I competed in pole dance for the first time in November 2024 in Boston!! First of all, I have to say I have so much love for FOXY, pole, and life!!! Competing was an unforgettable opportunity that I was incredibly lucky to experience.
I’m so grateful for all of the pep talks and support from everyone, especially the FOXY family! One of my favorite things about Foxy is the culture - how detail-oriented and supportive everyone is and how they hold themselves to the highest standards. I’m beyond inspired and proud of everyone! This is no walk in the park, as graceful and effortless as polers are able to make it look!
broken split doesn't break me anymore
2024 more pole more life
Competing has been a goal of mine. I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and challenge myself to grow as a pole dancer (and 2 inches as a human, why didn’t I drink more whole milk like my mother told me?!) You never know what you are capable of until you try! A pole routine takes effort, commitment, and detailed planning, from choosing music to style to tricks and floorwork. I thought this would be a great way to keep myself accountable and to improve my performance skills. Part of the reason I love pole is that it demands your mind to stay in the present, again and again and again. I don’t need to worry about work or taking out the garbage or countless other random worries racing through my mind. I also love how I can literally roll around the floor or do random jumps without being judged.
Around September 16, I signed up for the November competition in Boston, which gave me around 2 months to prepare a routine. Initially, it felt very overwhelming, as there was so much to choose and think about, from song to which category you want to compete in to costume and which combos. Luckily, I live only a 15 minute E-bike ride from one of the greatest pole studios in the world and got the opportunity to attend tons of workshops and practice sessions where we worked with a wonderful teacher to refine our routines and combos. I’m so grateful for back-to-back run-throughs, as they were key to building endurance.
The timing of my training schedule has been primarily freestyle and unstructured – this style works best with my personality as well as my work schedule. I’ve generally struggled with rigid schedules – for example, even for the marathon I was training for, I only managed to stick to the plan for 2 days before doing my own thing. By being flexible, I can better tailor sessions to my energy level that day and focus on different elements based on mood.
Additionally, competing pushed me to become more intentional about recovery, something I’ve neglected in the past. I’ve grown in the sense that I’m no longer obsessed with losing 20 pounds, like I was in college, as embarrassing as it is to admit. Now, I drink mung bean soup as a delicious supplement to my diet instead of making it the sole thing that I eat for dinner on the daily. I’ve been focusing on eating a nutritious diet with high protein.
A substantial amount of growth also occurs mentally and emotionally - we need to train our minds to fight any emerging demons head-on. We face everything from nervousness, frustration, self-doubt, and insecurity to bruises and aching muscles. During the training period, the following thoughts crossed my mind at LEAST once a day – what’s the point? I’m not going to win and more likely, I’ll probably fall and embarrass myself. Is this even worth the time, money, intense training, and mental space? Why am I voluntarily putting myself in a position where I’m being judged? All of this preparation, and the time on stage will be over in 3.5 minutes? I’m not good enough, I’m not strong or courageous enough, I don’t have difficult enough combos or dance ability, I can’t even relax my face-- ... But when you know that you’re going to attempt it regardless, there’s no point in psyching yourself out. Change the narrative to one that’s constructive for you. I spent a lot of time on visualization and creating self-confidence. It’s important to remember the reasons why you wanted to compete: to grow through the creation process, to discover your own unique style, to learn, and to share your own interpretations of pole. The best way to grow is to expose yourself to risk. I love the quote by Alexi Pappas: “Standing back is hiding. Trying your best is brave.”
I chose a song that resonated with me in my current stage of life because it covers themes of dreaming bigger and longing for something greater. The song acknowledges the challenges and precarious nature of chasing one’s dreams and the struggles of living paycheck to paycheck, yet the determination of following one’s own path remains strong. Like the subject of the song, I want to live my life as someone who takes risks and goes for what I desire instead of staying in what’s comfortable, even if I have to do it alone and face potential failure.
The competition weekend was a whirlwind of emotions. I took a shuttle to Boston with my Foxy teammates on Friday evening before the competition on Saturday/Sunday. We met up at the studio before and did final run-throughs and, in classic Janet cramming fashion, I tried to learn how to “turn” last minute. On Saturday morning, we woke up at 6:30a.m. to “pole-test” in the big ballroom (basically, competitions are allowed to try out the static and spin pole’s spin speed, height, etc. before performing their competition piece later in the day) Ashley, our esteemed leader and an icon in the pole world, gave an incredible inspirational speech. I went 110% on our 2 minute pole test!!! The team helped me do all my warrior makeup with hella rhinestones and also hair! Backstage, there were dancers chatting, warming up, some listening to their headphones, and others practing a portion of their routine off the floor. Despite all the anxiety I felt backstage, as it was my turn to perform, I felt oddly calm and in the moment as I walked on stage and started my piece. I got to watch others’ performances as well and felt so proud and inspired especially while watching all of my teammates!
Afterwards, my friend Bradley and I walked Freedom Trail and had clam chowder and chicken pot pie at Quincy market, where I got a message that I had somehow placed 2nd in my category of Championship Level 4! I remember feeling incredibly shocked. Late at night, we took the glass elevator to the spooky 16th floor ballroom. That day was so much exertion that lifesaver Bradley was kind to donate all his leftover food to me at midnight since all the restaurants nearby were closed.
We had Chinese food as a group after the last performances on Sunday, and I booked a last minute Amtrak to the city (pro-tip, book in advance or you’ll be broke.) Although pole competitions can be an emotional and turbulent journey, competing taught me so many lessons, and my life feels richer because of it. I have so much love and respect for all of the competitors, and of course, my teachers and teammates, who carried me on their backs for this competition (literally at times - especially when my arms gave out during a run-through). Quote from my diary on the train back to the city: “Heart is full, I need to rest and hibernate forever.”
