X-Pole
Worldwide suppliers of poles, freestanding poles and hoops (UK and US based) |
Firetoys
General aerial equipment supplier, great range of stock! (UK based) |
Circuspex (previously Hinton Palmer)
www.circuspex.co.uk (previously known as Hinton Palmer Products Ltd) manufacturers of aerial equipment, aerial hoops and rigs etc ( UK based in Bristol) |
Safety Lifting
|
Dicks Climbing
Great range of rigging components (carabineers etc) UK based |
Unicycle
French aerial equipment supplier – ships across the EU (based in France) |
Nekoti
Suppliers of renfrew hockey tape in a range of colours – great for taping hoops! (UK based) |
Beemat
UK crash mat supplier – pole and aerial mats available (UK based) |
Dance
Direct
Resin and costumes (UK based) |
Nissen
|
Trapeze Rigging
|
Nimble Arts
|
Discount Dance
|
Everything Pole Dancing
|
Sapsis Rigging
|
Tiffin Mats
|
Pole Silks
|
Pole Romper
|
Pole Motion
|
The Pole Dance Community
|
Wink Designs
|
Team Up
|
Mr Site
|
Book When
|
Poletrition
|
Dry Hands
|
Pole Street
|
Pole Move Box
|
Mighty Grip
|
Aerial Dancing
|
Pole and Aerial
|
Insurance Options (UK)
TowergateBalensInsure4SportProfessional FitnessBlackfriarsRees AstleyEquityHencilla Canworth |
R-Pole
|
Millie Robson
|
Platinum
Stages
|
Jessica Macey
|
Don Curry
|
Miss Glory
Pearl
|
Spin City
|
Insurance Options (US)
ISERAInsurance 4 Pole DancersElite Risk Insurance SolutionsClowns of the USA/Speciality Insurance AgencyEvolution Insurance BrokersLester Kalmanson Agency |
AERSIC
|
UK Rigging
|
Fight or
Flight Entertainment (Brett Copes)
|
Online Pole
Lessons
|
Foxy Clean
|
Pole Spotting
Wednesday, 22 October 2014
THE SPIN CITY POLE AND AERIAL SUPPLIERS LIST
Lots of people ask me who I use as a supplier, for everything from poles to hoops, to grip to insurance! On that basis, I decided to create a Suppliers List. This is a collaborative effort that I drew together from a number of pole dancers within the industry, so I would like to thank everybody that contributed! I hope you find this a useful resource for future reference - please feel free to add any other suppliers that you know of in the comments below.
Thursday, 25 September 2014
HOW TO FILM A SUCCESSFUL VIDEO ENTRY FOR A COMPETITION
Video entries are a major part of UK and International Pole Competitions. Due to the popularity of the events, it is often necessary to have an initial entry round or qualification process, which for the sake of logistics and cost; is often done via video. Below are a few tips from a range of national and international competition judges to help you make sure your video entry is successful! Thank you to Donna Gant, Aimee Lawson, Robyn Rooke, Pippa Loveridge and Jo Dandridge for your input.
1. RULES
Read the competition rules,
this should be your first point of reference prior to planning your routine.
Try and MAXIMISE the number of points you can achieve, some competitions give
more points for costume or theme, some for tricks and execution – work out how
you can get your highest score possible!
2. THE
ROUTINE
There are a whole number of
factors to consider when putting together your choreography, here are just a
few of them!
- Use your music, work with the slower moments, the louder moments, and the lyrics – give us levels we want to see contrast in your routine – give us light and shade!
- Choose moves that suit your music. It’s no good launching into your favourite block of dynamic rolls, drops and explosive moves to a super slow sad song!
- Show us balance, give us tricks – strength and flexibility work, give us spins, give us floorwork, use both your right side AND your left side, change height, change direction show us that you are a well-rounded pole dancer!
- Vary your trick choice – we don’t want to see all twisted grips, show us your versatility and rock your split grip or elbow grip too, balance out your arm and leg work on the pole.
- Individuality – be unique, try and think about interesting entries and exits from moves, different ways of combining moves, new leg and arm lines.
- Make it suit you! Don’t choose tricks because they are trendy or popular – choose tricks that suit your body and your abilities.
- Choose tricks that are competition ready! New tricks are not for routines! They are to be practiced hundreds of times until they are consistently nailed! Keep them in your tricks box until they are competition ready! Choose tricks that you can perform exceptionally every time!
- Pay as much attention to the dance/flow elements as your tricks – don’t just practice your harder bits, make every section look polished.
- There are times you need to look at the pole (so you know where it is and what is gripping!) there are lots of times you don’t! Give yourself time to add in eye contact and facial expressions, choreograph these in if need be!
- Give yourself enough time to demonstrate proper execution. We are talking strong lines, body tension, legs and arms, feet and hands – point those toes! My eyes should never be drawn to your feet! Don’t rush through, every routine needs fewer tricks and combos than you think.
- Work clean! Try not to make too many hand adjustments, shuffles, messy transitions. If you need to wipe your hands – make it part of your choreography rather than obviously wiping your hands or picking your hotpants out of your bottom!
- Work purposefully – make every movement intentional! In the works of Robyn Rooke, each move should set up for the next and seamlessly knit together.
- Give us a beginning, a middle and an end – don’t let your level of difficulty/technical drop – be consistent. Make sure you have the appropriate stamina and endurance to get through your piece safely and to finish without puffing and panting!
- Your routine should feel fantastic to you! It should feel natural, it should be a piece of work you are proud of! That will come across to us as we are judging you.
3. AUDIENCE
Remember, in a video entry,
your audience is your video camera. Make sure you angle your routine and your
tricks towards your ‘audience’. Try not to look or perform into mirrors or to
anybody else that might be in the room! If you need a physical audience – why not
rope a few friends in to sit directly behind your camera?
4. PERFORMANCE
Just because it a video
entry, does not mean it should not be a performance. This is NOT a run through!
Make sure you are in full costume, make-up and hair where applicable. Use your
whole body to perform, I want to see your facial expressions and I want to see
you give that routine your all!
5. TECHNICAL
A video routine is far more successful
if we can see and hear you clearly. Make sure you use a good quality video
camera, make sure your room is well lit and the camera is at a good angle.
Always film the right way up and try and place your camera on a tripod or solid
surface (no judge likes shaky camera!) Make sure your stereo system is loud
enough that we can clearly hear your music and that there are no other distractions
in the room (this includes but is not limited to pets, children, friends
whooping and cheering, a class going on in the background and other
interruptions!)
6. PRACTICE
Film yourself more than
once! This may be on different days, times, in different studios, watch them
back – and make sure you are happy with them. Make sure you practice without mirrors as well as with them, make sure you can still replicate those lines without looking at yourself making them! Make sure you meet all of the
above criteria. Make sure your submission reflects the best you can do that
particular routine at that particular time – that way, you can be proud of your
entry!
My final words are when it
comes down to it, you won’t be successful in every competition you enter. Try
and absorb the judge’s feedback, try and grow from the experience, try and use
every entry, every performance, and every show to make you better at whatever
it is you do. Don’t compare yourself to others and always enjoy the moment – it
will be over before you know it! I hope this has been useful and will help to
develop your future routines into pieces of art that you can be proud of!
Ps
– and always remember above all..... that wee you need before you turn the camera on or go on stage? It’s always a
phantom one!
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