Hi, everyone! Last week, I wrote about documenting your milestones as a motivational tool to help you progress on your exotic dance journey.
As exotic dance is a skill that you’ll continue to hone over the years with no limits on learning new tricks, you can choose to celebrate little successes without having to wait until you reach a more advanced level.
Here are some tips on how you can get the best out of your exotic photoshoots:
Research your moves well ahead of the shoot: look to Instagram for motivation. Some may be moves you already know how to do, while others can be simple grounded poses with the pole. You can choose to document any move you’re proud of, however, it is important to have a variety of moves or poses within your arsenal; the more difficult ones to showcase the level you’ve mastered and the easier ones to give yourself a breather between all those airborne tricks.
The simpler poses and tricks will allow you to also display more expression as you may not have that option when you are suspended upside down (which I believe at times causes the pose to lack character or feeling) or when the move is so arduous that you look slightly constipated with all the blood rushing to your face!
It’s always good to have a variety of simple and difficult moves to bring to the shoot. Aim for 5-6 airborne tricks and a few more off the pole; use the simple poses as a way to muster up the required energy for those airborne moves.
Prepare a mood board & communicate your expectations to the photographer prior to the shoot: run through the lighting you prefer or the vibe you have in mind. I often do my own trial shoot in order to prep for more flattering angles. Similarly, I have also received pre-shoot requests from my students to run through poses.
I recommend bringing your own friend (preferably a pole buddy) or hire an instructor to point out any errors during the shoot. It will make a world of difference as to how flat your inverted splits will look or how you should stop sickling your feet!
I always have at least 2 assistants ─ one to help with the angles and stop the pole from spinning and another to help with my hair placement during the shoot.
Pay special attention to your fingers and feet; these minute details stand out in photos. The lines and extensions depict the standards you hold yourself up to as a dancer.
Review the poses during the shoot itself to ensure you have nailed the shot; don’t leave it to chance or to the photographer. I often find that the angle I prefer differs from that of the photographer, especially when it comes to the lines of a dancer.
It’s very important to note that if you choose a photographer without the required industry experience, I suggest that they bring a variety of lenses to the shoot. Some moves that are more horizontal in nature could turn out much nicer with a wide-angle lens or if you have a conducive background. Again, communicate your expectations and be specific.
Shoots are very tiring as you would need to hold your moves for a while, especially the aerial ones, (probably 2-3 counts of 8s) or repeatedly invert for the same pose so it is important to condition yourself by improving your stamina weeks before the shoot ─ do your handstands, planks and push-ups diligently. Personally, I find photoshoots much more tiring than teaching or dancing a full routine!
If you’re interested to have your exotic journey documented, drop me a line for some ideas and tips! ─ The Vibes, 24 February, 2021
If you are new & would like to give pole dancing or other forms of exotic dance a go, check out my Instagram account: @stardust_poledancer, or email [email protected] and quote *StardustxVibes* for a trial class at a special rate!
