Monkey Climb?
One of the reasons I fell in love with sensual movement and pole dancing is the stunning beauty I witness in women of all shapes and sizes as they share their sensuality and authentic emotions, heart and soul.
I love that sensual movement and pole can empower women and help them fall in love with their bodies. The more I think about the recent “What I See in the Mirror” post I read recently by Natasha Wang, the more disheartened I feel to hear that pole may also have the opposite effect. Natahsa writes: “I’ve noticed a startling amount of self-criticism and body dysmorphia amongst polers, a result no doubt, of spending hours on end in front of a full-length mirror, half-naked.”
Natasha then shares a punishment list (consisting of push-ups or plank pose) for pole ‘misdeeds’ like flexed feet and negative body statements that she discovered written on a mirror in a New Zealand studio. Natasha and commenters seem to like the idea, both to get in better shape and to train themselves to stop the negativity.
I’m shocked that no one else has commented on the list of punishments. It seems to violate it’s own rule.
To me, the fifth rule —“Monkey Feet. sheesh, ugly, ugly, ugly especially when climbing or spinning”— violates the seventh—“the biggie: an anti or negative body statement 100 press ups or a 5 minute plank. (double if aimed at someone else!)”
I’m not even sure what monkey feet are. I assume it’s climbing the pole flat-footed. Isn’t “sheesh, ugly, ugly, ugly” aiming a negative body statement at anyone who climbs or spins this way?
I’ve watched two men climb coconut trees. One in Hawaii as a demonstration at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Another in Bali to retrieve young coconuts to share a drink after a morning hike. Both were gorgeous feats of masculine strength and agility. Here’s a close-up view. Kinda sexy, no?
I’ve come to appreciate that there are many different flavors and styles of sexy. Sexy is light and dark. It can range from graceful & elegant, to playful and silly, to naughty, dirty and raunchy. And that’s just what I can think of to describe the range of sexy I see between pointed toes and flexed feet.
I think pointed toes exhibit the graceful elegant end of sexy. While flexed feet can express naughty and raunchy. The in-between, or back and forth, might express playful and silly. And sometimes flexing just feels really good. If you show that bliss it can look yummy too.
Here’s ten ‘good’ reasons, beyond safety, to flex your feet when pole dancing:
- Feeling naughty, dirty or even a little raunchy and need to express it. A flexed foot leg splay or prance can convey that message nicely.
- Or during floor work on belly, a flexed foot can add a naughty or nasty accent.
- Slow ankle circle from point to flex strengthens and stretches ankles and sometimes just feels luscious.
- Need to stretch Achilles, calf and/or hamstring during an open leg stretch, leg raises or prancing.
- Need to stretch hip flexor during a bridge pose with body wave or circles.
- Happy baby hip stretch.
- Send energy out from heels instead of toes during a spin, as an accent or to make a point.
- To pull energy in rather than send it out.
- To feel more grounded and stable.
- To climb. The stronger the foot flex, the easier and stronger the climb.
I’m lucky, most of the time I dance in a studio without mirrors. My style is more therapeutic than competitive. More modern dance than ballet and gymnastics. I understand and respect that toe pointing might be more necessary in the latter styles.
Still. I’m curious, what are your ‘good’ reasons for flexing your foot? How many of my ten wouldn’t cut it at your studio? How many push-ups or minutes of plank would I owe you if my dance included all the flexes from my list?
I love you. At my studio, you would get hugs for all ten of your reasons for flexed feet.
I love hugs! I’ll have to come visit and collect all ten of them : )
I understand your point…and it is certainly valid. I haven’t been to the NZ studio and I agree that calling a movement “ugly” may be somewhat counter-productive to the purpose behind the list. But I also think that you have to take into consideration that there are many different pole studios that attract different kinds of students. I have loved dancing where there were no mirrors and it was all about “feeling” and awareness of your movement and the movement your body wants to do. I have also loved dancing at what I would term for simplicity’s sake “training studios” where the idea is to focus more on the proper technique for the tricks and strength move. Both are equally valid and important forms of pole dance but the focus differs and necessarily so. When I work with dancers now, it isn’t about “flexed” v. “pointed” as an absolute. Instead it is about having made a conscious choice of movement for that particular story or piece of music. And this isn’t for free dance but for choreographed pieces that are being worked on for a specific purpose. If the music is saying “flex” then I would encourage that choice. And the same with pointed toes. But often with so much focus on hand position and grip (etc…) that things like foot flexion become neglected and so no choice is made. Or else the dancer learned to do it flexed because it was simpler and necessary at first, but now has the skill to point the toes (where it would be appropriate in that piece) but habit is preventing that choice from being made. It would be my guess that that was the intent at the NZ studio – a reminder to the students to make that choice and to challenge themselves to push to their limits, as well as to make a transition look more fluid (again, there may be instances where the choreography demands flexed foot transitions, but generally a pointed toe can seem to lead the body through a transition and make it look smoother and more controlled and easy, so I would postulate that in many cases that would be the more aesthetic choice. As for your list – in a free dance or in certain cases where it was a conscious choice, I think nearly all of your ten would “cut it” at my studio. Even the tenth would be accepted, but you would probably be encouraged to learn to climb with pointed feet as well if stability and ease were the sole reasons for the flexion because you might find (as I did) that by challenging yourself that way, you will actually end up with a stronger, more fluid and effortless climb that will then be readily available in your arsenal no matter what your foot flexion choice may be for that piece. : )
In the end, as dancers, we need an awareness of our body. To be present, from fingertips to toes with a cognition of what we are attempting to say.
Dancers are mute actors. Our movement is our voice. Just as a stage actor can change the tenor or inflection of their voice, so too do we indicate emotion or intention with how our body is positioned.
Twyla Tharp had flexed feet flying over her stage, but it was a conscious choice, a fresh new point of view on movement and how the body could interpret music. One cannot accomplish ballet moves without the ability to point the toe. Contemporary and lyrical dance combine the freedom of full range of expression with the technique needed with balletic movement.
Many of the moves we must accomplish on the pole cannot be done with flexed feet – the muscles engage differently when feet are flexed vs. toes pointed. And there are tricks which beginners must have a flexed foot, such as a layback.
AND, I do think it takes so much more energy to climb that way than it does to learn to push off with your feet, grab with your knees and engage your core, so I’m trying to keep them from fading 20 minutes into class. Why blow out all your fuel before you get to the top of the pole? Don’t you want some gas to execute 10 tricks on the way down from the ceiling?
But once I’ve gotten them to the point where climbing is as simple as walking down the street, then I pull them to the ugly/twisty/creepy side of choreography so that we can make a point with alternative ways of presenting tricks. And flex our feet…on purpose.
If you compare how we tend to approach the pole as opposed to Chinese Pole, there is beauty in how the two disciplines use our apparatus. Anything can be beautiful if the intention is there. But we must be prepared for anything a choreographer may throw at us, just as an actor has to have a large range to present to a director. So we must focus on technique so that when the time comes, we can turn training into spontaneous joy and inspired dance that moves people.
Trina, I love your points and poetic writing style.
One question, which style of climbing are you saying takes more energy than the one you describe?
The climb that I try to train out of new students involves putting the front foot flat or “monkeyfooted” on the front of the pole. They do it for fear that they are going to slide if they don’t. I understand it completely because I was a monkeyfooter as a beginner.
But when we divide the body into sections, upper and lower body, each can take a portion of the work and preserve overall stamina.
The upper body has to have the hand grip strength and arms/shoulders to hold the body in place as the lower body re-engages. The lower body needs strong feet and knees that can grip and push off as well as the core strength to push back from the pole to get distance.
As you learn to push back and away from the pole in a climb, so too do you prep your body for pulling the entire lower body off at the top of the pole and hovering. It’s all about progressions.
I think most teachers probably strongly discourage monkeyfooting because they know the student is resisting pain and staying close out of fear. We want to lovingly release them from this fear, ask them to believe that, with work, they can progress and grow. WE see their potential but much of the time, they cannot see it themselves. So we push, with love. Because nothing compares to that smile when they realize they were bigger than the fear, the pain and the frustration. I love that moment.
Two nights ago, I was thrilled to be at the premiere of Travis Wall’s new dance company. It was a gathering of superstar dancers and choreographers where the full range of emotion was expressed. It was a lifechanging night of dance, but it reinforced my core belief. Dance comes from the moment and the moment dictates to much. You use as much technique as needed to accomplish your thought and always, always, be thinking outside the box.
Bottom line, for pole specifically, but dance in general, you have to learn the rules before you can break them. And then break them in delicious ways!
Trina, thank you for taking the time to explain how to do the ‘pointed toe’ climb and the rationale. I think I understand it know, so will experiment with how my body responds to it.
When it comes to ‘rules,’ and discussions of proper technique/right way, it’s important to me to understand the objectives. If it’s just about ‘looking’ pretty or tradition or a criteria that I don’t value then it’s probably not a rule I need/want to learn. But if I do value the objective than I’m game to have an open mind and at least try. I like having multiple options to choose from.
How exciting! I love Travis’s work on SYTYCD. The magical dances on that show – the ones that move me – give me chills, bring tears to my eyes, make me laugh outloud, sigh with awe etc. (and typically everyone in the theatre including the judges who stand up) demonstrate how dancing is a language that allows us to communicate. That magic is what I adore in pole dancing & sensual movement as well.
Bayleigh, I appreciate your thoughtful reply. I’m glad to know ‘most’ of list would cut it at your studio : ). When you discuss ‘proper’ technique for tricks/strength moves do you mean for safety, injury prevention and/or ability to execute? I’ve taken a few ‘training studio’ classes (and had positive & negative experiences) so for sure my experience is limited.
I accept that many people find pointed toes aesthetically pleasing. I’ve been pondering ideas around beauty, pretty & aesthetics and working on a couple posts which I will be posting soon. One of my questions is whether aesthetic preferences are learned. Is the pointed toe look of classic ballet such a part of culture that we have learned to prefer it and think of it as proper?
I find this photo stunning and love the flexed hands and feet, how the energy moves thru it
http://www.saturdaymatineeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Paul_Taylor_Dance_1.jpg
I don’t believe it would be as pleasing to me with pointed toes and outstretched fingers.
I had no idea it was possible to climb with pointed toes. I can’t even picture it. In fact I tried on my pole at home but my shin slids right off without the counter pressure of my foot for the first step. I MUST be missing something. Is there a description or video someplace that shows how to climb with pointed toes. I’m game to try.
Wow! I discovered that Natasha Wang (author) of the ‘What I See in the Mirror’ post that inspired this one found my post ‘thought provoking’ and linked to it on her facebook wall. : ) She has over 3000 friends. There is a fascinating discussion! I appreciate all the thoughtful comments! Here’s a link for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet
https://www.facebook.com/natashapatwang/posts/327773630566807