Pole Dancing Competitions Need Your Support

I wrote a brief comment on the loss of two significant annual pole competitions held in Queensland for the past few years, on my Facebook Grip and Squeeze page that I'd like to share here.

Just for the few misguided ones of you who have yet to 'like' the page on Facebook ;)

With Queensland having recently lost two outstanding pole competitions, Queensland Pole Championships and Miss Pole Dance Australia - Queensland heat, (Queensland entrants will now qualify through video submission) it is VITAL that we financially support the competitions and events we do have left. Yes, I do bring up the dreaded 'F' word - financial is the word for those naughty ones looking for another f-word in the last sentence :)

Events and competitions are not charity or voluntary services offered by our community. They are expensive exercises involving many, many work hours, coordination, and significant up front costs in the months leading up to their date: venue hire, insurances, staff, equipment etc. If we want these events to continue we have to put our money where our mouth is and buy the tickets and get bums on seats. There is no other way.

It truly is quite simplistic... you want it, you've got to go to it, and bring as many others as you can. It is a demand driven, financial enterprise.

We need to let event organisers know, those people who are crazy enough and able enough to put these events on, that they will get the support they are so deserving of.

SO BUY THE DAMN TICKETS people, dress up, wear shoes to impress (I do make shoe contact before eye contact), and lets support our pole family and those of us driven to compete... they're special and need our love ;)

I added a further comment later in the discussion:

... and while a video submission may qualify you for the heat to travel interstate to compete at a National comp; video qualifying doesn't give you the pre-competition build up, the crowd experience, the shivers, the nerves, back stage dramas, tech runs, having to cope with a live audience, instant feedback, and learning to use your adrenaline to bring the performance home.

That live experience is truly NEEDED by those undertaking competitions.

It's not just about the competition or competitors either. Every time I step away from an event I'm re-inspired, re-motivated, and fall just that little bit more in love with our community. It makes me want to be a better pole dancer, and flows in to various aspects of my life beyond the pole too <3

To wrap up, I don't believe all is lost, but then I AM an eternal optimist and ALWAYS look for that silver lining.

I think the competitions' absence, of however long but hopefully not too long, plus the huge growth we are seeing in poling, will drive the demand to bring these competitions back. But it will need to be demand driven and will need to become truly financially viable before anyone should consider investing in these once again.

So start saving you ticket money, and when the time is right make sure you're there and bring support with you. Make sure to support the competitions we do have left, and encourage those within your communities to do the same.

They will be back, better, brighter, shinier than before... for now we just hold on to what's left and we wait.