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PRACTISE MORE!!!!

/in /by

As most of you know I am currently studying for my Street Dance Qualification with Urban Strides. Whilst I am qualified in Pole I have picked up various teaching skills but nothing was to prepare me for the amount of skills I have picked up from being a student again.

 

“The more I practice, the easier it gets”

 

As a kid I always remember my mum shouting at us to hurry up and get ready…. Now I know why. My mum used to play the radio in the mornings as we weren’t allowed the telly on and that is probably what fuelled my love for dance.

 

Music, rhythm, beats, bass, snare…. From the moment I woke up…. Of course I am only gonna have one sock on when you check in on me! I’m too busy dancing about!!!

 

Fast forward to today & every morning my alarm wakes me with music and from that moment the playlist is on and I am ‘popping’ whilst I brush my teeth and dancing about whilst getting ready (Popping in the dance sense not the gassy variety!)

 

I’m proud to have picked up some basic skills from this terms ‘popping’ classes and am now a proud owner of some very basic moves like: Twisto Flex, Egyptian Twist, Romeo twist and many other ‘grooves’ and ‘pops’ that stem from legends like Boogaloo Sam and Poppin’ Pete from the Electric Boogaloo’s.

 

How did I get better at all these? What was the magic pill? Well, I just practiced everywhere I went. Brushing my teeth, in the car (yea, I don’t care), in between classes. Literally everywhere.

 

But you know what? It got easier. My amateur arm ‘pops’ are slowly getting better, my Twisto Flex is no longer a Twisto-whaaat? And I constantly have a ‘groove’ that no-one can take away from me. Music is constantly playing in my heart and it feels LUSH!

 

So what happened this week? Andy asked me to stand up in front of the whooooole class to freestyle what I’ve learnt …..without any music.

 

If you had said to me that was gonna happen 4 weeks ago… I. Would. Have. DIED!

 

But he’s given me all the skills, we’ve drilled the techniques so when he beat boxed a beat for me to jam to, it was all just…. there. I didn’t feel overly nervous at all. (Also, my class mates are super lush and sooo welcoming)

 

It’s such a beautiful place to learn. Failure and playing is welcomed and I think that’s why I connect with his classes so well because for my own pole school I always wanted to create a safe place to learn! If we laugh, it’s together as a family… not AT each other. No-one should be made to feel better or worse as we are all on our journey of discovery…. Ok, ok… I’m getting too sentimental! Hit the brakes Nia.

 

So getting back to moral of the story. What made me confident and able to grow. The environment I put myself in… surrounding myself with like-minded people that wanted the best for me. What ACTUALLY made me grow…. Practice.

 

I’ll say that again for anyone who wasn’t sure… PRACTICE!!!!

 

So, if I give you homework in class… It’s because I want you to go home and practice what I’ve told you so we can take you to the next step. So your flow improves and every tool you have is just….. there.

 

“How can I practice when I haven’t got a pole Nia?”

 

If you think Pole is JUST about the skill on the pole… You have so much more to learn.

 

For starters: Flexibility, strength to back up the pole moves you’ve learnt, musicality (there’s no use calling yourself a ‘dancer’ if you cannot absorb yourself into the music and play with different beats, tempo’s, accents, pauses), flow, floor work… did I even mention handstands?

 

There is so much practice you CAN do, IF you make the time.

 

For the past two months at IWRBPD we have been learning a new skill each week to put in our Pole ‘Tool Box’. Body Waves, Floor work, Step-Ball-Change, It’s all BASIC stuff but if you practice it until it’s just ‘in you’… It unlocks so many more opportunities for you to enjoy pole on a higher level.

 

Believe me when I say, this isn’t me trying to give you guys a kick up the A55 to practice more BUT I fully enjoyed standing proud in front of my peers and dancing last night. I played with my freestyle and got totally lost in the music. I was sweating buckets too …soooo it was exercise and fun?….

Wait… whaaaaaaaat!

 

Yes, that ultimately is the end goal.

 

Fun, social, exercise where we all enjoy music and learn cool stuff.

 

So if that’s what ya down for…. Get ya A55 back to class and practice more!

 

That’s all I have to say.

 

Peace.

 

Love

Pole Mama / Aunt / Sister

Urban Strider / Cousin

What goes around comes around…..

/in /by

Firstly can I say this was meant to be a secret that I was MEANT to keep until August and then suddenly would unveil but I’m too excited about sharing this journey with you that I’m gonna blurt it out now.

 

I have been waiting for my Dad to come back off his holidays so he would know first, that in the three weeks he has been away my life has taken a an almighty turn.

 

Let me set the scene.

 

About a month ago I was looking online for Adult Dance classes locally as I miss ‘attending’ classes.

 

I love Pole and I love teaching but for me to continually provide enthusiasm to my classes I need to break up what I’m teaching with new stuff I’m actually learning. I love learning new stuff and being able to infuse that into our classes. I’m currently working through my next Pole Qualification but after having to take a break due to injury (since before Christmas) I needed a low key class or something dance related that wasn’t crazy strenuous.

 

Basically I was BORED of being injured and NOT allowed to pole, I felt like I just needed something new to move to, classes I know I could get lost in and enjoy…. Street Dance.

 

Now, I know ‘Street Dance’ is generally used to advertise all sorts of commercial classes but the last thing I want to be doing is going to a ‘street’ class and bopping along to ‘Toxic’ by Britney Spears in a dusty village hall. I needed more.

 

I searched on the only website I know that provides authentic ‘Street Dance’ classes locally…. Urban Strides.

 

(BTW I will continue to write ‘Street Dance’ like that as ‘Street’ is a massive umbrella term used for quite a few different styles but for ease of use let’s keep it simple.)

 

Next minute, I’ve seen a teaching seminar that Urban Strides run and BOOM… I’m enrolled on their free 4 hour Seminar!

 

Now…..I haven’t done any serious ‘Street’ classes since college but it was always what I wanted to do. Back 100 years ago when I left school that’s ALL I wanted to do. Finish school. Take a Street Dancing Course. Do Street Dancing all day. BOOM! I’d be happy!

 

But nothing was around then… Every University course I looked at you could do Contemporary, Tap, Ballet but no street dancing qualifications. (Some of you probably know that I was accepted into Laban to do a 3 Year Contemporary Degree at the age of 16…..BUT… my heart wasn’t in it. I just wanted to do ‘street’ and that’s one of the reason’s I never went to University. I’m not wasting 3 years of my life learning a discipline I am just not that into… So I took a side step into fitness.

 

Now 13 years later after leaving college and pursuing a career in fitness & falling in love with pole, I attend a ‘Street Dance’ workshop at Urban Strides and it ignites a feeling. A lost love. It was like seeing an old friend that you just lost touch with and catching up like nothing has changed. Well truth is. Nothing has changed. I still love ‘Street’… the beats, the bass, the moves and the energy. I want to learn more about it’s culture and the history and I want to embrace it with both hands.

But wait…. what about pole? Nothing’s changed. I still love pole…. But what If I could have my cake and eat it?

 

In a 2 hr workshop at Urban Strides my head was buzzing with ideas, avenues and adventures I could have. Using all the techniques I currently have with all the knowledge that I could learn ….what a journey right?

 

So two weeks ago I applied for the Urban Strides Street Dance Teacher Training Diploma. I was dubious as the fact the only experience I have of late is attending the breaking workshops at The Breaking Convention every year but hey… what’s the worst they can do… Say no? I have nothing to lose.

 

Selection for the course is a pretty exclusive process where they only take a maximum of 25 hand chosen candidates after both a written and telephone interview.

 

After waiting 3 days to hear back from them, I was offered a place on the course. Eeeeeeek!

 

I may have a decent foundation in Street but to be able to practice the disciplines fully and know them inside out enough to teach….. I have my work cut out.

 

Did I mention I am currently updating my pole qualifications too? Spin City Beginners and Intermediate. So as soon as I am pole ready those Video assessments need to be submitted too! Faaaaaaaaark!

 

The next few months feel crazy and daunting BUT by the summer (Fingers crossed) I should be a Bad Ass Fully Qualified Street Dance and Pole Instructor.

 

Why am I telling you all this? Because I’m beyond excited… Like off the chart excited!!!! I’m chuffed that I was even picked (They must have seen some potential though #SheStillGotIt)

Aaaaaaaand, I know I will want to show you everything I’m learning. So be prepared for your usual Poley goodness and more but if you don’t like Hip Hop, Locking, Popping, Breaking or House… You may want to hide me or delete me out of your world….because I’ll be posting about it.

 

Also, realistically… I’ll need your help. Be patient with me… I will be studying hard which means my free time will be limited. My true friends understand how hard I already work and I just need to know you will still be there on the other side even if I have missed a birthday to attend a dance class or dipped out of ‘drinks’ because I need to have an ice bath and an early night. You know I love you but from now until August. I am focused on these qualifications: Pole Qualifications and Dance Diploma (Did I mention this Dance Diploma is a Level 4 which is the equivalent to a first year degree – THIS IS THE CLOSEST TO A DEGREE I WILL EVER BE!! Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrgghhhhhh!!!!!!)

 

Soooooooo yea, that’s my news!

#WishMeLuck #Pole #Street #AllOfTheThings #SoFreakingExcited #Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek