Confessions of a Pole-oholic

In 2013 Cleo The Hurricane  released her first DVD Rockin Legs n' Abs (RLnA) which was a huge success! Pole Dancers (and non polers) around the world are getting more flexible by the day!                    In March 2013 Cleo released her latest DVD Cleo's Rock N Pole, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! And let me tell you I wasn't disappointed.                             The first thing I did after it arrived was sat in bed and watched the DVD from start to finish, at the time I was pretty sick and hitting play on my DVD remote was about as much exercise as I could manage, and I got exhausted just watching it! This DVD differs from RLnA, while RLnA's is focused on strength and flexibility Rock N Pole, has four fun routines to learn as well as strength exercises and tutorials of the pole tricks featured in the routine...

If this picture is correct then I up until a few weeks ago I must have been the sexiest person on the planet.  My MPD training is in full swing at the moment, I train at any opportunity I get for as long as my body will let me, sometimes this can be hours (if I'm lucky). For about 3 weeks straight if I didn't take some pain killers with Ibuprofen and a heat pack to bed I would wake up in the middle of the night in the most insane amount of pain.   Whinging about it to a friend a couple of weeks ago, she suggested I try taking some magnesium tablets and offered to pick me up some. I thought I might as well give it go because I didn't want to be taking the pain killers every night for the next few months. Another problem I've found to be getting worse recently is what I like to refer to as "forearm erections" during routines, I think it's a lactic acid build up in mainly my right arm (and occasionally my left as well) where my forearm ge...

No hotter combination than thigh high leg warmers and 7" heels Training for MPD is pretty much in full swing at the moment, if I'm not at the studio training I'm thinking about training, and if I'm not doing either of those I'm usually in a hot epsom salt bath recovering from training.  One thing I really really hate about pole, is turning up to the studio to train and not being able to stick, no matter how many different grip aid combinations I try. The pole turns into a brass spinning stick of death, and the question I have to ask myself, do I want to die today.  Because I have to travel so far to get to the studio it seems like a waste of time warming up, trying to do something for half an hour then giving up and going home, so when this happens I pull on my leg warmers (or pants) and get down on the floor.  Today was one of those days and as frustrating as it was I still managed to have some fun. I've started playing aro...

The new Bad Kitty Pole Blog is back and better than ever! And even more exciting for me because I'll be one of the writers! I'm really excited and grateful for the opportunity! Here's the list to my first post! So check it out! There are some fantastic posts and plenty more on the way!! YAY!! Billie xxx

I haven't posted a video on YouTube in a while, but after this weeks pole grooves routine I just had to post this video. Not because I thought I danced it overly well but for the routine itself. It was so beautiful to dance, one of those routines were I got lost in the music and chorey. Here it is: Strong, Choreographed by Chilli Rox  Billie xxx

Going through my emails last night I came across an one from  PoleandAerial.com  that caught my attention, probably because it had FELIX CANE in the subject line.  I opened it up and inside was this, the story of Felix's first time back on the pole after her accident a few years ago, along with details of a video competition that PoleandAerial.com are running. I would love to enter, and if I get the chance to video something and submit it I will, but either way I think it's such a lovely idea.  Entries are open now,  for more information head to their Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/poleandaerial   Billie xxx

So if you've been reading my blog since it began you might have been wondering what happened? I haven't posted in the last 12 months. I've tried, but the last 12 months have been pretty difficult for me, every time I've come on here to write something I've just sat and stared and then closed down the window and gone and done something else. I've wanted to start up posting again but I knew that my felt like my first post back needed to be an explanation and to be honest until now I haven't really felt that I was ready to put it in writing, out on the internet, for the whole world to see. So here it is,  In March last year I woke up on a Monday morning to go to work and just sat on my bed, the thought of going outside and facing the world, I couldn't fathom it. I just wanted to curl up under my doona and hide from the world and cry. And that's what I did, I called into work sick and curled up in bed all day. When my mum got home that after...

Only really being able to train on a Sunday (I do classes during the week but I can only really train on the things I want to work on on a Sunday) can sometimes be a bit of a pain. Usually when my family get together to celebrate birthdays etc it's on a Sunday and usually up the coast at my Aunty's place. Which means I have to decide between seeing my family and going to train, I hate having to do it. I love my family and I love spending time with them, especially my second cousins. Last year when I was training for Miss Pole I missed out on a few celebrations which left me feeling guilty (self inflicted, my family are more than supportive and totally understood and never put pressure on me to choose between training and seeing them). However this is no longer going to be a problem! Last year Daisy (who used to teach at Bobbis) opened up The Peach Pole Studio   in Erina which is a handy 10 minute drive from my Aunty's place! WOOHOO!! A couple of weekend's ago ...

I've been pole dancing for just about five and a half years now and I've never really worried (or given much thought to) the photos and posts etc I put on my account. I've always been really open about the fact that I pole dance and had a "if you have a problem with it then that's your problem not mine" attitude. My profile has been public for ages, I didn't really care to be honest, and will pretty much accept a friend request from anyone who has a profile pic of them self on a pole. Recently I've been giving it a bit of thought, while I don't care about what people see there is a good chance that if any of my clients at work decided to do a facebook search for me there's a good chance they might not like what they see. Now I don't really care what they think of me, but my employer might (even though they are fully aware of my pole dancing addiction).  What to do? Well, last week I thought it might be time to separate the real me f...

The documentary Blood Sweat and Sequins that followed three of Australia's best pole dancers as they prepared to compete for the title of Miss Pole Dance Australia was aired on SBS at the end of January. I've watched it twice (and have recorded it on our foxtel iq (like tivo) at home so I can watch it again and again) so far and it was fantastic. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. But the three girls are engaging and I think they represent Pole Dancing well. You can watch the documentary for the next couple of days on the SBS website HERE Billie xxx

So in my post My Pole Goals for 2013  I said that I'd already accomplished one of my pole goals for 2013. That goal was *DRUM ROLL*  THE MUSCLE UP!! When I first decided that I wanted to start working on it I thought it would take me the better part of the year to get. Obviously I was wrong. I started working on it one Sunday in Practice time and got it on my 2nd attempt! I was pretty shocked and tried it a few more times but couldn't get it again without using my foot to pull myself over. Since then I've tried to practice it as much as possible, it usually takes a few attempts at it before I can get up and I've never been able to get video evidence of it.. UNTIL NOW!! I decided to set up my camera on Friday afternoon and video it until I got it. I failed five times, gave up and turned the camera off, then went no once more and I'll get it. AND I DID!! So here it is my muscle up!! Now I just need to be able to do it consistently. Billie

So a few days ago Shimmy posted on her blog about free styling, after finally getting around to reading it today there was on thing that really stuck with me, a quote from Kelly Yvonne   " No! Never apologise for your movement! Never apologise for your dancing! "   So after reading Shimmy's post I felt a bit brave, I actually video'd myself free styling to a Rihanna song at the beginning of the year and I've just uploaded it to YouTube. On the day when I'd finished the Freestyle I could't watch it because I felt like what I had done wasn't perfect. About a week later I did end up watching it and while it wasn't as bad as I thought I still was pretty unhappy about it so decided not to put it on YouTube.  After watching it again tonight after I uploaded it, I actually don't think it's as bad as I originally thought, being the perfectionist that I am I probably should come to terms with the fact that there is always something that I'...

This year marks a first in the competitive pole world, the first ever MALE ONLY Pole Competition! Mr Pole Dance will be held at the Factory Theatre Marickville (Sydney) on the 31st May and is not just for the Aussie guys it's open to international dancers as well!!  So fellas, if you want to enter you need to head to www.mrpoledance.com.au and download the application form and get it in by 28th February 2013! All the competition rules etc are on the site! I can't wait to see the boys strut their stuff on stage! Tickets go on sale March 11th at Ticketek  You can also look up the Mr Pole Dance Page on Facebook to keep up to date with everything leading up to the comp!! Billie xxx

Entry's for the Pole Candy 2013 Semi-Pro Championship are open and can be downloaded HERE!!  

Luxe One thing I really want to work on more this year is my flexibility, over the break between terms Luxe ran two contortion workshops at Bobbis Gold and they were great, the first one we focused on splits and a bit of back bending and the second one on mainly back bending.  This term I've enrolled in her flexibility class and after the first class today I'm pretty excited to see how much I can improve my flexibility. I'm pretty flexible already, I can already do the splits on my left, right and centre, but when I do my front splits I always have my hips open instead of square. So that's my main goal at the moment, to get both my left and right splits with my hips completely square. I'm going to have to make sure that I stretch during the week when possible. I also want to improve my back and shoulder flexibility so I'll work on those as well. I also want to be able to get my leg behind my head in a leg mount on both sides as well as improve my overspi...

Don't forget next Thursday on SBS at 11pm (in Australia) the Documentary Blood Sweat and Sequins will be aired!! So write it in your diary, set a reminder in your phone and set your IQ's to record! From the looks of the trailer it's going to be AMAZEBALLS! Billie xxx

So I just realised that I totally forgot to post the video from the Pole Dance Academy Bond Girls comp last year. If I'm going to be totally honest it isn't the best performance I have ever done.  After a few minor hiccups the Venue for the night was changed to The Club at Kings Cross the Wednesday before, having danced their before I knew the routine that I'd choreographed wouldn't work on the stage (the poles are pretty short) so I got to the venue a bit early to have a play on the poles and figure out what I could and couldn't do.  I have no idea what was going on with me that night, I had a couple of moments where I had mind blanks and did something silly like walk to the wrong pole (there is a speaker right near the pole on stage left that ends up getting kicked if you do anything that involves extending your leg) and at one stage I went to do a climb and half way through I decided not to because I remembered the pole was to short to do what I was going to do...

I love YouTube, every now and then you come across something amazing! I came across a video last year of a Russian Pole Dancer Irina Savina and I was left speechless. She is so strong and flexible and has the stamina of.... ummm .... something that has a lot of stamina. I was having a look at one of her videos this morning and realised that it had only been viewed about 295 times which is a shame because the she's incredible! I've attached a couple of her videos here you can check out the rest on her YouTube Channel .  Billie xxx

So it's a new year so time to set some new goals! AND STICK TO THEM!! I didn't really have many goals last year, I didn't write them down so I could make sure I worked for them, but this year that's going to change!  First things first! I have a new pole book! It was hard to part with my old one, I love it, but it was falling apart so I decided it was time for an upgrade! Something a bit brighter so I went for a bright pink/orangeish number from Typo. I've also separated it into sections for certain performances/comps that I want to do this year. Each section has enough space for me to stick in pictures for costume ideas and write down combos and eventually the whole routine if I feel I need to! I also got one of Lou Landers Pole Goal Diary's for Christmas to help me be a bit more focused on what I want to achieve, it's fantastic, it has a section each month where you can write down your goals and two sections in the back to write more details on what yo...