Welcome to Miss Fit Academy's blog! MFA is Nashville's leading pole dance studio and aerial boutique! Visit our official website or call us at (615) 891-3910.

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Jaw Dropping Pole Dance Moves, Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of Miss Fit Academy's Jaw Dropping Pole Dance Moves! Feast your eyes on the best of the pole dancing world!  It's always amazing to see how pole tricks grow in our community. New generations of pole dancers bring new creativity and, thus, the circle of pole dance is complete.  

Here are a few moves that have recently evolved into our common cannon of badassitude.
  • See part one for more amazing feats of flexibility, artistry and strength.

The Fish Hook
Also known as: Bendy Diva Diva

The Fish Hook by Dalila Pacheco

The Lay Back is often scary to students new to the move, but look at what you can do with it! The Fish Hook is doubly scary because, once you've mastered laying back with all the strength and skin of your inner thighs, you then have to release them! Before you do that, a flag pole grip is the sturdiest hold to trust your weight to so you can shift your weight away from the pole (more scary!) and catch with the toes on one foot. Grasp the other toes above the head if possible, or push away from the pole as shown above, if you're in the market to make your already scary-awesome move even more terrifying.

The Knee Hold
Also known as: Oooooouch, my knees!
Knee Hold pole dance move
Jessica Anderson-Gwinn doing a Knee Hold

In order for the knee hold to find it's way into your repertoire, you need two things:

1) patience
2) a masochistic streak

Your shins take a real beating while learning the knee hold. In particular, the bottom knee, right below the knee cap, will hold all of your weight.  It's because of this that the knee hold can take so long to learn- once or twice in a practice session is enough to feel like you've dented your leg permanently.  Perseverance will pay off as the pain does go away after you get used to it.  Hook one knee, pull up and brace your other knee against the pole (often with feet hooked behind your back.) Thrust your hips forward and slowly release the pole as you extend your body perpendicular to the pole.

Russian Split
Also known as: Only the Russian Split
Russian Split pole dance move
Jessica Anderson-Gwinn doing a Russian Split
The Russian split is often seen from the floor and is deceptively hard from the get go.  Even on the ground this split is hard to wrap your head around as you're upside down and being pulled head-first off the pole.  It's enough to make the strongest pole dancer take a few deep breaths.  Translate that onto the pole and you're looking at a competition- grade move sure to stop the greener students in their tracks! To show how hard this is, we give you this guy.

Titanic
Also known as: Praying to the Pole Gods, The Figurehead
Titanic
"I'm king of the world"
This silhouette is stunning.  It conjures up images of spirituality and majestic bulkheads.  The figure does lose some of it's dignity when seen from the back, though, as your butt cheeks need to hug the pole if you have any hope of holding on.  Wrapping at least one foot around the bottom of the pole will take some of the strain off your tailbone and bulk up that callous on the top of your foot (You know the one we mean.)


Got a move that you think is amazing?  Tell us about it in the comments!

-written by JLK

Sunday, November 23, 2014

7 Essential Christmas Presents for the Pole Dancer in Your Life

It's that time of year again!  The holidays.  The time of year when shopping for loved ones morphs into an art form. Christmas is right around the corner, folks!  Let us help you do right for the dancer in your life. Miss Fit Academy is happy to see a supportive, significant other shopping for a fly girl (or guy).  To help you find the perfect present, we've compiled a helpful list of Christmas presents that will score you big points this year - and maybe even a private dance!

Dance Pole
Lets start at the beginning.  If your lover of pole doesn't have their own pole to practice on, you should buy them one immediately. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT go out to the mall and buy a $50-$100 pole and expect it to hold your poler's weight.  Only buy such a pole if you're trying to kill him/her. Otherwise, opt for a pole from a reputable company who sells poles specifically for pole dancing, such as Platinum Stages or X-Pole. See our Pole Dancer Answers blog for more details.

Booty Shorts
When you pole dance, you literally cannot have too many pairs of shorts. You need all the skin you can get to hold onto that pole, and there are choices out there for every kind of woman (or man).

Is your pole hobbyist more about fitness or sass?  Is she athletic or new to the whole "exercise" thing? Modest or Va-Va-Voom?  Girly or Tomboy?  It's a lot to consider.  When in doubt, buy them another pair of their favorite brand or opt for a gift card.

Grip Aid
Naturally sweaty girls often think that pole dancing is out of the question, but not so! Some Dryhands will take care of that problem and then the sky is literally the limit. Conversely,  if there is one thing deadlier to pole dancing than sweaty palms it is powdery dry skin. If the pole enthusiast in your life is chronically dry or lives in a cold, cold place (Looking at you, Buffalo New York) then he or she will appreciate Dewpoint Pole. Truly, let us just provide the link for you.  They'll thank you. You'll thank us. Everybody wins!


My gym shoes rock bag
Above awesomeness available at Cafepress.com
Pole Dance Gear
If your pole dancer is tired of answering awkward questions about his or her hobby of choice, there's a shirt for that.  Does he or she eat, sleep, and pole dance?  There's a shirt for that. Do you love a professional twerk instructor? There's a mug for that.  Also, you can probably never go wrong with Pleaser shoes.





Pole Dance Calendar
Every month features a world famous pole dancer being their amazing selves. It's not just a calendar, it's a years worth of inspiration for their pole dance journey. Seriously, buy it. 

To truly reach his or her full pole potential, your pole aficionado really should have the benefit of professional one on one instruction.  There is nothing better than a trained eye to assist in any technically disciplined art, such as dancing. Often, spotting is necessary to learn and grow. Dancers do not become truly great alone, after all. Plus, nothing beats the sassy sorority of co-students in a good studio. Everyone needs a pole home!

Online Lessons
Of course, the reality is that not everyone lives within driving distance of a fabulous pole studio. On-line classes are great if there isn't a studio close to your digs.  Even if there is, on-line instruction lends itself well if you would like a tailored pole journey.  Even if your chrome connoisseur has a pole home, online lessons compliment training well.

- written by JLK
 7 Essential Christmas Presents for the Pole Dancer in Your Life7 Essential Christmas Presents for the Pole Dancer in Your Life7 Essential Christmas Presents for the Pole Dancer in Your Life7 Essential Christmas Presents for the Pole Dancer in Your Life7 Essential Christmas Presents for the Pole Dancer in Your Life

Monday, November 17, 2014

Decor for your in-home pole dance room

So you've finally carved out some space in your home for your very own pole room.  Miss Fit Academy is happy to hear that you're upping your home practice arena game and we wanna help. Here's a handy list of inspired ideas to help you create a space that's really your own.

A wall stencil
Lips wall stencil
Wall Stencil available at Amazon.com

Since it's recommended that you keep 5-6 feet on all sides of your pole clear of furniture, there's often not a lot of room to put things in a personal dance room.  Smaller rooms may only allow for a chair tucked away in the corner.  Girls are often resigned to decorate the walls and possibly the ceiling.  Art is, of course, subjective, but a wall stencil can create a dramatic statement in any room.  Thanks to the beauty that is the Internet, there is a surprising variety to choose from. You can't go wrong with a silhouette of your favorite trick for a background (think of the unlimited options!).


Lighting
Champagne bottle lights
Miss Fit Academy's up-cycled lights
Nothing sets the mood quite like lighting. The right lighting can turn even the most sad, mundane area into your own personal sanctuary. Blue lights are soothing, pink lights are girly, white lights are softening, red lights are sexy. Check out some samples of light colors and find what speaks to you. These handy wall clips make it possible to put lights just about anywhere in your home - the sky is the limit! 

Crash Matts
Crash Mats

If you're new to pole dance, you probably don't need heavy duty mats for your practice space.  But, you should be thinking about your safety as soon as you're inverting. Consider that many new holds require a spotter in a studio and you're more likely to be alone whilst practicing. Many companies make mats specifically for poles - ready made to wrap around that pole with ease. Gymnastic mats also make a good covering for your ground. Even a trip to Walmart for some of those interlocking foam kindergarten pieces is better than a bare concrete or wood floor!

Mirrors
Purple mirror

Try to include a large mirror, if possible, so you can see yourself should you want to work on perfecting your lines. If that isn't in the budget then several smaller mirrors on the same wall could fit the bill. Include some gauzy fabric that you can drape over the mirror for those times when you want to focus on the feeling of movement rather than on your perfect, but slightly imperfect hips and booty.


-written by JLK

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Salacious Bachelorette Party Accessories

At Miss Fit Academy, we LOVE our bachelorette parties. We inject our bachelorette parties with a natural aura of wholesome fun and seduction, but if you aren't able to come dance with us, we have a few suggestions to bring your own salaciousness to your bachelorette party and make it a night the bride-to-be will never forget!

WARNING: These accessories are NOT for the anti-phallic bride - they are downright naughty girl, party props for the wild woman at heart!

Pecker Piñata 
Fill this 18 inch piñata with condoms, candies, or toys and let the bride-to-be take her turn to slap the pecker around. It is her last night of freedom, after all, so let her have the first and last whack. Sooner or later, it'll burst and all that R (or X) rated fun will explode throughout the room. Fun for everyone!




Hen night is something that we wish America would adopt ASAP.  It's bachelorette level debauchery any time you want! Have you lost a few pounds? Celebrate with hen night! Get new shoes? Hen night! It's Tuesday? HEN NIGHT! This spank wand is for the girl who wants a little oomph in her nights out with the girls.  Keep everybody in line throughout the night and watch your girlfriends mysteriously invite you out more.




Naturally, penises need to be all over the place at a truly salacious bachelorette party. Penis confetti, penis cakes, penis decorations... but our favorite are these candy rings. Suggestive and silly at the same time, these candy rings will delight and amuse your girls all night. 



The Dirty Little Secret game is perfect if you're looking for some hilariously inappropriate fun. Players make an attempt to guess the bride-to-be's answers to salacious and eye-popping questions guaranteed to make everyone giggle. This game can also be played as a drinking game where players drink when they incorrectly guess the brides answers.


- written by JLK

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Vegetable challenge: Demystifying Swiss Chard

Welcome to Miss Fit Academy blog!

Miss Fit Academy isn't just about dancing - we value total health. Without a good diet, activities like pole dancing, aerial hoop, and silk climbing can be damn near impossible. Even if you aren't participating in a high intensity work out, a healthy diet is a necessity to a healthy life. Even a personal trainer can't help you if you're eating like diabetes is a personal goal. With that in mind, we would like to welcome you to the first installment of the Veggie Challenge.

Vegetables represent one of the foods that Americans don't eat nearly enough of. More Americans die from heart disease than from breast cancer. Yet, we all wear pink the entire month of October. Vegetables can often be foreign or intimidating to people. but cooking needn't be difficult. Start slowly, one vegetable at a time, and work them into your diet. If you dislike a particular vegetable, try preparing it a different way.

So… now I'd like to introduce a fine, yet mysterious vegetable called SWISS CHARD!! Shhh!  Keep it down, Swiss Chard.  People don't know you that well yet!
Please excuse Swiss Chard.  He comes on a little strong at first. Swiss chard is loud, proud, and colorful.

Swiss Chard
Colorful swiss chard from www.FoxesLoveLemons.com

He's really a good guy.  If you let Swiss Chard into your life you'll receive age-fighting antioxidants along with blood sugar support and bone health. You'll know this guy by his bright stalk (most often red) and fluffy green leaves.  He's a keeper and super easy to work with.

A simple way to prepare Swiss Chard:
First, wash the leaves, and then fold each leaf in half lengthwise and wave goodbye to that beautiful stalk. Roll up the more understated leaves like a cigar and cut into ribbons for sautéing or break apart into whatever size pieces you want for as a salad.

stemacideCutting chard into ribbons


Bon Apetit!

- written by JK