Pole star Health tsar

Cross training and overcoming fear.

2012-01-22T04:45:00.000-08:00

As much as I love pole dancing (just in case you hadn't noticed) the new year has been a time to try some new activities, it wasn't a new years resolution as I don't do those, it was more of a chance to cross train, boost my fitness levels and meet new people. Last week I reached one of my big goals, I have been working since September 2011 to be able to get my toes onto the back of my head, to achieve this I had been doing some contortion training Marlo Fisken style (for those of you ho don't know who Marlo is she is a New York based pole dancer with an amazing background in theatre, circus and dance). I had the pleasure last year of a 3 hour workshop with Marlo at Spin City in Bristol and Marlo was able to teach me lots of new stretches to help me to increase my flexibility.

My next goal was to overcome my fear of toppling, I should explain that there are certain moves in pole dancing that require the body to turn in a way that my brain does not like, walkovers generally terrify me so every Thursday night at 8.30pm I'm off to train at Swallows Gym aka Plymouth Gymnastics club. My first session at Swallows was, as expected, terrifying. I went with the lovely Megan Hookins who unfortunately for me is a gymnast, let me set the scene; Swallows is huge and is full of every bit of kit you can imagine. After a brief warm up everyone in the room, apart from me, started somersaulting, vaulting and generally doing things way beyond my ability. As I watched in awe a lady arrived and explained that it was also her first session, brilliant I thought. My happiness was short lived as Tasha then explained that it was her first session after a 2 year break but that she was a former Kent county gymnast, Megan and Tasha then disappeared off across the mats triple somersaulting as they went.

I decided to start with something that might be within my remit, we have a set of gymnastic rings at the Art of Dance so the rings at Swallows seemed plausible. The first hurdle was the height, the rings are several metres of the ground and I wasn't even sure how I could reach them, I managed to shimmy up one of the crash mats and balance precariously before jumping on to the rings, after a few poses and turns I landed rather ungracefully on the crash mats below and then watched as one of the gymnasts lowered the piece of equipment that allows you to get onto the rings with ease! According to Dave, one of the coaches, I managed a German Hang and a dislocater (I felt the dislocater and it's name perfectly described the sensation I felt through my shoulders)) and the German Hang was actually a case of me hanging on for dear life as I became aware of exactly how high the rings are.

Next up was some rope climbing, this should be easy I thought, one of the guys showed me the basic technique and off I went however the gentleman failed to inform me that climbing a rope in bare feet is not such a good idea, I left most of the skin off the top of my foot at the bottom of the rope but did manage to climb a few metres.

Despite being completely out of my depth I loved every minute of it and now on week 3 there is some progress in my ability even if it is very small. This week I got one rotation on the baby pummel horse which may not sound very good but trust me the pummel horse is ridiculously hard work so much so that the first time I tried it with the lovely Vicki Terry we spent most of our time either falling off or laughing. Laughing and falling off things was pretty much the theme of my second week at Swallows.

Week 3 of cross training had one additional element - Zumba! My Mum has been doing Zumba with the lovely Emma Newton-Bates for some time now and I have been wanting to try it for ages, I have never liked traditional aerobics (that is why I hated doing the practical element of my YMCA ETM course) as I find it too restrictive, Zumba allows more free flowing body movement and expression which is much more appealing to me. I expected to be rubbish but wasn't quite as bad as I was expecting, perhaps after being so pathetic at gymnastics anything was going to seem easier?

So if you want to see one of my failed attempts at gymnastics just check out Megan's videos of my springboard faceplant and my first assisted walkover (this one worked - the second one which thankfully wasn't videod involved missing the mat and landing on the back of my neck). Oh and here's Megan showing me how it should be done.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Kirstie Tancock - one very brave lady.

2012-01-15T06:24:00.000-08:00

I have just finished my interview with CF sufferer and double lung transplant survivor Kirstie Tancock. I first met Kirstie when I performed alongside her at the Exeter University Pole Dancers charity showcase for Help for Heroes where we performed alongside local Marines. I was unaware of Kirstie's battle with CF and was just amazed by her natural grace on the pole. I became aware of Kirstie's predicament through a mutual friend and fellow CF sufferer Kimberley Liane Neill. (my first blog about Kim - a very brave bunny) Both ladies have shown me incredible bravery and determination as well as a natural ability to pole dance.

Some of you may have seen Kirstie in recent media articles and the moving BBC 3 documentary 'Love on the Transplant list' directed by Mel Beer.

Please take a moment to read my interview with Kirstie.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Calling for the resignation of Vivien Pengelly.

2012-01-10T09:49:00.000-08:00

You only have to read the current headlines to get an idea that people have had enough of our 'leaders' keeping their snouts firmly in the trough. David Cameron has promised to cut down on the fat cat culture although I fear that despite saying all the right things his actions may not be as positive.

At local level it seems the frustrations are just the same, the arrogance of our council leaders has intensified with their disregard for the city's views on the incinerator; Vivien Pengelly wrote a letter to the Herald only this week stating that the incinerator decision was not based on party politics yet of the 12 voting members on the planning committee the 7 that voted in favour were all Conservative and the 5 that voted against were all Labour - statistically that is one hell of a coincidence.

Within a week of announcing the go ahead for the incinerator Plymouth City Council launched it's housing consultation which apparently aims to make Plymouth one of Europe's finest seaside cities and create the best living conditions for Plymouth residents; Not quite sure how they hope to achieve this with no airport, a crumbling waterfront, an embarrassing bus station and poor train links, oh, and the incinerator.

Also emerging this week is the introduction of the council's take on the Sexual Encounter Establishment Licensing that has come about as a result of the Policing and Crime Bill 2009. Ironically the Herald report on this was entitled 'Plymouth People to get power to block sex clubs' - I look forward to the day when the people of Plymouth are genuinely empowered and not ignored and ridiculed. I wrote last year about my concerns about the legislations and how they would be interpreted and I share those same concerns today as the legislation proposed by Plymouth City Council fails to clearly identify the difference between pole dancing as a recreational and sporting activity and pole/exotic dancing that is used as a pre-cursor to a sexual act.

In all honesty I think the people of Plymouth would rather see time and money being spent on some of the cities more pressing issues, at a time of cuts to frontline services I am sure the council could schedule its priorities a little more effectively? Here are some of the comments from the Herald article on the S.E.E. proposals:

“Plymouth people to get power to block sex club plans its a pity that the same self righteous hopefully soon to be sacked councillors didn`t give the peopel of Plymouth the power to block the massive eyesore and health hazard they recently approved at Weston Mill. Roll on next election is all I can say.”

“Ironic that the advert next to this was the Samaritans - need to talk?...we'll listen

They don't get paid - PCC you do and you don't listen!!”

“OH PCC you do make me laugh! Plymouth people to get power - that'll be the day!

"RESIDENTS could have much wider grounds to object; Under the new legislation, however, residents are able to object to licence applications on much wider grounds – for example, if they feel a club is not in keeping with the character of the local area or is too close to a school or church; It covers issues such as hours of opening, health and safety requirements; we have consulted with residents' groups and associations"

Just like you did with the incinerator proposal...even after a 6,000+ petition, hundreds of objections you still IGNORED us. The incinerator site is too close to homes and schools, the hours of opening are not acceptable, health and safety still a grey area due to research still being carried out....consulted with us-that means nothing!

Bet these clubs employ more people than an operational incinerator and are probably monitored more stringently.

Double standards again in this 'fair' city!”

“sorry is it 2012 or 1932? why is this country so uptight, a sex industry will be there regardless, rather it was regulated and looked after then seedy back ally illegal clubs which is the way we will go back to if they start banning all lap dancing clubs.”

“Last time I looked (oops) these places weren't open during the school day, and if you took a bible you could be catered for, and there were lots of interested parties.
There are far more alleged illegal sex acts committed outside of these places than within.
One particular brand of church has been in court worldwide over this.
Keep your curtains closed if you don't want to see who frequents these places - unless it is your fed-up partner of course! :)”

Anyway back to the point in hand - we have been seriously let down by the current conservative administration - the same administration that have refused to take pay cuts at a time when they are happy to cut front-line services. Just read some of my previous blogs to get more examples of the council's failings:

Vivien Pengelly is missing the point, Have they lost the plot, incinerator is wrong, angry.

I do not think we should have to wait till the May elections to get rid of those who are letting us down. If Vivien Pengelly and her cronies really cared about Plymouth they would do the right thing and resign now - preferably without a golden handshake.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

A Perfect Xmas.

2011-12-27T05:34:00.000-08:00

I hope that you have had a wonderful Xmas this year. I was lucky enough to eat out this year dining on a 6 course meal at the Mussel Inn. I haven't been to the Mussel Inn since it was taken over in April and was a little worried about what it would be like, but I needn't have worried as the food and service were outstanding.

I had left it late to book but luckily Kim from the Mussel Inn called me to say that they did have 1 table of 4 left so my husband, Mum and Nan were booked; The Xmas meal was fabulous, we started with a petit four of salmon crostini followed by some starters, I went for the haddock and quails egg rissotto, my husband opted for the pork terrine and my Mum and Nan went for the celeriac and watercress soup with a goats cheese twist - none of us were disappointed with our choice :)

For the main we all went for the 3 bird roast whilst my Nan opted for the Fillet Steak, thankfully my Nan does not have a big appetite so we got to share the piece of perfectly cooked steak which is probably one of the best cuts of meat I have ever tasted. All the meat was locally sourced from award winning Moonstone meats in Wembury.

Before our dessert we had a fabulous vodka and lemon sorbet to clear the palette, it was gorgeous! My husband, Mum and Nan then tucked into a Xmas pudding with brandy sauce and I had a cheeseboard (by then I was stuffed so sneaked the cheeses into a napkin to take home for supper).

picture courtesy of the Mussel Inn.

I want to say a huge thank you to all the staff at the Mussel Inn for making our meal so perfect, at no stage were we rushed, the decor was warm and inviting, the service was just right and the food was gorgeous - what more could one ask for.

The Xmas day continued in a similar vein with an evening of good TV (Doctor Who and Eastenders!), some real ale, port and Stilton.

Despite recent financial challenges I felt very lucky to be able to enjoy such an indulgent day but my thoughts go out to those who have not had such a great Xmas either through illness, loneliness or bereavement and I hope that 2012 brings peace and goodwill to all of us.

Stay Healthy

Sam x

Occupy Plymouth?

2011-12-23T06:13:00.000-08:00

I am really quite shocked at the venom being aimed at the Occupy movement in Plymouth but then after the international press crusade against the Occupy movement perhaps it is hardly surprising. I personally admire the majority of protestors (there will always be a minority who are not actually fighting the true occupy cause) for getting off their backsides and trying to force change.

There isn't a day that passes without me hearing someone moan about the economic climate we live in, we are all aware of rising food, petrol and fuel prices, we can all witness the cuts being made to front-line services yet we can also witness the continued greed of those at the top e.g. South West Water have record profits yet bills continue to rise? Plymouth City Council leaders refusing to take pay cuts whilst cutting the pay for lower paid workers.

I think what the Occupy Plymouth facebook page shows is that the protesters aren't some kind of anarchists, they aren't all 'tree huggers and hippies' (Nothing wrong with tree huggers and hippies of course) as labelled by some, thy are simply people, like you and me, who are tired of living hand to mouth whilst watching those at the higher end of the pay scale cream of the rewards of our hard work.

Perhaps there is a misconception that the Occupy movement is a waste of time, well check out the amazing results of Occupy Iceland. Check out this video too:

Focusing back on the Occupy Plymouth movement I have to mention the Kinterbury house building which the Occupy Plymouth movement was temporarily based in before the removal by bailiffs today; Kinterbury House has been derelict since 2008, the reason for its empty state was the greed of the owners who doubled the rent in 2008 forcing the then occupants out, one such occupant was the Plymouth Family Support Services - check out the blog I wrote about them at the time.

Anyway, the main point of this blog is to say a big thank you to all those representing the Occupy Movement for making a firm stand on behalf of people like myself who are sick of being ripped off by the wealthy. I do not describe myself as anti-capitalist and I have no problems with those at the top earning more money than me but I do want a fairer divide between those at the top and those at the bottom. In Plymouth we see a chief executive (Barry Keel) on over £200,000 per year (figures from taxpayers alliance) whilst one council worker I spoke to who already struggles to live on a wage of £12,000 is having his wages cut, hours increased and pension cut, he for one would surely agree with the Occupy Movement and it's beliefs?

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Incinerator is wrong and so is Plymouth City Council!

2011-12-18T06:46:00.000-08:00

image courtesy of thisisplymouth.

On December 22nd Plymouth City Council will decided whether or not to give the go ahead for the controversial Incinerator at Barne Barton. For many the idea of having an incinerator in the middle of a built up residential area is completely insane and I haven't spoken to one person who seems to think the incinerator is a good idea.

I understand that the issue of waste must be addressed but have to question why we are buying outdated German technology to deal with the issue (another council backhander perhaps?). I think the 'Incinerator is wrong' group sum it up perfectly with their tag-line "The wrong solution in the wrong place". Aside from the concerns about air pollutants one of the big concerns is the huge number of lorries that will need access to the site, these lorries will have to drive past local schools and houses.

I also have to question why the plans for the incinerator have changed so much during the planning application going from an almost attractive building, in the early stages, to an industrial monstrosity (see picture top). My other main question is that if the pollutants are so harmless then why do we need a 95 metre high chimney?

It seems Paul Winterton may have the answers with his anaerobic digestion plant at Langage Farm in Plymouth; Paul claims to have one of the best plants in the UK when it comes to waste to energy and he reckons he might be able to win some of the contracts from the proposed Barne Barton site. Whilst Paul offers a much greener alternative to MVV Umwelt he also offers a solution to the traffic problems associated with the Barne Barton site; Langage sits on the edge of the city next to the A38, heavy vehciles and machinery can access the Langage Site with minimal disruption to local residents. Check out the Langage farm blog and the Wrap site which works towards a world without waste.

In my opinion it seems as if certain members of Plymouth City Council already see this as a done deal showing the usual arrogance and contempt they have for the people they are meant to be serving. I am of course referring to some of our senior council members and executives, those that have refused to take a pay cut despite being advised to do so by the home secretary, those that put their own agenda before the people who pay their wages, those that can impose severe cuts to lower level front line public sector jobs hitting the people who can least afford it.

I hope that the people of Plymouth remember these facts when it comes to the local elections in 2012, think about which members of the cabinet felt it necessary to pay for an all expenses trip to the South African World Cup, which members backed the white elephant that is the Life Centre, those who felt it more important to save a football club than the city's airport, I could go on but I think the majority of Plymothians already know.

Roll on May 2012!

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Assised Dying

2011-11-27T03:57:00.001-08:00

I had the pleasure last month of attending a talk with Humanist Celebrant Jo Hawes on assisted dying. I have always been a believer in assisted dying but am aware of the complications that surround the subject and I understand that there is never a clear black and white answer, there will always be grey areas.

My blog today will attempt to share some of the information provided by Jo's talk as well as giving you my view on assisted dying and the issues that accompany it.

I would like to use several examples, the first is my Mum's friend Jean who died of Cancer last year (Jo was the celebrant at Jean's funeral). Jean's last few days were described as horrendous and no-one could possibly have wanted to have inflicted such pain on anyone but all the staff could do was administer painkillers to help ease the pain. Could this have been an example of a situation where it was in the patients best interests to be helped to dye rather than suffering an additional last few days of hell?

One argument I tend to use is that we are kinder to animals than humans, I could never watch an animal of mine suffer if I knew there was no way it could get better and I would have no hesitation in making a vets appointment to prevent any prolonged suffering, in one case I had to break the neck of one of my cockatiels as it lay dying, shaking and screeching in pain, although it was not an easy thing to do I felt I had no option. I could counter this arguement with another ill bird who I was about to 'put to sleep' as he had been attacked by chickens but on this occasion I chose not to and the bird went on to live for another 2 years, enjoying his life thoroughly.Was I right in the first instance or should I have let nature take its course?

Jo talked about the Liverpool care pathway and how it is currently used to determine the treatment of dying patients, we talked about how it could be used to help decide when medical professionals could assist a patient to die more quickly if their diagnosis was already terminal and it was believed that the patients last few days or hours would be unbearable. Surely we can get a sensible approach to assess how much quality of life a person has, when someone gets to the point that they can't breathe for themselves, swallow, feed, drink, when they are incontinent and can't voluntarily move their own bodies, when someone reaches this point and they have no hope of getting better then I believe we should be able to assist them with their death.

Some of you may have seen the recent Terry Pratchett documentary on his visit to Dignitas or you may simply have read the media backlash after the documentary was aired:

For me it was sad that a man (Peter Smedley - pictured below) had to travel abroad to kill himself before he was ready to die rather than stay in this country and wait for his condition to worsen. Even more fascinating are the figures that many of those using the Dignitas service have nothing wrong with them, they are simply tired of living. An 84 year old, Nan Maitland used Dignitas to take her own life after saying she wanted avoid the prolonged dwindling of old age, she was not terminally ill but knew that her body was starting to fail and arthritis was worsening.

Picture above of Peter Smedley as he takes his own life in front of his wife in the Dignitas clinic.

Another controversial dignitas patient was ex England youth rugby player Daniel James who chose to die at Dignitas after becoming paralysed and saying he wasn't prepared for a second class life. Whilst many victims of paralysis go on to have great lives for Daniel 'felt his body had become a prison' and his 'fear and loathing of life was increasing with each day'

So let's get a few facts straight, suicide is not illegal in the UK (it was pre-1960's), anyone can take their own life, although culturally in Britain suicide tends to be frowned upon, in other cultures this can be the opposite e.g. Kamikaze pilots in WW2. There are also moves within the UK legal system to prevent anyone getting prosecuted if they do help someone to die in circumstances where the patient is terminally ill, Daniel James parents were not prosecuted for taking him to Dignitas.

Do we have a right to die, if you are a Christian you may think not as you are likely to believe that God will decide when it is your time to go and that no-one has the right to take a life. The Christian ethos is also very anti-suicide. As a humanist I do believe that we should have a right to death.

Here is another argument that was presented by Jo during her talk, she used the example of a young child in hospital, their prognosis was not good, they were described as being in constant pain, they had no bladder yet parents and medics fought to keep the child alive eventually creating an artificial bladder that would be of benefit to medical science and would later be of benefit to many individuals; Did this medical breakthrough warrant the child's suffering and poor quality of life?

Perhaps some people fear that by supporting assisted suicide we are making way for greedy families to take the lives of their elderly relatives for financial gain? I think these cases would be and are a minority and we already have existing laws to deal with such offenders.

I do not aim to bring any conclusions to this argument as the answers will vary for different people of different cultures and religion but I do want to the right to die with as much dignity as possible. I would hate to think that time and money would be wasted on keeping me alive if I had no prospect of getting better and if my life was miserable for both me and those around me.

Stay Healthy

Sam x

Being Kimberley

2011-11-17T12:50:00.001-08:00

I have blogged before about art of dance student Kimberley Liane and her battle with cystic fibrosis. Rather than blog further I thought you would prefer to hear Kimberley's story direct from her. Please read her moving blog.

Big hugs to a very brave bunny :)

Sam x

UK Road Trip 2011

2011-11-12T05:16:00.001-08:00

Over the last week I have seen more than my fair share of motorways and A-roads and travelling on these concrete nightmares seemed less favourable after the horrific crash on 5th November on the M5. However, My husband, Brian and I set off for London on 6th November travelling in the glorious Autumn sunshine via the A303 and Stonehenge.

The trip, which was part of our syllabus filming for the Pole Dance Community, took us through the centre of London and seemed like a mini capital tour as we drove past many of London's big attractions. We arrived at our destination; Pole Dancing School owned by World Champion Elena Gibson (pictured above left). We were joined by Helen Partridge (pictured above right) from Pole Control in Essex and we set up our mini studio ready to commence filming. After nearly 3 hours of filming we were ready to hit the road again.

Next stop was London to Northampton to collect a front end for my husbands motorbike and then we continued to Bradford to stop overnight and spend some time with my husband's Mum. On arrival a buffet fit for a king awaited us and we were delighted to know that the first leg of travel was over as well as having the chance to spend some quality family time together.

To make the most of our Bradford stay we decided to take Brian on his first ever Bradford curry experience and where better to go than the Zouk. The Zouk offers a marvellous menu, it is an authentic curry experience with a modern Asian twist.

I had the Palak Tikka (Spicy spinach cakes filled with paneer, potato and sauté mushrooms) to start followed by the Red Snapper (Fillet marinated with herbs and spices then grilled until tender) and both dishes were simply gorgeous leaving me more than satisfied and with no room for pudding!

After our time in Bradford it was back on the road to travel to Pole Devils in Glasgow, Scotland, we set off over the Yorkshire Dales enjoying the unexpected warm weather and keeping our eyes peeled for somewhere nice to stop for brunch. Our journey took us near Clapham conservation village so we decided to stop there and check out Croft Cafe.

Croft Cafe was a fabulous find, nestled within the picturesque village of Clapham and offering a step back in time to a village that has remained untouched by modern chain businesses and corporate greed. We were greeted by a lady who offered us a table and then presented us with a hand-written menu which included the traditional English breakfast we had been desiring. I think the picture left gives you an example of the exemplary service on offer. The white tea set was perfectly laid with a spare jug of hot water, white and brown sugar allowing each person to make their own perfect brew.

Next time we are in Yorkshire we will have to revisit the place to not only return to Croft Cafe but also to check out the caves and other wonders of this amazing little village.

As we ventured on up the Motorway we reached the Scottish Border and were seduced by the Scottish Mountains that were bathed in sunlight. As motorways go this is something special. The 4 hour 30 minute journey was actually rather pleasant but we were still relieved to arrive at our destination to film with the lovely Rose Wallace, owner of Pole Devils and the lovely Anne Goswell, owner of Goeswell Pole Dancing School.

We got loads of filming done and were spoilt with tea and chocolate biscuits too but after 3 hours of filming it was time to hit the road and travel back to Bradford for some much needed sleep.

On Wednesday it was time for the final leg of our tour as we set off for BodyBarre In Manchester. Unfortunatley a lot of people were unable to attend and this actually worked out to be a good thing as Karen Chaundy's beautiful, chandelier bedecked pole dancing studio was actually to dark to film and we had failed to bring any additional lighting with us. This meant we had an unexpected bit of time to sample the Teapot in the Northern Quarter of Manchester.

The Teapot is a cafe with a difference and it made a refreshing change from the dullness of Starbucks and Costa. I opted for a pot of Tippy Earl grey and Sid opted for an Americano and a Flirty Manchester Tart. The Teapot has a delightful, relaxed ambience and the food looked amazing. Brian went to check out the Rainbow cake!

After our unexpected time off we hit the M6 ready to return to Plymouth, the dark M5 was far less appealing than the sunny A303 or M1. It as so nice to get back on Wednesday evening and to know that we didn't have to do to many more miles in the next few days.

It was a fab road trip and it was so nice to catch up with all the pole dancing instructors who made us feel so welcome throughout. The Fitness pole dancing industry has evolved so much over the past few years and the progress is definitely positive.

Although the trip was work-inspired it was also a chance to sneak in some quality time with my husband :)

We have more syllabus filming to do but for me it is time to focus on judging in Bristol tomorrow for the Bristol Pole Championships, good luck to all those entering.

More news to follow.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

The Art of Dance Loves Life!

2011-10-28T05:23:00.000-07:00

The Art of Dance has just signed up to the Herald's Love Life campaign. Check out our article!

More news to follow on pole dance and flexibility training, master-classes with Marlo and assisted dying (not related to my master-class with Marlo!)

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Pole Dance Performance Advice

2011-10-15T08:37:00.000-07:00

picture above of UKPCC 2011 judges Lucy Misch, Donna Gant, Sam Remmer (me!), Stacey Snedden, Emma Mitchell, Kat Williamson and Elena Gibson.

All pictures courtesy of Claire Winters - Littlebiglegs photography.

After a fabulous night judging at the UK Professional Pole Championships semi finals on Sunday 9th October - the UK's newest pole dance competition (results)- I wanted to share some performance advice from a judges point of view and with my previous performance experience in mind. Firstly I should point out that as a judge I have seen many pole dance performances so I am always on the look out for something new and innovative, if I see a bland performance I am likely to mark it down even if it is technically correct.

Don't copy - be original!

No matter how much you are inspired by a pole dancer don't directly copy their routines or ideas. Having seen the marvellous Elena Gibson's Black Swan inspired performance I have now seen 5 copies of her routine and none of them have quite matched Elena's elegance and grace. 2 of them were great and I would have marked them higher if I had not seen Elena's routine first.

Try to put your own special marks on tricks and transitions, pole dancers such as Becca Butcher, Karen Chaundy, Sarah Scott and Robyn Rooke always stand out for coming up with new and exciting ways to execute their moves and combos. Sarah Scott's 'Floor sweeper' move is a classic example of her innovation.

Point your toes!

This is the biggest bug bear for me and is something that I will seriously mark down for. Alignment is so important and so often it is the feet/toes that let a move down. When you are executing a move it needs the right lines to make it look perfect and usually flexed feet will kill the move. My students, and those who have been judged by me in the past, will know how much I care about pointed toes!

Wardrobe malfunction/Dress rehearsals:

I have lost track of how many lips and nipples I have seen in the last few months so please check your wardrobe before you enter any competition. Your costume needs to behave itself throughout a routine otherwise you will either provide a free peep show for the audience or spend the entire routine fiddling with your costume. Thumb up the bum is anther no no, Make sure your shorts do not move around too much, although I would rather see you adjusting your shorts rather than flashing I would prefer to see neither!

Male pole dancers have additional concerns to address, if you do happen to be well-endowed please at least double up on your shorts do stop he trouser snake detracting from your routine. In some cases a jockstrap may be a handy addition to your wardrobe.

Sweaty Palms:

Sweaty palms are every pole dancers worst nightmare, you need to make sure you are prepared for the dreaded wet palms before you perform. If you don't get a handle on your slippery mitts your routine could be severely compromised or, worse case scenario, you could fall off. Remember to take into account stage lighting and nerves which could increase the amount you sweat. If you use grip aids or gloves make sure you work with them prior to the competition/performance. There are loads of grip aids and gloves on the market so choose well as different products work for different people. I use mighty grip if teaching advanced lessons or on hot summer days. I use dry hands and/or gloves topped up with mighty grip for performing.

If you do suffer from sweaty palms during a routine try to avoid visibly wiping your hands on your costume throughout your routine as this detracts from your performance.

picture above of Brian Vervet performing at UKPCC 2011.

Stage Awareness:

When performing be aware of where your audience are, don't perform with your back to them. If you submit a video entry to a competition make sure you perform to the camera. Stage awareness also affects which way you should perform a move e.g. ideally a Jade should be performed side on to the audience so they can see the long lines created by the upside down horizontal splits.

Stage Presence:

Think about how the audience/judges will perceive your routine, you need to command their attention and give them eye contact where appropriate. Make sure your performance and facial expression link with the music, its no good picking a sad song and then smiling all the way through!

On-line video entry:

If you submit a video entry make sure the video is clear and easy to view, judges want to see your facial expressions and your costume a well as your pole dance moves. Poor quality videos might mean you don't qualify even if you are good enough.

Don't over choreograph:

Whilst choreography is a must, over choreography can kill a routine for the following reasons:
Trick heavy - don't overload your routine with tricks unless they fit with the music and flow effortlessly.
Land on the beat - musicality is an integral part of any good pole dance but as a judge I hate seeing people reaching a point in the song too early and then waiting to execute a big move. If you do reach a point in the song too early don't just sit and wait, try to have some filler moves/transitions on standby to stop the unnecessary pause.

Pick the right competition and the right entry level:

picture above of Kate Johnstone and Varie Anderson - organisers of the PDC approved UKPCC competition.

There are some really good and some really bad competitions so choose carefully. Before you enter a competition ask around for advice to see which competition and which set of rules suits you best.Work out what level you are at an don't try to cheat the competition, if you are advanced don't enter a beginner or intermediate level as it is unfair to other competitors. You can always ask a promoter for advice before you commit to entering.

Rehearsal and rest:
The right balance of rehearsal and rest are essential to a good performance. I have seen so many people practising their big tricks over and over again a few hours before they are due to perform and then being too tired to execute them in their actual performance. Ideally you want to take at least 3 days rest before your performance so don't leave your practice to the last minute. Also be aware of choreographing your routine months before the show, by the time you get to perform you may hate your routine and your song choice and that may reflect in your act.

I usually spend time practising my strongest moves and combinations and then make a list of them, I then pick a song and listen to the music to find the highs and lows of the song so I can try to match the tricks and combos to the music. I have the list of moves and combos printed out so I can read through it before performing, I also have a couple of back up moves in case I get a mental blank or complete my routine before the end of the song! Of course, what works for me may not work for you so allow enough time to get your act right before the big day!

Diet:

Make sure you plan your diet and hydration not only when training but also on the big day. A good competition will have told you roughly what time you will be performing so you can plan what time to eat and can stock up on some carbs earlier in the day to fuel your muscles for your performance.

I think I have bombarded you with enough advice for today so will leave you to enjoy the rest of the day. Good luck to anyone who is performing :)

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

My Pole Motion interview.

2011-09-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Nikki McNeil McWright for interviewing me for the Pole Motion website.

Check out the article here!

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Why Vivien Pengelly is missing the point.

2011-09-17T03:22:00.000-07:00

I am a regular reader of the Herald newspaper and in particular I enjoy the 'Your say' page which has letters discussing all sorts of issues concerning Plymouth. Recently I have enjoyed David Luckham's letters written with a slight tongue in cheek attitude but really addressing some of Plymouth's most pressing problems.

On Wednesday I read Plymouth City Council leader Vivien Pengelly's rather feeble response to David's valid points, I say feeble response as it wasn't really a direct response to any of David's questions about lack of infrastructure, a poor tourism drive and a general failure of the council to spend money on the right priorities. It was merely more of the usual rubbish we are fed by P.C.C to cover up the dissatisfaction of the electorate.

I knew that Vivien would use the Life Centre in her argument, this £65 million pound white elephant has already cost the taxpayer a fortune, most people won't be able to afford to use it, it threatens local businesses and community groups by offering direct competition to their activities and it is a complete eyesore. I know that some, including Vivien, are harping on about the fact that the centre will be used by teams visiting the Olympics but the Olympics are hardly a regular event. While it might be nice for Plymouth Divers to have an Olympic pool they have already achieved gold medals without it and diving in Plymouth is carried out by a very small minority.

My biggest problem with Vivien's response is her attitude that we should be over-grateful for the things we have already paid for even if, like the Life Centre or the World Cup Bid, we didn't ask for. Imagine if plans had gone ahead for a bigger Argyle Stadium, we can't even fill the stadium we have and if things don improve we won't have a football team to play in it either.

Vivien points out that the council is putting more money into roads, well isn't that the council's job anyway? I am fed up with seeing expensive signs on our roads stating 'Congratulations, you've been upgraded'. As taxpayers we have already paid for these works and would prefer a sign with an apology from the council for taking so long to do the job in the first place. I can take one small mercy from the fact that Plymouth has stopped plastering its website and stationary (at great expense) with the word's 'Best achieving council'. Perhaps I should follow suit and give myself a medal each time I manage to turn up for work?

Vivien may see us Plymothians as whingers and cynics but I think we have every reason to be so, I can see why Vivien is so motivated and optimistic as she has a generous salary to give her piece of mind and she has apparently opted to keep her salary, and that of Barry Keel, generous despite advise from home secretary Eric Pickles to take a 20% pay cut. Vivien has repeatedly denied claims that any senior council members have received pay increases but looking at the latest pre-audit figures from the council it now appears that the gravy train is still alive and well.

Don't get me wrong I am very proud of Plymouth just not proud of our council.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Motorway madness and other random stuff

2011-09-10T03:57:00.000-07:00

picture above of myself, Pippa Caesar, Deb Riley, Karen Chaundy and Aimee Lawson at the UKPAC 2011. Photograph courtesy of Pole Xposure.

After a 7.5 hour journey from Plymouth to Bradford on Friday 2nd September followed by a 1 hour journey from Bradford to Bolton and a 1 hour return journey from Bolton to Bradford on the Saturday then another hour long Bradford to Bolton run finished with a 5.5 hour Bolton to Plymouth drive on Sunday neither myself nor my husband are missing the motorway. Our trip was not in vain as I was judging at the United Kingdom Pole Artistes Championships organised by JLN Fitness and it was a fabulous night. I will link to the review of the event once it is published.

To kill the monotony of the motorway slug my husband and I have an A-Z game to keep us amused for part of the journey, it started a few years ago in a more simplistic form, one of us picks a subject e.g. colours and then the person who picks the subject picks a colour for the letter 'A' e.g. amber and then the second person picks a colour for 'B' e.g. brown and so on....

As the game has evolved we have covered more interesting subjects having tired of the traditional ones like colours, flowers, girl's names etc. More recent topics have included diseases, things relating to death, crime and body parts (my husband always seems to focus on genitalia). I think I picked the best A-Z game when I chose an A-Z of things you can both see e.g 'A' for Astra if one happens to be in view at the time.

Now the PDC Syllabus has expanded we had to do an A-Z of pole moves, unbelievably I lost the game as I ended on the letter 'Z' and couldn't thing of a move beginning with the letter Z - of you know one please let me know so I can win future games!!

On the subject of pole I had the opportunity to witness some classic pole language at the Pole Jam at JLN on Sunday 4th September, the conversation between several people, some of whom were hanging upside down at the time as you do, went something like this:

"What's it called?"
"I think it is a pendulum or half moon"
"Do you use classic grip or cup grip?"
"Generally cup grip I think although for the other variation I use twisted grip"
"What about the Scorpio walkover?"
"Kind of twisted grip but with the shoulder blade on the pole and the head down"
"Which leg do you kick with?"
"Not sure?" (person then attempts the move to see which leg they kick with)"
"How do you do the toothbrush?"
"The what?"
"Do you mean the side tabletop?"
"No the grip is different I think more like a cradle?"
"You mean a tuck?"

The conversation continued from there but made me chuckle as anyone who doesn't pole would wonder what on earth we were all talking about!

Anyway back to the motorway tales, aside from our A-Z game I have to note the best ice cream van I have ever seen; it was a purple and green vehicle with the name "Ices with Attitude" and in true ice cream van style it had a safety logo on the back to warn drivers about the risk of children running into the road, it read "Don't skid on a Kid!"

The weekend was remarkably lacking someone as Brian was in Paris, you can see more of his Paris antics on his facebook page.

I will keep it brief today as I have another long slog tomorrow to London and back for the on-line judging of the United Kingdom Professional Pole Championships which should be very exciting despite the arduous train journey (Plymouth needs more transport links!!).

I will follow up my Plymouth Pay Protest very soon and have a much needed whinge at Plymouth City Council.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Pole Essentials - Book Review

2011-09-07T05:45:00.000-07:00

Here is the book review I have just done for the Pole Dance Community website, thought you might like to read it. More to follow soon on the hypocrisy of Plymouth City Council's leaders, United Kingdom Pole Artistes Championships and motorway driving!!

Pole Essentials Book Review by PDC approved instructor Sam Remmer.

Pole Essentials is a new pole dancing resource written and compiled by PDC approved instructor Goddess Star Monroe. The book is a great A4 style paperback featuring a catalogue of over 70 moves accompanied by beautiful black and white pictures and guidelines for safe execution of each move. There is also space to write notes next to each move to aid your pole dancing progress.

In addition to the moves there are a whole host of resources such as pole dancing websites, quotes from accomplished pole dancers and some inspiring words of wisdom, from GSM herself, to motivate you and inspire you.

The book is described by Goddess as "a reference manual, a pole journal or just as an inspiring reminder that you can achieve anything you deserve"

Pole Essentials is the sort of thing that every pole dancer wants to add to their collection of DVD's, grip aids and other pole dancing must-haves.

My copy of Pole Essentials arrived in the post and I couldn't wait to open it! It has a sleek black cover and is extremely tactile. Although of have my own copy of the PDC Syllabus CD-rom I still wanted the Pole Essentials hand book to add to my plethora of pole dancing items.

The book is ideal for all abilities so you don't have to be a super advanced athlete to benefit from the book. The quotes and notes make the book perfect for a bit of bedtime reading or simply as a coffee table accompaniment. I can also see this book sat on the shelves of many pole dancing studios.

I would recommend the book to all and expect to see this item becoming a pole dancing best seller.

So what made Goddess Star Monroe (pictured right) fall in love with pole dancing and have the desire to write a book?

When did you start pole dancing?

I started pole dancing over 10 years ago, I dragged my girlfriend up to a gentleman's club in London, they were doing taster courses in the evening. I don't think we stopped laughing throughout the whole of the experience. Not sure if I learnt any moves but I remember cavorting around on the stage quite a lot!

What got you into Pole Dancing?

I loved the sensual side of pole dancing, it was a unique way to express and move my body that I had never really experienced before.

Currently what is your favourite pole dancing move?

I am currently working on all the moves, slowing them down and really working on building my strength and technique. So I don't particularly have a favourite move more of a preferred way of pole dancing - very slow and controlled - aka Zoraya Judd.

What is your pole dancing nemesis?

Pantera's knee hold.

Funniest class moment?

Probably me telling one of my students not to uncross her legs when up the pole - except that I was up the pole and uncrossed my legs and fell off!

Favourite type of pole to dance on?

45mm x pole.

Favourite music to dance to?

Slow and moody.

Spinning or Static?

Static.

Which pole dancers inspire you?

Zoraya Judd and Caterina Gennaro.

Have you or do you plan to enter any pole dancing competitions?

I did have a wild idea to compete this year but having competed in body-building competitions before I know what kind of commitment is needed and at the moment my energies are focused on writing my 2nd book. Who knows in the future though!

What hobbies do you have aside from pole dancing?

Baking cakes!!! I adore baking and organising events!

What are you pole dreams for the future?

I love what I have achieved through pole dancing in the past 10 years, currently I am happy teaching and inspiring my students but for me the future will be in public speaking and running large scale women's events - my passion is to inspire and empower women to fall in love with being themselves and I want to meet and help as many women as I possibly can. It would be an amazing experience to have pole dancing exploratory sessions at my women's events!!! Now that would be mind-blowing!!

Buy your own copy of Pole Essentials here!

The book retails at £19.99 with UK postage at £2.00 and the rest of the world at £4.

Pole Dancing in the Olympics?

2011-08-20T02:32:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of talk over the last few years about whether Pole Dancing should be considered as an Olympic sport and it is obvious that the new modern fitness take on pole dancing certainly deserves to be recognise alongside similar Olympic disciplines. However, I personally think we are wasting our time trying to get Pole Dancing into the Olympics as at the moment there are already 4 gymnastic disciplines and a strong gymnastic committee who are unlikely to want to get rid of one of their existing genres to replace it with pole dancing.

Video above of the amazing Timber Brown performing a blend of traditional Chinese Pole and Western Pole Dancing.

I also think that at present Pole Dancing still has too many links with lap/exotic dancing and many pole dance schools still focus on the exotic side of our art encouraging the wearing of heels and stripper gear. Whilst I have no issues with this I think that it will prevent any Olympic bid. We also have to be aware that perhaps one of the things that attracts people to pole dancing is the taboo, do we really want pole dancing to be as mainstream and controlled as Aerobics?

In my opinion we would be better to focus on more realistic aims such as promoting our art on platforms that are easily attainable such as charity events, Festivals and alongside other sports that have failed to get Olympic recognition such as Thai Boxing. I know that the lovely Jess Leanne Norris (see video below) has done pole dancing exhibitions at several Thai Boxing shows enabling the audience to see her display of grace, fluidity and strength enabling her to educate them about our art.

Don't get me wrong, I do admire the efforts of those such as KT Coates who have set up the International Pole Sports Federation and it would be great if I was proved wrong and pole dancing was accepted into the Olympics but I just don't see it happening in the next 20 years. I would hate to see the hard work of those such as KT wasted as they have put so much hard work, determination and passion into their efforts.

Perhaps there are sporting events at national and international that we could focus on instead such as the Red Bull World Series?

There is a growing group of pole dancers who are campaigning against the idea of pole dancing in the Olympics for fear of our art being over-regimented, many of us love the freestyle aspect of pole dancing and the ability to interpret pole dancing in our own way. I have to admit I found the UK Professional Pole Championships to be a breath of fresh air; the UKPPC has no restrictions on moves, no compulsory aspects meaning that each performer has complete artistic license over their routine.

No doubt the Olympic debate will continue and in time we will find out exactly what the future has in store for Pole dancing!

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Plymouth City Council Leaders - have they lost the plot?

2011-08-06T05:32:00.000-07:00

Perhaps Vivien Pengelly, Barry Keel and other council senior officers have completely lost the plot? I was led to believe that the council were there to serve the people of Plymouth, to lead by example and to spend our council tax wisely. I thought that we paid our taxes so that we could enjoy basic services such as road re-surfacing, mending of pot holes and bin collection but now when the council carry out such a service they seem to want a badge to congratulate them, if they repair a road we see a sign stating 'You've been upgraded', I would rather the council saved money on unnecessary signage and just got on with the job in hand.

The Mayflower steps are a perfect example of the councils sheer ineptitude and an example of a simple repair job that should have taken priority over the big white elephant that is the Plymouth Life Centre (I'll come to that one later!). The Mayflower steps are part of Plymouth's amazing waterfront and world renowned maritime history yet they have been left to decay for years, finally the council manage to secure some funding to repair the steps and we are are expected to congratulate them on doing a job that should and could have been done years ago.

If I were to list the council blunders over the last 10 years I would probably run out of server space or if I published the ridiculous photos of our council leaders in hard hats, hi-vis jackets brandishing spades I would waste an equal amount of web space.

In light of the council's disappointing performance I find it hard to see how they can continue to justify their over-inflated salaries and why they have taken so long to consider a pay cut especially when you bear in mind how eager they have been to cut the salaries and working hours of those offering front line services.

Several months ago I challenged the senior council officers to consider a severe pay cut, I started by re-publishing information printed in both the Herald and on the Taxpayers alliance website. The figures stated that senior council officers had received pay-rises of up to 18%, this is vehemently denied by the council but the taxpayers alliance still stand by the figures. When I re-published the figures I faced a vicious verbal outburst from Vivien Pengelly that could be simply described as bullying, she shouted over me, refused to let me have my say and threatened me with legal action, I have never received an apology from Vivien even though she attacked my personal character in public, not the sort of behaviour one would expect from a senior politician.

Vivien's threats were followed with this e-mail from Richard Longford, representative of the chief executive:

I understand through the media that you are still claiming that the chief executive received a pay increase. The chief executive and senior management salaries are a matter of public record and I can tell you categorically that they have not received pay increase. We will be issuing a media statement confirming this and passing on all materials repeating this claim to our legal team.

The e-mail had no Dear Madam, or To it was merely written as above in bold letters, more examples of the bullying techniques used by our council and displayed again in a statement from Finance chief Ian Bowyer last week threatening major job losses if staff did not agree to pay cuts and negative changes to working conditions.

So why have the council been so reluctant to take up my challenge to drastically reduce their rather cushy pay packets? Well this was my original request followed by the council's response:

The Plymouth Pay Protest was actually campaigning for cuts to senior council officers rather than the many cuts to public/frontline services and the cuts facing those on the lower end of the pay scale. I did attempt to explain this to Vivien Pengelly at our first event but was not given the opportunity as Vivien raised her voice and talked over me. Perhaps you or Vivien would be able to comment on our proposal:

The Plymouth Pay Protest aims to reduce the divide between rich and poor in Plymouth by asking for a £50,000 cap on the salaries of senior civil servants. We feel that £50,000 is a fair, living wage for anyone living in this city and working for a public service.

We challenge those currently in council positions earning over £50,000 (please bear in mind that our chief executive Barry Keel is earning in excess of £170,000) to either accept the pay cut or find an alternative job in the private sector in Plymouth where they can match their current salary/pension. Whilst our senior officers impose cuts on those at the lower end of the pay scale we feel it is essential that those cuts are matched at the higher end of the pay scale. I do intend to follow up this campaign and look forward to your response to both the Pay Protest and Plymouth City Council's threat of legal action against me.

The reply from Richard Longford - chief exec's office:

Salaries of those leading private businesses of this size tend to be much higher. If local government is to attract and retain the right calibre of people to lead large and complex organisations at times of great change, it needs to pay appropriate salaries. (N.B.This has been proved to be completely untrue in recent studies, many media sources have reported stories about this inaccuracy - check this article from the Telegraph - see I can use bold text too!!)

The salaries of all Council staff, including senior managers, have been frozen this year. The proposed terms and conditions changes affect senior management more in some areas than other members of staff, including reductions in holiday allowance. The Council's budget plans for the next two years also include substantial savings in its senior management structure. We cannot say any more about this at this stage.

As far as I am aware, no public sector organisations have capped pay in the way you are suggesting. The City Council has no plans to do so at present, though I cannot speak on behalf of elected members or say what they may decide in the future.

It now seems that the council leaders have not decided to lead by example but instead have been ordered to do so by national government.

I sincerely hope that Plymouth City Council leaders step up to the challenge of a serious reduction in wages and a commitment to putting Plymouth and its people first. Unfortunatley my faith in the current electorate is dwindling, their decision to put 65 million pounds of taxpayers money into the Life Centre was surely the worst decision they have made to date, I know they keep telling us how well used it will be by a handful of Olympians but sadly the Olympics are not a regular event for the UK! The Life Centre will not attract tourists (we probably won't have any tourists soon anyway as we will have no airport, no motorway and decaying rail links.. The Life Centre will be too expensive for most local people and the local transport links in Plymouth mean that if lots of local people did decide to use the centre there would be traffic gridlock. RIP the rather badly named Life Centre.

Plymouth City Council (Best achieving council - what a joke!) - Please watch this space or do the right thing. To sum it all up I will leave you with a link to this marvellously apt tune from Dan le Sac entitled 'Stake a Claim' the lyrics are just perfect.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Pole Dance Photography and Health news.

2011-07-16T05:47:00.000-07:00

It is now just over 3 months since my knee injury and for the first time since then I feel almost back to full pole fitness, OK so I won't be doing the cupid for a while but most pole moves are back within my reach. Last month I did my first post-injury pole dance photo-shoot which really highlighted that I was not back to my required pole fitness and it has really boosted me to get back into training. Mark Doyle, aka Miso Photography, had an idea for an urban themed pole dancing photo-shoot at Marsh Mills in Plymouth directly under the A38 dual carriageway. The area is a mass of concrete and steel bedecked in fabulous graffiti. I have included a few of the shots from the day on this blog but you can view the rest by going to the Art of dance photo gallery and selecting Mark Doyle Photography from the images menu.

As this is the first time Mark has worked with a pole dancer he has yet to learn that we do not have infinite strength and there are some poses that I simply can't hold for too long especially as I am still regaining strength after my pole absence. Mark still managed to get some great shots and we hope to being working on another exciting photography project very soon. Mark Doyle is available for commercial and private photography so if you need a photographer just give him a shout.

Government guidelines for physical activity.

A few bits of health news that I wanted to share with you; the government have released new guidelines on physical activity and how much we should be exercising. The guidelines start by focusing on those under the age of 5 and recommend 180 minutes of exercise per day, the over 5's are advised to exercise for at least 60 minutes (moderate to vigorous intensity)per day with the government recognising the importance of running, jumping and dancing for bone and muscle development.

For adults the guidelines have changed from the previous guidance of exercising 3 times per week to a more sensible approach advising exercising daily with a minimum of 150 minutes per week which should be easily achievable for even the least active amongst us. These guidelines extend to the older generations but with an emphasis on exercise for improving balance and coordination to reduce the risk of falling and to aid mobility.

Are you meeting the criteria? For more information just visit the Department of Health website or the Change for life website.

A good night's sleep?

Finally a great bit of news from scientists on how much sleep we should be getting, I can finally justify the need to sleep for 10 hours a night as it will seriously benefit my pole dancing practice! The findings come from Stanford Universities Cheri Mah who says "Many athletes testified that a focus on sleep was beneficial to their training and performance. For full details of these marvellous findings visit the BBC News/Health website.

More news to follow on the Sexual Encounter Establishment licensing and how it will be implemented!

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

To REP's or not to REP's

2011-07-07T08:56:00.000-07:00

As I have no staff at the moment due to sickness and holiday so time is very limited and I have no time to write a proper blog instead I will refer you to an article I have contributed to on the Pole Dance Community website. The article discusses how to become a pole dancing instructor and whether REP's (register of exercise professionals) is the best route or not.

The article does not seek to doubt REP's as a good fitness organisation but is does question the process involved in becoming a REP's insured instructor. The article does not mention the financial implications of going down the REP's route either and it certainly is not a cheap option!

Here is the link to the article; To REP's or not to REP's.

More news to follow on the importance of sleep and other health related issues.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Why I love teaching pole dancing

2011-06-28T02:33:00.000-07:00

For anyone who owns a professional pole dance school they will know that is not the most lucrative career choice but what you lose in income you make up for in happiness; the reward of seeing your students develop in both fitness and confidence is simply amazing.

I am extremely proud of all my students who work so hard in class and who achieve so much, to see students exceed their own personal expectations gives me such a buzz. I love seeing the inductees on their first lesson, thinking they will never go upside down and then finally after a few weeks of training they start to achieve more complex moves such as Headstands and Inverted Crucifixes.

Recently, at the art of dance, we have had some specific success stories which I would like to share with you. Hanna Silva (pictured above) came to us with a very unusual brief, she wanted to learn to pole dance so she could recite poetry at the London Word Festival. The piece entitled sushi was a spoken word recital accompanied by a confident pole dancing display with the words designed to challenge ideas on empowerment and perceptions of pole dancing. Rather than me try to explain it check out this link to Hanna's review of 'Sushi' and photos from the night. A big thank you to Hanna for the lovely flowers she bought for Rosanna and I and I can't wait to see the 'Sushi' piece which will be performed again at our October Social.

Another recent success came when our fabulous teaching assistant Emma Thorpe (pictured above) won the South West heats of the intermediate category of the United Kingdom Amateur Pole Performer (UKAPP). Emma joined the art of dance with the University of Plymouth Pole Dancing Club (UPPDC) and quickly caught the pole dancing bug. Emma has worked so hard to improve her pole dancing skills and this really showed at the UKAPP competition. I can't wait to see Emma perform at the UKAPP finals in St Alban's in September.

I want to say a huge thank you to all of my staff and students for making my life so special. I can't wait to get back into the studio to teach again tonight - Bring on the pain and bruising :)

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

The problem with pole dancing?

2011-06-16T08:44:00.001-07:00

I have been trying to get my head around the exact problem with pole dancing; what exactly is wrong with those 2 little words pole+dancing that drives the media into a frenzy and makes people come out with very strange and often inappropriate comments. I have been pole dancing since 2004 and the stereotypical comments I often receive are now starting to wear thin.

When I say I pole dance I don't need someone to ask me which club I work in and I don't need some guy to offer to 'grease my pole'. I consider myself to be a gymnast and a performing artist so why have I received hate mail and death threats from all over the globe when I have demonstrated my art to children?

How can my art exclude me from supposed multicultural events?

Why should I be banned from performing at my local Lord Mayor's Day when belly dancers and street dancers have been allowed to perform?

Why have I been excluded for the last 4 years from the 'inclusive Dance, Dance, Dance event run by the South Asian Society, an event that prides itself on improving community cohesion and tackling prejudice!

How can the Plymouth Soroptomists book me to perform at one of their meetings, call me out to do a risk assessment and then let me down at short notice because they have now decided my performance may not be suitable for them?

Why does local publication the Plymouth Shopper decide that I am an unable to advertise in their magazine as they only do family friendly adverts?

Why was I banned from performing at Marjon's Student Union after doing an extremely successful event there, the answer was apparently that pole dancing might incite violence! This answer came from a senior member of staff at the college.

The above are just a few of the many examples of prejudice and ignorance that I face on a daily basis.

Throughout my years of teaching and learning the wonderful art of pole dancing I have remained thick-skinned but over the last few months my patience has started to wear thin, especially after the most recent comments about my attempts to run pole dancing lessons for children between the ages of 12-15, Both MP Gary Streeter and a Mother's Union came out to attack my proposed activity without them having any real knowledge of what my classes were about. As my husband pointed out you have to question the intelligence of both parties if they feel they can pass comment on something they actually know very little about.

I feel the simple answer to my problems lies in educating the press and the government and getting them to use the correct terminology when referring to different activities, surely a dancer who works in a club is not actually a pole dancer as that is not where her revenue comes from, her revenue comes from lap dancing and stripping, therfore her correct title is a lap dancer or stripper, likewise a 'pole dancing club' is actually relying on income from bar takings and commission from the lap dancers therefore it is a lap dancing club not a pole dancing club. I have no issues with lap dancers or strippers and I respect their chosen career however we must differentiate between the 2 otherwise fitness pole dancer and fitness pole dancing schools will continue to be wrongly labelled.

This is not just about the personal feelings of fitness pole dancing instructors such as myself, if the correct terminology is not used in the correct places then I, and other pole dancers, could suddenly fall victim of the new laws on Sexual Encounter Licensing whereby if I carry out more than 12 public performances of pole dancing I would have to apply for a sexual encounter license. This is neither something I should be required to have nor is it something I can afford.

Here are some examples of the words pole dancing being used in correctly within the media; A recent press article in the Herald used the headline 'Banned from Pole Dancing' when the real headline was 'Lady banned from taking clients to her home'. A recent mail article accused primary school teachers of pole dancing in a club, these women were not pole dancing, they were drunk and gyrating against walls, tables and a column that resembled a pole, the headline and associated article should have been talking about their drunken behaviour and exotic dancing and not titled 'pole dancing'.

In an effort to help encourage people to use the words pole dancing correctly I set up a meeting where I invited local council reps, MP's and press contacts, the invites were sent on Monday 13th June yet 5 days later I have had no response from my local MP Oliver Colville, no response from my councillor Chaz Singh, no response from any of the BBC or ITV contacts and a decline from MP Gary Streeter and the Plymouth Lord Mayor. The only positive response I received was from Bill Martin, editor at the Herald and Jane Atwill from Radio Plymouth.

Of course there is another argument that pole dancing can be sexy which I would agree in some cases but then any form of dance can be sexy, you only have to look at the controversial history of dance to see how, historically, dance has faced many criticisms especially from religious sectors. Check out Barbara's Ehrenrich's book dancing in the streets. The issue is that I don't teach sexy pole dancing to kids and most of my adult classes are gymnastic based so are far removed from their historical links to exotic and lap dancing.

Within the last 10 years Salsa has emerged from being the 'dance of the devil' to being a mainstream way to keep fit. Kids can watch Salsa and tango dancers writhe in skimpy outfits on prime time TV on the BBC's Strictly come dancing but if I were to pole dance on TV at the same time there would probably be outrage.

It seems people's attitudes towards pole dancing schools spread beyond personal feeling or current legislation but also effect my business finances; my recent application to turn The Art of Dance into a social enterprise was laughed at by Companies House who sent me a very short letter stating that they could not possibly see how pole dancing could be used as an activity to benefit the community, this was despite my application being accompanied by a 20 page document filled with action plans, testimonials and examples of community projects.

Let's face it, if it's just sexualisation that everyone is worried about then there is plenty of overtly sexual material for kids to watch, just switch on MTV and check out the latest music videos or take a look at the latest kids fashions in high street stores. Let's not blame sexualisation of kids on pole dancing schools please. Take a closer look at female role models such as Jordan before you start to have a go at a fitness pole dancing class.

Perhaps I should change my career and take up something less controversial such as Maypole dancing where young virgins dance around a stick to celebrate their imminent loss of virginity (apologies for the sarcasm).

Well the debate continues and it seems that for most fitness pole dancers there is a long way to go before the ignorant and prejudiced are finally educated. Please feel free to comment and I will publish all intelligent comments - no nasty, malicious trolls please!

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Plymouth is going to the dogs!

2011-06-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

On Thursday evening I came across another example of how Plymouth City Council is failing us; I was driving home from work when I spotted a dog standing outside a closed shop, there was no sign of an owner and so I decided to stop to see if the dog was OK. As I approached the dog it started to bare its teeth and growl so I backed off. A family were also approaching with a pushchair and 2 small children, the dog again become agitated so I waited for a while to warn others to cross the road and avoid antagonising the dog, to be honest I was worried it may attack someone. A young girl approached claiming that the dog had attacked before.

Firstly I phoned the police non emergency number (08452 777444) who informed me that this was a council issue and that I needed to call the dog warden. I called PCC only to be told that the dog warden now works from 9am till 5pm and that if I left a message someone would get back to me the next day. Bear in mind this was 8pm in the evening and the dog was getting increasingly agitated. By now a few other people had approached to offer to try to help, one other lady again tried to approach the dog nearly resulting in an attack.

The RSPCA were called but could not help as the dog was not injured, the local animal rescue centres were all shut so basically we were expected to leave the animal. No one could help and eventually I left the dog with another couple who took over my vigil.

To me this is another example of P.C.C cutting essential services whilst refusing to make cuts at higher level. As I have said before a pay freeze for senior officers is simply not enough, they should be taking cuts like the rest of us. I have asked the council if they would consider taking pay cuts at higher level but have been told that they would not consider doing so. Here is the response I received from Richard Longcroft:

"If local government is to attract and retain the right calibre of people to lead large and complex organisations at times of great change, it needs to pay appropriate salaries.

Plymouth City Council has seen very significant improvements in its performance over the last few years and the strength of its leadership and senior management has been recognised in inspection reports by independent local government watchdogs such as the Audit Commission.

The salaries of all Council staff, including senior managers, have been frozen this year. The proposed terms and conditions changes affect senior management more in some areas than other members of staff, including reductions in holiday allowance. The Council's budget plans for the next two years also include substantial savings in its senior management structure. We cannot say any more about this at this stage."

As far as I am aware, no public sector organisations have capped pay in the way you are suggesting. The City Council has no plans to do so at present, though I cannot speak on behalf of elected members or say what they may decide in the future..

This is something we are seeing right across the country; fat cat culture with the rich getting richer and the divide between rich and poor increasing. In the week when we are talking about more NHS cuts I see RBS bosses receiving further bonuses. In Plymouth we have seen lavish dinners provided for senior council officers after events such as Lord Mayor's Day whilst we see Whitleigh Nursery shut resulting in 15 redundancies and the loss of child care provision for many families, the knock on for some mothers means they will also lose their jobs as they can't find or afford alternative childcare.

We have seen another example in Plymouth of fat cat culture with the recent Argyle administration where those at the bottom end of the pay scale have finally quit after months without full pay whilst higher management have continued to receive full pay.

In this week premiership footballers have been given pay increases yet child poverty has continued to rise - where exactly are our priorities? If you didn't see it check out the BBC documentary 'Poor kids'.

How much more can we be squeezed? How much is left to squeeze and what can we do? Answers please.....

Stay Healthy (if you can afford to),

Sam x

Art of dance Rock Chick Social.

2011-06-08T02:09:00.000-07:00

After what seems like an eternity off the pole after my knee injury I finally got the chance to perform again last Friday night; The art of dance had been given the Loft (formerly the Quay club) on the Barbican to put on a showcase of pole dancing and burlesque. I was unsure how the night was going to go as we have had mixed success with socials in the past and have experienced the usual horror stories of being told that a venue ceiling is solid and then finding out it isn't!

The rock chick night was planned to run from 7.30pm till 11pm when the club would then open to the public for Andy Howard's cheesey rock night, all the performers went for a rock theme and most of the audience dressed accordingly, everyone looked amazing.

Here is the line-up with links to the relevant videos, the vids are a little dark and I am not the most amazing camera-woman. I won't critique each performance apart from saying that everyone was amazing so check out each link:

First up was the gorgeous Georgina Gale with a stunning burlesque routine to Dean Martin's 'Sway'. After the burlesque act was our student showcase with students Noni Hunter and Laura Boyden performing like professionals. Next up was Rosanna Durban with a fabulous rock medley which was a real crowd pleaser and then it was my turn (see video below). After my injury I have found it hard to get back into full pole fitness and I am still very limited with the pole tricks that I can do, so many pole moves involve pressure to the knees! Despite my limitations and a complete lack of time to choreograph I was actually pleased with my freestyle act although, like everyone, I found the heat very hard to deal with and my palms were so sweaty that I was surprised I could grip at all.

The Student Pole Jam was a chance for some of our students to showcase their skills without having the pressure of a full routine, despite the mixed ability of the students they all managed to pull out some brilliant tricks and combinations.

After me it was time for Tamar Preston to do her thing and she did not disappoint. Tamar was followed by our teaching assistants Emma Thorpe (who is training for UKAPP) and Megan Hookins, both ladies wowed the crowd with their very different styles.

Unfortunately Jana was unable to perform as she was on call and had to dash off to deal with a cat with cystitis and a dog with spinal trauma. I am looking forward to seeing her dance at the next night.

The finale for the night involved Guest instructor Vicky Terri from Vix's Pole Fitness pulling of a high energy routine to Chop Suey by 'System of a Damned' followed by Sue aka Georgina Gale with a steamy yet beautiful routine to Supermassive Black Hole by 'Muse'.

I am so proud of my staff team and my students, they did me proud. After a rocky couple of years at the art of dance involving financial difficulty and staff issues it is so nice to be back on track again with an amazing staff team and a business that is starting to work.

One of the things that really impressed me about Friday night's performances is the variety of styles on offer, each dancer excelled in a different way with creativity, individual flair and precise execution of tricks. I really should have invited MP Gary Streeter to come along and take a peek so he could be educated.

So the next social will take place in 2 months time (date to be confirmed) and I will be delegating a few tasks so I don't run around like a headless chicken again. Big thanks to Andy Howard for sorting the venue and DJing and a huge thanks to everyone who has been so supportive of the art of dance, you have no idea how much it means to me.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

p.s. Apologies to Brian and Gordon for leaving them in the DJ box last night, I promise you guys can come out next time.

Guest Blog from Brian.

2011-05-28T06:10:00.000-07:00

I would like to introduce myself; My name is Brian Vervet and Sam has kindly given me the opportunity to write a guest blog. I am a Vervet monkey from Dartmoor Zoo Park in Sparkwell near Plymouth. I am currently living at the art of dance studio in Mutley, Plymouth where I am learning to pole dance.

I am a particular fan of strawberries (well any fruit really), eggs, small rodents (only on the weekends), and Sam has introduced me to Real Ale which I like but tends to affect my stomach the following day (runny poo!).

I love gardening and I have a special technique for sowing my seeds; I ingest seeds whole and then poo them at my preferred destination, its very handy. Sam has grown some strawberries for me and her Kakariki and they really are very tasty.

This week I have participated in several pole dancing classes meeting many of the lovely students at the art of dance. I did my first Crucifix, Seated Fall Back and Inverted Crucifix all of which were extremely painful. I also had my first private lesson with Emma Tulloch who is much better than me on the pole, I hope to be as good as her very soon. As I have very small paws and I find the 50mm x-pole quite hard to grip so I tend to wrap my long arms around the pole instead to maintain grip.

I love Doctor Who, Sam and Sid introduced me to it on-line and now I can't wait to watch it live on TV tonight. Sam has also told me about a programme called Britain's Got Talent but Sid tells me its rubbish so I may not watch it. I have so much to lean being such a young monkey but as I am more intelligent than stupid humans I should learn very quickly.

I am staying at Sid and Sam's over the weekend before returning to the art of dance studio on Tuesday, can't wait for more pole dancing lessons! Sam is very nice but a little opinionated, Sid is also nice but quite grumpy, they make a great couple and I like them both despite their flaws. They do have some very strange behaviours but I am not sure if those behaviours are theirs alone or whether they apply to all humans? I should also mention that Sam's farts are unbearable and worse than any animal at my home (Dartmoor Zoo Park).

At the moment Sid is introducing me to some of his favourite tunes, my god he listens to some rubbish, but he has got me interested in Talking Heads, a very interesting band with some thought provoking lyrics.

This morning Sid tried to poison me with a strange smelling liquid called Coffee, I nearly puked, it is disgusting. Sid also called me a pervert today for talking about my rather splendid red and blue genitals, I think he is just jealous but Sam said that humans generally do not flaunt their genitals as I do, very strange.

If you want to keep any eye on my antics you can find me on facebook or join my group that I share with my less attractive brother Gordon (pictured right). You can also visit my family at Dartmoor Zoo Park.

Well that's it from me, no doubt Sam will be ranting and winging about something very soon!

Love Brian x x

The most amazing day out at Dartmoor Zoo Park

2011-05-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

Just 5 miles from the art of dance studio there is a fabulous opportunity for some very close encounters with some extreme exotic animals. Set within stunning grounds on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park is the Dartmoor Zoo Park, formerly Sparkwell Wildlife Park. The history and current renovation of the park is so fascinating that Hollywood film makers have based a film on owner Ben Mee's book 'The Day we bought a zoo'.

Caracara pictured above posing for his picture (he was very cute)

Today the art of dance staff team (minus Sue and Jana who were deeply missed) had the pleasure of spending a day at the zoo park as well as being treated to a special behind the scenes experience within the tiger enclosure. It was a day I will never forget, not just because of the tiger experience but because of all the wonder the park has to offer and the chance to share these wonders with my lovely fellow pole dancers; Megan Hookins, Emma Thorpe, Rosanna Durban and Tamar Preston, (pictured below).

For just £10.95 (family and other discounts available) you can spend the whole day at the park. Aside from the many animal enclosures there are lots of opportunities to watch feeding displays, falconry and close encounters. The Jaguar restaurant offers fresh, home-cooked food at great prices and there is a gift shop where Emma and I couldn't resist the chance to buy some toy monkeys (it was either that or we were stealing a real one!). At lunch I sampled the vege chilli and jacket potato having just missed the yummy looking carvery (this also has a vege option). There are plenty of options for carnivores too.

Walking around the park we had the chance to get up close and personal with a multitude of animals including the latest additions to the park; Capybara babies and 2 reindeer, one of whom was just 5 days old (see video). A day at the park just isn't enough and you leave wanting to return as soon as possible. The calming influence of this secret paradise mean you come away invigorated and refreshed, a perfect finish to a weekend that could actually be enjoyed on any or every day of the week.

Blotch the tiger.

The video tells you more of the story but apologies for my rubbish camera work. I did forget to press record for the falconry display but it was fabulous despite the barn owls refusal to perform as she was already full with mice, she did muster the energy to fly back to her car indicating that she wasn't in the hunting mood. The Harris Hawk and Lanner Falcon behaved much better and put on an amazing display of agility and grace. I am lucky enough to have experienced one of David Buncle's falconry experiences; my husband and I spent a day with David flying Hawks and Eagles and it was a truly memorable which I highly recommend as either a gift or treat for yourself.

If you want to get involved with DZP there are lots of opportunities to do so, you can simply visit, buy a membership (just £40 for unlimited entry!) or try one of the many gift experiences on offer. Businesses can also help out with sponsorship and win-win deals. If you run a school or community group then you can try one of the fantastic education opportunities that DZP offer. At the art of dance we hope to get more involved with DZP so expect to see some interesting projects on the Horizon involving the art of dance pole dancing instructors and 2 special monkeys!

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Quick message of thanks :)

2011-05-21T04:24:00.000-07:00

I will keep it brief today but just wanted to let you all know I haven't stopped blogging but have been very busy with the brand new PDC Syllabus (link is to old syllabus) which launches in June, Thanks to all of those who have been helping contribute to the Syllabus. The Syllabus will be an amazing resource for all pole dancing students and instructors :)

My second lot of thanks goes out to everyone who has sent messages of support to me over the last 24 hours as the press have reported the story about me teaching pole dancing to kids. I won't go into any of the issues that surround this as there is already plenty of healthy debate on the media. This whole week, which has included my birthday, has given me a chance to appreciate what wonderful friends and family I have and how lucky I am to have such an amazing support network, without them I could never have achieved so much. The birthday messages and support messages have flooded in via text, e-mail, facebook, phone and, of course, in person.

I am looking forward to spending this weekend with just a handful of those special people starting with Pirate day on the Barbican today and an art of dance team build tomorrow at Dartmoor Zoo Park (if there is a rapture I will still be here!).

My last bit of thanks must go to Cherie Gordon, the journalist at the Herald who did the original Herald article on my kids classes. I felt Cherie wrote a fair and balanced argument raising all the necessary points to provoke a healthy debate unlike other reporters who have merely used the story for a quick headline and to dig up the usual misconceptions.

Must dash now to finish the review of the fabulous All Wales Pole Dancing Championships before donning my pirate costume and heading off for some pillaging!

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Delamore Arts 2011.

2011-05-07T04:55:00.000-07:00

Last weekend my husband and I returned to the annual Delamore Arts and Sculpture exhibition at the stunning Delamore Estate in Cornwood, Devon. The Delamore Estate is open to the public just once a year for this marvellous event. Entry is just £5 and the exhibition is on until 31st May 2011. Rather than bore you with my usual ranting I will let the pictures tell their own story. Hope you like them?

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

The Death of Osama Bin Laden

2011-05-05T02:47:00.000-07:00

Am I one of the few people who was not happy to hear about the Death of Osama Bin Laden? I am not saying I was personally upset but I was horrified to see images of a carnival atmosphere in New York. Whatever this man is guilty of, or not, I believed we lived in a civilised society where the forces would have done everything they could do catch Osama alive and bring him to trial. By killing the man and then celebrating his death surely we have lowered ourselves to the same standards as the extremists working for Al Quaeda.

It seems, for me, the the death of Osama is just another tragedy in the long line of violence associated with war in the middle east and the greedy fight for oil, power and money and if those caught up in the conflict are now happy to be killing each other then the future looks bleak.

Whatever your thoughts on Osama Bin Laden, this man like the rest of us had friends and family who now have to watch the world celebrating the death of their loved one and now that he will not face trial we will never know the truth about his alleged atrocities. It is a sad week for justice.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Cafe Kiss

2011-04-25T04:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I stumbled across the perfect Cafe; It was my Mum's birthday and we had decided to take a stroll down the Barbican for a bite to eat. After realising it was Black Sunday (one of the days of the year where the Barbican is packed to bursting point and there are always a few people who drink throughout the afternoon before starting mini riots later in the day) we opted to return to a cafe we had perused on our initial walk.

Cafe Kiss opened just last week and offers everything you could possibly ask for; superb home-cooked food, locally sourced ingredients, piazza style outdoor seating as well as plush leather sofas for those opting to dine inside. The cafe is licensed and sells everything from wines and spirits to a fabulous pint of Doombar.

I started with an amazing pot of Jasmine tea, probably the best example of a green tea I have ever tasted, and then chose a simple option of a Jacket Potato with cheese and tuna. My Mum opted for the salmon fishcakes which were apparently sold out, this did not mean that they weren't on offer but just meant we were asked if we would mind waiting an extra few minutes whilst they made another batch, that's what I call good service and proves all the food is made freshly. Sid uncertainly went for the Thai Green Chicken curry fearing it would be like many of the disasterous Thai imitation foods found in the west.

None of us were about to be disappointed as the food arrived stunningly presented and with a taste to match its appearance. The food was fabulous value for money and neither of us could stop complimenting the food or venue as we tucked into our sumptious dishes.

To add to our dining experience we had grabbed a table on the patio area in the glorious sunshine (hotter than Spain or Greece!), we also enjoyed live background music courtesy of a young lady singing at the Swallow.

If you have a sweet tooth then Cafe Kiss has a perfect selection of home made cakes or if cocktails are more your thing check out the cocktail menu (check out some of the pictures on facebook!). The menu caters for both carnivores and vegetarians as well as those with a more fishy appetite.

Cafe Kiss is family owned and run (see Mother and Son pictured right, the daughter was off yesterday) and is not part of a chain which, for me, adds to its appeal. The cafe is light and airy with modern decor yet it still retains a family charm. There is disabled access and baby changing facilities for those who require them.

Cafe Kiss is situated away from the main Barbican area in Bretonside making it a perfect getaway for those manic bank holidays when the Barbican receives more than it's fair share of visitors.

There is one major drawback with this cafe and that is its addictive properties, we all had such a great afternoon at the cafe that we can't wait to go back and I fear this will develop into a regular habit. As you can probably gather I can't rave enough about this cafe and I hope that those of you lucky enough to live in and around Plymouth will give this place a try to help ensure its long term success, this place certainly is worthy of it.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Pole Dancing News

2011-04-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

picture above of Emma Thorpe and Rosanna Durban from the art of dance, Miranda Goldring from Pole Affinity, Alex Conley from Spin City Exeter Clare Rigby from Zigs Pole Fitness, Shelley Neave from House of Pole, Sarah Scott from Studio 22, Kate Johnstone from Spin City, Emily Smith from Emily's pole Fitness and Robyn Rooke from 360 Pole Dancing all revising the PDC Syllabus.

It is now nearly 5 weeks since I sustained a Grade 2 tear of my menial collateral ligament (that's a knee injury for those of you who would rather be spared the jargon). I have a few more weeks or so before I will be able to do anything high impact with my knee but I am now able to do some gentle pole work as well as beasting my upper body and core on both the pole and the gymnastic rings we have in our aerial studio in Plymouth. My abs are now sore to touch but there is no pain no gain!

picture above of Sid Remmer, Miranda Goldring and Emily Smith.

Having an injury has been awful despite knowing that the amount of time of the pole has actually been quite short it feels like an eternity. I feel so sorry for people who sustain life changing injuries and can't imagine how those people cope with losing their mobility. Luckily for me I am now nearly pole fit again and the injury should not pose any long term problems if I am careful.

This weekend has been another working weekend for me with the Art of Dance Open Day on Saturday and the PDC Syllabus filming day on Sunday in Bristol. Thanks to all of those who turned up on Saturday for the open event and to those who helped out at the Bristol filming, your support is always greatly appreciated.

For all you avid pole dancers out there don't forget it is just 2 weeks to go before UK Pole Dance Day; in addition to the many satellite events happening across the country there is a huge showcase being held in London with some of the UK's top pole dancers in action they include the winner of this year's All Wales Pole Dancing Championships Jamie Alexah Taylor (pictured above), Justine McLucas (pictured below - photo courtesy of Daniel Andrew photography), Karen Chaundy, Bendy Kate, Keem and the Pole fit troupe. Other dancers to be announced soon.

Lastly if you have been patiently waiting for the new Pole Fit range to arrive you can save the wait by ordering the items on line at the Pole Dance Community Shop, I love my new spider back sports bra and can't wait for my new roll top shorts :)

More news to follow including a follow up on the Plymouth Pay Protest and news on the next event protest to be held at midday on Saturday 30th April outside Plymouth Guildhall.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

An interesting weekend

2011-04-11T06:10:00.000-07:00

What a roller-coaster of a weekend, after the shock arrival of the new addition to the Remmer household (Minky the ferret aka Satan pictured above) it was off to Wales for the All Wales Pole Dancing Championships (AWPC) where I was judging.

The drive should have taken about 5 hours but the M6 had other plans for me and at one point I managed a measly 12 miles in 1 hour thanks to the idiot who decided that he could pull out of a slip road without checking it was clear, his mistake resulted in someone else's death and and a huge tailback. 2 more accidents later and I reached Llandudno in the snail like time of just over 7 hours. Despite the horrific journey I have to say that the A55 is a stunning drive across the North Wales coast and was equally beautiful at 4pm as it was in the morning mist at 9am.

Luckily the show was just starting as I arrived so I dashed to the judges table briefly perused the scorecards and watched the first performance by the lovely Karen Chaundy. I will be writing a review of the All Wales Pole Championships later this week for the Pole Dance Community site so watch their pole dancing magazine for full details.

After the AWPC it was time to find a petrol station as the tank was off the red and then off to find the B & B that I was staying in. After a scenic tour of Llandudno and an unintentional detour the wrong way around the 1 way system I found both fuel and accommodation. The AshtonWood B & B looked so welcoming and I was ready to collapse and fall asleep immediately, however sleep proved elusive and instead I 'enjoyed' a night of insomnia due to no fault of the B & B and purely due to my restless mind and me missing my husband and menagerie.

Breakfast was served at 8am and I joined the lovely Tracy Huckfield (organiser of the AWPC, Level 2 PDC approved pole dancing instructor and proprietor and principal instructor at Pagan's Pole), her husband and some other people from the AWPC. We enjoyed a lovely English Breakfast and had a chance to reminisce on the events of the previous night before it was time for me to depart to return to Plymouth.

I was making excellent progress and was just thinking how the homeward journey was much more pleasurable than the outbound journey when just 25 miles from Exeter I saw the warning signs flashing, the traffic stopped at junction 26 and the A38 was brought to a standstill. After about 10 minutes I decided to take advantage of the unexpected stop and I climbed into the back of the car to change into a light summer dress, I then grabbed a newspaper and got out of the car and sat on the bonnet, others had started to share the idea and before long we had our own mini Summer festival with some getting out camping chairs, dogs being walked and teas being made in the back of a caravan that was still the right way up (unlike the one that caused the accident). I have to say it was the best traffic jam I have ever been in.

For those of you who do make the M5 trip through to Bristol have you noticed (not sure how you could miss it) the new development adjacnet to the wicker man. The willow man, created by artist Serena de la Hey, used to enjoy the tranquillity of blue sky and green fields but no more, now he shares his environment with a building I am now calling Armageddon. Fortunately the willow man still retains his fabulous bottom :) N.B. The image above is actually a canvas that is available to buy from artist Tony Howell.

There was more drama on the homeward journey when I got stopped for speeding in the service station car park, the officer who pulled me was obviously having a bad day and his attitude did not impress me, he could have simply asked me in a nice manner if my speed was correct but instead he chose to speak to me like I was piece of dirt which I felt was completely unnecessary. "Was that an appropriate speed for a car park?" he shouted, "I believe so" I replied knowing that actually the speeding laws for public highways do not apply for private car parks, "What speed were you travelling at" he asked " The same speed as you?" I replied, "Did you think it was appropriate to undertake me " Yes" I replied, I could see his frustration but I did not believe my speed was inappropriate for the circumstances and I was not about to be belittled by a grumpy highways officer who was obviously looking to take his anger out on an innocent driver.

Finally after 6 and a half hours I was home ready to enjoy a cool, refreshing beer in the backgarden before getting ready for a night of glorious sleep on my most beautiful memory foam mattress and duck feather pillows!

If you are about to make a motorway journey please stop and think about the safety of others, driving selfishly might not just end your life but might end the lives of other road drivers too. Think and drive safely!

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

A Thought for Japan

2011-04-03T05:02:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take a moment to share with you a letter received from a student at the art of dance:

Hello,
I am in Jane's Pole Flow Yoga class and I am from Japan.

On 11/3/11, one of the biggest earthquakes occurred in Japan. Earthquakes lead to secondary disasters such as fires, nuclear power plant damage and tsunamis (awful new footage showing the tsunami's power and resulting devastation) which destroy and damage houses and buildings and wipe out the whole area.

A total of 10,102 people are confirmed to have perished and 17,53 people are missing so far. The figure for Fukushima is far below those of the other two prefectures partly because search operations were suspended in areas within 2 kilometres of the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The figures are almost certain to rise because of the absence of family members to file reports on the dead and missing. In some areas entire families appear have been swept away in the tsunami that followed the magnitude 9. earthquake.

There are about 200,000 people being evacuated to shelters which are like school gyms. In the affected area there are no power supplies and few daily supplies, so they don't have enough heating, clothes and blankets to keep them warm and the lowest temperature is below zero (4 degrees C in Fukushima on 24th March). Some children and babies who were in shelters have no support as the roads to get there were destroyed and people are dying because there is no food or milk even after surviving the earthquake and tsunami.

Several weeks have already passed since the disaster. The effects of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant are being felt all over Japan now. People in Japan are still very distressed and worried but they are trying hard to live their life each day. I am trying to raise money for the survivors of this incident and I would really appreciate it if you could contribute whatever you can. All the collected money will be sent to Japan through the British Red Cross. Please bring some change with you when you come to class and support us.

Thank you so much for your support.

Kyoko Kusumoto.

We will be collecting money at the art of dance reception for the British Red Cross and you can also donate on-line. My thoughts go out to the people of Japan in these terrible times.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Cut the pay to £50K!

2011-03-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

So the first stage of our Plymouth Pay Protest started today with a group of us standing outside the council chambers with placards, thanks to all of those who turned up to support this campaign. For those of you who turned up late you would have missed the vitriole spouted by Plymouth City Council leader Viven Pengelly who clearly missed the point of the protest, failed to communicate with me and instead resorted to bullying tactics and threats of legal action. Whilst bullying tactics may work in Ms Pengelly's own cabinet they do not work on me. Whatever my actions I did not deserve the torrent of abuse that Ms Pengelly gave and I was extremely disappointed that she would not give me a chance to explain my point of view or the point of the protest.

I should explain that the original protest was started after I read an article on the thisisplymouth website about pay rises awarded to senior civil servants, the figures that the article quoted were taken from the Taxpayers alliance who released their figures under the Freedom of information act. Here are the Taxpayers alliance figures. Plymouth City Council are keen to deny the figures stating that they are inaccurate, I had asked the democratic office for the 'correct' figures but have received no reply.

Whether the figures are correct or not is not really the point, those at the top are being paid too much and are not taking the same cuts as those at the bottom. Check out this story from a lady called 'Anne' who works for the council and who spoke to us today at the protest. "I am finding it really hard, all my overtime has been cut, I was on a low wage anyway and now I can't make ends meet. I haven't had a pay rise in years and the cuts now mean I earn less now than I did three years ago. To make matters worse the cost of living has gone up so I am actually earning far less than I have ever done in my life. "

Also at today's protest was an off-duty police officer who commented that his annual income has been reduced by £6,000 per year and he will be looking at an early retirement as the force seeks further cuts.

A follow up protest is now in the offing as well as a petition to campaign for the reduction of the wages of those at the top level of salaries.

So campaign continues and I will update you as and when I have news. Thanks to all of those who supported me and those who bothered to turn up today and thanks to Heart FM, Radio Plymouth and ITN news for covering things to date.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Plymouth Pay Protest

2011-03-19T04:07:00.000-07:00

None of us can escape the growing sense of unease at the growing divide between rich and poor, we have all seen the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia and now we watch with interest the developments in the Yemen, Bahrain and more worryingly Libya.

Of course the dissatisfaction with local and national government is not confined to foreign shores and most of us are feeling the pinch of the rising cost of living whilst dealing with pay cuts, job losses and major cuts to front line services.

On Wednesday morning I read the Heralds coverage of the pay-rises (check out the comments) awarded to senior council officials and my stomach churned. The figures, which are denied by Plymouth City Council but confirmed by the Taxpayers alliance under figures they received under the Freedom of Information act, state that Barry Keel, the current P.C.C chief executive has been awarded a pay rise of 18.6 percent resulting in his pay rising from £170,000 per year to £203,000. A 36,000 pay rise in a time of cuts is simply obscene.

So whilst Mr Keel and many other senior council enjoy their huge salaries, generous pensions and expenses the rest of us carry on suffering.

In response to the pay rises I have organised the first of several targeted protests aimed to send a clear message to the council that we will not tolerate cuts at the bottom without cuts at the top. I personally would like to see a £50,000 cap on wages for council leaders, this would still allow them to have a more than comfortable standard of living and would free up finance to spend on more important city issues.

Those, such as Barry Keel, will argue that their wages are in-line with private sector pay so I challenge them to seek employment in the private sector instead and allow people who genuinely care about the people of Plymouth to fill the vacant posts on the proposed capped salary.

If you feel angry at the recent council pay rises and the growing divide between rich and poor in the city then please join us at our Plymouth Pay Protest to be held on Tuesday 29th March at 1.30pm outside the council chambers. This will be a peaceful protest and I ask if everyone can wear something red as a symbol of your anger towards our city fat cats.

There is a Plymouth Pay Protest facebook group that you can join to be kept up to date with all protest events and there is an events page for the protest planned for the 29th. Hope to see you all there.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Changing perceptions of pole dancing

2011-03-13T06:23:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know there have been lots of celebrations in Plymouth this week for International Women's day, the events are a chance to appreciate the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. Being involved with some of these events has been a fantastic experience.

The Intergenerational event was held at Plymouth Guildhall on Friday 11th March, (Herald article on the intergenerational event) it was an amazing event with women of all ages getting together to create this special occasion. The fashion show saw women from the age of 15 to 91 hitting the catwalk wearing clothing from the 1910's through to the modern day. Their was music from the intergenerational choir as well as choirs from Montpelier (my old school) and Mary Dean's Primary School.

I had been invited to pole dance at the event and I was excited to set up my x-pole next to the Tor Lace group and the cake stand. The array of fresh, home-made cakes baked by Platform 51 was mouth-watering and free but I resisted temptation and stuck with a nice cup of tea instead!

The event gave me a chance to meet women from different walks of life and of varying ages. Most of the ladies who watched my pole dancing demonstrations were between 14 and 16 and they were full of questions about what I do and how I earn my living. They, like many, assumed that I worked in a lap dancing club and could not get their heads around the fact that I earn money from teaching pole dancing to members of the public.

One young lady asked me if I was a slut which kid of sums up some peoples ignorance to fitness pole dancing. The lady in question was soon asking questions of a different nature and seemed eager to learn pole dancing for herself. Now that the young ladies were being entertained by gymnastics and not the exotic dancing they were expecting they were asking me to repeat tricks such as death drops and allegras, one lady chose the death drop as her favourite move whilst another loved the shoulder mounts, it was great to capture the attention of these young women and I hope to see some of them again very soon for some lessons.

It wasn't just the younger generation who came to watch me, many of the ladies from Age Concern grabbed a table next to me so they could watch my performances whilst enjoying the fabulous cakes too. Many of the ladies took pictures and perhaps the most common questions were "Doesn't it hurt your skin?" and "Aren't you frightened of falling off?" The answer to both questions was Yes.

If the ladies were amazed by what I was doing I had to admit being amazed by the Tor Lace group whose intricate work was simply beautiful. The piece pictured below had taken one lady nearly 2 years to complete. The ladies were working throughout the event creating their mini masterpieces for all to enjoy. The group also provides a social network for women to meet, swap patterns and enjoy each others company. If you are interested in joining the group simply e-mail Alison.

The intergenerational event also gave me a chance to celebrate the life of Elspeth Sitter, founder of Plymouth Age Concern. Elspeth's tireless work to ensure better conditions for the elderly has not gone unrecognised. Read more about Elspeth Sitter's remarkable life.

Another inspiring aspect of the event was that it was held in the place I got married, Plymouth Guildhall has many special memories for me and it was lovely to perform there again just as I had on the day of my wedding. Finally Plymouth Guildhall has been given a maintenance budget allowing essential repairs to begin at long last, the crumbling building is so important to Plymouth that I am surprised it has taken so long for the money to be found to begin work. The most important thing is that work is taking place and slowly the building can start to return to its former glory.

The pole dancing demonstration had an unexpected outcome for me as I managed to irritate a ligament injury to my knee, within 30 minutes of the end of my demo my knee was starting to throb and swell. Rosanna and I returned stepped in at short notice to cover my classes (than you Rosanna x) home hoping that ice, elevation and rest may be enough to repair the damage.

Unfortunately my plan failed and by 2am on Saturday morning I was in agony, I was also terrified as an injury to my knee could spell the end of my dancing career. It was time to visit the local minor injuries unit to get some professional advice. After a 2 hour wait, and much hilarity in the waiting room as my husband and I bumped into local licensee's Phil and Lyndsay Gill, I was booked into an appointment with a consultant at the fracture clinic on Tuesday morning. I now have to wait till then to see how long I need off work and what the exact prognosis is. I am gutted but hope that the outcome will be less serous than I fear.

Before I sign off for today I want to send my thoughts and best wishes to the people caught up in Japan's devastating earthquake, the images we are seeing are breathtaking for all the wrong reasons and the death toll looks set to rise beyond expectation. You can help by donating via one of the many charities, such as Oxfam, who will be sending aid direct to the disaster zone.

More news to follow soon on my unexpected drinking session last night with council leaders Vivien Pengelly and Ian Bowyer.

Stay Healthy

Sam x

Pole Dance Grading

2011-02-27T05:03:00.000-08:00

A few of my students have been asking about pole dance gradings so I thought I could use today's blog to tell you a little bit more about the Advancement and Accreditation Programme (AAP) run by the Pole Dance Community and available to you at the art of dance and through any other PDC approved instructor/school.

The AAP gives students the chance to get international recognition for their pole dancing progress and gives them a way to chart their pole dancing progress as well as being able to share their success by showing friends and family their achievements.

Firstly I must congratulate those art of dance students who have already successfully graded:

Emma Thorpe - Level 4
Linda Jerrett - Level 4 (pictured right)
Christina Pearce - Level 3 (pictured above left)
Kerensa Spinks - Level 3 (pictured above left)
Emily Keen - Level 2

The grading process is simple; a student who is thinking about grading should peruse the Pole Dance Community Syllabus and see which pole dance moves they are working on and which level of the syllabus those moves relate to. Once a student has established which level they are at they can then select their best 5 moves from the preferred level. I recommend chatting to your instructor to help you decide which moves are your best, that way your instructor can help you revise those moves during class time so that you can execute them perfectly on the day of your grading to guarantee success.

So, once you have decided on your 5 moves you can book your grading with your instructor. You need to have your AAP membership (costs £30 annually) and then you need to pay for your grading. At the art of dance we charge £15 per grading and this includes your certificate on successful completion. Our next grading day will be held on Saturday 25th March.

You may find the following videos helpful in learning more about how the grading works.

Emily Smith from Emily's Pole Fitness doing a beautiful Level 1 pole dancing routine.
Emma Thorpe from the art of dance doing her Level 4 pole dance grading.

You can also download the grading sheets and notes from the Pole Dance Community website's AAP page.

Their is more to the AAP membership than just grading, you can record your pole dance competition success, record which pole dance schools you have attended, log courses and work-shops and you get free personal accident cover if training with a PDC approved pole dance school/instructor.

I can't wait to see the next group of students receiving their certificates.

I must also send big congratulations to Charlie Picton, Sabrina Plumb and Bo Dickens from PDC approved pole dance school Princess K who all successfully graded at level 1 last week.

If you need any more information on pole dance gradings simply contact your nearest PDC approved pole dance school.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Take away in Plymouth

2011-02-26T05:30:00.000-08:00

Having just blogged about eating out in Plymouth it seemed only fair that I should now blog about take-aways in Plymouth. OK, so most take-aways don't really provide much healthy food but there are a few exceptions and let's face it the odd take-away isn't going to kill us as long as we eat them in moderation.

So if you fancy treating yourself to a night in on the sofa and a take-away then why not try one of these fantastic Plymouth food outlets:

One of my most favourite and most indulgent take-away's has to be Pizza and there is no finer pizza delivery place than the aroma-wood-fired pizza establishment in Regent Street. This independent business has its own purpose built pizza oven and they even bake their own tomato sauce, the range of toppings available is amazing and they currently offer a buy one get one free offer on all pizzas. Once you have sampled one of their delicious pizzas you will never want to eat from Dominoes or Pizza hut ever again.

If Indian food is more your thing then look no further than the Spice Well. This restaurant offers traditional dishes as well as gorgeous specialities such as Nawabe and Jhinga La-Jawab. This really is a great take-away that also has a restaurant if eating in is more your thing.

If its fish and chips you are after then you have to visit Plymouth's finest West Hoe Fryers in Radford Street, West Hoe. I am not actually a big fish and chip fan but my husband is and this is definitely the place to go. You get great service and huge portions of not-too greasy chips and succulent fish.

Picture courtesy of Caz Harrison.

Obviously I would usually be recommending home cooked food and exercise but sometimes you just need a night in and all of these take-aways can now be accessed on-line with the fabulous Just Eat website. Simply visit the website, type in your postcode and search for your preferred take-away, you can pay on-line and you get order updates so you know what time your food will arrive. You can also peruse previous orders to re-order your favourite items and you can give feedback on your order.

Before I sign off for today I wanted to quickly mention a restaurant I forget to blog about in my eating out post; The Seafood and Pasta bar situated alongside the Sutton Harbour quay in Plymouth's historic Barbican, this bar has both fantastic views as well as a sumptious menu suitable for both fish and meat lover as well as vegetarians. Don't forget to check out the special boards or the Boulliabaisse style fish soup starter.

Well after all that lying on the sofa and eating fast food you'll be needing some pole dancing lessons or you could try one of the other subsidised sporting activities on offer from Plymouth City Councils Sports development unit.

More to follow on International Women's Day!

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Eating out in Plymouth

2011-02-20T02:53:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning it write this blog for ages and Sunday always seems like a good day for blog writing. I would like to share with you some of my favourite places to eat in and around Plymouth. Over the past few years I feel that the amount of good cafes and restaurants has increased offering more great food and service than ever before (I still miss Barzeegco though!).

I must start with a pub/restaurant situated just outside Plymouth in the picturesque valley of Milton Coombe on the edge of the stunning Dartmoor National Park. The Who'd have thought it inn is a 12th century inn that has just received an award as one of the top 12 pubs in Britain. The menu is superb and the food I think, is reasonably priced when you consider the sumptuous dishes on offer. The pub is dog friendly and offers some of the best cask ales I have tasted in a long time which is why the pub has earned its place in the Good Beer Guide. I think my favourite dish to date is the locally sourced Haddock cassoulet with a rosemary and parmesan crust accompanied by a pint of Sharp's Honey Gold.

If you fancy some where a little more central then there are 2 waterside eateries I can recommend, the first is the Brunning family restaurant, The Bridge at Mountbatten. The Bridge is a brand new build that has been beautifully decorated and has amazing views of Cattewater and the Sound. The food is locally sourced wherever possible and most of the vegetables come from the family's own farm venture the Nearly Naked vegetable company.

The menu has something for everyone and you can choose from the lavish restaurant or more relaxed ground floor dining area with its beautiful, decked patio overlooking the water. I recommend the fish stew with alioli washed down with a pint of Hunters ale Half bore (not to be confused with its stronger 8% brother Full bore!).

The 2nd seaside establishment is the Waterfront Restaurant, which in my opinion has one of the best sea views in Plymouth. The waterfront has recently seen the installation of a new chef, Sam Lounds, a protege of Jamie Oliver. Sam has revamped the menu so that once again the Waterfront is a great place to eat and savour the amazing views. The restaurant is open all day providing breakfast, lunch and dinner.

One of Plymouth hidden gems has to be Bistro One, tucked away in the increasingly popular Independent shopping quarter of Ebrington Street. Bistro One, run by local wine expert and chef Stephen Barrett (pictured left), offers perfectly cooked recipes and great service. The breakfast/lunch menu is ideal for those looking for a lavish bite to eat and giving you a chance to peruse the evening menu which is sure to entice you back for more. Don't let the restaurants small size put you off, this place is brimming with ways to stimulate your senses, it is a wine lover's paradise as well as featuring regular art exhibitions, live music events, poetry and much, much more. Don't take my word for it, try it for yourself.

You may have already guessed that I have penchant for Seafood and Real Ale so it is hardly surprising that I can't resist a 10oz Tuna Loin cooked on a black rock grill and accompanied by a pint of Sharp's Doom Bar or the pub's very own Hunter's ale brew Butcher's Best. The Butcher's arms is often overlooked as many people flock to the new Seco Lounge, my preference is to go to the Seco Lounge for a quick drink first and then dine at the Butcher's arms. In addition to the lovely food and ale the Butcher's arms has one of the best bar maids in the world and it is worth going to the pub just to be served by Leanne.

When talking of eating out in Plymouth I really should mention the Tanner brothers restaurant and their other venture the Barbican Kitchen. I have only eaten at the latter of the two establishments but it is rumoured that the celebrity chefs are about to get their first Michelin star.

Another eaterie I have to mention is the place where I had my final meal before getting married. On the morning of my wedding my Mum and I collected Fern, one of my bridesmaids and headed off to the Port of Call for a good old English breakfast. For me the Port of Call is like Cap 'n' Jaspers (picture above of me drinking tea at Cap 'n' Jaspers), it is a part of Plymouth and it provides food at great value for money.

OK, so there are places I have probably forgotten who do deserve a mention so feel free to comment and share any of your favourite places to eat out. Before I sign off for today I would like to have a quick whinge about what was one of my favourite places to eat/drink; The Coffee Shack, this tiny building has one of the most panoramic views of Plymouth Hoe possible (check out part of the view in the picture above) but I feel the price for enjoying this view is now too high. Whilst I appreciate that all businesses are finding it hard and many have been forced to put their prices up there really is no excuse for charging £4.50 for a sandwich and £2.95 for a coffee. I visited the coffee shack yesterday and spoke to several people who were eating there, they were tourists and were horrified at how much they had been charged, then I spoke to several local people who used to be Coffee Shack regulars but who now take their own drinks and sandwiches to enjoy whilst visiting the Hoe.

Other pub restaurants who really deserve more blog space than I am giving them are The Crooked Inn at Trematon (nr Saltash -pictured above), the Royal Oak at Meavy and the Mussel Inn at Down Thomas (perfect for the Whiskey connoiseur). All of these pub restaurants are family run, extremely friendly and offer great food and ale. They all welcome both children and dogs although I prefer the latter!

Well, it is now time for me to dash to work for some filming for a TV documentary, more to follow on that soon.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Pole dancing is good for you!

2011-02-15T01:24:00.001-08:00

Picture above of Elena Gibson, Lorna Thomas, Kate Johnstone, Me (front), Genevieve Moody, Nikki and Dana Mayer at the Pole Dancing School studio in London. Friday 11th February.

The chances are that if you are reading my blog then you already know all about the benefits of pole dancing as a way to keep fit. Unfortunately you may still be in the minority of people who don't have their heads stuck in the sand when it comes to fitness pole dancing.

After the South Devon College fiasco I thought I had seen the last media frenzy over the teaching of pole dancing to members of the public but it seems that I was wrong.

The funny thing is this blog is meant to be about how pleased I am to have secured a tender with Plymouth City Council's Sports Development Unit to provide subsidised pole dancing lessons to the public in an effort to get more people back into fitness. I had been approached by the Plymouth City Council Development unit who were in the process of buying lots of different sporting activities to then subsidise and sell back to the public. Here is the fabulous list of sporting activities available from the scheme.

Having secured the tender I was about to blog about this important step forward for the art of dance and for the wider fitness pole dancing industry but at 7am on Friday morning I received a phone call from Radio Devon who were chasing up a story about people being unhappy with the council's move to pay me for lessons. It seems that people have added things up without checking their mathematical skills first!

With all the cuts to frontline services suddenly I am in the firing line for taking money away from essential services. Radio Devon had tried to contact the council to get a comment but apparently they had refused. I jumped at the chance to go on air and defend myself and my business. I explained to presenter Justin Leigh that the tiny amount being given to me for the lessons (I charged the council less than the normal lesson rate) would save the NHS a huge amount long term as I would be boosting the physical and mental health of all those I worked with and hopefully those individuals would be motivated to continue a more healthy lifestyle long term as a result of my classes.

The art of dance already works in line with the Governments Change for Life initiative to encourage people to have more healthy lifestyles.

In April it will be 7 years since I started teaching pole dancing as a fitness and I honestly thought things would have moved further forward by now in terms of peoples attitudes to my art. It is ironic that I write this as I return from the Equity pole dancers working party where we have just been discussing how much the industry has progressed within the last 5 years.

See picture below of EPDWP members at the Equity HQ, Friday 11th February - Kate Johnstone (Spin City), Stacey Sneddon (Vertical Leisure), Dana Mayer (Rock 'n' Roll Pole), Lorna Thomas (Pole Athletes), Genevieve Moody (Strictly Pole Dancing), Miss Glory Pearl, Elena Gibson (Pole Dancing School).

Anyway, I now wait to see what the next stage will be with my subsidised classes ad also wonder how the hell the public will react when I start my new i-pole classes next month, these classes will be teaching 12-16 years old to pole dance. No doubt, once again, I will be demoted to Satan's apprentice until the ignorant find something more interesting to gossip about.

Thanks to the fabulous team at Plymouth City Council's Sports Development Unit for being educated about modern fitness pole dancing and for having the courage to work with the art of dance, the team have made the decision based on what is best for their client group rather than worrying about those who will jump on the anti-pole dancing bandwagon. If you are lucky enough to live in Plymouth and you fancy trying some subsidised exercise classes just visit the sports development unit website for a full list of the great activities available.

n.b. if you happen to be one of the ignorant and you are reading this wondering why I am teaching pole dancing and what possible fitness benefits it can have simply go the PDC approved pole dance school finder and find a school near to you and go along and see what they actually do and maybe even try it! You may be surprised.

Stay Healthy

Sam x

Fed up with Plymouth City Council.

2011-02-06T06:18:00.000-08:00

As the world watches Egypt there seems to be a great feeling of unease in the air. I personally feel a big sense of disappointment towards government at both national and local level, just reading the local paper is enough to make your blood boil. It is unfortunate for us Plymouthians that we have a council made up predominantly of people who either don't care or simply lack the common sense to do what is best for our city. Those in power can justify building a multi-million pound Life Centre that will only benefit the minority whilst closing Welby, a lifeline for many. The same individuals who tell us there is no money to repair our crumbling waterfront or to replace the disgrace that is Bretonside bus station are now considering buying the same football stadium they sold just a few years ago.

As a self employed business owner I understand the simple logic of helping a business to survive, you have to put the customer first and you have to spend money on essentials before splashing out on luxury items, perhaps if our council adopted this policy we would all have a better service?

As a council tax payer I would rather see my money spent on buying grit in the winter months, repairing pot-holes, looking after the elderly and vulnerable, street cleansing and crime prevention. I do not want my money spent on council jollies to the World Cup (we were the only council in the country who actually sent the council leader, other councils opted for a cheaper alternatives).

I also do not want to see a penny of my money going towards Plymouth Argyle Football club. The former beautiful game has now been tainted by money and greed, so much so that the government is now launching an investigation into how football clubs are managed. Players wages have rocketed and for me the fun of football has been largely removed, I would rather go and watch a local 5 a side game than pay to go to Home Park.

Of course many of the issues I raise with P.C.C could be sorted through simple consultation processes but it sees P.C.C are incapable of honest consultation, The Sexual Encounter Establishment debate cannot be easily found on-line, when I eventually tracked it down I was told there wasn't enough time to add the issue to the public consultation web page, I was directed to the S.E.E proposals and have twice submitted by concerns by e-mails but have been told my e-mails have not been received which is funny considering my local MP Oliver Colville, who was copied in on the same mail, did receive them. I have re-sent the e-mail to the head of licensing too but have had no response and now I fear by the time my e-mails are 'found' I will have missed the consultation deadline.

Add to my frustration the recent pay rise accepted by vice-chancellor Wendy Purcell, At a time when University students are being asked to pay increased tuition fees Wendy has accepted a pay-rise of 20% taking her annual salary including pensions to a staggering £283,504. I do accept that Wendy has done a great job for Plymouth University but I fear that wages for those at the top are simply too high and there is no longer a fair scale between those at the top and those at the bottom.

We are all more than aware of the ongoing MP's expenses scandal and the issue of bankers continuing to receive outrageous bonuses despite failing their customers but what can we actually do to force change and stop us all being ripped off? Suggestions please?

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Attik Dance Community Platform - 16th March 2011.

2011-02-03T03:50:00.000-08:00

On 16th March myself and other artists will be performing at the lavishly refurbished Devonport Guildhall. Artists and events on the night will include Ian Gilson performing live music, The Camper Obscura, Kingsbridge School, Thom Racket Dance, Access Theatre, Emily Dobson, Lucy Teed, Freefall dance, classes, Spindrift Dance Company, Attik 360 and Strictly collaborative.

The night will also include a series of short films being screened in the Lord Mayors Parlour. The whole evening will be photographed by local tog Stacey Hindom.

Here is the Attik Dance press release for the evening:

Attik Dance will be hosting a dance platform at the Devonport Guildhall to raise funds for Attik 360 dance classes. Attik 360 are opening the doors to the Phantasmagorical Devonport Guildhall for the first ever Community Platform. On the 16th of March 2011 there will be performances of dance, film and art work displayed throughout the building.

We will also be holding a raffle with some great prizes including;

Youth Adventure Day at Mount Batten Water Sports, Family Ticket to the Marine Aquarium, Burlesque Voucher, Pole Dance Voucher, Make-up and hair Voucher, Space Hopper, Plymouth City Roller Girls Goodie Bag, Signed book – Haunted Plymouth, Painting by David Folley, Family Ticket to the Eden Project, A ride on the Cresta run at John Nike Leisuresport,

Attik 360 provides classes for adults with learning and physical disabilities. From the funds raised we will be able to buy equipment for the dancers to allow the sessions to be accessible and inclusive to all of the members. Attik Dance will invite local dance and theatre groups to perform; our aim is to bring 170 local people into the newly renovated venue. The event will promote the arts and also local businesses and organisations within the area.

Attik are looking for local businesses to sponsor the event, to be a part of the celebration and the regeneration of Devonport. In order for this event to be successful and to raise sufficient funds for Attik 360 programme, we need exciting businesses and organisations to donate costs for food and refreshments for the night, raffle prizes, running costs of the event, decoration, costs for marketing etc, so that this event is like no other.

We would like to say a big Thank you to Print Options in Millbrook and David Folley for making this event possible.

For more information please call Attik Dance on 01752 395134 or email Clair.

Hope to see some of you at this event and will share info and pictures after the night. Off to PDC approved 360 pole dancing in Bristol now for my 3 hours worth of pole dance training with Becca Butcher!

Stay Healthy.

Sam x

Sexual Encounter Establishment consultation

2011-01-31T07:41:00.000-08:00

I must apologise for the distinct lack of blogging recently but my timetable as been rather full! However I thought you may be interested in the current Plymouth City Council consultation regarding proposals for Sexual Encounter Establishments. In my opinion the new guidelines will close the 2 existing lap dancing clubs in Plymouth and merely encourage more underground sexual establishments resulting in more crime/abuse in the long term. I personally have always felt that brothels should be legalised so they can be monitored more fully by local services. Anyway, here is the letter I just submitted to the licensing department and I will let you know what response I get:

Dear David,

I am writing in reference to the Policing and Crime Bill and the new guidelines for 'Sexual Encounter Establishments' that relate to the white paper.

I have copied my local MP Oliver Colvile in on this e-mail as there are issues contained within this e-mail that I would like him to be aware of.

My comments relate to to following on-line document:

http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/sex_policy_consultation.pdf

I should explain that I currently run a Pole Dance Community approved fitness pole dancing school (The art of dance). We already work with both the City Councils sports and development unit as well as the Governments change for life initiative. I want to ensure that people are educated about the differences between pole dancing as a fitness and exotic pole dancing that may be used as a pre-cursor to a sexual act.

I do not work at a lap dancing club but do work with some individuals who do and am very aware of the issues that concern these workers.

Firstly I must question how the proposals aim to achieve the following and to question the statistics surrounding crime linked to sexual encounter establishments. I would imagine, as with speed cameras, that crimes linked to such establishments are recorded and that this information is publicly available?

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• The protection of safety, health or public decency
• The prevention of nuisance
• The protection from children from harm
• Protecting the nature, amenity and character of a neighbourhood

With regards to the information below, these measures are already accounted for in the licensing application process so I am unsure how new legislation/guidelines will alter or improve the existing process?

• Use of appropriate numbers of security personal and stewards ensuring effective
controls at all times
• Training staff in crime prevention measures
• Membership requirements
• Use of CCTV inside and outside premises, ensuring digital systems comply with Home
Office guidance minimum requirements.
• Quality of supervision and surveillance in premises
• Regular checks by staff of all public areas including toilets
• Assessment of customer profile ensuring effective management of customers both
inside premises and in outside smoking / external seating areas
• Anti-discriminatory policies and practice covering e.g. homophobia and racism
• Awareness of drink spiking
• Zero tolerance drug policies including the appropriate use of searching/amnesty boxes
to combat drug crime
• Active participation in club/pub watch schemes

In particular there are several elements of the new guidelines that I must bring into question as they may have a knock on effect to my business:

• The external appearance and advertising of the business, e.g. no sexually explicit material

What will be classed as sexually explicit? The current policing and crime bill uses vague terms such as semi nudity. I am concerned that images of pole dancers that I use for promotional material may be restricted under the new guidelines and need to know how distinctions will be made.

“Any live performance or any live display of nudity which is of such a nature that, ignoring financial
gain, it must reasonably be assumed to be provided solely or principally for the purpose of sexually
stimulating any member of the audience (whether by verbal or other means). An audience includes
an audience of one”

I am concerned about this vague definition of what it is to sexually stimulate? As I carry out more than 12 pole dancing performances at my establishment and other venues during the year to a mixed audience of both men and women could my business fall under this restricted category?

Will the legislation extend to clubs/bars who have poles installed for customer use?

How will the rules apply to burlesque performances that include elements of striptease?

I do appreciate that the document does detail what it classes as nudity:

“A display of nudity” means:
(a) In the case of a woman, exposure of her nipples, pubic area, genitals or anus; and
(b) In the case of a man, exposure of his pubic area, genitals or anus;

However this wording would still allow an exotic dancer to perform wearing a string bikini and thong without the need for any restrictions?

The wording, I assume, may also restrict theatre performances where nudity may be involved such as the recent Theatre Royal performance 'Puppetry of the penis'?

Whilst I appreciate it is unlikely that any aspect of this process will negatively effect my business I am also worried that this process will effectively shut lap dancing clubs in Plymouth as the 2 existing clubs will not be able to afford the new, more expensive licenses and extensive conditions imposed upon them. I believe the resulting effect will be more girls pushed into the many illegal brothels operating within the city to replace their current revenue streams. As brothels are not monitored by the council the new licensing could actually see more incidences of crime and sexual abuse in the long term.

I look forward to hearing your response and would like to be kept informed of any decisions or updates regarding the current consultation.

Thank you for your time.

Sam Remmer

More news to follow on my attempts at aerial hoop, Becca Butcher master-class, Equity Pole Dancers working party, Art of dance student gradings and Pole Jam with PDC Level 3 pole dancing instructor Elena Gibson.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

NHS Care?

2011-01-23T02:30:00.000-08:00

The last week has brought me to question again the care given at hospitals such as Derriford Hospital. My Nan has been in the Torcross unit at Derriford after suffering a heart attack last Sunday morning. I cannot question the medical staff, from the paramedics who dealt with her at home to the ward staff who have been marvellous, however there is something missing; the number of staff on this high dependency unit have had their number cut from 4 to 3 and with a larger ward and increasing patient numbers they are now working very long shifts with very little breaks.

The other problems seems to be the complete lack of a holistic care package, whilst the technology on the ward is high and their are bleeping nachines everywhere, the lack of staff means that the basic needs of a patient are perhaps not as thorough as they should be. In my opinion for a patient to get well as quickly as possible they need to be eating and drinking as soon as reasonably possible and this just doesn't seem to be high on the priority list. Add to that the fact that someone managed to lose my Nan's false teeth on her third day in hospital further restricting what she can consume.

Despite everything my Nan is slowly on the mend and is currently on Bickleigh ward, again the staff are lovely and are doing their absolute best despite limited staff numbers. I can't believe that once again the government are looking at cuts to these very front line services which will further impinge on the care levels available on these wards.

Add to the equation the many ridiculous health and safety protocols that staff have to follow. For example check out the hilarious health and safety policy implemented by Warrens bakery who have taken over the ground floor cafe at Derriford.

Then there was the laughable issue of me getting a cup of tea to takeaway, 'An Earl Grey' to take out please I asked, a fairly simple request you would think but apparently not, Earl Grey is not available to take away as the water may be a few degrees hotter than the pre made tea in the glass jar on the side. What I can do is buy an earl grey to drink in and then ask for a takeaway cup to pour my earl grey into. I also had to verbally disclaim that I would not burn anyone and would be careful, like I was about to run out of the cafe throwing hot water over the nearest patient! It all seemed a little mad.

Not only have Warrens got away with such ludaris policies they have also ensured that it is now very difficult to buy anything healthy to eat from their establishment, I watched as queues of people, some in hospital dressing gowns bought faux cream éclairs, pasties and meat pies. One obese lady was talking to her partner about her Dad's heart attack whilst purchasing 2 doughnuts and a can of coke for her lunch, not the healthiest choice surely?

Anyway the main thing is that despite her unintended starvation, loss of teeth, heart attack and 2 infections (one being pnueumonia!) she is actually getting better and stronger each day, she is a born fighter and if anyone can get over this then she surely can. Get Well Soon Nan x x

Stay Healthy

Sam x

Back on the pole!

2011-01-09T07:58:00.000-08:00

So after a lovely Xmas break I am back on the pole. Lessons started last Tuesday and it has been lovely to see so many students, old and new, back in the studio. Yesterday's 2 hour pole jam was a bit of a shock to the system and proved just how out of shape I was after the Xmas break, luckily I didn't overdo it and today I have that lovely feeling of burn throughout each muscle fibre, everything is tender to touch without being overly painful, it is what I call nice pain.I am sure some of my students and inductees will be sharing the pole burn today :)

I have a list of moves that I am determined to perfect within the next 2 months and no doubt once that list is achieved there will already be a new list waiting to be fulfilled. I am hoping that my training will be aided by a new piece of equipment that made its way into the art of dance studio yesterday; 2 aerial hoops! Resident Burlesque artiste Kitty Kane and her trainer, Helen, rigged the 2 hoops up yesterday and our cross training sessions commence next week with us sharing our skills and, no doubt sharing bruises too.

picture left courtesy of circus performers using an aerial hoop.

As well as training in Plymouth I have several exciting activities booked up over the next 6 weeks starting with a jam at PDC approved Emily's Pole Fitness in Swindon next Saturday, swimming with my Mum on Sunday, PDC approved Spin City's pole jam in Exeter on Sunday 23rd and a pole jam with former world champion and owner of PDC approved Pole Dancing School Elena Gibson (pictured right) in London on February 11th. So hopefully I will be fitter, stronger and more flexible very soon.

picture right courtesy of Daylight studios.

Aside from training I am looking forward to our burlesque social this Wednesday 12th January. The joint social between our very own Burlesque Belles and Kitty's Dolls is open to anyone so if you want to join us simply turn up just before 7pm at the Thistle Park Tavern, Coxside where will be having a drink before the 7.40pm showing of 'Burlesque'. It would be lovely to see some of you there.

The Burlesque social is a perfect pre-cursor to our weekly burlesque lessons that commence on Wednesday 19th January at 7.30pm and cost £8 for drop-ins and £6 for member (just £24 per month). Click here to book a place.

So more news to follow very soon, I do have some very exciting news that I should be able to divulge next week, fingers and toes crossed!

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Looking to the future.

2011-01-01T04:48:00.000-08:00

So 2011 is now here and we have entered a new decade too, this year is not only a big year for me but also looks set to be a great year for the Pole Dance Community, the art of dance and the entire pole fitness industry. With the future looking bright for me I wanted to blog about those with less to look forward to and decided to blog again about the fabulous Fresh air fund operated in the states to give under-privileged children the chance to enjoy the simple, yet most important, things in life; Fresh air, open space and a caring environment. As our population grows at an alarming rate the chances for the kids of the future to truly enjoy the outdoors will slowly diminish. Click here to read Roger Pepper's brilliant recent article on population growth which describes the problem far better than my words could manage, it is a must read.

As the population expands more and more kids are trapped in over-populated suburbs with little chance of getting a good education or job, even in the UK we see more and more kids stuck in their bedrooms watching computer games rather than getting opportunities to integrate with the outdoors. For these kids they often experience poor diet and poor health as a result of lack of exercise and stimulation. So what can you do to help? Why not start the new year with a really good deed and donate to the Fresh Air Fund or find another project or charity that you an either donate to even volunteer for.

The Fresh Air Fund, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer vacations to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities since 1877. Thanks to host families who open up their homes for up to two weeks each summer, children growing up in New York City’s toughest neighbourhoods have experienced the joys of Fresh Air vacations.

Fresh Air children are boys and girls, six to 12 years old, who reside in low-income communities in New York City and are eager to experience the simple pleasures of life outside the city. More than 65% of all children are re invited to stay with their host family, year after year. The summer of 2010 was amazingly successful thanks to the generous support from all of The Fresh Air Fund volunteers and donors. With your help, next summer will be wonderful too.

For a more personal take on what a Fresh Air summer means to our campers and Friendly Town children, here are some heartwarming quotes:

“Many people will never truly understand how truly remarkable and critical this opportunity is for a child's development. By experiencing new things and different lifestyles and cultures it broadened my capacity to deal with life in and outside of NYC.” – Lee Coleman (visited Connie Beck and her daughter Laura in Painted Post, NY)

“I’m excited to be in another neighbourhood and family. I am only in the Bronx all the time. I’m so happy to go and see what another place feels like.”(Abdou Sarr, stays with Linda and Edward Ryan )

“It’s really fun with my host brother, Trevor. We talk during the year too. I love going to BBQs with my family and meeting Trevor’s friends….they taught me how to swim.”

“Everyone knew me as Roberta and Butchie’s daughter. I was never the FAF kid!” - Toneicia Chisholm (visited Roberta and Butch Parker of Clinton, MA)

“They were always loved like they were our own!” – 88 year old host child Sophia Young reminiscing about her FAF summer sisters Sanny and Evelyn (daughter of Ernest & Margaret DeZallia of Crown Point, NY, who hosted Sanny and Evelyn)

-"I just wanted to say that having Justin stay with us is very enriching for our family," Louis said. "Every summer he comes, it's a seamless transition, like a member of our family." (Louis Terlizzi)

“He is an extension of our family; every year we grow along side of him and watch him grow into a young man”- Angelina Bagge (host Mom)

I hope that you can find the time to really start 2011 with a positive step towards making the world just a little bit brighter for those with little hope. However small your efforts they will still make a difference. I am of to Women's refuge this week to donate some items that they desperately need, such as bedding and towels, and I have a few charity events coming up in the next few months too. Perhaps even those CEO's, EuroMP', MP's and bankers will find a way to see the error of their way and give something back rather than merely basking in greed but I won't hold my breath on that one for the moment.

I wish you all a fabulous, prosperous and happy 2011 and remember it is the little things that count.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Hot Pulse - Fitness DVD review

2010-12-27T09:59:00.000-08:00

The Lovely Lucy Misch (pictured below right) sent me a DVD to review a while ago and I seem to have not found the time to actually watch the DVD so today, being a bank holiday, seemed the perfect time to try the new workout and write the review. Apologies to Lucy for taking so long.

Hot Pulse is a DVD claiming to be a "fierce new fitness workout", it is also described as "sassy, sexy and seriously addictive". The DVD must have been more addictive than I first thought as it felt like I had only done about 20 minutes of exercise but when looked at the clock I had done the full hour and I hadn't actually done the entire DVD. As it was my first time trying this workout I certainly did get the sexy look achieved by Lucy and her team but hopefully I will get better with practice.

The DVD is cleverly split into sections so you can tailor the workout to your fitness needs focusing on different areas of the body or going for an overall beasting. The DVD has 8 energising routines designed to help you get fit and toned for 2011 and beyond, each routine has a sexy twist so not only can you keep fit but you can also pick up some sexy moves for the dance floor or the bedroom!

I think home fitness DVD's are a great idea but I do recommend combining them with an actual class where an expert can check you are executing moves correctly and look for good placement and spinal alignment. It is very easy to pick up bad techniques when exercising on your own. If you have existing back problems then I air extra caution in trying any home DVD especially if you have no fitness knowledge.

I should add that you may find other members of your household watching this DVD whilst you are not using it but they may not be following Lucy's workout and may be opting for their own instead!!! There are plenty of cleavage and pulsating butt shots to keep any admirer of the female species occupied throughout.

The warm up is a nice, easy to follow, gentle workout suitable for most abilities, a few too many static stretches for my liking but that is just my personal preference and the warm up does fit its sports specific genre perfectly. The first section I opted for was the legs section (see picture above), I decided not to wear the leotard things chosen by Lucy and her team and opted for a tracksuit instead. The legs section does require good balance but you could easily hold onto something if your balance isn't great. There are some lovely moves and repeaters to get those muscles burning.

Next up was the Abs section which was definitely needed after my Xmas indulgence, having had a break from exercising, drinking more than usual and not eating enough of my 5 a day my press-ups were incredibly weak and I dread to think what my first pole practice of 2011 is going to be like :( The abs section seemed much tougher than the legs section but that could just be result of the Xmas ale. As with the legs section there were some brilliant repeaters aimed to really tone and strengthen those abdominal muscles and flatten any Xmas tummies.

Bums and thighs were next on the agenda and it was funny watching the ladies working out in sexy black corsets in a church style setting (see picture right), this section was another nice workout with some sexy dance moves and some lovely squats and leg raises. I loved the fact that this workout allows you to wiggle your hips and add your own dance element to the workout which I know may not amuse some aerobics teachers but works for me.

The chair section (see picture left) upped the erotic side of the workout but showed some great moves as well as a few variations I will be stealing for my forthcoming chair dance workout classes (full details to follow very soon!). If you are doing this at home using a chair please make sure it is a good sturdy chair as I have seen lots of chair dances go wrong if an unsteady chair is used.

What I really loved about this DVD is that once you have learned the routines you can always play your own music in the background to keep it fresh. The fact that you can choose from the different routines and sections gives this DVD great longevity where other DVD's may end up on the shelf far earlier. Well done to Lucy and the girls for putting together a fun home workout that actually does the job of helping you keep in shape whilst having fun. I am already looking forward to trying more sections of the DVD tomorrow.

You can buy the DVD by visiting the pole dance community shop which also features a large range of instructional pole dancing DVDs too including another Lucy Misch release Pole Exercise 1 and Pole Exercise 2. The DVD costs just £16.49 including UK postage (add £1 for Europe and £2 for the rest of the world).

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Dance and Health

2010-12-18T05:59:00.000-08:00

On Thursday 2nd December I was delighted to attend a seminar organised by the Department of Health and Dance South West. The event was held at the Jurys Inn and was designed to be an educational day looking at the benefits of dance and how dance practitioners can reach more people. The event was also a great opportunity to network with other like-minded individuals and it is the first time in 6 years that I have sat in a room with a bunch of professionals who did not turn their noses up when I told them I teach pole dancing!

The morning started with a DVD presentation about dance being used in different ways to promote better physical and mental well-being and focused in particular on a piece of work where dance practitioners went into a children's hospital ward and created dance pieces with the kids, the dance pieces ranged from group work to simpler pieces where a child would dance with the practitioner by the bed-side. It was truly beautiful to see the response from the kids as they expressed themselves through dance.

Next up was Ken Bartlett, Creative Director, Foundation of Community Dance who spoke about why we should use dance to tackle health issues and came up with some very interesting arguments that bode well for the future of dance in the UK. Ken argued that dance can be more inclusive than sport as it does not always aim to be competitive, in sport we are always looking for the best for the team whereas in dance there is more freedom for everyone to be the best. With the Olympics approaching and many talented individuals having their skills nurtured it is important that we also develop more person centred planning for those who do not excel in mainstream sports but could excel through dance and similar opportunities.

Ken mentioned research that proved the 'Power of Dance' through improving social cohesion and increasing mobility, flexibility, endurance and cardiovascular ability, he also shared research that showed how dance resulted in significant improvements for individuals suffering with Diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

As well as looking at current attitudes towards dance Ken mentioned the history of dance and used a quote from Barbara Ehrenreich's book 'Dancing in the Streets', Barbara talks about the suppression of dance throughout modern history and in particular the Christian's approach to the 'dance of the devil' a term used for all dance genres but more recently used for the argentine tango, salsa and, of course, pole dancing! Luckily attitudes are changing and the government is now recognising the huge benefits dance can bring not only to individuals but to the whole society.

At present Sport England only recognises 2 genres of dance, Ballet and Contemporary, but the Department of Health understands that there are many more genres that are equally beneficial to health and just as valuable as their more traditional cousins. The government wants to encourage opportunities for dance practitioners to work with health professionals and for both parties to recognise each other skills.

After Ken's informative and eloquent talk we were introduced to Kitrina Douglas, an independent researcher from Bristol University, who has just carried out a large piece of research recordng data from recent dance events organised through the governments change 4 life campaign. Kitrina's evidence looked at 4 events and how they encouraged increased participation in dance as well as their ability to attract new people to dance. The events Kitrina focused on were new ways of getting people into exercise rather than simply asking them to go to a gym. I, personally, love the idea of taking dance to the people through flash mobs, community festivals and street parties, this is such a great way of introducing people to dance, encouraging exercise and enhancing social cohesion.

After Kitrina's fabulous talk we participated in a short piece by Lois Taylor (The Works), a practitioner working with the elderly and focusing on arm-chair based dance, we were all invited to look at the number of ways in which we can dance whilst seated and we were all amazed at exactly how much you do whilst sat as well as how vigorous he exercise could be. The piece demonstrated how those with decreased mobility could still partake in dance and could reap the benefits of such participation.

Just before we retired for lunch we were treated to a fabulous dance demonstration from member of Attik Dance and Attik 360. I was moved by the performance and hope that I may be able to do some work with Attik 360 in the near future.

After lunch it was time for us to get our brains back into gear and to develop ideas on how we can target individuals and groups to encourage them to participate in dance. Our ideas have now been submitted to the department of health and the full results from the 4 seminars held across the UK will be evaluated and sent back to us, I will post the findings as soon as I receive them.

For me the seminar has given me new hope for the art of dance in 2011, pole dancing s finally being recognised as a great way to keep fit, socialise and ave fun. At long last I am being recogniseded as a performing artist and a dance practitioner rather than being seen as glorified stripper (nothing wrong with strippers but that is not what I practice or teach!).

So watch this space for details of the art of dance's appearance at the International Women's day, The Attik dance strictly collaborative event (Devonport Guildhall - 19th March) and the BA7 fringe festival (commences Sept 17th). Perhaps 2011 will be the year that the art of dance receives some much needed funding to enable it to target new groups and do more comunity projects. Watch this space.....

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Crown Court, Blood, Pole Dancing, Daily Star and Perseid Showers!

2010-12-14T05:19:00.000-08:00

After a fabulous day judging at the Bristol Pole Championships on Sunday and a seemingly long drive back to Plymouth in the early hours of Monday morning I was not keen to get up at 8am to view my neighbours pre-court hearing. However, after 10 years of neighbourly disputes I was determined to see his day in court and find out exactly what he had been up to aside from terrorising me and my fellow residents. The horror of hearing the 11 counts of rape and indecent assault against a 14 year old girl sent shivers down my spine and the fact that she now has to relieve the whole ordeal in a court room seems like a second round of torture for her, I just wish my neighbour had pleaded guilty to save the girl yet more hell. Click here to read more about yesterdays hearing. The trial is now set for March.

As I left the courts I noticed that blood transfusion vans outside the Plymouth Guildhall (pictured above) and decided to pop in and make an appointment for my free tea and chocolate biscuit and, of course, to give blood. Giving blood at the place where I got married was great, I laid on the donating table just 2 metes from the exact spot where I said my vows and enjoyed the added bonus of being able to count the number of penises on the statues that adorn the Guildhall ceiling whilst donating, definitely a worthwhile experience.

I mentioned the Bristol Pole Championships (see picture above of all the judges and competitors) at the beginning of this blog and I just wanted to say what a great, well organised and friendly competition it was, I am already looking forward to the 2011 event. A big thanks also to Rosanna for accompanying me to the event and being great company.

On the subject of pole dancing I should mention a poorly written article that featured in the Daily Star last week that I was completely unaware of at the time. My first inkling that something had been written was when I noticed a facebook update about me being in the paper, I was very confused and then saw anther few updates coming in mentioning the Daily Star, so I went to their website typed in my name and was taken straight to an article possibly written by an uneducated child about pole dancing in the Olympics accompanied by a picture of me with my name too!! As I don't own the image there is little I can do but I did have to chuckle at the poor content of the text which left me questioning the readership of such a publication.

So after the court case, giving blood, the fortnightly cash and carry visit, some Pole Dance Community and art of dance admin it was time to drive up to a secluded spot near Cadover Bridge (pictured above) on Dartmoor to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower. Seeing a meteor was going to a first for me and it was quite fascinating staring out across the starry sky. I took a while for me to get my night vision but once I was focused I totted up about 6 or 7 meteors. My night vision was halted temporarily as the police arrived to see what my husband and I were up to, the young officer looked a little surprised that we were merely star-gazing rather than partaking in some illicit drugs deal or dogging activity. I thanked the officer for checking we were OK and then re-focused my eyes to see a few more meteors before driving home.

I will blog again soon about the Dance Event I have been meaning to review and the Plymouth Fringe Event planned to coincide with the British Art Show's Plymouth visit on September 17th 2011, if you can't wait for that blog then you must read Steve Clement-Large's blog to learn more.

Just a quick mention to any of you who normally read my blog via the This is Plymouth website, sadly the website has now decide not to host any of the blogs written by its army of bloggers and they have got rid of the business section. But, fear not, there may be plans to host the blogs on another media platform.....

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Guest Blog - Overcoming Media's image of Beauty - Maria Rainier

2010-12-08T03:45:00.000-08:00

Maria Rainier (pictured below) is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, where recently she's been researching different online social work degrees and blogging about student life. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop. Hope you enjoy her guest blog:

Overcoming Media's Image of Beauty

In today’s culture, the media is everywhere – especially when it comes to what’s considered beautiful. And the media’s perception of beauty is creating an impossible standard that girls and women simply cannot live up to. Take a typical prime time lineup for example. It’s filled with shows and commercials touting the importance of “looking younger” and “getting in shape.” There’s simply no escaping the fact that women are only beautiful if they’re thin, young and stylish. So how do women rise above this extremely distorted view of beauty that seems to be everywhere in the world around us?

It all starts by loving your body.
No matter if you’re a size 4 or a size 14, every woman has things about their body that they wish they could change. But to make sure the media doesn’t get the best of you, it’s vital to accept your body for what it is and love it enough to work toward good health – instead of trying to reach society’s impossible standard.

Just say no to beauty-focused advertising.
Let’s face it, you could spend a lifetime trying the latest renewal creams, lash-boosting mascaras and diet pills. Accept that fact that wrinkles, grey hairs and stretch marks will happen and don’t let the media’s warped definition of beauty make you feel less than your best.

Focus on good health.
Did you know that twenty years ago the average fashion model weighed eight percent less than the average woman – and now that figure is 23 percent less? Forget about reaching unachievable goals and instead focus on living for good health. Your body and your mind will thank you for it.

Shut down negative stereotypes.
The best way to eliminate the warped stereotypes of women in the media is to simply avoid them. Stop watching TV commercials touting the next best thing, skip reading those beauty magazines and enjoy the empowering feeling that comes with shutting out the negativity and focusing on the good stuff.

Empower other women.
Whether it’s a young girl in your life who is just starting to feel the affects of the media, or a friend who has long struggled with body image, the more support you can give the women in your life the better off you all will be.

Remember that the next time you see a stick thin model walking down a fashion runway, or a celebrity on the cover of a magazine, consider the hours of work that went into her appearance – from the air brushing to the make-up to the hair extensions. And remind yourself that real beauty comes from within – and not from the bottle of the next best beauty product!

A big thank you to Maria for writing such a lovely guest blog. If you liked the topic of this blog then here are a few more sites you may enjoy:

Adios Barbie, Body Outlaws and Wintergirls review ( a controversial book on anorexia).

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Drugs, Prostitutes and Burkhas.

2010-12-04T08:22:00.000-08:00

I read an interesting article on the Herald a few months ago where columnist Keith Rossiter discussed his views on the legislation of illegal drugs, it is a viewpoint that I completely agreed with and my liberal views also extend to the legalisation of prostitution. My views are not shared by all so I was particularly interested in a debate by the Plymouth Humanists on the subject of Liberty held last Thursday at Raffles.

Guest Speaker Keith Denby from the Devon Humanists kicked of the debate with a speech about John S Mill, a well known historical figure famous for his views on liberty and for his book, that has never been out of circulation since its publication in 1859, On Liberty. The talk was then followed by a lively debate focusing on legislation, human rights and mainly drugs and prostitution.

Generally the main point of disagreement was where we draw the line on our own personal human rights and the rights of those around us. Is the right of the wider human society more important than the individual and do we need excessive legislation to protect such rights. For example, if someone chooses to smoke cannabis in the privacy of their own home and they cause no harm to anyone else should that be illegal and do we as a wider society benefit from attempts to enforce such legislation.

The point that Keith Denby had raised was that the actual act of taking a drug should not be the punishable offence, the offence would be any negative behaviour displayed by the individual that caused harm or offence to another. This links in to modern law in the sense that it is not illegal to drink alcohol but there are laws against being drunk and disorderly and drink driving as they cause harm to others.

For me the biggest problem with the prohibition of drugs and prostitution is the creation of an uncontrolled black market; one gentleman quoted statistics proving that taking soft drugs usually led to involvement with harder drugs. I argued that this may be partly due to the black market where an individual buying drugs may be more likely to be introduced to other drugs or more likely to meet users of harder drugs. The black market prevents education and denies the government the opportunity to earn much needed revenue for the country.

Another issue with illegal dugs is that we create a taboo which may make it more exciting for youngsters to take drugs, this has been partly proven in studies in Holland where school children were reported to say that they did not take cannabis as it was not cool.

As the evening progressed and the alcohol started to flow the debate become even more lively and we moved onto prostitution which I strongly believe should be legalised. We are never going to stop prostitution and I don't believe we should be attempting to do so. We do have a moral responsibility to protect the vulnerable who are involved in the darker side of prostitution and sex trafficking and though legislation I feel we would have far more chance of doing so. It was funny to see the reactions of the group as they were asked to put their hands up if they had ever used the services of a prostitute, people were much happier to divulge if they and taken drugs and I laughed as a few guys started to raise their hands, look around to see if others were going to do so and then lower their hand again as they decided not to publicise their activities.

I know that today's blog contains huge topics that deserve more than a mere page of ranting from me but I am interested in your views and would love to hear your comments. Perhaps I can do a follow up blog in a few weeks to discuss and share your comments?

Before I sign off for today I have one more controversial topic to discuss - the burqa, hijab or niqab. I wanted to mention that I bought a niqab for my husband (as you do!) and we, and some of our friends, have been experimenting with wearing it. The experiment has been partly about observing peoples reactions to the headwear and partly about the experience of actually wearing it. Whilst I understand that some would argue that it is their choice to wear the niqab I cannot personally understand how the full burqa can be worn without serious discomfort; I felt that my breathing was restricted and my vision was also limited which made me feel very vulnerable, it is also extremely difficult and undignified to try to eat or drink whist wearing it. One lady was close to tears as she said that the head-dress really upset her as she felt it was a direct attack on women's rights. I will report more on the experiment and others reactions very soon.......

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

An Elected Mayor for Plymouth?

2010-11-28T07:16:00.000-08:00

Grovelling apologies not only for the lack of blogging but for the failure to blog about last weeks PoleDivas competitions, it was a fabulous event and I will blog about it and post pictures when I get a moment.

However, an issue has arisen that I felt deserved today's blog space and was very time sensitive as the deadline for submission of comments is the 5th December. As you may know I have various issues with the way Plymouth City Council is run, so much so that I even stood for local elections last year (with no success), I care passionately about the city in which I live and feel we could be doing so much more to nurture and promote this beautiful harbour and surrunding countryside.

It seems we, the people of Plymouth, have the opportunity to vote to have an elected mayor as opposed to the current arrangements of an unelected chief executive and unelected council leaders yet many people I have spoken to have no idea about the possibility of reform. A personal thanks to the Herald for bringing this matter to my attention.

Here are some links from the thisisplymouth website that help debate the issue and will give you a better idea of exactly what is going on:

Openess is the only way, Technical snag hits Plymouth's elected mayor vote, Have your say (a letter by Roger Prescott).

I get the idea that our current council leaders don't want change as they are happy with their cosy positions but this is not about what they want, this is about what's best for Plymouth. OK, so details were posted on the PCC website but have you ever tried to navigate the PCC website? It is full of broken links and has a poor search function making it very difficult to actually find what you want.

If, for example, you wanted to hire the Plymouth Guildhall you would find it difficult to find the right page and when you do find the 'halls for hire' section there are no pictures or information to encourage you to actually book the venue. What I am trying to say is that Plymouth always sells itself short, our waterfront is in a mess, our airport is threatened, our rail links are poor and in desperate need of repair, the bus station is an absolute disgrace and when a recent coach company approached Plymouth about arranging tours a PCC rep stated that Plymouth is not a tourist destination!

Would this poster encourage you to visit Plymouth?

Recently we have seen the re-branding of Plymouth, a controversial exercise costing thousands of pounds of taxpayers money with pathetic results, click here for some interesting reporting from the Herald. Surely rather than sitting around a desk talking about 'Positively Plymouth' and making pretty pictures on a PC (or Mac) we would have gained more from some practical actions such as clearing the streets of litter or repainting the bus station.

Is it unfair to say that PCC has the alternative Midas touch i.e. everything it touches turns to rubbish? What about the East End development, The Pavillions, The Dome, Tinside Lido, The plans for Central park, The Life centre, The disaster that is the Mayflower tourist centre, The fact that PCC can't organise a thanksgiving and it is left to a few individuals to plan? I could go on.......

Back to the real point of toay's blog, could we benefit from an elected mayor and are we fed up with existing council set-up which sees the same old faces making the same old decisions? I have already aired my opinion in favour of an elected mayor and have raised concerns about the lack of public awareness of this issue.

Here is the actual response I got from Tim Howes after I aired concerns about the mayoral reform option not being publicised enough:

"The option of having a directly elected Mayor came into being in 2000. Plymouth had a referendum on having an elected Mayor in 2002, where the public rejected the option.

There is a provision where the public, via petition, can request a further referendum but not until10 years after the 2002 referendum. Incidentally, the cost of the referendum alone is £250-300,000.

A new Localism Bill is being published shortly which will provide further options for the political governance of the authority, including a return to the committee system, which was in place prior to 2000. On the basis of those changes, the Government has encouraged Council's to use the most cost-effective form of consultation.

The Council has discussed new executive arrangements in two meetings which were open to the public, the summons, agenda and minutes of those meetings are on our web-site. The Council will be considering this matter again on the 6th December, when again, the meeting will be open to the public.

The Council also published press releases relating to these changes and since October, several articles on the subject have appeared in the local press. Those same press releases were on our web-site.

People have written to the Council, sent e-mails and responded to the on-line consultation to date. That consultation remains open until the 5th December."

If you want your say just e-mail Tim Howes to request a copy of the consultation document and to air your views.

I will stop writing for now as it makes me rather angry but I hope that everyone gets the chance to air the views and that for once the council actually listens to its people.Well done to all those who do care abut Plymouth, the unsung heroes who arrange community activities, run businesses and do their best to make Plymouth great despite a failing council.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

From dying to 10 years younger!

2010-11-18T05:54:00.000-08:00

For the last few weeks I thought I might be dying, I was getting increasingly frequent headaches as well as pins and needles in my right hand, I knew I had been training a lot but didn't realise quite how much damage I had done.

You see the problem is that teaching is not the same as doing your own personal practice and quite often I find myself showing students how not do things to prevent injury and then sustaining those injuries myself. For example, one of my recent session plans, which was laid out over 3 consecutive hours of teaching, involved headstand grips and the potential for pressure to the neck, I showed students the correct technique and then showed them a more advanced technique that could result in neck damage. By the time I got home my neck was really aching but at least my students necks were left protected!

Another problem with teaching is that quite often you are not working to your maximum ability especially when you are teaching less advanced groups. It is difficult to stay warm in some classes and that makes the muscles more prone to injury. The 20+ pole dancing inductions last month certainly had a part to play in my knotted muscles.

Teaching a lot also means I tend to neglect my personal pole dance training and this was reflected in my recent performance at the University of Plymouth Pole Dancing Club showcase at Plymouth University. I had lost some of my usual fluidity and grace and will definitely no perform again without more rehearsal time. Videos of mine and Tamar's performance to follow very, very soon!

So due to the high number of hours teaching and the lack of time to keep up my own personal yoga practice or regular sports massage I have been building up a series of niggling injuries. There was I thinking that I was dying when all I needed was a good massage and some nice stretches. Help came in the form of Glen, a local sports masseuse with years of experience and a price tag of just £15 for a whole hour :). I should at this point apologise to my usual masseuse for not getting in contact but I know our hectic diaries sometimes make it difficult for me to get an appointment especially at short notice.

My hour long massage and consultation was exactly the cure I needed and the hour of pummeling meant I could walk out of the treatment room feeling 10 years younger. Since Monday's appointment I have had no more headaches, no more pins and needles and have suddenly regained movement in my back and shoulders that I haven't had for months. I will not be leaving it so long before my next massage.

So my students should be warned that once I return from judging at the finals of PoleDivas this weekend in Manchester I will be bursting full of energy with some very special extra evil session plans. You have been warned.

N.B. Image at top of blog is the fabulous novelty toothpick holder from Worldwide Fred. Click here to view or buy.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Remembering and hoping for better.

2010-11-14T07:04:00.000-08:00

As I started today's blog, that was going to be about my sore shoulder, I suddenly realised it was Remembrance Sunday and the idea of merely winging about a small ache in my body seemed completely selfish. To think that so many have lost their lives and so many have been left permanently scarred both physically and mentally definitely outweighs my pole-pain!

I would like to take a moment to remember all those who have suffered both in recent conflict and in wars of the past, the many men, women and children who have been caught up in cruel and bloody conflict. I would love to think that we had said goodbye to the last fatalities of war, that in this day and age no-one would have to die over arguments about religion and oil but I am sure we will see many more lose their lives yet.

My thoughts go out to all those who have lost loved ones or those who still suffer at the hands of war. I normally sign off my blog with the words 'Stay Healthy' but war has taken that right away from so many. I hope that we can learn from the past and try to avoid such atrocities in the future.

Sam x

Continuing Professional Development.

2010-11-07T04:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending another Keep Fit Association (KFA) training day at Derriford Church Hall in Plymouth. The course was divided into 2 parts with the morning being devoted to a theoretical session looking at Equality and Diversity with Carolyn Drew from Somerset County Council. We also touched on the Disability Discrimination act of 2005. I have to be honest that having come from a NHS and Social services background specialising in adults with learning disabilities the course did not really offer me anything new but was a gentle reminder of basic policy and good practice. The course also tackled institutional racism, prejudice (click here for a clip of the Equal Somerset film currently being used as a teaching aid in the UK and the US) and its manifestation within the workplace. Carolyn presented well and provoked a few good discussions as well as inviting us to check that our classes are as inclusive as they can be.

The afternoon was devoted to a practical session on personal performance and being a good role model for you students. We looked at learning routines and ensuring we proceed them correctly for our students as well as providing good demonstrations. We used fabulous references about the 7 secrets of Super performers, click here for this great source of advice, I will certainly be reading this resource prior to my next performance.

What I love about the KFA style is that it allows for more freedom of movement than the REP's ETM (Register of Exercise Professionals Exercise to Music course), I found the ETM style very restrictive whereas the KFA allows much more artistic license which I feel gives the students more benefits.

I am always welcomed on the KFA courses and at just £35 for the whole day the courses are great value. I think ongoing training helps to keep your mind open so your classes don't stagnate, to constantly evaluate both my practice and that of those who work with me is an essential part of my business and my responsibilty to my students and staff.

Another bonus of the South West KFA courses is that local trainer, Dell, always brings home made cake and the lemon cake she brought yesterday did not disappoint. The SWKFA ladies are a true pleasure to work with and they are a real inspiration with several members still teaching in their 70's and 80's, I believe Ruth is now 83 and she still looks fabulous. Recently the SWKFA ladies choreographed an amazing ABBA inspired routine to perform at the Royal Albert Hall, click here to read more.

What was also great about yesterday was that the course reinforced the fact that at the art of dance we are teaching to the best of our ability and within the law. I am so proud of my staff team and the wonderful session plans they provide for our students.

It is now time to sign of for a Sunday Brunch followed by some personal pole dancing practice later this afternoon as I prepare for Tuesdays pending showcase at the Student Union at Plymouth University.

More news to follow soon including more pole dance competition judging news (AWPC, Bristol Pole Championships and PoleDivas) as well as a new fitness DVD review and promising new pole dance magazine.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Guest Blog - Exercise Bulimia - Kitty Holman

2010-11-03T04:45:00.000-07:00

This guest post is contributed by Kitty Holman, who writes on the topics of nursing schools. Kitty asked me for a topic to write on and I felt that eating disorders were perhaps an under discussed and misunderstood issue that affect so many making them a good blog topic.

Kitty welcomes your comments by email I would like to thank Kitty Holman for today's guest blog and I hope you enjoy Kitty's informative article:

picture courtesy of 2 porcelain hearts.

Exercise Bulimia: When Working Out Becomes Dangerous.

Bulimia and anorexia nervosa are two increasingly common psychiatric disorders that have received plenty of media attention. Steeped in an advertising climate that constantly purveys images of unrealistic body types, many men and women fall victim to a disorder that can have life-threatening consequences. While most representations of bulimia are of the binging-and-induced-vomiting sort, another bulimia type exercise bulimia is often overlooked in our fitness-obsessed culture.

A Chicago Tribune article published last month reported on the disorder, profiling cases of two women who exercised obsessively. One woman, who is currently a nutritionist and yoga instructor, was exercising about two-and-a-half hours a day while subsisting on as little as eight hundred calories of daily food intake.

While this is an extreme scenario, how can one tell if you or a loved one is exercising too much? According to Jackie Holmes, director of the Casa Serena Eating Disorders Program in Concord, California, one's feelings toward exercising is the biggest indicator in gauging whether a person is suffering from exercise bulimia.

image courtesy of Graham Menzies Foundation.

Exercise bulimics exercise religiously, feeling pangs of enormous guilt when they haven't completed their (often daily) exercise regimen. They'll place exercise as their highest priority, canceling plans with friends, missing family events, or even ignoring an illness or injury so they can get in their work outs. What's more, exercise bulimics tend to think of exercise in terms of calorie burning and not in terms of overall well-being. Like those whose bulimia manifests itself in binging and purging, exercise bulimics work out in order to alleviate guilt associated with food consumption.

As with other eating disorders, exercise bulimia often occurs in tandem with related psychiatric disorders like obsessive compulsion. People with perfectionist tendencies may exercise maniacally in order to feel in control. Those with a family history of mental illnesses like depression and OCD are at a particularly high risk.

Overcoming exercise bulimia can be extremely difficult, as many exercise bulimics are praised for their discipline. This praise serves as positive reinforcement that can become just as addicting as the exercise itself. In another article, a recovering exercise bulimic noted, "People reward you for being lean and for being in the gym religiously and for being meticulous about your food choices. But no one sees it as a disease. They see it as you’re living a healthy lifestyle."

If you suspect that you or a loved one is suffering from exercise bulimia, as with all psychiatric disorders, it is important to seek help from a medical professional as soon as possible. For more information on exercise bulimia, see WebMD's informational article on compulsive exercising.

Kitty Holman

Happy Halloween.

2010-10-31T05:05:00.000-07:00

I hope that you all have a fabulous Halloween. I have had the most amazing week at the art of dance with a themed week of spooky fun and Halloween inspired classes. Check out some of the Halloween witches (above) who visited my studio for sinister fun. It seems that the art of dance is not the only school hosting a little Halloween terror, PDC approved pole dance school Emily's Pole Fitness have been sticking sweets to the ceiling and getting their students to climb to the tops of the pole to reach their rewards. One student managed a Gemini at the top of the pole so she could salvage a sweet with her toes!

PDC approved JLN Fitness have also hosted a Halloween pole dancing competition. Thanks to the lovely Jess from JLN for the fabulous bouquet of flowers she sent me to help brighten my week after my friend's funeral. The delivery really picked me up at what would otherwise have been a very low point.

You may want to check out the interview I have just done with US Pole dancer Josiah Grant AKA BadAzz (pictured above), click here to read the full article.

I will keep it short today as there are lots of little jobs I need to catch up on but I will leave you with mine (above) and my husbands (below) pumpkin carvings!

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Judging at PoleDivas

2010-10-24T05:56:00.000-07:00

picture above of me doing the Extended Frodo (fao Josephine!)

Last night I had the pleasure, or should I say tough job, of judging at the South West heats of the PoleDivas championships in Bristol. I knew it was going to be a stiff competition with several ladies in the finals who all have the potential to win the finals.

On arrival I met several of the competitors, all from PDC approved schools, and was able to put some names to faces as I met Emily from Emily's Pole Fitness, Shelley Neave from House of Pole and Lucie Tutton from In the Shadows. I also caught up with more familiar faces such as joint competition organiser Robyn Rooke from 360 Pole Dancing (PDC approved school). Robyn was was busy multi tasking but coped brilliantly with organising and MCing - great job! The lovely Varie Anderson, Professional winner of the South West heats of UKAPP, was busy ensuring all the competitors had filled in their PARQ's, got their music and knew the line-up.

I took my place on the judges table with fellow judges Pippa from PoleNastics (PDC approved) and Stacey from Stacey Pole (PDC approved). Stacey is of course also the sales manager at X-pole and a very busy lady! We were joined by officials Josephine Ford (the original PoleDivas founder and organiser of the forthcoming Bristol Pole Championships) and Varie Anderson. The judging criteria this year for PoleDivas is tough but fair and the the scoring allows all judges to give marks for Technical elements (40%) as well as Presentation (musicality, choreography etc) and Performance (costume, stage presence etc). The official ensure that all the compulsory elements are included, anyone failing to complete a compulsory element receives a deduction from the judges score. The officials were extremely thorough, checking and double checking the scores and using the video footage of each performer to double and sometimes triple check that the compulsory elements were as they should be.

I have to admit that last year I had my reservations about the complex judging system but this year it seemed to run smoothly and all the judges agreed on the final placings.

The Amateur section was a tough call and I find it really hard to judge critically as these ladies have only been dancing for a matter of months an suddenly they are faced with a strict panel of judges, a large audience and the joy of dealing with performance nerves!

The finals scores were very, very close with Bex Brady from Spin City Pole fitness (PDC approved) taking the title and the place in the finals. I loved Claire's performance too, her song choice and style were perfectly suited and she definitely has potential.

Next up was the amateur advanced section for those who are advanced but not yet ready to take on the professionals. Thus years heat was won by last years Amateur winner Riina Laahanen, who has certainly improved, her trick packed routine kept us all entertained and she showed a great display of strength whilst looking like she was really enjoying her routine, this girl has so much energy!

I have to admit, as amazing as all the amateur were I was eagerly waiting the professionals and already had a few performers who I was expecting to do rather well. Starting the professionals heat was the lovely Lucie Tutton who was obviously very nervous, she said that she didn't expect to win but wanted to enter for her students, which I was thought was extremely brave and admirable. Lucie managed some good tricks within her routine and did her students proud.

Another performer who stated that she didn't enter to in was the fabulous Catherine Payne, a mother in her 40's who performed like a 20 year old athlete, strong, poised and graceful. Despite not winning Catherine and the Spin City girls must have been chuffed with the performance.

picture above of Amy Williams and Sarah Scott (Studio 22) winning the NSPDS routine for the Nation competition 2010.

For me the 2 acts that completely stole the show were joint winners Sarah Scott from Studio 22,(PDC Approved) and Jamie Alexah-Taylor from Defy Gravity (PDC approved). Both girls had completely different styles with Sarah opting for an urban routine with complex choreography and flawless tricks, Jamie chose the slow controlled option and completed the routine with effortless grace. The final scores left each girl with just 0.5 of a point between them resulting in the joint win. There is a video of Sarah's routine here but it is not great quality and doesn't really do her performance justice.

It was a sad night for former winner Annie Norris who narrowly missed out on a place in the finals lost her reigning title. It is so sad that anyone has to lose especially when Annie was still amazing. Annie has her own unique style but, like me, she suffers from tremendous performance nerves and I think the pressure of trying to retain her title proved too much on the night.

After the results were announce it was time for me to hit the M5/A38 and head home, I managed to get a brief chance to chat with the lovely Kate from Spin City as well as the fabulous Bendy Kate (UKAPP Expert winner) and finally had the pleasure of meeting Alice Milner from Pole Dancing Bath (PDC approved). It was so nice to meet so many truly lovely people and a chance to make new friends as well as catching up with old ones.

A big thanks to everyone who made last night happen, the competition was well organised, fair and very friendly. Fair play to the audience too for showing the competitors the respect they deserved. Can't wait till the finals now!

Stay Healthy,

Sam x

Remembering the Pirate of Mutley

2010-10-20T11:56:00.000-07:00

This blog has taken me just over a week to actually write, I tried to write it last Tuesday but just couldn't get the words out.

It was last Tuesday afternoon that I discovered a good friend had died, his body was found just yards from my workplace in a Mutley Service Lane. I had been aware of the large police presence so went to be nosey and see what had happened, I was then informed that Brian AKA 'the Pirate of Mutley' or the 'Dude with the dog' had died.

Brian had been a good friend who I had known for many years, he had chosen to live rough after a series of tragic events left him unable to understand the rat race we seem to live in. One day he left the house he owned, shut the door behind him, posted the keys back through the letterbox and took to a life on the streets with his beloved dog Bella AKA the 'Rattweiller'. Some of you may remember my previous blog about a night with Brian where I referred to him as Bill for obvious reasons.

Brian had been unwell in the weeks before his death with a worsening chest infection that had left him coughing and vomiting, I had repeatedly asked him to see a GP and he had joked that if he went he would make sure he saw a female doctor and get a full physical examination as he could do with some female interaction of a personal nature! I won't describe the full conversation but it did make us both laugh.

I have, like so many, fabulous memories of Brian from the time we lived together in Keyham with Rich to the many days and nights we met on Mutley and North Hill. Often, when I finished work I would buy Brian a sandwich or a portion of spicy potatoes (with ketchup, of course!) and buy Bella a sachet of her favourite Caspers selection.

I now dread walking through Mutley knowing that I will not bump into Brian again.

I am so pleased that someone has set up a facebook tribute site to Brian and so many people have made it clear how loved Brian actually was. I had promised Brian that if anything happened to him I would ensure that Bella was taken care off and I intend to keep that promise, her first food parcel is being delivered tomorrow and will include her favourite Caspers meal and some other lovely doggie treats.

I will never forget Brian and wish life had dealt him a few more chunks of happiness.

Stay Healthy,

Sam x