Oct 11 2009

Pole Dancers DO IT Longer

Yannori

How long can you DO IT? How long can you GO AT IT before your luscious energy starts to wane? How long before you cry out for breath or have to stop and rest?  How long does it take before your arms and legs start to shake from exertion?  Really?  I’m talking about GOING AT IT without resting, without stopping and starting again. Just one long continuous SENSUAL EXPERIENCE?

10 minutes? 20 minutes? An hour? (WOW!)

In order to have a truly amazing experience every time, I think it’s essential to really develop your stamina. In fact, I think stamina is just as important as your technique and your transitions. (You did know that I’m talking about POLE DANCING, right?) So at the end of almost every warmup, I include some extra songs specifically for this purpose.

I throw off my warmup pants (or strip them off if I’m in the mood) and let my sensual spirit fill the dance floor.  I don’t stop moving until my body feels warm, grounded, and excited about developing a new technique, trying out a new combination, or just building my strength in an advanced trick. It’s a great way to make sure you start every training session with gratitude and joy.

To try it, first you have to pick two songs that entice you to MOVE, twirl, swirl, float and fly!

Then, challenge yourself to drag each extension of your arm, slow down each delicious step, exhale through every luscious invert. Make a point to take this chance to dance slowly.   But… DON’T sacrifice your personal style! Just notice when you rushing into the next movement and consciously choose to take your time.  This isn’t about making yourself dance agonizingly slow (unless that’s your style).  It’s about giving yourself the chance to expand and take ownership of both your dance time and your dance space.

Once you can dance for two whole songs, try to extend it to three.  I promise you’ll love your new found stamina (in more places than just the dance floor)!

Do you prefer long or short dancing sessions? How do use pole dancing to develop stamina & cardio? Share your ideas in the comment section!

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Jul 7 2009

Slink, Slide, & Melt with the Mistress of Authentic Exotic Dance

Yannori

Do you want to learn exactly how a REAL exotic dancer, professional choreographer, and aerial artist creates those sensually seamless and totally hypnotic movements that mesmerize and capture everyone’s attention (and dirty minds)? Shawn Frances Lee’s long awaited sensual dance transitions instructional DVD has finally been released to the public!

In case you haven’t had the privilege of training with Shawn, let me explain what you’ve been missing.  Shawn is an amazing and caring individual who truly believes in the life changing power of AUTHENTIC exotic dance (did you notice my emphasis?) This is a woman who danced for over 15 years as a real stripper, with many of those years at the legendary Crazy Horse Too in Las Vegas, where she was renowned for her stage performancesShe is a classically trained dancer who specializes in fosse jazz, tasteful sensual aerial pole and exotic floorwork, and an awesome passion for the safety of her students.

Shawn has spent the last 6 years developing and teaching her unique brand of PoleCat Power aerial dance progressions and transitions.  Every sexy step in this Slink, Slide, and Melt DVD has been designed for the way a woman’s body moves; including modifications for woman that have knee, lower back, or shoulder injuries.  She can help you feel sexy WHILE developing your strength and skills.  Shawn’s training and friendship changed my life and truly expanded my personal dance style beyond a workout into an art form.  And she can do it for you too!

In fact, I was so excited about Slink, Slide, and Melt, that I actually jumped up and down like a 3 year old when I found out she was filming.  And then I saw the DVD trailer!  Check it out and come right back here for the DVD details plus a great offer for all the ExpressTheSensual.Com subscribers

Shawn and Carden Films have produced a beautiful HD DVD that showcases the amazing and unique art of Authentic Exotic Dance.  Slink, Slide, and Melt is designed for Every Woman with detailed instructions for over 40 exotic dance moves, modifications for special populations, and gorgeous slow motion HD photography. Whether you want to learn sexy transitions, create a stunning floor routine of pure feminine expression, or just add sensuous floor and wall work to your repertoire, this DVD is for you.  Slink, Slide, and Melt includes:

  • Sexy Strutting – Walking the Walk
  • Wild Wallwork – Sliding & Rolling with Ease
  • Fabulous Floorwork – Becoming One with The Floor
  • Creative Crawling – Avoiding the Knees
  • Routines, Sequences, & Combinations you can do right away
  • Using Clothing & Shoes to YOUR advantage
  • Freestyle Performances by Shawn

Plus, a BONUS that no authentic instructional DVD offers right now…

The Doorway Dance

Just watching the raw footage of this Doorway routine convinced me to get a copy of this DVD, so you know it’s fucking good! Shawn promises that by the end of Slink, Slide, & Melt you will be able to EMBRACE, ENCHANT, ENTHRALL, & EMPOWER.

If you are a pole dancer, an aerial acrobat or just ready to trade your boring gym routine for some serious fun, you’ve got to get Slink, Slide and Melt!  So here’s the special deal I promised.

If you order through the BUY NOW link below and include my special offer code, you get 14% off the DVD cover price! Instead of paying $34.95, you get detailed instruction from a world renowned Exotic and Aerial Dance instructor in your living room for $29.95 plus shipping* and handling.  Remember, you can ONLY get this discount through ExpressTheSensual.Com and I don’t know if it’ll last more than a few weeks. Sorry, this deal has expired.  But you can still get Slink, Slide & Melt for the regular price of $34.95 US (plus shipping)! 

So click on the BUY NOW link, and get ready to Slink, Slide, and Melt today!

Slink, Slide, & Melt DVD – Domestic USA
out of stock, check back soon
Slink, Slide, & Melt DVD – International
out of stock, check back soon

Special Offer Code: ETSSSM06

*please allow 4-6weeks delivery


May 29 2009

Build Your Pole Dancing Warmup into a Sensual Ritual

Yannori

You and I love pole dancing.  We love building a strong body and sexy abs.  We love the sensual swirls and fabulous flying twirls around a smooth metal pole.  And if you want to be an awesome pole dancer, I already know that you practice, practice, practice.  But, if you are skipping your warm-up before your in home pole dancing session, you could be damaging your body and missing out on an amazing Sensual Ritual.

Playful Plans

A warm-up is defined as “the preparation period for a specific workout” and many people find the traditional fitness warm-up boring or monotonous.  (I certainly do.)  However, the purpose of the wamup, to “increase [the] core temperature as well as prepare the muscles & joints for movement,” is still critical for avoiding injury and staying healthy.  In short, you have to warm-up before every strenuous exercise training session.

The good news is that you are a pole dancer, (phew, dodged that bullet!) so you’ve got an endless source of sensual movements at your disposal.  Here’s how I structure a fun and easy warm-up that will make your body healthy and ready to pole dance.

Sexy Music

The first thing you need is a special playlist.  Don’t throw a bunch of random songs into a playlist and hope that you’ll automatically feel that sexy vibe.  Pick 3 or 4 songs to get the body moving for the 10-15 minutes required for your warm-up.

  1. Start with a gentle song that grounds you like I Belong to You by Lenny KravitzLenny Kravitz - Lenny Kravitz: Greatest Hits or Milk by GarbageGarbage - Garbage.
  2. Then buildup to some faster beats that make you want to move your hips like If Tha Mood by EstheroEsthero & Shakari Nyte - Wikked Lil' Grrrls or The Naughty Song by Cory LeeCory Lee - The L Word: The Third Season (Music from the Showtime Original Series).
  3. Finally give yourself an easy transition into dancing by choosing one of your absolute favorite pole dancing songs.  For me, this is Sky by SoniqueSonique - Hear My Cry and Next Contestant by NickelbackNickelback - All the Right Reasons.

Set The Mood

Once you’ve got your music ready, you need to make sure your body, mind, environment are ready to dance.
Set aside some time and a place where you won’t be interrupted. Simply ask your family and loved ones to give you this space.  You deserve it!

Choose something to workout in that makes you feel feminine and fit. I enjoy dancing in booty shorts and a bikini or wrap top simply because exposing all that extra skin helps me with advanced spins & inverts.  But when I warm-up, I also wear a pair of yoga or jazz pants.  This heats up my leg muscles, plus, I get the added benefit of removing (*wink*) my pants during my first dancing song (#3 above).

Begin with a Butterfly’s Breath

Turn on your music and start with a few easy breaths.  Simply close your eyes while standing and focus on the sensation of breathing. Then, notice how the music makes you feel.  This will center your body and your mind in just 30 seconds.

Keeping your knees relaxed, let your arms slowly float upwards as you inhale, and slowly float downwards as you exhale. Treat your arms like the delicate wings of a butterfly and bring your breath and your movement into sync.  Now add in a wrist rotation.  Simply turning your wrist in circles.  This movement is similar to some belly dancing arm movements and will warm-up the shoulders, biceps, triceps, and forearms.

Shift to the Hips

As your second song comes on, start to practice the mini-hurricane. Take your body through each of the four hip points, smooth out the circular motion, and finally add in the chest undulations.  Let your body play with this movement as you begin to feel warmer and warmer, allowing your hands to drift over your hips, thighs, and feminine curves.

When your really start to feel the music, transition into the Full Hurricane, lifting one heel at a time and shifting your weight back and forth.  If you need more details, please read my post about Luscious Abs and The Full Hurricane hip circles.  This movement sequence will ensure that your back, chest, hips, legs muscles and joints get warm and feel amazing.

Dance Honey, Dance!

Now, as your third song begins, use a playful and sensual walk to move over toward the pole.  (You can check out my other post about getting rid of shyness & learning the sensual walk here.) Now, let the beats of your favorite music give you the momentum to spin, play and fly. Use your favorite floor work, pole twirls, and one or two handed spins.  Just try to avoid inverting for this third song until you are absolutely sure that your upper body is limber and ready.

The more often your practice this Sensual Ritual the easier it will become.  Don’t forget to change your playlist every few weeks to keep things exciting and new.  Stay playful in the knowledge that you got a great warm-up and protected your body from injury. And stay confident that you have built a Sensual Ritual that you can use anytime you need to ground the body and relax the mind with movement and joy.

Practice Safe and Sensual Pole Dancing Ladies!

PS. if you need help with any of these movements or with a specific pole dancing move, you can contact me for a private pole dancing session in-studio or by webcam at my online pole dancing website www.BalanceElemental.com, 310-809-2910 or yannori(at)ExpressTheSensual(dot)com.

What are your favorite pole dancing warm-up moves? When do you use Sensual Rituals to spark your creativity? Share your ideas in the comment section!

If you enjoyed the article, please subscribe to ExpressTheSensual.com and share it with your friends using the Share & Enjoy social bookmarking sites. Thank you for your support!