The Pole Dancing Shop

The characteristic of the pole world that strikes me the most is the sense of camaraderie and community that occurs no matter where you go or who you are with. I think that Team BeSpun exemplifies that because we are the only group of women that train as a team yet regularly compete against another. Team BeSpun is headed by Leigh Ann Reilly and includes Natasha Wang, Jennifer Kim, and me. Leigh Ann and Natasha competed in the USPDF pro division (Natasha is the new US Pole Dance Champion and Leigh Ann received 3rd place). Jen and I were in the amateur division (I tied for 2nd place and received my pro card with USPDF).
 
As a team, we have been preparing for this competition since February. We had scheduled group practices, meetings, and act development sessions each week and had group goals (have all choreography done by a certain date, for example). We filmed each other, coached each other, taught moves to each other, and supported each other throughout the past three months. Every morning I would wake up and actually complain out loud to myself, usually including an explicative or two. What made it ok was the knowledge that three other girls were waking up each morning and having the same experience as me, but we were still pushing through it as a team.
 
I still am totally excited and in awe of the fact that even backstage, that sense of “we’re all in it together” prevailed in the face of competition amongst all of the competitors, not just Jen and I. We shared grip solutions, gave suggestions on outfit adjustments, and helped stretch each other.
 
From my weekend, this much is clear: to be in the pole community is to be at home wherever you are in the world. To be taken care of in New York by people that hardly know you, yet welcome you with open arms because they’ve watched you on YouTube. To have total strangers approach you after your performance to congratulate you and then end up being your best friend by the end of the weekend. To be backstage at a competition and share your success secrets with all the other competitors because you want everyone to do well. To forget something at the hotel and have five girls running to find you a replacement. To train with, and cry with, and celebrate with. That’s what Team BeSpun is really about.
 
Team BeSpun is sponsored by: The Pole Dancing Shop, Mighty Grip, Bendability Fitness, and Girl Next Door: A Pole Dance Soiree.

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