POLE MANIA 0114 | Page 19

any really good schools or PM: You have a very inpole dancers we shall hear teresting blog where more about soon? you also criticize exaggerated competiveness. We have lots of schools, but In your opinion is there you should be extremely anything that could be careful, when you choose one. done to increase the true Unprofessional coaches, bad poles, low ceilings. I have a cir- spirit of sportsmanship cus school (pole dance + silks on the pole dance scene + hoop), but I know our school and make people work so far is the only one, that has more together rather than all the proper documents and against each other? insurances out of, for example, - 25 in Kiev only. Our prices are extremely cheap if you compare with Europe - less than 8 euros for one class is the most expensive. I won`t even tell you, how much is my private at my school. But I have girls coming to me from Australia and Germany for it. Unfortunately, pole dance in Ukraine, as pretty much everything else, is extremely corrupted. It`s very difficult to get into European or World championships, because it`s extremely expansive for us with average salary around the country around 300-400 euros. Federations do not support pole dancers, there is no hope for sponsors. Our championships are not certified by any world organization. So…But it`s getting better. There is new generation coming, with European approach, with desire to make pole dance an accepted sport. I hope, they will succeed. You are very lucky to have in Czech Republic Olga Strom and her federation, as she is known and respected in world of pole dance. She can help you, even if it`s only with her advice. That is why in London among 40 contestants, there were around 10 from Czech Republic. Do you want to know, how many from Ukraine? Only me. Maybe. But i don`t see how. I come from break dance, it`s very different. Break dancers work as a crew, a team. Pole dancers are soloists, maybe that`s the problem. Though, when I was on Mr Pole, I was amazed - they had the most friendly atmosphere you can imagine. So I tend to blame it all on organizers. When Bobbi’s team (organizers of Mr Pole Dance in Sydney) runs around cheering: boys! let’s have fun! Just an hour more and we all can have champagne! You all look hot! And then you get another competition, where you can’t leave the dressing room with organizers staring at you grimly… No wonder, you start to hate everyone else sharing your prison! PM: What is the most important thing someone who is preparing themselves for their first competition should know? Remember, that even if your experience was not pleasant it doesn`t mean, you have to give up. You can slip, fall, forget your moves, skip the music or do everything perfectly, but get very low scores. It happens to everybody! No exception, believe me! After my first competition in Zurich after I got my scores, I decided not to participate anywhere ever again. I was third, but i was scored so low, without any explanation, it was very disheartening. But I gave it another try. And look, where it got me! PM: What is in your plans for this year? Is there any occasion in the near future when our fans could see you perform or teach in Czech Republic? It will be a very eventful year for me. I will be traveling a lot, judging really a lot, and I don`t have my final schedule yet, so I hope Prague or any other city of your wonderful country will appear on it. But I also hope to see your gorgeous and talented girls somewhere around the pole world, London, maybe? And what about the guys? Where is your first male pole champion? Autorka článku: Denisa Nováková