Sarah Cretul Pole Workshop in the Bay Area
Sarah Cretul
Hello! I forgot to post this… Guess things got busy with David going on tour! Anyway, I was lucky enough to take a workshop with Sarah Cretul in the Bay Area on May 10th. Sarah was in the US Pole Competition and won the Miss Trixter award. She’s really amazing. She does crazy tricks and REALLY fast spins! She’s also like Jenyne in the way she makes things look effortless. She looks like she’s lighter than air when she’s up on the pole.
I learned some new moves, got to see my good friend Michula (Antix Fitness), and got to play on 20 foot high poles at Polentential–Very nice!
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Sarah has the pink and white tie die top on in the video… and dark hair.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get many photos… And once again, I look like a total AMAZON next to these tiny little dancers! Eeek!
Sarah and Cindy
Hi Cindy,
I’m a ‘old newbie’ on David’s BBS and I’ve been reading up on his old posts, one mentioned that you pole danced and I decided to see what this was all about. Girl, you have all of my attention!! I just watched the video with Jenyne Butterfly…absolutely awesome!!!! Is this what you do? Jeeeezzzusss!! You folks have some serious muscles working with…I am totally blown away, you’ve got my ultimate respect!! Hell, I’m thinking that this is one way to have my man going ga, ga! Oh Yeah! Seriously…much respect!
ha ha ha ha! Thanks! Yes, there is more to Pole Dancing than what most people think! It’s really gymnastics on a vertical pole… at least at the advanced level anyway. I think that’s why one of the reasons I love it so much. I did gymnastics when I was little but I got too tall for the sport. That doesn’t seem to matter as much in pole dancing. Jenyne’s dancing is a great example of how it doesn’t have to be associated with stripping in a club. It can be seen in a more artistic light! She’s amazing. She just took the silver medal in the World Competition! The winner Felix is incredible to watch as well.
Thanks for responding. I’ve been trying to come up with a way to tighten up my mid section as well and then I read what you said after having Jasper and of course after watching Jenyne, jeez, if that doesn’t tighten something I don’t know what would! It’s been many years since my son (22 in fact) and although I do work out and I do yoga, I’m still not happy with my mid section. I’m naturally slim and like you i did gymnastics as a child too. Didn’t get too tall (i’m 5′ 6″), am athletic enough but still need to firm up a bit. BUT, I can’t even begin to imagine me on a pole (and my son would freak…moms don’t do certain things in his universe…), heights was one of the reasons I didn’t continue with gymnastics too, I’m kinda weary of heights…back flips would make me crazy, and those damn ropes we had to climb…I’m freaking just thinking about it now, and that was back in preparatory school! Still, I love the part about feeling sexy and feminine, I’m all for that. I woud luv to give it a try, but I’d have to work up the nerve first. You said you started when you turned 40, well, I’m a little past that and still consider myself quite flexible, but that flexible…hmmmm…don’t know about them poles Cindy, don’t know about those poles at all…
I noticed you mention all those other people competing, don’t you compete as well? Are there no videos of you on the pole?
It sounds to me like it would be perfect for you! Really! You don’t start out doing the hard stuff… Remember Jenyne has been pole dancing for 5 years, I’ve been doing it for 3. When you start out, at least in my class, you stretch and work on spins, transitions and some floor moves. All of these help you build the strength, and confidence, in the places you need it! It’s a natural progression. People who have gymnastics in their background usually pick things up quickly because they have the body memory for a lot of the moves already, they know how to point their toes and have their muscles engaged, etc. Just give it a try! If you don’t like it you don’t have to go back right?
As for your son, I totally get that. Jasper doesn’t really like it either. He thinks next I’ll be opening a bar or taking my top off! ha ha. That just makes me laugh because it is so far from Pole Fitness (which is what I do) but even at his age the stripper perception is out there! I just giggle when he says it because honestly, I can’t see me doing either of those things!
I am really not into competing. I learned awhile ago that I really have to listen to my body and honor it… My body needs more downtime than a 20 year old body does. Plus, competing is stressful. I really don’t need a title. I just do it because I love it and I can express myself creatively, while staying in incredible shape!
I do have a video to post to youtube… I just need the guts to do it! ha ha ha ha! Maybe I’ll get brave in the next few days.
One last comment, when I was big into Yoga I noticed that my waist got much wider… When i started pole dancing it came back in, like it did when I was younger. It just works the muscles in a different way. Personally, I like how the results look much better from Pole Dancing… However, I do quite a bit of Yoga in my pre and post stretch parts of class. It’s ALL good for you! As long as you’re doing something that keeps you moving, strong and flexible it doesn’t matter what it is if it brings you joy! Good luck!
Greetingz Cindy! Thanks for the encouragement, I appreciate that. I had my yoga lesson tonight after work and I asked my instructor (my very cute intructor…) about the waist thing and he actually agreed. Said it was due to working different muscles in different ways. I mentioned that a friend (that would be you, I had to tell him something and I couldn’t tell him it was YOU…) had that happen to her and that she now does pole fitness which has done wonders to reduce her waist…his eyes lit up. He said he knows quite a few yoga instructors who teach pole fitness, also said he had one woman who attended his classes who was a burlesque dancer but pole dances now, she was somewhere in our age group as well. It appeared that she kept sustaining bruises and such due to the movements and since she took up yoga she’s moving differently, moe freely I guess, and not bruising herself as much. So, you are correct, yoga does go hand in hand with other fitness routines doesn’t it? He and I didn’t have much time to talk since he was off to another class, but we see each other every Thursday so I’ll ask him about these instructors who teach pole fitness. He doesn’t teach it which is a pity. Do men do this by the way? I mean, I’d start to worry if my guy told me that he wanted to feel sexy and feminine…
When DC mentioned that you taught pole dancing (and no he didn’t say pole fitness), I almost fell off my chair…yes, the whole stripper perception did surface for a moment, which was when I first visited your site and breathed a deep sigh of relief…whew! I was duly impressed, you rocked the heck out of those go go boots, girl!!! More power to you!
Like my son Alex, I don’t know that Jasper will get over how he feels about your fitness routine, after all you are MOM, certain things are done by other people’s mom, not his. At least that’s how my boy sees it. Oh well, you just can’t please everyone and I’m too old to want to. If it makes me happy, I’m all for it.
Cindy, thank you for your input! It’s simply a pleasure being able to throw out my ideas and such and have you respond in such a friendly manner…DC is a lucky man! I’ll let you know what my instructor has to say about this new venture. By the way, I don’t know if you know what this is, but I’ll be doing a 5 mile run/walk early next month…the Central Park Corporate Challenge and I’m so psyched! I’m hoping my body is ready for it because I haven’t done one in a bit. If I start pole fitness, can you imagine what I’ll be like next year?! WOO-HOO!!
Please summon up the nerve to post your video, I’d luv to see it!
Take care!
Hello! That is so awesome that your yoga teacher is so open minded. I love that! If there wasn’t a yoga studio in the same shopping center as my studio I would DEFINITELY offer it at my studio. I actually do quite a few yoga postures and stretches in my Pole Warm Up and Cool Down…
There ARE some guys that do Pole Dancing!! I took a private lesson from one in LA… His name is Bad Azz. You can find him on myspace and youtube. He was so much fun! I wish he lived in Tahoe, I’d have him teach at my studio in a second. I would love to teach a coed class of Pole Dancing. There are a lot of strength moves that men can easily do that most women can’t. Unfortunately, my nice little conservative town isn’t quite ready for coed pole dancing… but I’m hoping some day to add that. As it gets more recognition as a form of fitness I think a lot of doors will open up!
I am THIS close to posting my vid… Thanks for the encouragement! XOXO, C
OK, my turn to laugh, you are a regular riot! I can almost see your arms stretched wide for your ‘THIS close.’ Ha, ha. But, I do get your reluctance…I really do.
Ummm, somewhat of a rebel, I’m thinking…ready to shake up your conservative little resort area, huh? I get the feeling that pole fitness was an eye popper too…you go girl, I love your spirit…NO FEAR!!
I’ll look into Bad Azz, I’m intrigued to see what his moves are. I’ll let you know how my search is going, and what my very open minded instructor (yes, good guy he is) has to offer…’t will be a very interesting summer I think…at least, it’s ’shaping’ up to be…
Take care,
2wiggy
Sweet Jeeezzzusss, you might have warned me before I checked out Bad Azz!…whew!! Good Gravy!! Ummm, apart from being a total hottie…his moves have totally blown what few brain cells I’ve been working with!! I also took a look at his duet with NatsHoney…positively wicked!! Er, I gotta agree with you that your conservative little town is definitely not ready for that…no way honey…that’s just way too much information right there…but wouldn’t that be a lovely idea though…? Still, I don’t doubt that at some point you’ll be able to sway the masses, just keep looking cute and smiling those pearly whites and you’ll have them eating out of your hands…they won’t know what hit ‘em! Good luck!
2wigs
Cindy…Yay!! You finally put the video up…you brave girl!! You look wonderful…I watched the whole thing with my mouth open…seriously!! You did an awesome job with the song, very nice indeed! I stopped by to post my latest news and was so pleasantly surprised to see this…I knew you would put this up eventually!!
So, my very cute yoga instructor Al, told me about his friend who teaches spin fitness and I’m scheduled to stop by her studio this week before my yoga class on Thursday. Tomorrow might be the best day for me so I’m all psyched for that. Granted, I’m just a beginner but after seeing what you did up there I am more than a little daunted…it’s not even funny! I’m feeling all gawky and awkward and I haven’t even touched the pole yet!…Okay, deep breaths!!! I’m actually looking forward to it though…I’m having visions of a wash board stomach and it’s a really beautiful thought…it really is!!
Congrats on posting your vid…you did a great job!!
2wigs