It’s been a hot minute but after a four year hiatus I am finally performing again in not one but two showcases, and I’m absolutely Barry buzzing for it! First off, I’ll be at Heelfire Club in Gloucester tomorrow (eek!) then at Defy Gravity’s October showcase over in Pembrokeshire. Honestly I feel like one of those professional pole dancers going on tour!
In case you hadn’t realised, I am so fucking excited to be hitting the stage again I feel like I could boot a locked fire door clean off its hinges. Whilst competing can become a very overwhelming and stressful experience, personally I have always found performing in a non-competitive fashion to be hugely beneficial both to your pole ability and overall wellbeing.
First off, the confidence boost you get from performing up on stage in front of an audience is wild! I distinctly remember being so nervous for my first performance that no word of a lie I was convinced I was going to shit myself, however as soon as my song started and I began my routine, I became so focused on my performance that I really began to enjoy being on stage. Next thing you know my performance was over and I strutted off stage feeling like a dog with two dicks. I am a firm believer in stepping out of your comfort zone, and performing for a few minutes in front of an audience is a fantastic way to do that. You don’t need to pile the pressure on to include all manner of complex tricks that you don’t feel comfortable in (more on that later), you just need to get up there and perform what moves feel right for you. In my first routine the most complicated move I included by a country mile was my beloved Cross Knee Release, and I felt cool as fuck doing it. Trust me, the rush you will get from performing is worth it every damn time. Yes nerves are very normal, but shit the bed does it feels badass to conquer them.
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Additionally, even if you’re creating a performance which consists of moves you know you can confidently do (which is the approach I have taken for tomorrow’s Heelfire showcase), this will still level up your pole game as you’ll be training more frequently. Whilst you may not be challenging yourself to master more difficult moves in time for your performance, training more frequently will be great strength and conditioning work. Also, drilling a 3-4 minute long routine will do wonders for your stamina. To summarise, you don’t need to create a performance filled with Handsprings, Fonjis and fuck it, even inverts to gain the benefits from drilling a routine.
Whilst we are on the subject of what moves to include in your performance, your auntie Eilish has some very, VERY wise advice for you all. The non-pole dancers in the audience (trust me there will be a fair few) categorically do not know the difference between a Scissor Seat and a Spatchcock. Believe me I have received just as many cheers from the audience whilst doing said Scissor Seat as I have from an Extended Butterfly. Your performance is very personal to you, so don’t for one second get caught up thinking that you need to include umpteen moves that are not in your repertoire in order to satisfy anyone watching. Three minutes of Body Waves and Step Arounds are as valid as three minutes of Death Lays and Ayeshas and that’s a hill I’m willing to die on.
Another huge benefit to performing for me is the way it positively impacts my mental health. I have quite a naturally busy mind, so giving it a task such as choreographing a performance not only gets my creative juices flowing nicely, but deciding upon a costume/theme, when I can fit training and rehearsals in and the rehearsals themselves works wonders in terms of giving my noisy mind some much needed focus. It’s all about channelling that energy as they say! However (and this is a big fucking however here) do not underestimate how much performing (especially competing) can take it out of you mentally as well as physically. Showcases I don’t find as taxing as competitions, as no one is judging you on your performance, but there is still a level of discipline and stepping out of one’s comfort zone that is required when performing at any level. Before performing in any capacity, do have a good sit down with yourself and decide honestly if this is a challenge you’re up for at this time.
Also, I cannot talk about how much I enjoy performing without addressing how bloody lush it is to get glammed up and wear a big full face of make-up and a fancy outfit. 99% of the time I live make-up less and in my comfies, and whilst there is nothing wrong with that, having my glad rags on and not being covered in mud and dog hair for once is a rather pleasant novelty. Also, strutting out on stage knowing you look like some sort of otherworldly entity gives you an added confidence boost before your performance even starts- so that’s a win.
Lastly, I have one titbit of advice for you all. If you’re one of those people who likes being as organised as humanly possible and the thought of leaving things until the last minute fills you with dread (yes, I am speaking from experience), prepare as much as you can. For example, this evening before the big day tomorrow, I’m going to get out literally every single item that I need to pack, from snacks right through to make up and costume and make sure it’s all in good working order and ready to go. For an added confidence boost I’ll be painting my nails, plucking my eyebrows and doing a facemask too. Also, I am very grateful to have managed to schedule in plenty of run throughs of my routine and some dress rehearsals too, so I know I can do the routine in costume without collapsing in a heap at the end.
Coar, that turned into a bit of a long one didn’t it? Well done for making it this far. I’m feeling a whole Woolworths pick and mix bag of emotions about my performance tomorrow, however they’re mostly very positive ones full of excitement as opposed to excitement’s fucker of a sibling anxiety. Here’s hoping it stays that way, however for now I’ll see you lot on the other side-and promise I’ll blog about it!
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