Pole shorts

To say the least, I am obsessed with collecting and wearing pole shorts. And after searching for other shorts sources, I've found that shorts for the following activities makes for excellent pole shorts:

1) Yoga (especially Bikram aka hot yoga)

2) Roller derby 

3) Volleyball

4) Swimming 

5) Dance (Jazz especially)

Most of these are quite affordable. And best of all, they move very well with the body and some of the higher end ones wick sweat sway from you (if you suffer from sweaty crotch syndrome, you would appreciate this).  I love Etsy, Amazon, eBay and Lululemon shorts. Price can vary significantly. And if you are looking for a custom fitted shorts, I would highly recommend shorts from some of the  Etsy store. 

That's all for today. Now on to cleaning. 

Post competition blues

After a weekend filled with excitement, celebration, and sisterly love, going back to the regular old mundane world seems a bit depressing. I miss being right there with all my pole sisters and feel like I'm missing out on something. I wonder what would be the perfect cure for this post pole competition blues...

My very first pole competition

This past weekend (11/1/14-11/2/14), I competed in Boston at the Northeast Aerial Arts Championship (NEAAC). I participated in level 1 senior devision and walked away with a gold medal. I would like to say a bit about the experience. I think the most important thing was the friendships that were made and solidified over the weekend. I belong to THE BEST pole studio that was ever to exist in the history of the world (Dakini Aerial Movement). And I have always known that the owner, Jeanine Caparoso, had created something that would bring women of all ages, sizes, background, education, and professions together to make a whole much greater than its parts. But the essence of what pole dancing and fitness is through the vision of Ms. Caparoso really became evident this weekend. Total of 9 pole dancers competed this weekend, and through every step of the way, they were genuinely supportive and happy for everyone and that had the balls to take the stage. We prepared as one, practiced as one, felt nervous and anxious as one, and celebrated as one.  There were tears of joy when some of us won medals, and tears of what I can only describe as ecstasy when we watched our Dakini sisters perform their piece in sublime perfection.  At the end of the weekend, we walked away with 2 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals.  On my drive back from the NEAAC competition, I had a chance to give some thoughts to the entire experience as a whole.  I do think that I was not prepared enough, and that I may even be opened to possible competing again at level 2 in the future. But no matter what happens in these future  competitions, I would have already won because I was able to say that I rubbed shoulders with the best people that were ever to walk the pole world. 

Transformation

This was me before I started pole and me recently. I owe this transformation to the pole fitness and the community of women that supported and encouraged me. I love it so much. 

Class assignments

My pole studio is called Dakini Aerial Movement. They are like the best thing that has ever happened to me, in terms if personal growth. But besides all that high brow praise stuff, what I love about the studio is that we get an assignment for the advanced level classes. We get to pick out our own song and use props/costumes and express our little hearts out in a pole dance. The fact that I get to have an outlet for such energy is allowing me to be happier overall in life. I just LOVE pole dancing!! 

Pole pics

Secret Polers

I wonder how many polers out there keep their pole dancing/fitness obsession a secret.  I recenetly found out that not everyone is so open and quite chattty about their love affair with the pole; that some even hide it from their loved ones.  I guess I can understand why this would be so.  Whenever i mention anything about my pole adventures/journey, the first thing I hear a lot of the time is something in relations to stripping/exotic dancing.  Don't get me wrong, my dancing is exotic and quite sensual (or at least I think it is).  But I dance because I love it so much and it lets me express and celebrate the feminine/sensual side of my being that has been lost somewhere along my life.  Maybe it had to do with the level of education and career path that I chose that aided in snuffing out of my innate female sensuality.  But pole dancing really allowed me to be much better at balancing the masculine, take charge, alpha self with the feminine, sexy, sensual, self at the same time.  In fact, it's the fostering of the feminine energy that gives me greater pleasure at being my alpha self.  Like Yin and Yang, there must be some balance that is maintained.  But aside from all this mindfulness/spiritual stuff, wouldn't it be more enjoyable and rewarding to be able to share such passionate part of oneself with their loved ones?  I know everyone has different crosses to bare, but I just wish everyone was as accepting and supportive as the people that surround me and share my excitement.