Working That Pole

I've been holding on to a couple of Groupons for pole dancing lessons that I'm extremely excited to take next month with my friends Kate and Céline. I harbor no illusions about pole dancing. I know it's gonna be hard. I've seen the bruises on legs of performers, and have been told by plenty of people that it really hurts when you're just learning. But I'm determined to learn at any cost! Well, that's not entirely true ... the one time I was in a strip club (I swear I ended up there accidentally, I followed a group through an unmarked door and voilá! I went from being in a club to a strip club), I had a conversation with one of the girls and asked her if it was hard to pole dance. She told me, "It's not that hard. You can try it out if you want. You just have to take off your top!" Ummm ... nothanks.

I'd rather take the academic approach. So once Céline has recovered from her broken foot, and Kate and I have learned a few tricks on aerial silks, it's on to the next challenge. In the meantime, here are two amazing performances from the 2009 French Pole Dancing Competition. I love the contrast between these two performances. The winner, Laurence Hilsum, put forth a performance that was fluid and artistic, much like watching contemporary ballet or modern circus. The other performer, Doris, did a bit of a raunchier take. But when she starts getting into the crazy twists and lifts, you'll be blown away by her athleticism and skill.