January 2021 Student of the Month: Bonnie May

When did you start your pole journey with classes at Pole Pressure?

Dec 2015, technically, but I started taking classes more actively since Jan 2019

Why did you decide to try classes at Pole Pressure?

I was taking aerial silks at the time, and I had taken pole a long time ago when I lived in Louisiana 10 years ago - my belly-dance teacher was also a pole teacher. So I was already familiar with aerial arts but was wanting to get reintroduced to pole in my new area. Aerial arts have attracted me the most out of any work-out because it's both physically, mentally, and creatively stimulating. Regular gym work-outs just bore me. I've been dabbling in a few different aerial arts and more recently in the last couple of years, pole has become my favorite. I love how it's a good combination of aerial tricks and grounded dancing.

What do you love most about classes at Pole Pressure?

I love that the teachers are encouraging but don't go too easy on you and they always try to challenge you and teach really good form and technique. It's never a waste of time! I especially love the flexibility classes and how the teachers focus on active flexibility and stretching while avoiding injury. I'm naturally SUPER stiff but the good coaching has paid off (slowly but surely).

Why do you love Pole Pressure?

I really appreciate the community with other dancers and shared encouragement and joy in learning new things. I love people inspiring each other and putting their own flair into what they learn. Even during quarantine, I like following friends from the studio on instagram and how we can share each other's journeys with each other. Pole-dancers, strippers, and aerialists are some of the most badass people!

What are some of your goals for this year?

Right now I have a goal of including more regular conditioning every day - even just taking a 5 or 10 minute break every now and then from sitting/working and doing some planks, hip thrusts, etc. My creative goal right now is to practice freestyling more often by myself instead of just taking classes. I'm not big on choreography but I love improvisational dance and it's really almost like a meditation practice where you just need to keep doing it to get a more consistent intuitive flow and not get too stuck in your head. I also want to focus on perfecting technique on moves I already know, and transitions, instead of learning a bunch of new things poorly. Shoulder-mounts, butterflies, genie, straight-leg inverts, supermans, spins, etc. Even the way I exit an invert!

If you could train with any of your pole idols, who would it be and why?

Marlo Fisken! I looove her graceful strength, swirly flow, and sense of play in her movements. I know she has come to Pole Pressure DC before and that was when I found out about her.

What motivates you to train?

My biggest motivation is maintaining my mental health, not just physical - they're all related though. When I first started my dance journey 10+ years ago, I was painfully shy, anxious, depressed, and had terrible posture - I couldn't even look people in the eyes. My first dance teacher helped me get over a lot of that anxiety through dance and becoming more comfortable in my body. It's been a big journey of healing ever since. Aerial arts has been one of the best medicines in my life for anxiety, stress, and depression. There is something so empowering about stretching the limits (safely) of what your body can do and seeing what new things you can do that your past self would never dream possible. I love recording my progress, both so I can improve my technique, but also celebrate the victories. We all need something to bring us joy in this tough world!