Well I did it, after a long time in Intermediate Pole Dancing, I PASSED!! I’m now officially in Advanced. Hearing the news that I passed had given me the biggest smile and I was bouncing around all afternoon like a crazy person. I was unbelievably proud of myself that I was able to achieve this. For a fair few years now I’ve been doing Pole Dancing for fitness. But it’s only been the last one and a half/ two years that I’ve really taking it on seriously and pushing myself to make sure I could achieve more. I don’t know if it was out of fear or laziness but I reached a point at my old pole studio that I didn’t advance and ket myself doing the same thing week in and week out and not really pushing myself to reach the next level. I just stuck with what I knew. So when I changed studios when I moved house I was thrown out of my comfort zone completely!
The studio had a different structure, the tricks and moves all had different names and I was in classes with people I didn’t know. Another thing that pushed me out of my comfort zone was the fact that this studio a lot of the girls would be wearing a lot less than what I learnt in. Basically with Pole dancing the more skin showing the better you stick to the pole. So at my old studio I would wear baggy tops with kind of bike shorts and occasionally hitch up my top or shorts if I needed to grip to the pole better. At this studio a large majority of the girls would be wearing booty shorts and crop tops to help them with their tricks, all different shapes and sizes too. This threw me off when I had started my first term in because I have never been a person to wear revealing clothes in public, BUT I eventually became more confident wearing less because it helped me a lot more with my tricks. So anyway leading up to the end of my pole term I wanted to help with my technique and try to make sure I could work up to being graded next term so I went in the Sunday before the last class of term to do a workshop on Intermediate moves.
In order to go up a level at my studio you have to be graded towards the end of the term. Basically all you need to do is a combination of tricks you have learnt over the term while the teacher evaluated you.
So I went into this workshop just with the idea I would be able to improve my technique and check with the teacher if she thought I could go for grading next term. While doing the workshop the teacher let us all know she was taking notes so at the end of class she could give them to us to help us with things we needed improving on. The workshop was 90minutes long so it was pretty full on and throughout it we went through all of the grading combos (several times) as far as it went with going through all of the tricks I didn’t seem to have any issues with going through with them. I didn’t think they were anything spectacular but I got through them without dying from slipping or fucking up completely. At the end of the workshop I was totally wrecked, I mean I was fucked. My arms felt like total jelly and I just needed to lay down.
While I was collecting all of my things, heavily breathing like a creep. The teacher was telling everyone how they did. Thats when I was asked “whats my plans next term”. I think because I had busted my ass for the last 90 minutes I had become extremely simple, I stared at her and said “I don’t know, class then get graded” looking completely dopey as if I wasn’t sure about my answer. Thats when she had told me she was grading me and I had passed, if I wanted to I can go up to advanced. Straight away I went YES! Hell yes Ive done it! I did have the option o go one more term in intermediate but I knew that if I know everything and can ace it I might start getting lazy again and not bother trying. Had to keep my motivation up.
I left the studio over the moon so happy and excited, when I got home I was sending out text messages announcing my small victory while I was still in the driveway. Ran in telling the hubs my news and I didn’t quite get the level of excitement that I had. It was the same thing with everyone I text. I know this could have bothered me but I know that certain things may be big and amazing to some people and not really anything to another. So I was happy that people were happy for me and I got it, that unless they actually do what I do and see how hard it can be they won’t understand.
To me this is a massive achievement. I set a goal when I joined up that I would go up a level, I did it and I am proud. I am proud that I am the strongest Ive ever been (no shit I was a weak ass) and I have had the confidence to wear more revealing clothes. I am more proud that I have been able to achieve this AFTER I had a kid. Yes she’s 3 now BUT! I know many many women who have kids that are older that have told me from the moment I got pregnant that my body will never be look they way it does now because they chose not to do anything. BITCHES. But I love the fact that pole dancing has an amazing community of women that all are cheering each other on, everyone is there helping each other out or complimenting each others progress. I love it. Its a community of women that are all Bad-asses because they are strong, flexible and can bust out moves in booty shorts and heels all with a smile on their face.
Im extremely nervous about my first advanced class next week but Im going to go in there prepared to work by butt off. Ill probably be posting many Instagram pics as I get better with moves (if I don’t show it off how will you know Im awesome *joking*).
IM OUT!
SHE GAVE IT A TRY 