Pole Dancing in a Different Light

 

                              Some of you may know by now that I do pole fitness.  If you didn't know that then you may be shocked right now with one of two thoughts going through your head.  You must be thinking A. Oh really? I didn't know you did that!  Or B.  WHAT?!  You're a stripper??  To clarify that question, no.  I am not a stripper.  I do not strip or dance around a pole in lingerie.  I don't work at a strip club.  I do this for fun and for fitness.  Let me go into some detail about the history of pole dancing, BEFORE it was in strip clubs.  (not that anything is wrong with strippers or strip clubs, I am not condemning anyone or their occupation, everyone has a right to do what they want and like no matter what, I just want to clarify my differing situation before assumptions are made)


             
           Pole dancing originated from Chinese Pole, which was a circus act dating back to the 12th century and Indian Pole performances known as " Pole Mallakhamb" 800 years ago.  These forms of dance and athleticism evolved over the years until traveling circuses started dancing around the poles of circus tents in the 1920s.  Pole dancing did not start out as anything sexual or stripper-esque until later in the 1960s, Since then it has been viewed from a sexualized standpoint almost exclusively, when there are other forms of pole dancing including fitness and art.


   




Resources:  Wiki 

History of Pole

Pole History and Info



                    Recently though, within the last few years, there has been an increased interest in pole dancing forms other than stripping and people all over the world are working to explain that and change the views and better explain where pole dancing originated from.  I hope that any of you reading this that are against this type of sport or dance will see it in a different light.  I know how surprised and happy I was to learn that it started in the circus!  Ever since I can remember I have always loved carnivals and the circus.  Since my dad grew up working on a traveling carnival, it comes as no surprise why I love it so much!                                             

                    Pole fitness is a lot of fun and such a great work out.  People aren't kidding when they tell you that!  It will make you sore and realize you had muscles in places you would never think you could have muscles haha!  You will learn how to use your body in ways you never thought possible.  It's almost like dancing, yoga, strength, and cardio all in one centered around a fun form of exercise rather than something that seems more like work than fun.  If you're like me, spinning around and being silly not caring if you mess up or look funny, then you will love it!

                   You will get a LOT of bumps and bruises.  You will mess up, that's unavoidable when you start out.  It takes a ton of time and practice and patience and pain.  There is still so much that I have to learn and that's the best part!  I love learning new things and if a hobby doesn't offer much to learn I'll get bored and move onto the next thing.  Pole dancing and fitness isn't one of those things, it keeps you wanting to learn more and the feeling of accomplishment you get when nailing a new move is such a wonderful feeling!  If you're a girl, you will also have the satisfaction of being stronger than any guys you know that don't pole!  ;)  (haha just kidding.... or am I?)  Watch the video below to see men trying pole moves for the first time, it's guaranteed to make you laugh!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isa1rt_hQIw

           I have always been the type of person who was just a little different than the others around me.  Because of that, I was made fun of and bullied all throughout school and even later when I became homeschooled and sometimes even still do this day!  BUT my parents always told me to never be afraid to be myself.  They taught me that true friends would like me for who I am, and I didn't want people to like me for someone I pretended to be to avoid getting made fun of.  That being said, I was the type of kid to think outside the box and to often break the rules haha!  I loved climbing trees and furniture and just about anything I could get my hands and feet on!  

            I think all of that climbing and running and playing and dancing I did growing up has really played a huge part of my life today.  I've been swing dancing for three years now and I absolutely love it.  But I wanted to do something else, something I could do when I was home alone without a dance partner.  One day about 2 years ago at a swing dance party at my friends house I noticed there was a pole on their back porch.  Not a pole dancing pole, just a support built onto the house, but of course I saw the pole and wanted to spin on it.  So I did.    



          Then everyone was on the pole playing and climbing and spinning.  A few jokes were made about it and we laughed, but who knew I would seriously start doing pole fitness full time?  I started looking into it but didn't really find much, there weren't any classes in Greenville at that time.  So I got my fiance and my dad to help me build my own pole in my tiny messy little room with the intentions of starting up pole fitness.  Life got in the way and I did it on and off without classes, up until about two months ago when I really started.  I have learned and improved so much in those two months and it's made me so happy!



          This year a school opened in Greenville teaching pole fitness called The Pole Academy.  My friend Ally, knowing how much I loved pole, invited me to their intro class.  I took the class and it was so much fun, everyone was so sweet and encouraging!  Even though I knew all of the beginner moves already, they encouraged me to continue and push harder.  They taught me the correct ways to grip the pole, to climb, and to land safely; I took home what they taught me to better myself.  They inspired me to get rid of almost all of the furniture in my room to replace it with more functional storage space so that I had room to pole, do yoga, work out and dance without always bumping into things.  Although it's still not ideal, I make it work and continue to push myself to learn more and stay motivated.


          So if you're thinking about giving pole fitness a try, don't be afraid of what others may think.  There are so many more positives to outweigh the negatives of some ignorant people!  Work your hardest and show off those skills and muscles and ignore the negative people that try and stand in your way!  :)

  Matthew Pautz Photography

                                                               

Sisters!

      So, my little sister's birthday is tomorrow. (Happy Birthday, Shae!!)  She's turning 18 so this is a big one!  It's also the year she graduates from high school!                                                               

    

         When we were growing up, we were very close.  We were best friends and we did everything together.  We played with barbies together, made up games together, went on adventures together, and even got in trouble together.  Okay, we got in trouble a lot.  XD  And it was usually my fault, because I always wanted to do things that were against the rules, haha!  Things like, going down to the creek in our back yard when our mom said it was dangerous, or climbing too high in a tree, going into the 'out of bounds' area of the McDonald's playground, etc.

 

We also argued a lot-and we still do!  We're actually very different from each other so we have a lot of conflicting opinions and ideas.  Our parents would separate us when this happened. We had to go into our own rooms and weren't allowed to speak to each other the rest of the night.  But of course, we would sneak out and play games in the hallway between our rooms anyway and the argument was forgotten.  We would be laughing again in a matter of minutes.  

   We didn't like being separated, even when we disagreed or got angry at each other.  Our friendship meant more than that so it was easy to let it go so we could play and laugh again.  My mom has always said that having a sister is like having a built-in friend. I know, that even through our differences, we will always be friends.
 

       Shae had her interests, and I had mine, they have changed throughout the years, but we still remain friends and I will always cherish those memories no matter how far we grow apart with our differences.  I know we went through a hard time as sisters when going through our awkward teenage phases, but I think now that we are both young adults, we will be able to grow even closer than we ever were before, with time.  :)

         

The Last Dance

           Last night I, along with over two hundred other swing dancers, shared my last dance with the first person I danced with at The Handlebar.  It was a bittersweet moment, knowing that this is the last time I will ever dance on that floor.  As I walked in, I felt the familiar rush of butterflies in my stomach, the same feeling I've felt every day I have danced since the first day I set foot in The Handlebar three years ago.  This time, another feeling washed over me, nostalgia.  I looked around seeing all of the people I have come to know

and love over the years.  There are so many memories within those walls, not only for me, but for so many others!  Paul Hoke has been an inspiration for countless people and events.  I only wish I had known about swing dancing at The Handlebar sooner!  When I was a kid I used to watch people swing dance on tv and I fell in love with it instantly never knowing that just fifteen minutes down the road it would be going on for fifteen years!


          Before I started dancing at The Handlebar, I was going through a very very rough time that I don't like to talk about.  I had lost a lot of people and I felt very alone and heart broken.  I had been betrayed by people I thought loved me, who I thought were my friends.  So when I heard a group of some old friends discussing swing dancing three years ago, I was immediately interested.  They invited me to come along and I went every Tuesday that I possibly could, even when they stopped going.  I have always been a very shy and quiet, introverted person, but I have also always had a love and passion for dance.  Swing dancing allowed me to get the nerve up to come out of my shell and make new friends.  In the past, I would have never been able to accomplish all that I have without swing!  It gave me courage, happiness, and a sense of belonging that I had never felt before.

          Before long I had learned the basic steps and dips and spins and I wanted to learn more!  I wanted to get thrown around and flipped and lifted into the air like I had seen the dancers in old movies do.  I met more and more talented aspiring dancers that I ended up rounding up into a group of friends who all shared our passion and love of learning and dancing together.  Not only did we dance on Tuesdays, but we started dancing wherever we went!  Downtown, in coffee shops, even in Waffle House!  I don't know if he knows it, but Paul had given us all something that we could take with us wherever we went.  Something that we could share with others and teach and learn from!  He also taught us that we don't have to be amazing dancers, we don't have to be perfect, and we don't have to compete, we just have to have fun and spread that joy to others.  He gave us a place we could all fit in and belong and create friendships and long lasting relationships and bonds.

  

           All of this has inspired me to get together and dance for fun, for photos, for videos, to make friends, meet new people, get people together, teach and learn and so much more!  Since I have been going to The Handlebar for Upstate Swing I have had several of my own smaller dance events, whether it was for someone's birthday, a photography or video project, for a holiday, or just for fun!  One of my favorites was a HUGE swing flash mob that was so successful and amazing that I will never ever forget it!  Check out this video, if you haven't seen it already!  

Singer: Wanda Johnson

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wanda-...

           Swing dancing at The Handlebar changed my life, and the lives of many others.  It's sad to see it go, but we all know that swing is not dead, it never was, and it never will be!  Upstate swing on Tuesday nights is not over, because they have moved to a new venue and will still continue hosting dances on Tuesday nights in Greenville!  The memories at The Handlebar will stay with us all.  And Paul, I hope you are reading this, even though my story is small.  I want to thank you, and the entire Upstate Swing team for all that you have done for me, and for all of us, and all that you continue to do.  It has been an honor to dance with you, and to work alongside you, and I hope there will be many more years to do so!

Also, be sure to check out Paul and Greg on this interview with Carolina Now:  http://www.carolinascw.com/story/25250707/upstate-swing-celebrates-15-year-run-at-the-handlebar-with-final-event

What, Why, and How

         My favorite photos, both to admire and photograph, are photos that tell a story just by looking at them.  I also love to shoot photos that are more toward the fashion side of things, such as editorial.  I'm a very eclectic person and artist, so I don't have one particular genre or style I stick with. I like to bounce around according to my mood at the time.  I love editing, and experimenting in photoshop, with different styles, learning new techniques and so on.   I have done some composited images/photo manipulations/digital art, here and there, but they aren't really my favorite.   What I really like is trying to create every aspect of my work in real life.      


  I get such a feeling of accomplishment knowing and being able to say, "Yes, I did do the makeup for this shoot." and "Yes, I made that jewelry." or "I spent days finding the perfect location, or hours setting up a scene for a photo, weeks shopping for the perfect props, etc."  If I want fire, I'll have fire.  If I want a certain location, I will search and search until I find one, and in some cases, create one!   If I want bone jewelry, I will pull a deer carcass off the side of the road and make that bone jewelry!!  (and yes, I really did do that, haha!)  It's all an adventure and I love it.


  Ever since I can remember, I have always loved to create things.  Whether that means, drawing,  sewing handmade cat toys, making origami, practicing makeup on my little sister, etc.  I use to carve sidewalk chalk into creatures and I even made 'paper dolls' out of magnolia leaves from my favorite tree.  My sister and I always had really wild imaginations, and we would make toys or games out of whatever we could find or come up with!  When we played Barbies, I always loved to do all the Barbies hair and outfits, set up their Barbie castle, house, horses, etc. into the perfect scene and then I didn't want to even play the game because of how beautiful it all looked haha!  I used to go outside and pick flowers to make into a bouquet, dress my sister up from head to toe, do her hair and makeup, and have a pretend wedding, or act out a play I wrote with a friend, neighbor, or even a cat haha!                                    

To put it simply, I love to coordinate things.  I love putting things together, organizing, coming up with every single aspect of the photograph all the way down to the nitty gritty details such as (makeup, nails, hair, wardrobe, accessories, props, locations, pose, facial expression, shadows, lighting, etc.) and challenging myself to create as much of it as possible without photoshopping anything in that wasn't actually there.  Yes it can get overwhelming at times and sometimes I have to ask for help, but I love every minute of it.  It is a very wonderful and satisfying feeling to accomplish something that challenges me, especially when it's something that I put together myself.

I like to take time alone to think.  I put everyone else's thoughts and opinions of art and 'rules' of photography out of my head and do what I want, what I view as art, what I think will express me and my thoughts.  I haven't had any schooling in photography whatsoever.  I have been unschooled since the 8th grade, and it's the best thing that could have ever happened to me.  I have a love of learning and a passion that drives me to create.

      I work really hard and put my heart and soul into my photography.  Sometimes I take a long time to create an image, because I'm a perfectionist and I am stubborn but I am proud of my work, and the dedication and determination that I put into each piece.  I create art because I love it, and because it allows me to express myself, to let go completely, and to have fun.  I don't do it for attention, to compete, or to win. I definitely hope others will enjoy it as well, but that isn't really my top priority when I am creating. I don't mean that selfishly, I just mean that is how I feel is the best way to show my way of thinking and seeing when it comes to art.  

 

 

Nudity

               ***WARNING:  This blog entry contains photos that are NSFW (not safe for work) that may contain nudity or sexual content.


              I'm not sure how many of you know where I stand on the controversial topic of nude artwork, or if you all know that I do shoot artistic nudes myself.  Before I continue, I will state that I am an artistic nude photographer.  All of the art work that I have done involving any nudity, is done artistically and tastefully.  That being said, I am not against photographing something that may be a bit more on the sensual side, such as boudoir, swimsuit, Suicide Girls, etc.  I am very open minded, and I will shoot whatever I am being paid for, even if it is something I wouldn't normally shoot for my own artwork.  However, for my personal art portfolio, I will only have artistic tastefully done nude photography that I have shot.

         I just wanted to take this time to state a few things that I think, and keep in mind that these are just my opinions, everyone has a right to have an opinion even if it differs from what others may think.  I'm going to talk about how nudity (in photography, other forms of art, and in general) is viewed by society, and my feelings towards it.  And I'm going to talk about and show the differences between artistic nude photography, erotic photography, porn, and less tasteful forms of nudity and modeling.  So, here we go!  :)


         This is from one of the first nude photo shoots that I have ever done.  It is also my favorite concept out of all of the conceptual pieces I have ever done.  This is an excerpt from my tumblr when I first posted this concept almost exactly one year ago:
                                                  

    'The way I view nude photography, and nudity in general, is a raw type of beauty; a sense of total freedom.  Society ruins that though.  Some people try and take that freedom and beauty away.  So that’s kind of what I was going for with this concept.  Whether she won or lost the fight in the end, is how you choose to view it.  Sometimes you have to fight for what you believe in.'

        I love the raw and natural beauty that artistic nudity shows.  So many people claim to see the beauty in all things that are natural, but they seem to forget how natural our naked bodies are.  Nudity is the epitome of natural beauty.  You can't get much more natural than naked!  I definitely see the nude body as an art form, and not just something that is designed purely for sex.  There is so much more to it than that.  Society has tainted our views on sex as well.  It is also natural.  Nudity and sex do not have to be viewed as 'bad' or 'wrong'.  They can be beautiful and natural, not always nasty and vulgar.  Which brings me to my next topic;  The differences between artistic nudes, porn, erotic photography, and other nude/next to nude photos.  Some photos are meant to be viewed as purely art, while others tend to make people think purely sexual.  These photos are much too often clumped together into one category and people throw them all to the side without giving artistic nude photography (or other forms of art) a chance.


 (Before I go on, I do want to state that I am not saying that porn is bad, or that any of these other forms of modeling, and photography is bad either.  I am just showing the differences between these things that often get clumped together all as 'gross' 'bad' and 'wrong')

*Definition of porn:  "the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement"



So, here is an example of a completely nude photograph that is done artistically and tastefully:
                                         

And here is one that I could see being called porn, and not being looked at as art:  (Click the link below to see the picture.  I don't want to get reported.)

*Definition of porn:  'The depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement.'

                        http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Nude_sitting_woman.jpg


And here is an example of erotic nude photography:

 http://softscreams.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/EroticV1I2007.jpg
                                           

It's very easy to spot the differences, don't you think?

To sum it up, the way I see it, is that a photo becomes erotic photography when there is some sort of sexual innuendo in the photo, but it is still done in an artistic way.  And it becomes porn when it is blatantly sexual without even trying to be artistic or tasteful.

      Even some pictures of girls in clothing can look a lot more sexual than some artistic nude/erotic photography does.  For example:
                           

http://dynastyseries.com/wp-content/2011/07/raven-MRFSTOP-2-525x787.jpg

              Most pictures like these are geared toward men, to make men think sexual things about the girl in the photo, or about the outfit she is wearing and how he may want his girlfriend or wife or lover to wear something similar the next time they have sex.  Again, I am not saying that there is anything wrong with this type of photography or modeling.  If you want to do it, then you should do it, and not let anyone else hold you back!  But I do want to shed some light on the differences, and hopefully some of you who are against artistic nudity may be able to see the art in them now.  If not, that's okay!  I just wanted to share some of my views on the topic.  :)

               Artistic nude art is my favorite form of art.  I love how having no clothes can completely change the look, style, and feel of a photograph and/or painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.  It allows a lot of freedom as an artist to create a concept, and to show a lot of emotion with body language and not only facial expressions.  It shows freedom and vulnerability.  It allows people to see and notice so much more, and not just look at the brand of clothing, or jewelry the model may be wearing.  (I do love a lot of other types of photography and art as well, as you all know, so don't think I am against clothing or fashion, because I love it too haha!)


I'll end this blog with a few of my favorite artistic nudes, and if you'd like to see more, please feel free to visit my tumblr!  :)

 http://creartsyphotography.tumblr.com/

               

                     

                         

Love

           This will probably be the hardest thing I've ever written, because it's so hard to describe how I feel, especially when it's about someone I care about deeply.  (I actually started writing this a few days ago, but I keep having to come back and change and add things haha!) Words and pictures just aren't enough to really show how much I love them and care about them, but I'd like to try and show it anyway, the best way that I can!  With Thanksgiving right around the corner and the Holidays sneaking up on us so quickly, it really makes you start thinking about everyone you love.  I'd like to write this before the new year starts.  (I'm going to write another entry dedicated just to family, but I'm waiting on a few surprises before I do so!  ;) )  This entry is for Dray.  <3
                                             

           

         Dray and I were actually friends for about a year or so before we dated.  (We actually went to our senior homecoming and prom together, just not as each other's dates haha!)  When we did get together, we dated on and off for a while before we were officially in a relationship.  And now we've been together for two years.  :)  We have both always been the type of people that wanted to be in a long term relationship.  A lot of our morals, views, and priorities are very much the same, which makes it so easy for us to be together and stay together for so long.  I've never met a guy who was so easy to communicate with.  We talk about everything, and we can have discussions instead of fights when we have issues.  Like all couples, we still argue, but we are able to do it without yelling or lying and hiding things.  It's amazing to feel so secure in a relationship.  The beginning of our relationship was pretty complicated, and some things still are, but they are minor compared to the beginning. I feel like if we got through those bigger problems, we can get through anything.                                                                                           

 

We're opposites in some ways, but very much the same in others.  I think we have both rubbed off on each other in one way or another.  He has helped me see reality more clearly, and I have helped him see the fun in life!  We balance each other out with our differences.  Although he absolutely hated dancing and even just mentioning the word 'dance' before we met, he has danced with me countless times and he secretly loves it.  ;)           

                                

                                             
         He didn't consider himself an animal person or an animal lover in any way before he met me either...
                                     

                          

 

    And he would definitely say that he wasn't a cat person.  (but he totally loves cats!)  ;D                                               

    BUT in return, he has gotten me to do and enjoy some of the things he loves also!

Such as... video games!

                             

      ....and jokes!
                                  

             As you can probably tell, we both already loved dressing up, whether that be for Halloween, the Renaissance Festival, a photo shoot, or just for fun!
                              

    Three years at the annual Greenville Zombie Awakening 2011-2013
                                       

     Renaissance Festival and Halloween last year! 


                      We started out as friends and so much has changed in two years!

     

 

We now have a snake family together, Dray has become my second shooter for weddings and other photo sessions, we've grown and learned so much, and now we're about to start traveling the country.  We're taking our first steps towards our careers and our life together.  It's amazing how much we have both accomplished, both on our own, and with each other, in our lives and our relationship.  I didn't think I could find another person who shared my love of accomplishment, hatred of humanity, passion for snakes, joy of dressing up, the desire for commitment, love, and honesty, and so many more things!
                         

            

                     

                                                

                                      

                                                 

                                            

                                             

There is SO much more that I want to write and so many photos that I want to post, but I was hoping to try and keep this somewhat short and sweet, haha!

I love you, Dray!  <3