communityFlexines: community

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Friday, February 28, 2014

Weekend Crush: Jenny Liu PHD MD and Pole Dancer Minx

I keep saying that pole dancers are an intelligent bunch and here is more proof: Minx. Minx is the stage name of competitive pole dancer Jenny Liu--who is also a double doctor. Jenny started pole dancing because her PHD and MD schooling meant she'd be spending her youth studying--something I can relate to as Pre-Med myself. Cancer research, top of her graduate class, double doctor... and sexy Minx.

It's all about the challenge

"I think for me my success with pole is quite an intellectual process"

I first found her story on Australia's ABC website. I was absolutely blown away by how she connects intellectualism in pole dance and in scholarly studies. Dance is an intellectual process and being sexy is an expression of the mind. Minx is so transparent with who she is and I love it. She's a whole person, and society could stand to learn quite a bit from her. Plus she made "heaps of friends." Austrialianisms are so fun! (my favorite new pole blogger is a back-bendingly amazing Aussie herself).

I also love that she mentions the value of the pole dance community. Jenny felt distanced from her fellow MD scholars when they went on to finish their MD program right away while she added PHD coursework. A lot of the people I go to school with have likewise finished their programs while I build a family life and balance Pre-Med; you do feel isolated studying medicine. It does take part of your life. Pole dance has been amazing for me because it is a challenge and it is an intellectual process but it gives you a release and a chance to connect emotionally. I love that pole connects us. It's beautiful and amazing.

Has your pole journey been an intellectual process?

Friday, January 31, 2014

Weekend Crush: Michelle Stanek, A True Angel

This week the pole world was shocked, appalled, and yes, more than a bit upset over the overt plagiarism of one of our most loved pole stars. What makes this story special is not that it happened, because art forms are so often subject to not-so-flattering imitation. It isn't even that it made waves, because as we know the pole world is extremely close knit, maybe even to a fault. An issue that could have rightfully lead to legal action and enmity turned out to be an example of true kindness and respect.

Lisa Fedele of Italy performed Michelle Stanek's routine, down to the same music, for Canale Italia. You can see the similarities in choreography for yourself, you will want to watch at least the first 30 seconds if you haven't seen it before:

Now compare that to Lisa's version. Déjà vu, right? Lisa was right to challenge herself with attempting Michelle Stanek's choreography as there is a clear difference in technical execution. She has an amazing talent for the contemporary pole dance style on top of being an amazing sexy pole dancer.

Michelle's response:

Hi EVERYONE! In response to the video I posted earlier today of a pole dancer using my USPDF choreography: Thank you for all the crazy support! Word travels fast on the internet and the girl in this video and I have been talking. I cannot speak for her too much, but she is a very sweet girl who feels completely overwhelmed and horrible. She asked how she could solve the issue. I let her know I am not mad but I would have appreciated an email requesting permission to use my choreography beforehand as well as be given a credit (both of which I have given to others in the past and would have given to her). She says she DID tell the show producers it was a piece by me but has now reached out to them again to give proper credit. I would never have thrown the book at her or anyone, I am too compassionate of a person. I am glad we were able to handle it this way. Now I'm off to Australia! — traveling to Perth, Western Australiafrom JFK Int'l Airport Terminal-4, NYC-USA.

How sweet is that? She could have been well in her right to get a lawyer on this and instead reached out to Lisa. And it looks like Lisa Fedele, along with the rest of us, is an even bigger fan of Michelle's for it:

"Riuscire anche solo a ripetere 30 secondi di QUELLA coreografia, beh, per me é stato come toccare il cielo con un dito, dopo neanche due anni di pole dance. Forse non sarò LEI, per me sarebbe un sogno diventare brava come Michelle Stanek! Lei é stata così tanto di ispirazione per me, e ho visto quel pezzo talmente tante volte che per me é stato inevitabile provarci. Forse ingenuamente e nel modo sbagliato. Anche perché più in là di quei 20/30 secondi sarebbe stato impossibile andare visto il SUO altissimo livello tecnico, che spero un giorno di raggiungere. Lei é stata molto gentile e carina con me, abbiamo risolto la cosa in "amicizia"... com'é giusto che sia, appena possibile, ci saranno i suoi crediti sotto il video. Parlare con lei é stata la realizzazione di un piccolo sogno. Non si sa come, ma riesco sempre a mettermi nei pasticci. Ora ho constato sulla mia pelle la portata virale di internet e youtube. Questo episodio sarà per me fonte di ispirazione per trovare realmente la mia strada nel mondo della pole dance." "Succeed only 30 seconds to repeat that the choreography, well, for me it was like touching the sky with a finger, even after two years of pole dance. Maybe I won't be her, to me would be a dream become good as Michelle Stanek! She was so much inspiration to me, and I saw that piece so many times that it was inevitable for me to try. Perhaps naively, and in the wrong way. Also because beyond those 20-30 seconds it would have been impossible to go given its high technical level, which I hope one day to achieve. She was very kind and cute with me, we have solved the thing in "friendship" ... as it should be, as soon as possible, there will be its claims under the video. Talk to her was a small dream. You don't know how, but I can always get in trouble. Now I note on my skin the viral reach of the internet and youtube. This episode will be a source of inspiration for me to really find my way in the world of pole dance. "

Translated within an inch of it's life by Bing: "She [Michelle] was very kind and cute [sweet?] with me, we have solved the thing in 'friendship'..." I love that. We can be a very close community and protect our own while reaching out to others. Well done, Michelle, we could all do to take a page out of your book!

Friday, January 24, 2014

Weekend Crush: Marion & Anastasia, Pole Sisters

To understand the pole community you have to understand the love. And there is so much love but my absolute favorite is pole sisterhood. (Awesome pole guys out there: you are loved too!) So when I saw this video I had to watch it about five times to even begin to soak in all the amazing.

My brain shuts down for a moment around 1:38. Side-by-side Extended Allegras. Side-by-ssss... Um, duh, wow.

This video has special meaning for me for so many reasons. It reminds me of the amazing group of ladies (and gents) I have grown to consider friends and pole family on StudioVeena and PDBloggers. There is Marion Crampe who--words cannot describe. She's amazing. Anastasia is my very first pole crush and the reason I started pole. (KiKi this reminds me to pester you into nailing Extended Allegra even more. See her beautiful Allegra here.)

One day I will hopefully never have to meet these ladies and fangirl the hell out. Bah, I can't resist, you know I will meet them and scare them away, haha. And the day I get the Extended Allegra I am going to hunt down my pole friends and do a remake of this. Hey, I love to dream.

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