Cecilia De Bucourt was a model in the 90’s: she worked with Naomi and Claudia by her side for elite names of the fashion industry.
A fashion designer: designed collections for Barney’s and Guess and now she has her own clothing line.
A photographer: her photos of dancers are true pieces of art that transcendents anything known so far in pole dance photography.
And of course: she’s a pole dancer. AND she recently won “Dramatic level 4 Master” at PSO Boston.
And these are just a few steps of her career.

Meet Cecilia

This beautiful woman – with her life résumé much larger than my probably 5 next incarnation will be – has really captured my heart. We had only virtual rendezvous (unfortunately we’re miles away), but I loved her energy, her creativity, her passion and the way she’s always ready for action.

And that’s why I began with a set of questions, that interested me most.

On the left: “Pin up calendar shoot in Argentina wearing a REAL snake around my neck. It felt cold and wet and super heavy.”
On the right: “ELLE Cover. I was about 25 years old.”

With a body of a goddess that you have I suppose you did some sport before?

Thank you for the compliment… No… I actually never exercised before I started pole dancing. I was really lazy and claimed most of my life that I would never get into sports or exercise. I remember saying when I was in my 20’s: “I wished I was more athletic”, I knew that it was more than just looking fit, it was a lifestyle. I tried yoga, the gym… but would quit after 3 weeks or so. I always got bored quickly.

“Natasha Wang, she is a classic in the pole world. And Icon. Pure elegance, talent and such a nice person.”

So why pole dance?

I was 41 years old, and after having 2 kids, I felt the need to do some kind of exercise. I knew very well that going to the gym was out of the question. I didn’t care only about looking fit, but I wanted to find a way of moving, expressing myself and finding a fun activity. I heard from someone that pole dancing was a great complete workout. So, I went online, googled pole dance and Michelle Stanek’s video came up (USPDF 2012 champion). I was blown away… So much elegance, strength, and beauty!

I decided to give it a try. It was April 5th, 2013 (a date I will never forget, almost as important as my birthday), and I signed up for my first intro to pole class at Body & Pole in NYC. I knew my life changed forever the moment I left class that day, I wanted more… much more. I was certain I would never quit pole dancing, but I had no idea at the time that pole dancing would affect and transform my entire life.

“Pink Puma. This was one my first shoots with an International pole Star that I have not met until my shoot day. I contacted her by FB message and asked her if I could take her photos. When the day she walked into my studio, I was blown away. Her beauty and presence are out of this world. She said she would give me 3 hours max. She stayed 8 hours. We connected and we loved the images we were doing together. I took about 2.000 images, which I can assure you 1.950 are perfect. It has never happened to me before. Choosing the very best ones, was incredibly challenging, A moment I will never forget.” 

Can you share us in what way did pole dancing affect your life?

Yes, pole dancing has transformed my life, big time.

My body had been my work tool for 14 years during my modeling years. And I was constantly judged by the way I looked and that made it difficult to feel confident or love my body.

After I started to pole dance, I felt more connected to my body, started feeling it in new ways. Amazed by the thing it can do, the way it can move, the way it can become a medium to express feelings. I now feel stronger, healthier and more confident than ever before.

And most important, when I started pole dancing, I was recently divorced. I felt so heartbroken, scared, sad, disappointed and hopeless. My divorce was the most stressful an difficult thing I went through in my entire life. I can say with certainty, pole dancing saved me. It gave me back the confidence, strength, and self-love I needed to understand that I didn’t need anyone next to me. That I AM ENOUGH. I became my best friend. And now I know that the day I choose to be with someone again, will not be from a place of ‘need’ but from a place of growth and pure love. Pole dancing “as a lifestyle” affects people more than words can explain. It is pure magic.

“Ahhhhhh Magnus, the “MagnusFICENT”! I love this guy. Currently, he teaches at Body and Pole in NYC, where I train. And I try to take all his classes. Just watching him demonstrate the moves we are learning, is a treat for me. That is where the “emoji eyes” come from… LOL. I feel that hearts come out of my eyes when I watch him dance. He is pure perfection. Also, a really nice human being. Shooting with him was one of my dreams. And, I can’t wait to shoot with him again sometime.”

It’s true. Pole dancers have a special bondage among themselves because of that magic and the experience the pole gave to them.

Yes, so true! I have met amazing friends in the pole community and there is a sense of companionship with them that is really valuable to me. I was only 14 years old when I left home in Argentina to go model in Japan, Spain, Italy, France and lastly the U.S.A. So friends are real treasures to me. I love them as a family. Today, I can say that most of my friends and people I connect with are from the pole/aerial world.

“Aggie Ng. This shoot was beyond crazy. I got an inflatable swimming pool in my studio. My idea was to fill it with water and paint (which I did) but the water in my studio was cold and this was shot in winter during the night. The heater was turned off in the whole building and it was freezing. She suffered through this. I literally took only 5-7 clicks and this came out. She was so cold and I just couldn’t make her stay longer in that silver freezing water. Aggie is incredibly talented and unique.”

You said that dance entered a bit late in your life when your creativity was already in expand. So in what way pole dance influenced your art? How would you describe the connection between the pole dance and art? The way you see it?

I started taking photos when I was twelve years old. I went through different phases of photography styles. Street photography, fashion, musicians… and when I started pole dancing, I decided that photography would be my way of giving back to this community. I wanted to create artistic photos of pole dancers in an elegant, strong and dynamic way and show to the world through photos how beautiful, elegant and classy pole dancing is. Every session is a very intense and beautiful experience for me. My goal is always to capture the essence of my subject in a new way.

I also started a pole dance clothing line which consists of a fun, handcrafted items. I sell through my website (www.ceciliadebucourt.com) and also at Boy & Pole in NYC.

“Kelly McLaughlin and her boyfriend Ryan Daniel Beck. I shot this for Body Art. Painted bodies in Copper and Silver. It is one of my favorite images I have ever done.”

Your pole photography is so different from the rest of pole photographers. It’s expressive, we can clearly see your own different vision of seeing things… how do you achieve that even the great pole stars like Marion, Natasha and the rest step out of the conventional movement and poses?

When I take photos, I stay true to my vision. It is not an effort, these images are all somehow part of me.

Working with pole starts is truly a blessing because their experience and talent are very inspiring. I always say it is teamwork. It is not only me who creates the image. We do it together. When I prepare for a shoot, I do a lot of planning. I even sketch the frames I have in mind, as a storyboard as if it was a movie. I get props, make the clothes myself, I think of the lighting, poses, hairstyle, make up, etc. And the more I plan the better it turns out.
I also like very much shooting dancers off the pole. Only in that way, I get to discover something different about the dancer and how creative they are without having a pole as an apparatus. My favorite photos of pole dancers are actually not on the pole.

On the left: “Crystal Belcher. This shoot was everything! I painted her in Gold, I made a dress out of grass, and we did some timeless images with her.”
On the right: “Marion Crampe. Ahhhh… she is a fairy, a magic soul. We have become close friends after this shoot. I adore her.”

Can an ordinary pole dancer hire you or do you pick a person who you’ll be taking pictures of? Your photography is art – I imagine it’s difficult working on demand…

For a long time, I only took photos of who I wanted to. Mostly pole stars, or people that simply inspired me. However, photography has turned into a big part of my life, and this past year, I started offering photoshoots to anyone who wanted to work with me. And it has been a wonderful experience. Every shoot becomes an unforgettable experience. We have fun while creating art. Yes, It is not easy to be an artist on demand. That is why I don’t shoot too often. I need time to recharge, and feel inspired each time.

“Steven Retchless. I call him the GOD OF BEAUTY. I believe he is the most beautiful human on the planet. On top of that, he is talented and super sweet. We have done 2 photo shoots and each time has been pure magic.”

I read somewhere that you were turned down by some designer but you kept calling him and contact him every single day till he accepted your line and together you had a very fruitful cooperation for years! Can you give us some advice, a wisdom from this anecdote?

Ohhh the story with Barney’s department store. Oh, dear… that was quite something. So when I was 29 years old I started getting tired of the modeling world and I was being turned down for castings for being ‘already too old’ so I decided to move on. I enrolled in F.I.T (Fashion Institute of technology) to become a fashion designer. At school, the teachers prepared us to be good at working for someone else. They would tell us: the day you work for someone like Donna Karan…. or Ralph Lauren… etc… and I was thinking … “why would I want to work for anybody else when I can have my own brand?”. I remember even saying that thought out loud in class and got a few cold looks from some students as if I had said something out of place. Truth is, I never even had the remote idea or wish to work for anybody.

So only one month into design school, I created my logo, my label and started hand knitting shawls and scarves. They were funky, colorful and one of a kind. I had a dream, to sell at Barneys New York. I got their number from the yellow pages (yes, we used yellow pages at the time) and called for 3 months over and over leaving messages. Until one day, they returned my call and I told them I really believed that my product was perfect for them. They set up a meeting, and they were my clients for 10 years.

My advice is to just try. Go for it… insist and don’t be scared of rejection. Keep doing what you love, and what feels right.

“Patricia Yndigoyen. I remember the first time I saw her. It was a rehearsal at Body and pole for a competition. I was still on my first baby steps in my pole journey. And she was competing and showing us her routine. I was amazed by her talent and fierceness. And started asking around: Who is that girl? I learned she was from Peru and searched her up on Facebook. After some time, we became super close friends. She also loves photography and helps me in many of my photoshoots. Patricia is the current Iceland Pole Theater Professional Champion among other International and national titles. And, my friend and soul sister!”

I want to thank you for this interview, for sharing your intimate feelings, for inspiring us and for making this world much more pleasant with your visual art. Your passionate energy is so contagious and I hope our readers had a chance to felt you as I did. I’m hardly waiting to see your next project! Wishing you all the best … and I’m so happy that this time I can say that to YOU: “emoji eyes, emoji eyes” (laugh)

Thank you, Masa! It has been really nice talking with you and really hope we meet in person someday soon!
I create these images hoping I can make people feel things so I truly appreciate your kind words about my work.
Emoji eyes… back at you!

“The End – I always take a selfie with my models after a shoot. It is a great memory and reminds both me and them of a good time we had.”

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This is for sure the most aesthetically and creative Halloween Pole Dance project I have seen in a while! Every photo, every pole trick is made to the utmost perfection. It makes my heart jump when I see such a dedication! That’s why I simply had to share this with you.

The project was made by the Pole dance studio M Kranj – the owner Maja Pirc and her pole sister Teja Burgar. Maybe you had a chance to get to know Maja? Her video reached over 1,3 Mio views on YouTube and it’s really beautiful. A true celebration of pole dance – feminine yet sporty enough to capture our hearts.

Anyhow… back to the Halloween photoshooting. Maja said it wasn’t an easy one, especially with the mask and makeup. But it was worthwhile. So enjoy the post and spookiness of the photos.

MUA: Sara Lavtar I Photo: Foto Rosko

I hope this post of Maja & Teja’s project gave you enough boost to try something similar and creative by yourself the next Halloween.

Do you want some more Halloween ideas? Here’s a list of spooky rock music to listen and to pole dance.

Summer is coming to an end here in Europe and when we look back we have some lovely memories to share! One of them for sure is underwater pole dance.

Get to know pole dancer Rae Marii! She took her underwater photos with photographer Brett Stanley, and the results were amazing, as you can see from the photos below! I’m sure you’re tempted to try for yourself!

So together with Rae we wrote all the best tips and tricks you need to know when preparing for underwater pole modeling. But before guiding you through the process read all about her experience. It’s a rare occasion to hear about this kind of experience from the first hand.

So, Rae, the spotlight is on you!

My underwater experience with Brett Stanley

My photo shoot was in Atlanta, GA in May of 2017 at a Diver’s Supply Shop. When I arrived at the shoot, I was greeted warmly by Brett Stanley’s assistant. She made sure I signed all the consent forms before the shoot began and showed me to the dressing room, where I was able to change into my costume (which was made by Karina Doig Couture Costume Dancewear; if you’re curious, my train was approximately 180cm). I recommend getting to the shoot early, so you will be relaxed and have enough time to get used to your surroundings.

Stanley hired makeup artist Jessica Vaugn, who arrived shortly thereafter. She set up and asked what kind of style I wanted. After I showed her a few pictures, she told me what she thought might look best with my outfit and face. Of course, all the makeup was waterproof, and she layered it on well. Once my makeup was in place, I had to shower before I entered the pool to (1) rinse off and (2) set the makeup. After I was rinsed off, I put all the items I’d need (eyedrops, eardrops, etc.) on a plate that I set by the pool.

Stanley’s assistant took my phone so that she could pull up the poses I needed when I requested them. I recommend bringing a friend for this, as they can assist you with things like this in case the assistant is busy or signing other people in. Stanley’s assistant was great with this, though.

Stanley then explained his technique for breath holding and let me try the underwater nose plugs — I wasn’t a fan. I’m quite used to swimming without them, as I actually used to swim for exercise fairly often. I highly recommend swimming a few laps with your mouth open and face relaxed if you have access to a pool before the shoot. This practice definitely aided me during the shoot. Once Stanley explained everything to me, I was ready. I did one quick practice dive, and then we were off!

Within the first 30 seconds, I realized underwater modeling is… well, difficult! It’s much trickier than I’d anticipated, and I am thankful Stanley was so patient with me throughout the shoot.

When modeling underwater, you only hold one pose at a time. If you can hold your breath for 30 seconds above water (this was my average), cut that in half for underwater. Aside from that, poses are nothing like they are on land. I figured simple poses would work best, but that is definitely not always true. For me, some of the most difficult poses were carousel and chairspin. Pole sits are pretty easy, but I wanted to challenge myself to think of moves that wouldn’t normally be possible on land. Crazy as it sounds, some moves that are very difficult on land are actually easier underwater! Nothing works the same, it seems, so playing with moves beforehand is a great way to test everything out and get your sea legs…er…mermaid tail…

I found the absolute hardest thing to deal with during the shoot was my hair. I wanted my hair down, and I hadn’t practiced underwater with it down prior to the shoot. It was difficult to keep it out of my eyes and face. Stanley’s technique for hair is throwing your head back to clear your face. Keep in mind that both hair and fabric can be tricky if you’re not used to them. I recommend practicing in your costume.

The last thing that I have to say about the shoot is that time moves SO quickly when you are shooting. My hour-long shoot passed by in what seemed like ten minutes. I highly, highly, highly recommend booking at least a two-hour shoot. I thought it would be a waste of money, but TRUST ME — it’s worth every penny. If you want to redo a pose, that eats up your time. If you want to put in eye drops, that eats up your time. If you want to blow water out of your nose, that eats up your time. Of course, I only booked a one-hour shoot and was able to get some pretty good shots, so it’s definitely possible. I just recommend two hours so you are less pressed for time and less anxious about getting good shots.

Overall, my underwater pole photo shoot was a great experience. Definitely look up some pretty poses before you go or get some recommendations from friends on which poses might look good under the water. And last but not least, relax. The key to the whole underwater thing is just… well, remember you’re a mermaid.

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Stay tuned for next post “26 best tips you need to know (when preparing) for great underwater pole modeling”. It will come in handy!

Don’s tips & tricks

This is the second half of the interview with Don Curry.
Don’t miss the first half >> Don Curry Interview – Part 1

Are some pole elements more photogenic than the others? Or is just the angle of photography that is important?

When I shoot, I focus on getting the right angle. I’ll always ask a girl to tell me the trick she is going to do. I know that every country, every town has a different name for these tricks, but as a photographer, I know the names, so I know what angle to anticipate.

Do you have some tricks how to take a nice picture by ourselves?

The only recommendation I can tell to people who are taking pictures of themselves is that the good way is to just videotape themselves and avoid this problem. Then watch it and screenshot the right angle. I know a lot of people do that. They’ll videotape their move, and they’ll slow it down, they’ll watch it, got the right angle, take a screenshot of it, and there’s your shot.

Judging by your photos, you’re totally familiar with pole elements, their names and you are not a pole dancer. Was that difficult for you?

At the very beginning of my pole photography journey, I was fascinated that every trick had a name to it. So I just started remembering the names. I remember the very first shoot I did, over and over again girls were saying “butterfly.” Then I noticed what angle to shoot it. Or … you never forget the “jade“ the first time you see it, right?

So these things helped me learn quicker what to anticipate at the next photoshoot. Because when you yell out a name, for me as a pole photographer, the first thing I’m thinking is “Okay, I’m going to shoot it at this angle.”

When I saw pole dance for the first time, to me it was this beautiful geometry. I saw the angles, I saw the lines, what to look for. No crotch shots or something like that. I think a lot of girls, especially at the beginning, began to appreciate that I was trying to get the right angle. I’m very, very quick now and the girls appreciate that.

But every shot I take, I’ll show it to the girl and I’ll ask her how she likes it. So when you’re shooting show them what you did. It’s a collaboration.

Do you or your pole clients prefer more clean photos with white backgrounds or more with abstract backgrounds for you to tell a story?

At the very start, I needed a style, that I can go to each studio and have that same look. And for me, the white is the best setup because the white and the soft light is very complementary to the skin. It doesn’t matter if you’re big, small, muscular, not muscular – it’s just less contrast and it’s just a softer quality.

When shooting on a white background I can do a lot of variations of that same picture. If that pose or trick was really good, I can come up with eight different variations. I can take out the white and add a city background. I don’t do it a lot, but you can do more effects dealing with white as opposed to shooting on a background that’s busy or something like that. In the beginning, I went through different styles, but soon enough I discovered my own style.

When they see my work on Facebook or Instagram, they know exactly what they’re going to get when they sign up for a photoshoot. There’s a little deviation, but the girls know exactly what they’re going to get, and that’s what I want to give them.

And the girls like that…

Yes, and they prefer the simple white. My photo philosophy is: “it’s all about the subject”. A good photographer can take any subject into a simple background and make that subject come alive. I think that’s what the girls see, and that’s what they want.

True, sometimes it’s nice to go outdoors – like I just shot in Paris with Leigh Ann Reilly. It’s sometimes nice to have busy backgrounds, but it’s all about the subject.

Once you said that your wish is to take a picture of Misty Copeland, who is now quite a celebrity. Did your wish come true?

No, I’ve never reached out to her. But yeah, she’s still one of my dreams to shoot, someone outside of pole. She’s amazing. Talented. Taking pictures of her would be an honor.

What are your plans for the future of pole photography? Do you have any plans or wishes?

No plans. Starting next year, I just want to visit more countries that I haven’t visited before. Thankfully there’s a lot of countries wanting me to come … Hong Kong, Singapore … Countries like that I haven’t been to, I want to go. Just kind of expand. As an artist, you’ve got to keep evolving and changing and growing.

And I want to spend more time in Italy. I love it here. This is one of my favorite countries. I’ve already decided that next year I want to spend one month in Italy.

Also, Italy is very inspiring.

Yes, it is, it is. I’ve always enjoyed Italians and Italian culture. I vacation here with my kids. And the people are really very warm. Very, very warm compared to other countries.

And the last question, for the inspiration: what is your message? What would you say, something that nobody has asked you before?

If I was talking to myself, I would tell myself to love yourself first. I remind myself every day to love yourself first because if you love yourself first, you can love someone else. That applies to pole dancing, that applies to relationships. It’s something like a younger man, I didn’t know. Once I realized, love yourself, realize your faults, realize your strengths – try to love what you do. If you don’t love what you do, go out and chase your dreams.

I know it sounds corny, but you’ve got to love yourself first before you can love someone else, or love another woman or love another man or really love your kids. When you have that, I think people around you are affected by that, and without even saying a word, they can feel it.

And I think it shows in my photography, because I love photography, but then when I discovered pole dance, I was like “Wow, I love what I do.” I go to bed at night thinking “Thank God,” I wake up every morning and I say “Thank you.” I think people around me see it and they feel it.

So “love yourself.”

Love yourself first.

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And these are impressions of Polona about her cooperation
with Don Curry:

Meet Marlo

Marlo Fisken is a well known pole dancer with 25 years of dance experience and 15 years of teaching experience. She is known for her detailed eye for alignment, fun classes, and movement flow. She’s credited with popularizing many common pole moves, Bird of paradise and Pegasus being the most famous. She’s also an experienced model; she’s unbelievably photogenic in photos, especially the ones taken by Pole Ninja photography.

There’s so much to tell about Marlo, and much was already said. So this interview is meant for ordinary pole dance enthusiasts in hope that Marlo’s wisdom will inspire us to be a better person and a pole dancer.

I came to know Marlo at one of her workshops she had in Ljubljana in Extra Pole Fitness, as a part of Fall Tour 2016 with Kenneth Kao. She is a great teacher and without a doubt one of the wisest one I came across. Her attention is in the ”now” and her thoughts are deep. She doesn’t follow the crowd. Marlo knows how to listen to herself and that’s why I suppose she managed to find her unique dance flow we all admire so much.

First of all, dear Marlo, I would like to thank you for accepting my invitation and honoring us with your interview, hosted here on Boomkats.

There are three common categories in pole dance. Fitness/athletic, and then exotic and artistic. Isn’t it limiting to have just three categories in the pole dance world?

Well, yes. We can generalize movement and give it a category, but this is self-limiting. I suppose exotic usually means “heels” or posturing the body in a way that is meant to captivate, entice and allure. But heels does not equal exotic- exotic is an energy that has to be released or cultivated.

Fitness/Athletic, as it is usually seen, tends to lack honest, emotive movement quality; It’s mostly about doing the hardest possible versions of things. This is the “sport” side. I think this is pretty easy to categorize.

And then artistic is technically anything— since you can’t decide what art is. Of course, refined, technically and conceptually strong artistry is usually prized. But you can combine any other movement form with pole (breakdance, Butoh, tap dance) and call it artistic. You can dress up as lettuce and call it artistic. (By the way, I’m a fan of dedicatedly weird. If you are fully committed to being abstract, I will pay attention.)

But, regardless of style, there is a message in movement. That message is most often some range of human emotion. See, in a single day, a person will experience a wide range of emotions. One moment they feel powerful, then the next maybe angry, sad, conflicted or sexy.
This may mean you are sexy one moment, then athletic and then expressive and dancey in a single song. Music tells us this too. If you listen close enough, many songs take you on a voyage of qualities and emotions. This may well defy or cross the three categories you mentioned.

Personally, I like pieces (or freestyles) that I can’t describe. This means it challenged my mind. If I see it and can easily describe it…then, it wasn’t truly captivating.

So you think there’s enough room for other styles in between to develop?

Well sure. But beyond style, there is certainly room for people to learn to listen to what they need. Being funny or ridiculous is important too. Being able to use the pole as a tool for restorative movement is important.

I think in general people try to be too serious about this pole thing. Pole attracts people who want to take achievement (or lack of it) very seriously.  I believe movement is supposed to benefit us emotionally, not emotionally tax us or make us feel sad and defeated.

Some days maybe you may need to be sensual, some days you may need to have a party, and then other days you need to be a character or an animal. So rather than saying more “styles” should to develop, I think that learning to honestly assess and express is what would represent true growth in the pole world.

It’s much more of expressing yourself and your feelings than anything else.

Yeah. For me, playing with music gives me life. If a song comes on that calls for being spastic, I’ll be spastic. If it sounds like a voyage in outer space, that’s how I move. If a tango song comes on, I channel tango energy.

The song shapes my movement, not the feeling I had when I began. I never start moving with the idea that I need to express something particular, I just know I need to move. Then, once I match my movement to sound, I feel complete.

I read once that you’ve said that what attracted you with pole was the sexiness.

Yes. I grew up dancing and worked as a professional dancer for a long time, and I didn’t really have the opportunity to move sensually in a non-commercialized way. This is part of why I was always very attracted to caribbean and african dance forms- many of these dances are very sensual.
See, the professional dance world really looks down on what’s considered “adult entertainment”, but I find it captivating. Sensual and erotic expression is equally important, potentially more-so than technical and commercialized dance.

But— when I started, I quickly realized that you can make pole whatever you want it to be. It’s just an apparatus. There’s the dance floor axis, and then there’s this other, vertical axis.

But you never dance in heels.

I do occasionally. I’ve performed in heels a number of times.

But you prefer them off.

I prefer them off for mechanical reasons. Heels are not good for your body. That’s not something that can be argued; it’s been proven again and again. In short, when your foot cannot move, the bones of your feet suffer and become mal-aligned. Then, your ankle and knee have to move differently; often they move more and become unstable. Over time, this pattern causes deterioration, bunions, etc.. I notice, after I dance in heels, that my knees don’t feel good.

But, I do appreciate, and enjoy two aspects of wearing heels while pole dancing; the psychological component and the adaptation to the limitation.

Heels send a message to the wearer (and the viewer). Usually a message of of power, or submission. Simply by putting them on, you can become a different character. This can inspire movement. Also, because your legs are now longer, you move in ways that amplify this added length.

Like I explained before, heels changes the way you move. Because your feet are immobilized, the hips and knees may begin to do more. This is fun to play with. Heels are a tool to move differently, and I appreciate that.

Like exotic pole dance.

Right, lots of knee circles, spinal undulations, kicks and splits. It would be the same if I decided to tie my hands together. My movement will change because of the limitation. If i cant move my arms, my desire to move will go to whatever is left available.
Also, heels  are heavy and huge, and I travel for months at a time.

You said that dance would be different if your hands were tied up. I like your creative thinking, and also last night at your workshop, you used some very creative games for the warmup. What do you think is the importance of such games?

I believe creative games are essential to developing style and awareness. If you learn how to move your body only by imitation, in a sense, you don’t own the movement. I like to teach people to imitate, then apply creativity right away.

Creative games provide an opportunity for problem-solving. Like I said last night,  “Move across the room without taking your hands off the floor” – this is not a difficult thing to do, but it does challenge you to focus on the task.

If I was to say, “Okay, just free move or free dance,” it may terrify some people. Because there are so many options, it can paralyze you into a state of non-decision and self-judgement. Games require focus, and focus encourages creativity.

I really like integrating creative exercises into a warmup because the reality is that I don’t know what anybody really needs as they transition from regular life to being a student. I can make informed decisions, based on my experience, but I can’t truly know.  Of course, there are certain guidelines for a warm-up like: create heat, activate the musculature according to what will happen later, mobilize the joints etc.. But exactly what’s needed is specific to the individual.
So, my approach is to create games that encourage people to do functional, warming movements (put weight in the arms, challenge their core, mobilize the spine), appropriate to their level. If somebody knows how to do handstands, they’ll do handstands. If somebody doesn’t, they don’t. This way, I’m not asking anyone to do something that could injure them.

Also, this works because of the type of movement that I teach. I don’t begin with anything very intense. In my class, we’re focusing on dance, transitions, and the mind’s role in creativity.  As a result, I make my class creative from the beginning rather than asking you to copy me for 15 minutes. I think that movement dependency ( feeling like you don’t know what to do with your body unless someone tells you) is a big problem. We all have body intelligence; you just need to learn to listen.

This is what I liked most, because it has released my inner tension.

Good. That’s perfect. It could create tension if you’re watching me, trying to understand what I’m doing , trying to hear me, and self-questioning if you’re doing it right. With that exercise, you know you’re doing it right if your hands are on the floor. [laughs]

– End of Part 1 –

You want to know how to find your own style in dance? Then read on to the second part. >> Marlo Fisken Interview – Part 2

Photos by Pole Ninja