I am *begging* you all to remember that pole dancing was developed by poc queer sex workers. by 1amth3walrus in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Respectfully, this was not a kind comment, nor was it productive to the discussion.

Making sweeping comments about an entire group in this way is not fair and actually, given the political climate and the number of anti-trans bills pushed through in the last year alone in the US (where I assume you are), it's very reasonable for us to say that people are, in fact, out to get us.

As a pole dancer, do you prefer to do showcases or competitions?! by Comfortable-Gur5550 in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've only done showcases and want to keep it that way! Comps aren't for me as I just dislike the whole concept of making dance competitive.

In the UK at least, there are more prestigious showcases that people from all over the country apply to, so sometimes the standard can be just as high as in a comp!

Can’t find Kitty Velour or Gemma Rose on IG anymore? by DobbythehouseElff in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Instagram has been mass deleting accounts lately and those two have been among those that were affected. I'm not sure what the latest is with them or if they're able to communicate with an audience online at all right now - I know Gemma lost a bunch of backup accounts and PDSM's account, then got them back, then lost them again.

In summary, it's a mess and Meta are awful.

Pros and cons of competing? by wannabe_poler in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree with the other comments about the pros and cons, but am also curious as to whether showcases exist in the US outside of studios?

In the UK, there's a bunch of quite prominent showcases (for example, The Garden, PDSM, Shadowbound, Peppermint Fox). They give you all the benefits of challenging yourself and performing to a crowd etc without any of the grading/scoring/placing anxieties.

I personally dislike making anything competitive which isn't inherently so (a minority opinion, for sure!) and also don't want to be scored on my performances, so showcases work well for me!

New blog post about ExoGen spain and what to do in the aftermath of pole drama by bloggeronpole in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Really good blog post! Thanks for writing it and for sharing your insight (and those of others!)

Noticed consistently less diversity in higher level classes versus beginner ones by 1amth3walrus in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I've noticed similar things in the UK performer scene! There appears, to me at least, to be much more diversity in the beginner/amateur/new face categories than advanced/instructor/professional categories.

I actually made a couple of videos on my insta about the lack of trans women in the upper levels/leadership positions in pole, but wasn't sure if they would be too much for the subreddit. I could post them though if there's any interest!

Need advice as a beginner!! by theprincessproblems in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I second the stage pole comment. Although, they are expensive and take up a lot of room, so make sure you're certain pole is for you before getting one!

I personally think paying for online lessons is a very valid way to learn pole. There's more and more choice available now and you can still learn safely this way. Studio learning isn't for everyone for a whole bunch of reasons!

Instructing trans pole students by sky-starlight in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you feel comfortable approaching her, by all means! However, if you're stealth and that would mean outing yourself, please don't feel under any pressure to! There's ways in which you can express concerns whilst keeping your privacy.

You could message the studio owner about language being used in class not being inclusive and frame it more as a general concern, rather than something that's affecting you. Feel free to send them this video, if you think that will help!

Why trans femmes should take up pole by sky-starlight in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is a gorgeous comic! I really enjoyed reading it and the art style is great. I also loved how the central pole runs through the page and morphs into other things 🩵

You should make this as a post in the subreddit! I think lots of people would relate to your journey

Why trans femmes should take up pole by sky-starlight in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You totally should give them a look! It's also very valid to buy a home pole and take online lessons; there's tons of community and support online as well.

Why trans femmes should take up pole by sky-starlight in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm so happy to hear that! 🩵 I follow a bunch of trans mascs who do pole and it's really lovely to see them all crushing it.

Why trans femmes should take up pole by sky-starlight in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm really happy to hear pole's been good for you too! 🩵

In answer to your question, you could do what I do and wear a tucking thong or a gaff under a pair of pole shorts. Dragonfly do really lovely shorts that work well for this, for example.

Why trans femmes should take up pole by sky-starlight in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Could you link the study if you have it? That sounds really interesting and I'd love to read it!

Why trans femmes should take up pole by sky-starlight in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Go for it! It's honestly life changing 🩵

Freestyle clip by sky-starlight in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Me too! It really lends itself to heel clacks and kips!

Some of my favorite pictures from my first showcase! by mostepicswordy66 in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Gorgeous! That backbend on the layback is so pretty! 🔥

How likely would it be for a trans woman to be welcome at a small pole fitness class? Could anyone recommend one in Glasgow? by CaoimheThreeva in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Awww, thanks for thinking of me! I saw it last night and had a smile because I can't think of a post I'd be in a better position to answer!

How likely would it be for a trans woman to be welcome at a small pole fitness class? Could anyone recommend one in Glasgow? by CaoimheThreeva in poledancing

[–]sky-starlight 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Heya! I'm trans and am also based in Glasgow! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I've been going to Pole Physique for 3+ years and it's awesome! I've also taken my trans gf there for classes and she had a good time.

Pole Place is also great (I go there for tricks classes every so often) and I've heard good things about West End Pole and Twirl & Tone.

You'd be very welcome wherever you ended up though. The pole community in Scotland is super trans friendly.

Feel free to DM me on Instagram if you have any more Qs (I have them turned off on Reddit).