Have you been following guest blogger Vivienne's journey through The Progressive Series/Level 2? Last blog she posted about her experiences in her first few classes. Part II brings you up to date!
Day Eight: Fifth Class of Level 1-2 Progressive Series
Now that the showcase has come and gone there aren’t any Happy Hour Open Pole sessions on the calendar. Bummer. I appreciated the unstructured time to practice and this new development means I’m gonna have to take a closer look at the schedule. As you can probably tell, I am definitely working towards and end result and one class a week won’t get me there. Add to that a rather alarming anecdote from a fellow classmate about a rapidly progressing cohort:
“Did you know how much so and so goes to class? Sometimes three times a day!”
Excuse me? Three times a day?!? I better step up my game.
But back to the class. It was on the day the BIG STORM was to hit, the one that the networks kept yapping about like it was going to be Armageddon. As if we don’t live in COLORADO where it has been known to snow from time to time. Thursday rolled around and it seriously wasn’t looking like it was going to snow, but you couldn’t turn the radio or T.V. on without someone warning you to batten down the hatches. A few flakes started to sift down when it was time for me to head out around 6:30pm and it looked like something might happen, but I was still skeptical.
The upshot of this was that it gave the whole day that Will It or Won’t It feel, where at any moment the whole city (and class) was going to get shut down, and it might be nice just to stay in and relax on the couch in front of the fire, so maybe it would be okay if class was canceled, so I kind of had one foot in and one foot out the door. It’s not the greatest state of mind when resolve is key.
Class started on time but I wasn’t entirely all there. In an inverse of previous classes when an hour seemed to be too short, it seemed interminable since my ass was already on the couch. Once Sasha got us going with the warm-up and stretching I got my head back in the game and the time flew by, especially when we learned the pinwheel spin I had been admiring, and when we learned how to link a forward spin with a backwards spin. There were some requests to learn certain moves – as seen in the showcase which I must go to next time – which sounded to me like, “You take your leg and put it waaay up here and then your hand goes there and then you kind of go like this and it’s really awesome!” Sasha looked as perplexed as I felt and said, “You’ll learn all that, but not today. Today we’ll be working on …”
Me? I’m okay with the old step-by-step. Truth be told, I’m wondering if I should do the beginners series again, just to really nail all the basics. Either that or I’m going to have to find a place in my house to put a pole.
Day Nine: Sixth Class of Level 1-2 Progressive Series
This was not one of my better days, the problem being entirely my own. A blow-up with a close friend has got me stewing in my own juices and thinking about stuff that has nothing to do with spins and climbs. Sasha also approached me about doing the instructor training. I have to say that I am so incredibly flattered, yet a bit incredulous. Clearly she sees potential in me and I trust her instincts. However, it does make me turn a critical eye to just about everything I do.
My work in this class took on a whole new level of gravitas as with each move I asked myself, “How can I teach this if I can’t do it?” Of course I have a long road ahead of me before I could ever teach, a 20 hour teacher training, probably a repeat of the 1-2 Progressive Series while doing the Level 3 Series simultaneously (provided a get my yellow garter), sneaking in to practice once or twice a week... Actually, when I think about it that way, I see some possibility, but you get the picture. It was a challenging day on lots of levels.
The big news is that I had an important breakthrough. I noticed that all of the sudden I was naturally placing my lower hand further down on the pole and pushing away with it, rather than having it up high and hanging on it. While this is a small thing, I see it as the key to looking like I are floating around the pole rather than flinging myself around it. This small victory did a lot of buoy my spirits and keeps me thinking forward and up.
Day Ten: Seventh Class of Level 1-2 Progressive Series
Today was the make-up/review day before we attempt to test out of Level 2 next week. Something really profound has happened to the class since last week. Until tonight I can’t say that I knew any of my fellow students. I know a few names and everyone is familiar but aside from random tidbits of information thrown out here and there (Eliza is a teacher and has a child, Desi works for Spirals, Neka is married, etc.) I know next to nothing about anyone. My work feels largely solitary and when we freestyle, there is a sense that everyone goes inward and deep, which is actually quite remarkable, yet I don’t make a whole lot of eye contact or small-talk.
Increasingly, though, people are showing up 15-30 minutes prior to class to do a little warming up and stretching on their own. In this time there is a little more conversation and connection. Today the subject is the Level 3 Progressive Series and who has signed up. Suddenly there is a sense that we are in this together. “What? You haven’t signed up? Who here is in? C’mon, everyone else is doing it!” There is a camaraderie that we didn’t have before and the desire to stay together in this journey.
Since most of us were there early and already warm, Sasha got us moving along, doing drills on the poles and across the floor, which is a first for us. As we waited our turn in line, there was a little talk. Stacy talked about her experience with the teacher training and encouraged me to do it. Alicia cracked everyone up by drawing an imaginary circle around her and calling it her “Sexy Space”. We commented on each other’s progress and encouraging each other. It was like a wall came down, right as we were in the home stretch.
We went over all the spins, climbs and holds and I noticed how much my stamina has increased. I can climb all the way to the ceiling on both sides and the tops of my feet don’t hurt quite as badly as before. Some of Sasha’s technique is clicking with me and I can see a great difference. I can’t believe that the instruction portion of this series is over and next week will be the big test. I feel confident about next week and unconcerned about whether I pass or not. I know that Sasha wants us all to succeed and will provide us with the tools we need to do so. I’ve already signed up for the next series and am excited to keep going, especially if there are some friendly faces with me.
Now that the showcase has come and gone there aren’t any Happy Hour Open Pole sessions on the calendar. Bummer. I appreciated the unstructured time to practice and this new development means I’m gonna have to take a closer look at the schedule. As you can probably tell, I am definitely working towards and end result and one class a week won’t get me there. Add to that a rather alarming anecdote from a fellow classmate about a rapidly progressing cohort:
“Did you know how much so and so goes to class? Sometimes three times a day!”
Excuse me? Three times a day?!? I better step up my game.
But back to the class. It was on the day the BIG STORM was to hit, the one that the networks kept yapping about like it was going to be Armageddon. As if we don’t live in COLORADO where it has been known to snow from time to time. Thursday rolled around and it seriously wasn’t looking like it was going to snow, but you couldn’t turn the radio or T.V. on without someone warning you to batten down the hatches. A few flakes started to sift down when it was time for me to head out around 6:30pm and it looked like something might happen, but I was still skeptical.
The upshot of this was that it gave the whole day that Will It or Won’t It feel, where at any moment the whole city (and class) was going to get shut down, and it might be nice just to stay in and relax on the couch in front of the fire, so maybe it would be okay if class was canceled, so I kind of had one foot in and one foot out the door. It’s not the greatest state of mind when resolve is key.
Class started on time but I wasn’t entirely all there. In an inverse of previous classes when an hour seemed to be too short, it seemed interminable since my ass was already on the couch. Once Sasha got us going with the warm-up and stretching I got my head back in the game and the time flew by, especially when we learned the pinwheel spin I had been admiring, and when we learned how to link a forward spin with a backwards spin. There were some requests to learn certain moves – as seen in the showcase which I must go to next time – which sounded to me like, “You take your leg and put it waaay up here and then your hand goes there and then you kind of go like this and it’s really awesome!” Sasha looked as perplexed as I felt and said, “You’ll learn all that, but not today. Today we’ll be working on …”
Me? I’m okay with the old step-by-step. Truth be told, I’m wondering if I should do the beginners series again, just to really nail all the basics. Either that or I’m going to have to find a place in my house to put a pole.
Day Nine: Sixth Class of Level 1-2 Progressive Series
This was not one of my better days, the problem being entirely my own. A blow-up with a close friend has got me stewing in my own juices and thinking about stuff that has nothing to do with spins and climbs. Sasha also approached me about doing the instructor training. I have to say that I am so incredibly flattered, yet a bit incredulous. Clearly she sees potential in me and I trust her instincts. However, it does make me turn a critical eye to just about everything I do.
My work in this class took on a whole new level of gravitas as with each move I asked myself, “How can I teach this if I can’t do it?” Of course I have a long road ahead of me before I could ever teach, a 20 hour teacher training, probably a repeat of the 1-2 Progressive Series while doing the Level 3 Series simultaneously (provided a get my yellow garter), sneaking in to practice once or twice a week... Actually, when I think about it that way, I see some possibility, but you get the picture. It was a challenging day on lots of levels.
The big news is that I had an important breakthrough. I noticed that all of the sudden I was naturally placing my lower hand further down on the pole and pushing away with it, rather than having it up high and hanging on it. While this is a small thing, I see it as the key to looking like I are floating around the pole rather than flinging myself around it. This small victory did a lot of buoy my spirits and keeps me thinking forward and up.
Day Ten: Seventh Class of Level 1-2 Progressive Series
Today was the make-up/review day before we attempt to test out of Level 2 next week. Something really profound has happened to the class since last week. Until tonight I can’t say that I knew any of my fellow students. I know a few names and everyone is familiar but aside from random tidbits of information thrown out here and there (Eliza is a teacher and has a child, Desi works for Spirals, Neka is married, etc.) I know next to nothing about anyone. My work feels largely solitary and when we freestyle, there is a sense that everyone goes inward and deep, which is actually quite remarkable, yet I don’t make a whole lot of eye contact or small-talk.
Increasingly, though, people are showing up 15-30 minutes prior to class to do a little warming up and stretching on their own. In this time there is a little more conversation and connection. Today the subject is the Level 3 Progressive Series and who has signed up. Suddenly there is a sense that we are in this together. “What? You haven’t signed up? Who here is in? C’mon, everyone else is doing it!” There is a camaraderie that we didn’t have before and the desire to stay together in this journey.
Since most of us were there early and already warm, Sasha got us moving along, doing drills on the poles and across the floor, which is a first for us. As we waited our turn in line, there was a little talk. Stacy talked about her experience with the teacher training and encouraged me to do it. Alicia cracked everyone up by drawing an imaginary circle around her and calling it her “Sexy Space”. We commented on each other’s progress and encouraging each other. It was like a wall came down, right as we were in the home stretch.
We went over all the spins, climbs and holds and I noticed how much my stamina has increased. I can climb all the way to the ceiling on both sides and the tops of my feet don’t hurt quite as badly as before. Some of Sasha’s technique is clicking with me and I can see a great difference. I can’t believe that the instruction portion of this series is over and next week will be the big test. I feel confident about next week and unconcerned about whether I pass or not. I know that Sasha wants us all to succeed and will provide us with the tools we need to do so. I’ve already signed up for the next series and am excited to keep going, especially if there are some friendly faces with me.
Day Ten: Level 1-2 Progressive Series: TEST DAY!
I’m in a room with a handful of ladies whom I have just started to bond with and we are at the end of our Level 1-2 Progressive Series. It’s test day. When we started this class about two months ago we could barely hold onto the pole and lift up our feet, and forget about climbing the pole. What’s most striking is how far we have all come.
The only goal for today’s session is to go down the list of must-know moves: spins, holds, climbs, booty bumps and stripper shuffles. I’m less nervous about this than I thought I would be, in part because Sasha is so completely supportive of everyone. She’s not here to fail people or intimidate, she’s really here to help and teach us. So after a quick warm-up and stretch we take our places at the poles and she pulls out a list and starts calling out moves for us to do. Since we are all going at the same time, she has us do each move several times on each side so she can get a good look at everyone. She’s not concerned whether we know the technical name of the move and we often turn to Stacy (a newly minted instructor) to demonstrate when we are confused.
The hour goes by quickly as everyone demonstrates a working knowledge of the mechanics of the move, if not complete mastery. What I like the most about taking classes at Spirals is the sense that this is a journey. There isn’t the pressure to be perfect or perform in class. It’s about learning the technique and getting to the point when all the pieces line up and fall into place. I hear the word “breakthrough” bandied around often and that’s because it really is the best way to describe the process. You observe, you attempt, you get instruction, and you try and try and try then suddenly your hand just goes to the right place, or your leg is able to find that mysterious arc that it was missing and BANG, you’ve got it.
For a test day there was so much support and encouragement from everyone in the room. No one had to fail for someone else to win, quite the contrary, we wanted everyone to pass so they could come along for the next step in the journey. At the end of the hour we all sported our yellow garters for a group photo. Some signed up for the next session while others lamented not being able to swing it. I can’t believe that two months have gone by so quickly and that it’s over. Fortunately the Progressive Series: Level Three starts next week. Same time, same place.
