Friday fun: Pole Dancing is Prohibited

In Taiwan, pole dancing must be a real problem. The sign says "pole dancing is prohibited". This sign on Swedish trains tries to warn you about the doors closing quickly. But it's not just me who sees a pole dancer instead. Making pictographs is no easy task! This Chinese sign apparently doesn't actually prohibit pole dancing. I don't know what is forbidden here. This sign might be fictive but at least it's clear. Sometimes 10 words say more than one picture Have a nice weekend and remember to flash your skills only where's it is appropriat...

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Poleranking is here, and I am there!

When I started blogging about pole dancing just two months ago I decided to do so in English. I wanted to reach out to all pole dancers around the world and let them know what it's like to practise pole dancing here in Helsinki. To be honest, I did hope that someone would ask my blog to be featured at a popular pole dancing site or something. I mean, if I could even find a pole dancing site that didn't send a strong stripper-vibe. And I did. Or they found me.  The Poleranking site wasn't even open when they contacted me but I already liked them on Facebook - They are almost always the fastest and often only source for up-to-date information on international pole dancing competitions. I didn't have to think about it for very long, of course...

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PowerPole-classes with Oona Kivelä

I told you before we're spoiled rotten here in Helsinki. Envy me all you want but I'm still going to tell you about the Powerpole-classes I've attended at Gymi in Kamppi, Helsinki with none other than Oona Kivelä. I often hear people disregarding a pole dancer's competition success with "oh, but (s)he's a former gymnast/ ballet dancer/ whatever". As if doing other sports was somehow unfair to those contestants who only practise on the pole. Let me give a free piece of advice to all aspiring pole superstars: Do other stuff as well. In this video you can see how Oona Kivelä trains. Most of it is shot at Gymi Kamppi so you can also see glimpses of the equipment that is available to all Gymi-goers. I've only...

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Friday fun: Pole dancing fails Top10 video

This post shouldn't really be labeled Friday fun at all. This post should be called "Yes, there is a difference between those cheap stripper poles and real pole dancing poles. Watch the video and find out what it is." What next, aerial hoop on a hula hoop? Curtains used as aerial silks? ...Although I could sympathise with number four. Happens to the best of us. That's why there's no ceiling lamp in my living room...

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Ladies please! Try not to annoy men so much.

I previously wrote about the unavoidable "so you're a stripper?" issue and was happy to conclude that these misconceptions don't seem to be a problem here in Scandinavia. Recently I've read quite a few other pole dancing blogs and it seems that my fellow pole dancers in other parts of the world don't have it so easy. Maybe wearing high heels on the pole has something to do with it, maybe other countries have more skilled striptease artists than Finland, I don't know. One thing I know is that no matter what sport women decide to do, certain type of men always have something to say about it. "Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as a numbered entry. She entered and completed the race in 1967, five years before women...

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Friday fun: Pole dancing gifs

Could this be the most popular pole dancing gif? Jenyne Butterfly's signature move: The Iguana Walk. Inverted crusifix drop Some body waves              And last, my favourite one... Yup, that's Oona K. for you. Have a great weekend...

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Ballet for pole dancers

When I started pole dancing it soon became clear that alignment would be one of my biggest challenges. My fellow pole students immediately learned my name as the teachers kept making remarks "point your toes, Päivi!", "straighten your knees, Päivi!". I suggested they simply write NILKAT!! (Finnish for ankles) on the classroom wall to save them the trouble. While I appreciated quickly being on a first-name basis with the other polers, after a year of pole dancing it started to get a bit old that I just wouldn't learn to point my toes. Pole4Fit offers a weekly ballet class and even though I thought I might hate it, I still went. And hated it. I despised the piano music and ballet was even harder than I had thought it would be. At that point...

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PoleArt 2012 date is set - 25 August 2012

PoleArt has been held annually since 2009, every other year in Helsinki, every other year in Stockholm. The next PoleArt will be held 25 August this year at Göta Lejon in Stockholm. PoleArt's 2012 poster appears to be a Rorschach test. I know all I can see is pole dancers. PoleArt has always emphasised the artistic side and expressiveness of pole dancing. New ideas are welcomed and showcases are awaited as eagerly as the actual competition. Last year, Heidi Coker used stretchy, red ribbons in a creative way Swedish Intellego Pole Company's showcase was the most captivating group performance I've seen so far                                  Hopefully, this...

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Friday fun: Pole dancing robots

Last year Tobit Software had two real, human dancers at their stand at CeBIT. After becoming more acquainted with the world's biggest high-tech fair's visitor profile they decided to hire pole dancing robots instead. These girls don't come cheap though, it apparently costs $40 000 to hire them for an event. Don't expect any tricks or even climbing, I guess metal to metal doesn't provide enough grip. There is one thing these babies can do that Jenyne Butterfly can't: They can keep an eye on the visitors while strutting their stuff, as they apparently have cameras for heads... Handy, but still a tad expensive. If you're not short on cash, contact Giles Walker and never pole alone again. Tobit Software's stand at CeBIT 2012 featured pole...

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The Pole Dancing Bunny wishes you a Happy Easter!

It's Easter! Four days OFF, nothing to do but pole dance! Follow the white rabbit!  Hauskaa pääsiäist...

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Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson the Immortal World Tour is coming to Helsinki

Cirque du Soleil is known for breathtaking, contemporary shows that go beyond circus. Michael Jackson the Immortal World Tour will come to Helsinki in just six months' time, with three shows instead of the originally planned two. The dates to save are 5 and 6 November, but no need to save them unless you get your tickets now - they will be sold out. Felix Cane has been the pole dancer extraordinaire at Cirque du Soleil's MJ tour, but she was replaced by Anna Melnikova after Felix's accident. Let's hope Felix will be back by the time the show arrives in Helsinki! Felix Cane climbing up the pole at Cirque du Soleil. Felix sure knows if it's dangerous. Cirque du Soleilin Michael Jackson the Immortal Tour tulee Helsinkiin marraskuussa....

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Aerial Hoop @Pole4Fit Helsinki

Major difference between pole dancing and aerial hoop: In the latter you don't want to expose your skin. Pole4Fit offers aerial hoop classes once a week, and since I'm a member there, I can attend them with no extra charge. I'd been wanting to try it for ages, but I thought it's always the same people there and they don't want a newbie like me holding them back. Aerial hoop classes are right after one of my favourite pole classes, and a week ago someone suggested that next time I stay for aerial hoop as well "so that you can write about it in your blog!" How could I resist that? Aerial hoop, also known as lyra, aerial ring and cerceau, resembles a hula hoop in size and hangs freely from the ceiling connected at one or two points of the...

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