Pole Dance: "I'm an Adult Now" The Pursuit of Happiness (TPOH)

[andyyaukm]

dude i support you as long as i dont have you pay you :DD

[Poledancefan]

@andyyaukm LOL, fair enough! Thanks for watching! /Joel Lessing

[reesesthedog]

I'm pretty sure he took the christian pole dancing class.

[Poledancefan]

@reesesthedog LOL, I actually saw the teaser for that run on the news but they never showed the actual segment. I think it's that studio down in Texas somewhere. I don't know those ladies personally, but if I get to Texas, I'll definitely try to get a workshop or a lesson in! Thanks for watching!/Joel Lessing

[Breakless13x]

I couldn't help but laugh. Thank you sir, for making my day. :D

[Poledancefan]

@Breakless13x You're welcome! Thanks for watching. /joel

[babydollzombie]

Love it!

I was getting dizzy watching, don't think I could walk round that fast!

This is the first time I have seen a guy pole dance, bravo to you

[Poledancefan]

@babydollzombie Thank You!

[cgrammeral]

I am just now seeing this vid? What has happened to YouTube lately?!

Joel, FABULOUS work! I am envious of your dedication and fluidity! You dance like no one's looking! I need to get back on the pole. The summer is so hectic @ work and I just can't seem to get any "me" time. You're vid has inspired me to jump back on it again tonight!

Keep up the AWESOME work!

[Poledancefan]

Thank You! Actually, I think this video was inspired by one of your dancey workouts from sometime last year. Yeah...July has been crazy for me, too. Lots of things going on with my relatives--nothing too serious, just the usual summer visits and hosting company and all that. I'm back to work next week...so I know it'll just get busier, LOL! Enjoy what's left of the summer!

[Poledancefan]

@cgrammeral: THANK YOU! Yes, I have the same problem. SOme videos never seem tommake it into the in box...and a lot of comments just get dropped or I never get the notification! Thank you for saying such nice things about the video!

[aquestionofkelly]

Reminds me of my childhood days at the playground, really. ^^

[Poledancefan]

You are absolutely right...there is certainly an elementt of "play" in pole--and indeed, many polers entitle their jam sessions "pole play." It is mostly just for fun...besides being great for fitness. It took me a long time as a male poler to understand this. I think that as far as the ladies who are exotic dancers for a living and do acrobatic work on the pole in addition to floor dance techiniques, they were the girls doing flips on the equipment at the playground! Thanks for watching!

[PirateThom]

This is awesome. I am going to take up poledancing entirely because of this video!!

[Poledancefan]

Thanks! You know, I watch so many pole vids it's hard to remember where I have seen a certain one--but I'm pretty sure there is an Irish or maybe Australian rocker (gutarist or lead singer, maybe) who occaisonally brings his wife's portable platform pole up on the stage during gigs. He is pretty decent and knocks of a few spins and aerial moves while the drummer is doing a solo!

[exdiva69]

why didn't i get this? DAMN YOUTUBE! anyhow, you look incredible, doin your thing. don't get too dizzy:) ALOT of energy in this video. wowser! you are officially declared a FAST STEPPER! lol. yeah starrgirl is the fastest one i've seen! u could be right up there tho:) i wish you had spinny mode, that would be incredibly fun to watch. i wonder if it's POSSIBLE to make one? laurie would kill you if you had another big project lk that again, tho right? hehe, rock on it was AWESOME!

[Poledancefan]

Thanks Shelly! I think it is possible--I saw someone that used a ball bearing set designed for a lazy boy recliner chair to make the pole have a spinny function. It looked a little clunky down below--but it seemed to work OK--as long as you wore shoes to protect the feet from injury. Hmmmm--maybe next summer, LOL!

[mrstrone]

Great "let loose" vid Joel! BTW what did you make your floor padding out of??

[Poledancefan]

Thanks! Those are just the regular old pegged mats you can buy at Wal-Mart or K-Mart. For a while, Johannah (my daughter) used to goof around dancing around the pole in heels (LOL!) so they got REALLY chewed up--hence the black Duct tape repairs. These are the cheap kind20-25 $ a set. More robust heavy duty "health club" pegged mats will hold the weight of a 400 pound weight set--but they are VERY pricey--maybe 75-100$ for eight squares.

[CandleLiteXoXo]

oo I love it Joel!!! Great JOB :)

[Poledancefan]

Thanks, CandleLite! Glad you enjoyed the video

[yummyislikenoother]

Hey Joel, you are really getting good at dancing. I agree with Veena you should try the spinny mode. I like spinny mode on my pole, but sometimes it makes me dizzy especially when you get enough momentum going. LOL

Great job,

Yummy

[Poledancefan]

Thanks, Yummy....It's a home mad pole without spinny mode. I wish I had one cuz I am trying to do Jamilla's reverse back out spin--and it doesn't really work that well on static mode!

[sskonline1]

a home  made pole!!! please do share LOL

Love the video :-))

[Poledancefan]

Hi, SSK! The original tutorials on building the 1.50 inch (38MM) pole are still up on You-Tube. They cover most of the aspects of building the original pole. In December 2008, I switched to a 2 inch diameter pole (50MM), because that is closer to the "strip club" standard. Not because of anything having to do with strip clubs--but purely as a matter of my heavy weight (almost 200 lbs) and the need for more skin "area" grip for aerial safety and dangerous inverts... Thanks for watching!

[sskonline1]

I found it yey!!!! Thanks for the quick response it means I can show the vid to my dad in the morning and. . . convince him he needs a summer project :-) LOL

[CrazySamantha0214]

hey did you see my recent video?

[Poledancefan]

I just put it on the quick list--I was running late for work and tried to catch a few vids before I had to catch the train! I will check it out tonight!

[Shaunya23]

you are doing great.

[Poledancefan]

Thanks, Shaunya!

[StudioVeena]

Hey, its great to see you grow as a "dancer" too. You made me feel dizzy though, if you can handle all that, maybe you should try spinny mode someday!! LOL.

[Poledancefan]

Thanks, Veena! Spinny would be fun...although at my weight I'd always be worried I'd rip the pole right out of the ceiling!

[charleyisagirl]

Wow! Joel, that was fantastic! I haven't been able to keep up with you as well as I would like! Great job, your transitions look great and you look like you were having so much fun - which really is the most important thing. Your steparounds are so perfect - your spins are so controlled!!!! :D

[Poledancefan]

Thanks, Charley...no problem about being busy...it's been a little crazy around here, too. Taxes were a nightmare (Our's. my college son's...and my mom's--we did 'em all. Total Insanity on Overdrive) Thanks for the compliment on the steparounds, but that 8 count thing still eludes me! I'm trying to learn all the floor spins..they LOOKED easy, but they are harder than I thought. Next one on Jamilla's DVD is the backward swing-out and I still don't get it, yet! Thanks for watching!

[REDKE71]

that was so great joel...!! great performance!!

[Poledancefan]

Thanks! It was just for fun...I was a little burnt out on the gymnastics...and resting my neck and shoulder a little. The day before I had been doing simple split grip toe taps..trying to keep my feet off the ground for just 2 seconds. I did like 25 reps each side and my lats were BURNING the next morning! I've got this fantasy I'm going to hold my body straight up and down in split grip--maybe even do the airwalk one day! Thanks for watching ...and for the nice compliment!

[gsylass]

Phew, I got dizzy just watching lol!! I bow to you, great stuff, expecially the length of time you kept going!

[Poledancefan]

Thanks! I was dizzy, too! So are you working on the leg switch move, now? I am still not confident in my gemini. It is not reliable and I do not feel comfortable switching the legs, yet. Then I pigged out on Easter candy and I'm a little scared about doing inverts now. Ha Ha..I've got to get back on the program and show some more discipline...right after I eat this one last Chocolate Easter bunny and drink the last leftover beer!

[gsylass]

Yep, I got it!!! I struggle to hold a scorpio, but if I get a good enough grip in my armpit and snuggle up close to the pole with a bare tummy, then I stick long enough that if I keep switching legs, I can do it lol! I'll post a video in the near future. I think chocolate bunnies are preferable to the resultant pole burn on my hip though...!!

[MOMBUCK1]

Great work Joel:)

[Poledancefan]

Thanks, Mombuck...I had lots of fun and kicked up my heart rate a notch!

[bexboo8]

Fab job, you looked like u was havin fun! i got dizzy from just watching :)

[Poledancefan]

Thanks, Bex...I was feeling a little jealous of all the ladies and their turns...just wanted to see if I could do it. I'm nowhere near as graceful as you guys, but I had fun trying!

[tigiee]

wow i would've collapsed after all that (that is if i had made it all the way through the song to begin with)!!! great job you have a lot of stamina!

[Poledancefan]

Yeah, I was almost venturing into "Ventolin Inhaler" territory with that one! Funny, but it FEELS like you are going so FAST while you are doing it, but doesn't look as fast when you rewind the video! I owe my endurance to bike riding, but I do have asthma, so I gotta watch the moldy basement. I'll be dragging the de-humidifier down from the attic in a day or two, I'm sure! Thanks for watching!

[MrPhatLips]

Joel you are the man!!!!!

[Poledancefan]

Thanks, JC. You going to be on chat maybe this Friday? I'm always forgetting about it until it's too late! We are in for some GREAT weather on Friday, so I might miss it again. Say "Hello" to everybody if you check in--including the lovely Miss Veena! How's the weather out east in DC? Haven't talked to my sister lately, but usually you guys get Spring a little ealier than we do! I had to run the FURNACE last night, LOL!--house got down to 65 F and the kids were complaining....

[MrPhatLips]

Your welcome Joel. I'll definitely be in chat this Friday. I'm too addicted to miss one lol I'll definitely tell the ladies that you send your love. I actually cut up the thermostat last night too. The weather is still a lil wacky. Floats constantly between warm and cool.

[MaidMaryan]

Well done!

[Poledancefan]

Thank You!

[LeEG0]

Keep going Joel! : )

[Poledancefan]

Thanks--just fun today and a little cardio! Gonna hit 80 degrees tomorrow and I'm shootin' for the first 30 miler on the bike this season. So sick of the cold weather, so I am really excited about getting outdoors. I'll get back to the "boring" gymnastic stuff in a few days, LOL!

[poleaddix]

nice work joel!!!!! good cardio

[Poledancefan]

Yeah, I was out of breath and gave up on the rest of practice. So the gemini improvements will have to wait for another day! THanks for watching!

[Poledancefan]

DIzzy...AND out of breath, too! Thanks for watching!

[castleoutsider]

hmm i dunno with everyone posting these step spin vdos.. i have intermediate tonight.. maybe ill make a lil vdo =) thats if my batteries dont die -o- bah~~

theres a little trick that heather taught me that i kinda wanna get on film for yeh too ^^ tho i dunno.. as many turns as she makes us do i always get dizzy n feel like puking O_o so i dunno LOL we shall see

[Poledancefan]

Go for it! I felt like a total idiot doing the video...couldn't keep a beat, kept missing the turns...but it really works up the heartbeat. I was totally out of breath. And it helps you get over that performance anxiety. Actually, I've really liked evey video you've made. I'm sure it would be great!! Dance! Spin!...and POST!

[michquahyoga]

ah Joel, a break from hard work is good. i have a video like this one too with the same theme in mind, just pole prancing, no inverts, no handsprings. just round and round the pole. practice like this kills monotony. :P

[Poledancefan]

Yeah, the gymnastics tricks do get a little boring if you do them every day. And my neck was popping a little, so usually that means I have to rest 2-3 days, do something different until the muscles relax a little. So I'm bike riding and stretching today. I saw GREEN trees outside your door..you are so lucky! Today will be the first day with SUMMER temperatures in Chicago in over 6 months. Trees and flowers are JUST coming out right about now...

[thatlarawoman]

go joel, that was ace. i know what you mean about katie and badazz...its like they have been wound up on a coil and released. you did a fine job and made me want to try now !! xx

[Poledancefan]

It's fun...but you get really out of breath fast! I had to sit down on the mat for about ten minutes just to rest!

[glitterhips]

great job as always! you seemed very aware of where the pole was, i would have smacked into it tons of times! and good for you for rocking out to a happy song, i need todo that more often instead of trying to bang out trick after trick after trick.

[Poledancefan]

Thanks, Glitter...I was kind of winging it, though. I guess I should spend the time to work out a routine--some simple set of moves to do. But this was fun. I was kind of sore from the other day, so this was just for the hell of it!

[glitterhips]

sometimes its better to wing it..in all my years of belly dancing ive never done a planned out routine. especially when youre doing pole for the soul..anything goes :-) you look fab!

[PoleMistress]

OMG-OMG-OMG! Great minds think alike!!

LOL! I was JUST (kid you not) JUST listening to this song and saying "I am going to dance and YouTube it!" You beat me to the punch Joel!

[Poledancefan]

My best friend and I waited in line so-o-o long for that show. They had a good warm-up band, too. I have the cassette somewhere--all I remember is that the other band used an ironing board for the keyboard stand! It's weird we thought of the same group. My other favorite cut on the CD is "She's so Young, She's got the Answers" It's funny, because, to some extent, I see MYSELF in that song, now! Moe could really write a lyric. Do your vid anyway so we (and everyone) can compare interpretations!

[PoleMistress]

Great dance by the way!

[Poledancefan]

Thank You! I should have included you in the list of great floor dance steppers in the side narrative. By the way, I wanted to ask you...the Jive pass through thing...is that when you approach the pole (or live partner) and do that little feint and hand push off thing? I'm going to watch your previous vid again later tonight--or maybe my wife can teach me what it is. I want to learn that..but I wasn't sure which thing it was...

[SimpllySweet]

Look at you! Way to go. I'd be outta breath at that pace.

[Poledancefan]

Thanks, TIff..but it's nowhere near as fast as Katie and her hyperspeed floor spins! Well, I was just having a little fun. This was probably one of the last concerts I saw in my clubbing days. They were a good band and the lyrics make even more sense as I get older. They put on great live shows "back in the day." !

[fleurthefrenchcat]

Well done Joel! It's important to practice transitions too, not just tricks! This is real dancing, awesome job!! :)

[Poledancefan]

Thanks, Fleur! Well, it seemd like I was spinning around so fast while I was doing it--until I looked at the video. How does Katie (Piggymunch) spin around so FAST like she does?? Well, anyway, it was fun and sure brought back memories of waiting outside in line at the Cabaret Metro for the show. My best friend and I were actually standing right by the tour bus when "Moe" came off the bus and went inside. I remember them playing this song like it was yesterday. Baby boomer nostalgia, LOL!

[CrazySamantha0214]

You go Joel! Great moves!

[Poledancefan]

Thank You! Just havin' a little fun on this one...I got tired of the gymnastic moves today and needed to rest my neck and arms!