Express The Sensual

A. asks: I would like to read an article/blog on the proper & various ways to Crawl while doing exotic floor work.

Ah yes, the many and various ways of moving across the dance floor without walking, strutting, or twirling.  Crawling, is so much more than the dictionary definition would imply…

“1 : to move slowly in a prone position without or as if without the use of limbs 2 : to move or progress slowly or laboriously”

Crawling is usually done slowly in a crouched or prone position…  But there is so much raw sensuality inherent in crawling. I feel so powerful while crawling that it’s easy to imagine I’m an animal stalking my prey.  So, I only use it when I have a very specific and appreciative audience.

I’m a major stickler for details when it comes to crawling because I’ve had so many students come to me with knee injuries and shoulder pain from doing it incorrectly.  But we’re going to fix all that right now.  So let’s get into the nitty gritty of the Slinky Crawl…

Get Down On It

First, in order to crawl you have to be down on the floor.  Now, don’t just rush down to the floor. Take a little extra time with this particular transition.  The most often used movement is a variation of the slinky squat, but my personal favorite is a slide.  Slide down the pole, slide down the wall, slide down a chair, slide down your partner (don’t be afraid of a little audience participation, ROWR!)

Simply place your back on the pole/wall/partner and your hands in a supporting position (usually above your head gripping the pole, pushing on the wall, or gently holding onto his neck) so you can control your slide.  Plant one foot on the ground while allowing the other foot to slide in front & away from you.  (If you have knee issues I can help you find a different variation that doesn’t require a deep knee bend like this) Remember, to keep your shoulders away from your ears & your abs tight.

Take an agonizingly slow journey to the floor until your tush hits the ground. This is a perfect chance to spend some time flirting with your audience or yourself.  (BTW, I teach at least four different ways to get to the floor in both my level 1 pole and level 1 exotic dance classes plus a gazillion different variations.  This is just one.)

DoggyStyle

Next, you need to get onto your hands and knees.  Again, there are a million different ways to do this, depending upon your level of flexibility, leg covering (ie slideability), and laziness.  I’m a laaazzzyyy dancer, so I like things that look easy even if they are really fucking hard to do.  And since we’re going to focus on crawling, let’s go with the straightforward technique.

At this point, you should be sitting on your butt with your back on the pole/wall/partner.  Just let your body continue to slide until your head is resting on the floor.  Then luxuriously roll onto your belly. (I teach how to roll over sensually as well, but I don’t want to overwhelm you here)

Now, here’s the tricky bit (Are you paying attention?) Press your hands on either side of your chest and open your knees so your legs loosely form a diamond shape. I.E. your knees will be wider than your hips.  This also means you can feel the floor on the soft flesh on the inner side of your knees but NOT on the knee cap.  (you only get two knee caps, so don’t skip this part!) Now push down with your hands as you let your butt move straight backwards toward your feet.  If you pretend somebody you really like is tugging down & back on your g-string, you’ll do exactly what I mean.

Notice that the majority of your weight is on your calves but your knees do NOT hurt.  That your hands, elbows, and shoulders are in line while the back muscles are relaxed and down.  Plus your stomach muscles are nice and tight.  Viola! Welcome to every man’s favorite position for sex. (ahem! oh, was that too risque?  Really? )

Creep, Slither, Crawl

Finally, let’s take your first slink along the floor.  If you are positioned correctly, you’ll feel how easy it is to rock your body away from your hands toward your butt, BUT (teehee) you start to loose your balance if your head & chest go too far forward past your hands.  You’ll also feel how easy it is shift your weight from one leg to the other leg.  Now shift your weight back AND toward one side.  This makes it easy to lift the opposite leg off the floor and slide it closer towards your hand.  Move that hand forward, shift your weight again and slide your leg again.  Make sure you end up on the inner edge of your knee and not the knee cap. (I really recommend wearing Bella pants for this part until you’ve mastered the rolling and sliding motions.)

Then just repeat, repeat, repeat.  When I use this particular crawl, I feel like I’m rocking my butt and sliding my legs.  My hands just keep my upper body balanced for the next step. And to keep things sexy, I make sure I relax my neck, so my hair hides my face and my head sweeps (slowly and easily) from side to side.

Then, when I’m ready to get closer to my audience, I deliberately look up through my hair and lock eyes.  Even if they can’t see your face, they will get a chill from your sensual power in this moment.

When everything is working right, this crawl feels very strong, but looks very slow.  It’s deliberately lazy. You want your audience to focus on your butt swinging from side to side. (I know I would *wink*) This movement can exude both vulnerability, from your prone position, and a direct sensual power, when executed with confidence.

Allow both the music (I love Esthero for the deep sensual beats) and your personal style to infect each sway of your hips, each shift of your sensuous legs. Focus on how the audience responds to you or on how you respond to your surroundings.

Do your feel supported by the earth…

Do you feel the slowly building heat of holding your limbs close and keeping your head lowered…

Do you feel rushed or lazy, soft or dangerous, exposed or predatory…

When you play with the animal inside you discover the freedom to express your authentic, sensual nature.

Let your boundaries go.

Do you usually crawl when you dance? What other variations do you enjoy? Share your ideas in the comment section!

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Twirl, Swirl, and Fly!

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 Kravitz or Milk by Garbage.
2. Then buildup to some faster beats that make you want to move your hips like If Tha Mood by Esthero or The Naughty Song by Cory Lee.
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 Sonique and Next Contestant by Nickelback.

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!

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Is your dancing inhibited? Do you get anxious when performing in front of a group, even in your pole class? Are you afraid to dance for you lover?  Are you afraid to dance in front the mirror?

Make A Wish

You’re not alone.  Many of my beginner students are afraid to let go of their inhibitions and express their sensual nature through movement.  And one of my readers recently asked “I was wondering if you had any advise on getting over the whole embarrassing/shy thing.”

Happily, overcoming your performance anxiety is absolutely possible for everyone. And the best part is that, the confidence you gain while dancing will propagate into every aspect of your life. But, you will have to face a fear or two.  Don’t worry.  Keep reading and you’ll find plenty of tools to help you own the dance floor in almost any situation.

These Boots Were Made For Walking

The first thing I teach in every class is how to walk.   And the reason is because I want you to have the ability to feel like the sexy, powerful, woman that you are.  I want you to turn it on and off at will.  Literally.

I encourage my students to take their “sexy” out for a walk in a public place. Strolling along the sidewalk as they usually do, and then turning on the charm so to speak.  Try it and you’ll be amazed at the positive reactions you receive and how vibrant you feel.

To turn on your “sexy” walk you simply need to remember four little words…

SLOW SLINK SLIDE SMILE

1. Slow - Take your time.  Charismatic woman usually aren’t in a rush to get somewhere.  Let you body move with purpose and intention, staying conscious of each step along your inner and outer path.

2.  Slink – Allow your hips to sway and your body to curve slightly while you walk.  According to “The Definitive Book of Body Language,” men love a 67-80% hip-to-waist ratio.  But you don’t actually have to have that ratio to be alluring.  By tilting your pelvis as you walk, you automatically create the perfect hip-to-waist ratio.  Plus, if you sway your torso, you will give the impression of flexibility.  And both sexes find flexibility attractive in a mate.

3. Slide - As you take each step, slightly drag the big toe or inside of your shoe along the ground.  This forces you to slow down, and makes your legs look longer.  Extending your legs is a powerful nonverbal signal that indicates you are a mature passionate woman .

4.  Smile – A small, tight lipped smile is a submissive gesture that says “I have a secret.”  If you pair this with a slight down tilt to the head as you look up, it makes men want to protect you and woman want to be you.

To practice these steps, turn on some stimulating music and strut your stuff in front of a mirror.  It’s important to be able to look yourself in the eye and feel the seductive energy coming off your body. If you feel it, so will everyone else. Once you’ve mastered the sexy walk both in the mirror and in public, then you’re ready to begin shedding your performance anxiety.

Here are two major milestones required to help you dance with self confidence.

All Mine

The first milestone is to remember that you own the stage. At this moment, anyone watching has come here to see you.  Not the girl before you.  Not the girl after you.  Not the pole or the chair or any other props you might be using.  You.

That means you are in control.  Don’t downplay this control and don’t ignore it. Pick music, sexy shoes, clothes, and any other props that make you feel empowered… and by that I mean HOT.

Maintain that control.  Don’t let the attention of your audience wander.  Keep it focused on you for your entire dance.  If you’re wearing shoes, stamp your feet to make a loud noise.  Add in some twirls to automatically cause their eyes to trace your movements.  Go extra slow to drag out anything scintillating and force them to feel antic………….pation.

If Tha Mood

The second milestone is a little bit tricky.  And by that, I mean you have to make a choice.  Do you want to notice your audience or do you want to ignore them? Each choice will cause your audience to react in a different manner.

If you ignore your audience, they will feel like they are spying.  They may feel guilty while watching you but unable to stop as you lead them through an exhilarating secret moment. This is the easiest method, but can sometimes backfire if you don’t allow some playfulness to show through.  The audience must believe that you are giving them this glimpse of your own free will.  If they believe you don’t want to be there, they will notice this negative emotion instead of your beautiful movement.

Alternatively, if you pay attention to your audience, they will feel as if they are participating in the dance. As if you are playing with their emotions.  This method requires that you use the SMILE you learned in the previous exercise and make eye contact.  Even if it’s only for a moment.  As you catch someone’s eye think “this is my stage”, “I am beautiful”, or “I feel amazing.”  Besides being the absolute truth, these thoughts will send a strong vibration throughout your audience and fill you with courage.

What the Fuck is LadyLike

With each performance, whether its for your class or at a pole showcase, you’ll feel the anxiety fade.  By facing this fear, you will actually know more about your inner self and learn to express that feminine fire in your everyday life. You’ll discover that it is better to laugh at your small mistakes and simply stretch through them playfully.  85% of the time your audience won’t notice the mistake anyway, and 10% of the time they’ll think you did it on purpose.

The Power is yours already, you simply have to accept it.

Little Johnny & Jane are playing in the garden when they begin having an argument over whether girls are better than boys.  Johnny pulls down his pants and says “Boys are better than girls ‘cos you don’t have one of these!” Jane bursts out crying because she knows she doesn’t have one of those. She rushes inside to her mother and a little while later comes back outside with a huge grin on her face.  “My mom says girls are better than boys,” she says with confidence. “Are not” says the boy, “You haven’t got one of these.” Jane looks at him, raises her skirt and pulls down her panties.  “My mom says that as long as I have one of these, I can have one of those anytime I want.”

How do you eliminate shyness? Do you enjoy performing for your class or for groups? Share your ideas in the comment section!

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