so usually I tend to surprise people quite a bit when they get to know me.

What advice would you give to new polers?

Just let go, get out of your head, and keep coming back!

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Meet Alexandria: Positive Spin Student of the Month

Alexandria

Student since October 2017

What inspired you to try pole dance?

It looked like a really freeing and fun way to get fit!

What are your other hobbies and interests?

Theatre, singing, and game development! I love anything that has the power to be art.

What is your career?

Software engineer!

How has Pole Dancing changed you and impacted your life?

I’ve gotten so much stronger, emotionally and physically! I can do things I never thought possible and I feel braver than I ever have before.

What has been the proudest moment of your pole journey?

The moment I could do a figure 4! (pictured to the right)

It may not be the most complicated thing I can do now, but that was probably the first moment I felt really beautiful on the pole.

What is something people are surprised to learn about you?

I’m actually super clumsy when I’m not on the pole! I’ve been known to fall going *up* the stairs!

What advice would you give to new polers?

Find what it is in pole that draws you, and go with it. Ask questions, and figure out how to reach whatever it is you’re drawn to. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes or sounding silly!

 

In conclusion, I want to say thank you to everyone at Positive Spin for being so kind. It’s really helped me to learn to love myself.

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Meet Jamilah Williams: Positive Spin Student of the Month

Jamilah Williams

Student since January 2018

What inspired you to try pole dance?

I’ve always been impressed by pole dancers and thought it would be a fun skill to learn!

What are your other hobbies and interests?

Crocheting, eating good food, trying to make my cat Instagram famous @jezebel.the.tortoiseshell.

What is your career?

Digital Communications Specialist for Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii.

Why did you choose positive spin?

I saw an ad on Facebook for a trial week and after looking at the website, it seemed like a fun, empowering, and positive 🙂 studio to try!

How has Pole Dancing changed you and impacted your life?

I am so much stronger and more flexible than when I started. I’m proud to tell everyone about what I’ve learned each week and I love getting to see just how strong my body really is.

What has been the proudest moment of your pole journey?

I want to say everything ha! I’m proud of myself for sticking with it. Pole is hard ya’ll! But I love getting to see the progress I make each class.

What is something people are surprised to learn about you?

I was born in Canada, eh!

What advice would you give to new polers?

Stick with it and know that everyone is at a different point in their pole journey.

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Meet Kat Bula: Positive Spin Student of the Month

Kat Bula

Student since July 2017

What inspired you to try pole dance?

It scared the crap out of me, and that seemed juicy to explore. Also, I’ve been prone to shoulder and elbow injuries throughout my career as a fiddle player, and needed an upper body strength building activity to help combat that. (I still can’t believe how quickly these problems evaporated when I started poling!)

What are your other hobbies and interests?

I’m a professional musician and I moonlight as an astrological consultant. I also dig food projects that make people either say “why would you not just buy that at the store?” or “why would you want to eat that?”

You can track my musical shenanigans at katbula.com, and my astrology site is downtoearthastrology.com.

Why did you choose positive spin?

Honestly, it’s because there were men’s classes offered! Even though I’m not eligible to take them, it was part of an overall signal to me that the studio isn’t about teaching women how to get better at performing gender a certain way. I also loved the playful vibe I saw in the photos on the website.

How has Pole Dancing changed you and impacted your life?

Oh man. Well. First of all, it’s a lot of fun to be almost 35 and suddenly sprouting visible muscles for the first time in my life. More broadly: pole classes continually challenge my concepts of my body’s limits, and teach me to work with gravity and momentum in bigger, more courageous ways. Because of all that, I’m finally starting to feel more grounded and present in my body than I have since I was a small kid. That means I show up differently in all areas of my life. I get self-conscious about the evangelical tone I sometimes take when talking to friends about pole, but for me, it really has been transformative.

What has been the proudest moment of your pole journey?

I don’t know if anything will ever top the first time I managed to climb the pole! I had been struggling with that for what seemed like far longer than the other students who started at the same time. That’s been true of a lot of pole skills that came afterward, too, but that first climb showed me that I really could accomplish these things if I stick with them–it’s not just “other people” that can do stuff like this! And the beautiful thing about non-competitive dance fitness is that it is, you know, not a competition.

What is something people are surprised to learn about you?

I think once you’re a pole-dancing astrologer who earns a living as a musician, people stop being surprised very often by further quirks.

What advice would you give to new polers?

YouTube is your oyster! There is so much variety in the pole world, far more than I ever imagined when I started. Pole can of course of be very sexy and a certain type of feminine, but to me it’s also super inspiring to see funny pole, sad pole, aggressively masculine pole, elegant pole, narrative pole, and on and on.

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Meet Katrina Kimzey: Positive Spin Student of the Month

Katrina Kimzey

Student since May 2017

What inspired you to try pole dance?

I wanted a fun way to get in shape and had always heard of the body positivity in the pole dance community. Little did I know I’d find such a great studio and awesome friends to go with it.

What are your other hobbies and interests?

I build robots, create chainmaille, and love on animals. Someday, I’d like to do all three in the same project. If you want to see my chainmaille, you can find me on Facebook and Instagram at @AuroralArmory

Why did you choose positive spin?

Honestly, Positive Spin was the best value. Small class sizes and a wonderful first class, it was a great fit from the first spin.

How has Pole Dancing changed you and impacted your life?

So far, I’ve been more confident wearing what I want and really take pride in my body. I’m sure with some more work, I may find some muscles I didn’t know I had.

What has been the proudest moment of your pole journey?

My first climb was my proudest moment! I spent several classes slipping unsuccessfully down the pole and was so damn excited when I finally got up there! Next goal: my first inversion!

What is something people are surprised to learn about you?

I was born in Japan. 😁 My dad was Navy, but still.

What advice would you give to new polers?

Stretch! Especially after your first class. It makes a world of difference the next day.

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