My little book of tricks

About three years ago I was in a stationery store just browsing (I love stationery stores), looking through the notebooks I decided I had to buy one, but like most purchases I make in life, did I really need it? what was I going to do with another notebook? Then it hit me, I'll start a "Pole book" so I can write down things that I need to work on, so that when I went into the studio to practice I wouldn't end up doing what I usually did and stand around chatting or watching what the other girls were doing because I'd totally forgotten what I'd planned to do that day.
I love my pole book! I carry it with me pretty much everywhere, because as I've discovered over the last few years I tend to have my best ideas at the most random times and places. 
When I first got it I didn't use it much, mainly just put in pictures of moves that I wanted to get and (if I knew how) the explanation of how to do them. But over time it's gotten fuller with ideas of my own (usually of crazy crazy things that are not even remotely possible) as well as things that I've learnt in workshops and songs that I think would be great to dance to and ideas for shows for comps and stuff.


It also has the first ever routine I choreographed for myself for the first comp that I entered, the whole routine step by step. I've got a few other routines in there as well, but a lot of them are just the bits and pieces of the routine and ideas I had for combos etc that I thought might go well.
The last few routines that I've done for comps I felt like I was missing something, and I think it's because I've pretty much just choreographed them while I was in practice time and not really thought about them as much as I should have, after realising this I decided that I couldn't do the same thing for my show for Miss Pole so I flipped to a new section of the book and started to get organised. I've got a picture of the drawing of my costume, to make sure that I don't forget all the elements that I have to consider. I have a page dedicated to things that I want to try, including things that I've seen around or new ideas that I've had myself, a page dedicated to combo ideas for both the spinning pole and stationary pole, floorwork/dancing and another page for things that I know I need to work on to tidy up. What can I say? I love being organised. 


As you can imagine having the book for so long it's looking a bit worse for wear, on the weekend I had to glue part of it back together because it was coming apart. Yes I could have bought a new one but I'm so attached to it I can't part with it. Even when it's full I think I'll still keep it, it's sort of like a pole baby book showing my progress over the years as I accomplish moves that I've put on my to list and add newer harder ones.

Billie
xxx


P.S. I was a bit bored on the weekend so to cover up the fact that it's a bit well loved I started gluing crystals on it :) 




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