I was so nervous for this competition. I almost quit during the preparation process. Right up until I went on stage, I felt my heart was going to come out of my chest. But once I was there I actually enjoyed it so much.
This routine was a completely new concept for me, but I really wanted to do something different and push myself. It was a huge challenge for me both mentally and physically but I’m proud of myself for pushing 💗 even when all I wanted to do was give up.
Thank you SO MUCH to the amazing teachers I had help from and sometimes even just moral support 🤍
@polefiction who has been guiding me through the competition process physically and mentally. Without her help I would not have had the courage to take on such a challenging musical choice, and I would have also felt insecure about some of my less conventional movement choices but Teresa has taught me to listen to my own intuition and do what truly makes me happy without the pressure of external validation 💗
@artemjeva.nastya who has been helping me create this choreo even though I butchered some of the transitions she taught me 😅 Her clinical eye and impecable taste are like a compass to me and she was one of the first to see my concept and believe in its potential 💗
@ekaterina.pogrebitskaya for teaching me a million things that I didn’t end up putting in the choreo (yet) and for all your support and encouragement and inspiration ❤️
@majogomez.ch for pushing me to challenge myself and all the emotional support during my breakdowns 🥲 And for making me laugh when I wanted to cry 😂🥲
@lulispagnolo for inspiring some weird and creepy leg work 🕷️ This is an area I’m still new to but have fallen in love with
I feel so lucky to learn from all of them and I feel like this choreo became a cocktail with a little ingredients from each of them 🤍
Silver bikini set by @mashuka.design ✨🪐
Thanks @lolaograce for this amazing video and for the cat calls from the audience 😂🫶
@exoticgeneration_greece I enjoyed this event so much, last year was amazing and this year was even better! 💙💙💙💙 And the lighting this year was ❤️🔥👌
@exoticgeneration_official 🤍
My tips to create flow 🌊
• Lead & finish with your head 🫡
Your head can guide the movement, adding intention and making it feel more complete. Head loops are a great way to switch directions while maintaining the flow. Play around with them and see where they can take you.
• Create opposition ⚖️
Opposition (or contrast) adds amplitude, making your movement look elastic and juicy (once it’s smoothed out, of course). Stretch as far as you can: if your head is high, keep your hips low; if your hips are left, reach your head to the right, etc. It can feel harder at first since you’re using your whole body, but with practice, it actually makes your movement more efficient, and efficiency enhances flow.
• Loop it up 🔁
Loops force you to smooth things out. Try linking 2–3 simple moves, then focus on smoothing, adding intention, and experimenting.
• Bonus: let go of perfection 🤍
Flow can be taught, but it only feels flowy if it’s natural. Learn the technique, then adapt it to your body. Keep what feels good, release what doesn’t. Flow is as much about feeling as it is about form.
✨ Wanna go deeper? I’ve got another class coming soon on @pole.cloud 👀💈 Stay tuned!
Not sure which shoes to buy? Here’s a run down of the basics:
808 - clear strap, thick and supportive, a little rigid until broken in. High support, probably better for more narrow feet (let me know in the comments!), long toes hang off the front edge. Less arch display. Beginner friendly.
808N - Jelly straps. Soft and stretchy, comfy from the beginning but stretch out quickly. Medium support, hold long toes better but require more foot strength and control. More arch display possible. Suited for intermediate and up.
809 - classic faux-leather straps. Narrow and less stretchy but once broken in hug the feet nicely. Sleek, elegant and minimalist but less ankle support. Ankle straps prone to breaking. Suitable for more experienced dancers (imo).
Which ones do you prefer? Add your tips & preferences in the comments! 🫶
I used to roll my eyes when people said freestyle is a skill you can practice, because when I didn’t even have the movement vocabulary to think about freestyling, it made no sense to me. It can feel really intimidating, so I completely understand why people shy away from it. But honestly, my dancing changed once I started intentionally implementing it into my practice.
Here are three ways I personally frame freestyling that helped me:
1. Start with what you already know If you feel stuck and don’t know how to begin freestyling, start by repeating the movements you already know. Repetition with intention helps you refine those movements and slowly discover your own style within them. Freestyling doesn’t have to mean inventing completely new shapes all the time.
2. Film your freestyles and rewatch them It’s fun to freestyle without the pressure of a camera, but once I started filming and watching my freestyles back, I began noticing little moments I actually liked. Maybe it’s only 1% of the dance, but that 1% can grow once you make it intentional. I now sometimes enjoy watching my freestyles more than my polished dances because they often contain more soul and honesty. Also, I tend to forget what I did in the moment, so filming helps me capture movements or transitions I want to revisit and develop more intentionally later.
3. Lean into your mistakes Sometimes I start going down a pathway and second-guess myself halfway through. Then I rewatch it later and realize it actually could’ve been really interesting if I had committed to it. Freestyling is such an interesting way to discover movements that suit your body specifically, while also practicing trust and follow-through instead of immediately shutting ideas down.
These are mindsets that I practice and train the same way that I train my body, because neuroplasticity is real and you can shape your mind intentionally.
So here are some mindsets that I train regularly:
1. Viewing others’ success as evidence, rather than viewing it with envy. It’s weak minded to view other people’s success as a threat to yours. It is proof that success is possible (whatever that means to you). The more I see the people around me succeeding, the happier I am to be part of that circle because I can learn from them, draw inspiration from them, and grow alongside them. You are the average of the people you surround yourself with, so I take it as a good sign when those around me are thriving.
2. Focusing only on insecurities I can change through mental or physical effort. Dancers often have different insecurities because we view the body through function as much as appearance. Training has taught me to value what my body can do, not just how it looks. Of course, like anyone (especially as a woman), I have insecurities. Some are unchangeable, so I practice not giving them attention: I don’t dwell on them, speak about them, or reinforce them internally. I deliberately choose what I focus on. If it’s something I can improve (like flexibility or a skill), I work on it. If not, I shift my focus elsewhere.
3. Prioritizing healthy eating without obsession. I’ve struggled with disordered eating, and while those patterns don’t fully disappear, you learn to manage them better. Understanding the basics of nutrition helps me avoid extremes and stick to balance. I’m also aware that my tendency to overtrain can become another form of imbalance, so I’m working on channeling that energy into something supportive rather than destructive.
4. When a door closes, I actively look for another one that’s open. This isn’t about blindly accepting any opportunity, but about resilience. I’ve had plans fall apart due to people or circumstances, but I’ve learned to reset, adapt, and move forward. I don’t rely on manifestation alone, I believe in taking aligned action. “God helps those who help themselves.” God, the universe, Source… whatever you wanna call it.
📢
Leg waves…. Are actually just body waves that the leg reacts to. So if yours look off, you might be approaching them from the wrong angle.
3 tips:
1. Focus on hip rotation. If you’re doing waves ‘à la seconde’ (legs in second position), hips rotate side to side (think drawing a smiley face with your coxis). If you’re doing standing waves (leg goes front-back), think pelvic tilt (bum tucked versus bum out). The legs follow this. Hips are the main character 👑 … and that brings me to me next point.
2. Don’t overbend your knees. Waves look more magical and flowy when the legs aren’t doing too much. It can take away the magic and cause visual chaos.
3. Use your side bend to accentuate the movement. This is where the magic lies (and also where the hard work lies). The hip rotation is the base, but if you want more amplitude, the side bend is your best friend. Often times people seek more amplitude by moving the legs more (see my previous point 💆🏻♀️), but what actually gives bigger waves (that look magical and not like a dying cockroach), is the side bend.
