Thursday, April 9, 2015

Pole Dance Diaries - Dunedin

When I went to Dunedin, I had two goals, go to the beach and go to a pole dance studio. I looked up studios before I left and came across Vertical Aerial and Pole Dance, so I decided to stop by a practice time and work on my routine that I'm performing next week at the Burlesque show here in Queenstown.

I showed up and found a beautiful and artistic space. It had some of the highest poles I have ever seen, red drapes, black floors, and seats that would sit a small audience. It had a set up like a small theater, so I assume that is what it used to be. I think the best way to describe the studio space was spacious and artistic. It had the starving artist kind of feel, which I loved because as of late, I've felt like quite the "starving artist."
Wow! Right? It is interesting to see other pole and aerial studios while I travel and feel out the different vibes I get. I generally just use the space during practice times because of traveling on a small budget and I'm very happy with that. I have more self motivation here in New Zealand than I had in Utah, probably because I know if I don't push myself, no one will here. In Utah I had great and supportive circus monkey friends to help make me push myself - Miss you guys!

I found the vibe here to be a bit intense and I had mixed feelings about how I felt as a newcomer at the studio - it's always scary to go to a pole studio for the first time, even if you have poled before. This studio seems to focus strongly on strength and core moves, which is awesome -- that's what I'm better at. They had a grading criteria where you have to pass off moves to go to the next level. I don't know what the classes themselves are like, this is just what I got from talking to two instructors that were at the studio. Anyways, I just loved the studio space itself, it made me feel like a princess trapped in a tower. I mean, it's not often you get to play on poles this tall!!

"Dance is a way to find yourself and lose yourself ... at the same time."

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