Back when I worked for VIBE magazine, I interviewed a woman who got illegal butt injections and was fascinated upon discovering that she knew the potential liabilities involved but didn’t care because she wanted what she felt was a better body, for cheap. This woman was extremely lucky because at the time we spoke, she was a few years removed from her surgery but we were just a few weeks after a major sting that landed to person who injected her with calk (possibly), in jail for murder. A few women that this person inject had died.
The woman I spoke with, who chose to remain anonymous, explained that she went to a backroom operation in a salon to get her injections and she wasn’t exactly sure what was inside her, she only had an idea. Prior to her “surgery” she said she had a nice body and had worked as an urban model but felt her natural booty just wasn’t enough. Her desire for a bigger rump was so strong that she was willing to get it done illegally because it was cheap. Illegal butt injects cost hundreds versus a few thousand and so there went that. This was a grown woman. At the time we spoke, she was 29.
I was reminded of the aforementioned story by Vice magazine. They created a documentary surrounding the disturbing practice of plumping butts. The embed code wouldn’t show up here but follow this link to watch the full thing.
I’m sharing it because I can’t spread the message enough that it’s important to make peace with how you look. There are absolutely things I’d modify about my body if I could (I want a breast reduction), but I’d rather do it in a way that is safe. It’s not worth looking good if you’re going to be 6ft under.
Chrissy K aka Jaydin teaches various fitness classes, including pole dancing, at Flirty Girl Fitness in Chicago but now she’s embarking on branding herself via YouTube with the release of fitness tips and quick videos. Her latest video is a brief but workout you can do while watching TV…during commercial breaks. It’s that fast and simple (I’m looking at you ladies that hate working otu). Check it out:
I’ve taken class with Jaydin when I was living with Chicago. She is thorough!
Also, don’t forget to clean up your diet. Workouts only truly work if you’re mindful about how you eat.
I had the pleasure of learning about a company called Body of Royalty, started by Houston-based entrepreneurs Jermelle F. Pitts and Joseph Chargois. They sent me some lipstick and lip gloss to sample from the collection, which includes, Queens Rage, Innocent and Natural Beauty.
Here’s a live version of each product in front of a white background for a good idea of the pigment:
And here’s a darker background:
Both photos were taken without flash, because I felt flash would take away from the true hues of each lipstick, but I like the colors. They glided on smoothly and felt emollient, luxurious and non-drying, which is the brand’s goal. They describe their products as a luxury cosmetic brand created for the young, elegant and sophisticated woman, but more on that later.
The top color is the gloss in Innocent, the middle color is the Queens Rage lipstick, and the bottom color is lipstick in Natural Beauty.
Each color, even the gloss, had a buildable finish, so it’s easy to control how you want them to look. My favorite is Queens Rage because I’ve been a sucker for the red lip since I was five, even though I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup (it started with watching my mom). Queens Rage is a creamy frosty cherry-toned true red that channels Hollywood glam, Natural beauty is a creamy frosty pinky-coral neutral, and Innocent is a pink subtle shimmery gloss.
The brand also carries eye shadows, mascara, lip balm, shadow primer, lashes and they eventually plan to expand to foundation. Right now the price points range from about $11 to $15, so these products are definitely for when you want to pamper yourself.
My husband happened to walk into the room as I was trying on the Queens Rage lipstick and his first comment was, “Ooh.” That is a big deal. He never comments on my makeup so it prompted me to ask the owners what they’re favorite products are since they are also of the XY persuasion (you should, of course, wear colors because you like them but it’s nice to be admired too).
Here’s what they said:
Jermelle: My favorite lipstick is First Time. It is pretty red lip and I think every girl needs a red lip no matter what your skin tone is. I hate when women say “I’m too dark for a red lip.” A red lip is sexy on every woman it’s about finding the red lip with the right undertone or putting primer on the lips first. I also think that a red lip makes your teeth appear whiter. My second favorite is Jet Setter. When we first launched the line, Jet Setter was one of our most popular shades. It is an orange lipstick and the press and beauty blogs loved it. My next favorite would have to be the Domme eye shadow which is a black eye shadow. I love a smoked eye. It’s so dramatic and bold.
Joseph: I love our Envied eye shadow. It’s a vibrant sea foam green that looks great on every skin tone and gives a nice pop of color. I love our lip gloss Innocent, because it is a beautiful nudey pink/brown that is subtly loud. My favorite lipstick is High Class because it’s a matte, plum color that’s very dramatic and classic.
As far as makeup trends for 2014, hey say it’s time to break away from the norm and get bold:
The ombré lip is going to be big in 2014. We are seeing more and more of that on the fashion runways. Our favorite Ombré lip is Scandal and Jet Setter, it looks so dope. We have been seeing a lot of our consumers playing with the ombré lip on Instagram and we love it. The super dramatic cat eyes will be popular too. Beyoncé did it in her video with Frank Ocean and we liked that look a lot. It’s very dramatic and over the top.
I give their lipsticks an A and look forward to trying more products. You can purchase Body of Royalty products by heading over to the company website. As I mentioned earlier, the brand plans to launch a line of foundations but in the meantime, they’ve announced Diamond (from Crime Mob) as their first celebrity brand ambassador. If you’re interested in how Jermelle and Joseph launched their company, why they teamed up with Diamond and why they decided to get into the makeup business, check out my interview with them over at GangStarrGirl.com.
Disclosure: I was sent Body of Royalty products for consideration. I did not receive monetary compensation. All opinions are my own and were not influenced by outside forces as I have full editorial control over Grunts and Glam’s content.
First, let me say that I love this group of bad ass brown girls not giving any damns about what people think. The core of their performances and the classes they teach is to break stereotypes, educate and explore society’s ideas of race, gender and body politics. They even say it themselves that their mission is to entertain, titillate, educate an liberate!
I have seen them perform and they are quite entertaining, fascinating and unlike most burlesque groups out there for obvious reasons. All of that being said, BGB has a Kickstarter campaign going in an effort to raise money for their cause and they are 81% funded and seven days away from reaching their goal.
If you are interested in burlesque, more specifically supporting Brown Girls Burlesque, please donate anything that you can by following this link.
If you’re still skeptical, then watch what they’re working with:
In related news, Brown Girls Burlesque teaches “Bed-Stuy Burlesque” classes at Sacred Brooklyn. They have an extra special workshop series entitled, “Tassels & Assels”–yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like– coming up just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Thursday February 6th
7-10PM
Cost – $25, plus $5 supply fee.
Go to Sacred Brooklyn to get down. I’ve been meaning to take a burlesque class for the longest time now. I think it’s time to make that happen, for real, for real.
I stumbled across an awesome hopefully soon to be major movement started by United Pole Artists in response to a problem that the Marine Corps is having with female recruits. They delayed a physical fitness mandate, which was supposed to start on January 1, for lady marines after realizing that 55% of the women didn’t meet the required ability to do three pull ups minimum.
Oh?
There’s a debate raging about what to do about this problem because women naturally have 20% less upper body strength than men (because, you know, testosterone and stuff). However, with the proper training in place women can bust a few moves when it comes to upper body strength. It seems like there’s no solution in place for the military just yet but United Pole Artists has a good idea of what to do because guess what? Pole dancers got this, son!
Watch:
UPA also called on female polers to post video of themselves busting out pull ups to prove that this could actually work.
Ahem…
This is me getting a few in after about three weeks of NO fitness activity whatsoever.
I am naturally strong but pole dancing has introduced me to a new level of strength that I had previously never imagined possible. My body continues to amaze me with what it can do as I progress in my training.
The UPA’s solution is brilliant. If this becomes a reality, not only will female recruits get the proper training they need and have fun in the process, but the message about the athleticism in pole dancing could hopefully shift people’s negative perceptions about the sport.
Pole dancing is amazing and diverse and it’s about time that people start seeing what we see and experience.
I haven’t tap danced since college but let me tell you, when I did it, I was pretty darn good. Not tooting my horn, just stating the facts! And let me tell you, I think it worked wonders on my calf muscles. But I digress. Enough about me.
These ladies right here…
SWOON.
A choreographer named Chloe Arnold, who seems popular on YouTube, was inspired by Beyonce enough to gather a troupe of women whom she calls “Syncopated Ladies” to tap it out “End of Time.” This is a bad ass tribute. iLive.
There was even a little African in there and someone made wings her bitch–wings is no easy move. I’m beside myself. It’s rare that you see female tap dancers killing it on some contemporary, all up in yo face ish.
I’ve been all pole dance everything lately but this really makes me want to find a tap class and get back in the groove. Pun intended.
In retrospect, last year wasn’t bad. It was a rollercoaster–the past few years have been–but it was pretty good.
*Exhales.
That was the first time I have admitted that fact and it felt damn good.
I have a problem with stealing my own joy by focusing on the negative and what I don’t have and what I want to happen now. It’s a character flaw that drags me down into the depths of depression. I spent last year, and the year before that being really depressed because my career isn’t flourishing. I have tried, for years, to establish myself as a multimedia journalist, and to eventually get paid to do what I love but it hasn’t worked out the way I dreamed for a variety of reasons. I have been laid off twice since 2009. I worked a lot of freelance gigs in between that stole my soul because my ideas and talent weren’t respected but I needed checks and so I chased them and lowered my standards. I dealt with companies that didn’t want to pay me a decent enough wage to survive in New York, and companies that forced me to stalk them for my money and then I dealt with people who treated me like a dog. A lot more people than I imagined just don’t give a shit about people’s feelings and I gave them my energy at my expense.
A lot of my identity was tied up in being able to get paid doing what I love but the reality of what was happening with work and in my industry (which has tanked tremendously) crushed me. I also compared myself to other people who were seemingly achieving the type of progress that I wanted to see for myself. It made me feel worse…and useless.
I still struggle with that sadness but in retrospect, I realize I had no business working on anything but myself because I was dealing with PTSD from past job experiences. Job PTSD is really a thing, according to my therapist. I’m tenacious, so even though I knew I needed to work on healing, I still didn’t let go. Last year, when I was isolated in a city where I really didn’t have a network or familiarity, and my husband was working all the time (he’d leave at about 9:30 am and I was lucky if I saw him by 11 pm) and becoming a different person because the job he had drained his soul, I fell into such a dark place that I got to the point where getting out of bed was a struggle. It was scary.
People who have never been seriously depressed usually don’t understand what that feels like. The best way I can describe it is that I was possessed by an invisible but palpable entity that wanted me to die. If you’re familiar with Harry Potter, then think about the dementors.
I finally got serious about finding happiness after my therapist suggested being evaluated by a psychiatrist for medication. I couldn’t bring myself to getting on anti-depressants so I needed to get over myself. It wasn’t as easy as it sounded–I still struggle–but I started with thinking about the things that make me happy. Aside from family and friends, there was pole dancing. It was all I had in my isolation and it gave me a sense of normalcy, so that’s how I started passing my time after not having poled in several months since relocating.
Pole dancing lead to Pilates and doing more H.I.I.T. and strength training, and learning about Ashtanga yoga, which I plan to tackle seriously eventually. I also mustered the courage to post my pole pics on Instagram. I did my first Ayesha. My form was off but I celebrated because I hit a milestone that used to seem impossible.
When I wasn’t poling I was working on my novel that I had been working on for over a year. It was taking me forever to finish because of work obligations but I finally completed the rough draft. Now it’s time for me to get a presentable draft together to pitch to potential literary agents.
I quit a job that I hated because it was more of the same of what I had been going through years prior, but not before I was able to save up for travel goals that I had for 2013.
My first goal was to pay for a New Orleans trip to the Essence Festival, where I spent time with the hubby, and even saw friends and family from New York. A couple of months later, I went to London with my mother (it was initially going to be a solo trip but my mom expressed interest in going), which was another goal and then two months after that I went to Barbados. I saw three friends get married and the hubby got a job that allowed us to move back to NYC.
New OrleansOistins Fish Fry, BarbadosCrossing Abbey Road With Mum =0)
Being back in New York has made me happier but being in the midst of where my industry lives and not being where I want to be is still a struggle. With that, I realize a new set of tests has begun. Living in Chicago allowed me to reflect on my life from the past few years and I realize that it’s important that I build on the lessons that the universe has been trying to teach me in order to move forward.
My career approach will be different. I don’t know how just yet but I’m thinking about it and I have to be OK with that. I must be nicer to myself by nurturing activities and thoughts that make me happy. I will stop comparing myself to other people because I only know my journey. I have to stop letting other people’s behavior drain me especially because 99% of their behavior has to do with them and not me. That doesn’t mean that I have to be a doormat but I also don’t have to fight everyone, including myself. It’s OK to relax and not get caught up in that no sleep hustle culture because unplugging is necessary. I must see everything through. I am impatient and when I don’t see the results that I want when I want then I give up. I also lack faith and have a general cynicism toward my life because it’s a defense and coping mechanism that I have developed. It was easier to expect the worst rather than be blindsided by hurt and more disappointment. I’m not afraid of disappointment. I just got so used to it that I made it second nature and I got tired of wondering if the right doors would ever open.
But having faith is important.
Even through the struggles, my life seems to fall into place when it needs to but I don’t trust the process. I’ve been leading with my ego and emotions but it’s more important to focus on abundance, gratitude and the process during the journey. It’s easy to write that and to say it but hard for me to put it in practice.
So, for 2014, I intend to keep myself busy and happy by focusing on what I’m passionate about and being consistent on the path that was meant for me.
I took my first pole dancing class at Crunch Gym back in 2011 and hated it. Eventually, I got into a conversation with one of my instructors where I expressed my concerns and she directed me to Shockra Studio. It was a life changing experience. From Shockra I discovered Sacred Brooklyn and bounced back and forth between the two. Then, I moved to Chicago, where there weren’t many options, so I ended up at Flirty Girl Fitness but that was a time warp phase and now I’m back in NYC taking classes at Body and Pole. I’ve also been to New York Pole Dancing and I’m going to start at Fly Fitness NYC.
That’s a lot of bouncing around because I like to explore. Maybe one day I’ll commit but at the moment, my relationship with pole studios is complicated–a fact that comes out when people ask me where I go, and I don’t give a direct answer because of various intricacies.
After giving this much thought, the true answer is that while no pole studio is perfect, where you go depends on what you’re looking for. So, here’s my break down of the six pole studios I’ve been to in NYC and my observations about their respective cultures.
1. Crunch Gym
Screengrab Via Crunch Gym’s YouTube
Overview: I had a membership at Crunch Gym, so pole dancing there was logical.
Atmosphere: The classes had a lot of space but it didn’t feel that way with all the bodies packed into the room. The gyms had different standards of cleanliness based on management and location but I never ran into major problems. The poles were cleaned frequently (they were only put up for class and then taken down afterward), especially in between sharing. The teachers usually had alcohol or some type of cleaning solution handy but I started bringing a small bottle of my own.
Pros: Crunch offers a variety of non cookie cutter classes in general. The instructors are experienced and cordial.
Cons: The pole dance classes at are generic and crowded (this was a problem for me about their classes in general). The instructors I encountered seemed overwhelmed because the classes were so large. Most of the classes are mixed level, but with more experienced dancers than anything else. I felt unsafe and uncomfortable because I couldn’t do anything other than a fireman spin while the people around me were hitting shoulder mounts and Ayeshas. The teachers couldn’t pay much attention to me (or other newbies) because of class size, especially with many people sharing the pole with two, sometimes three other people. It was sensory overload and I am already a very anxious person and often need to see something more than once so that I can dissect it and over think (as always, sigh) but the teachers only had an hour to cater and demonstrate as best they could. They did walk around and check on everyone but there was only so much time they can spend with one student. I believe that every studio/gym that offers pole dancing should have a class specifically for newbies and that mixed level classes should only be for polerinas who have taken a few level one classes.
Price: I was able to go to as many classes as I wanted since I had a membership. A membership here ranges from $40 – $90. I had the $90 monthly membership because it allowed you to visit any Crunch in the city. Ninety bucks a month is a hell of a lot more inexpensive than what most pole studios charge.
Summary: I recommend this place if you’re ok with chaos or if you learn somewhere else first and use Crunch for practice. But still, you really have to prepare your nerves.
2. Shockra Studio
Photo From Shockra’s Website
Overview: Shockra offered a variety of classes like pole dancing, belly dancing, yoga and ballet.
Atmosphere: It’s two studios inside of what could have been or probably used to be apartments. That made if feel cozy, which I liked. Maintenance was fine but I recommend you bring your own towels for cleaning. The students I encountered there were nice and supportive. I really enjoyed the sense of camaraderie there.
Pros: I loved it because every student was guaranteed their own pole and a studio rule was that the classes capped at about eight students. It was small and intimate, which is what I desire in a studio, and the atmosphere was warm and supportive. There was a variety of pole dance classes as well like pole-choreography, belly pole and yoga pole. I also met Aerial Amy, one of the best pole dance teachers I’ve ever had. She’s a stickler for technical details and executing moves properly. The proper execution of moves is extremely, important but I will get to that in my next studio review.
Cons: No upper level classes. When I started, they went up to level three but not anymore, and that’s why I stopped going. These days, they only cater to beginners. I also heard some things about their business practices that irk me. That part is more personal, so I won’t blog about it but I’m willing to verbalize it if we ever meet in person.
Price: It’s about $180 for a six week session.
Summary: Shockra is a great place for beginners. I haven’t tried anything other than the pole classes.
3.Body and Pole
Me Mid-Spin Combo at Body and Pole
Overview: Body and Pole is one of the more popular studios in NYC and it can be an intimidating place. They offer a variety of aerial, pole, yoga, stretch and conditioning classes. A lot of the teachers there are international competitors and champions and you’ll see a lot of people walking around with 6-packs and muscles. I’m warning you so you’ll be prepared because I know that sort of thing can be off-putting to people. However, it’s a cool place. The people I have met there have been nice so don’t let the surface fool you.
Atmosphere: The studio is well maintained, spacious with various rooms, the teachers are excellent and the personnel in general is pleasant. It’s a supportive environment.
Pros: There’s a major emphasis on technique. They have a diverse selection of classes and various levels up to five and beyond (there’s even a Cirque du Soleil style class). They bring in experts from around the world to conduct workshops and they have parties and events that foster a productive community.
Cons: The only thing I really don’t like is that while classes don’t get ridiculously crowded, you might have to share your pole. I haven’t yet but I’ve only been three times.
Price: Prices vary from about $45 for a single up to $500 plus for packages, depending on how many classes you want. Memberships are expensive and depend on availability.
Summary: This is a great place to go at any level, just for fun, to build vocabulary, and especially if you have major competition goals. Keep in mind that a lot more men come here than I’ve seen anywhere else. If that’s something that bothers you then you might want to find a place that focuses more on women, like S-Factor (but I’ve never taken a class there).
4. New York Pole Dancing (NYPD)
Selfie Action With Micaela
Overview: They have two locations, one in White Plains and one in Hell’s Kitchen. I’ve been to the latter a couple of times. They also offer yoga, stretch classes, chair dance classes and conditioning classes.
Atmosphere: It’s a small studio located. in one of those office buildings where you have to go down the hall to go to the bathroom.
Pros: The teachers know their stuff and there’s a nice sense of camaraderie and support here amongst the students. They have a student showcase focused on growth and progress, not necessarily tricks, bells and whistles, and they have parties. They also have pole certification programs that focus on climbing, spinning and inverting.
Cons: The front desk staff is rude. Upon my very first arrival, I wasn’t greeted. In fact, she was on the phone and didn’t acknowledge me until her conversation was over. After she hung up, she then began chatting with people in the studio that I guess she already knew, about something that had nothing to do with the studio. It made me not want to go back but I happen to really like Micaela Mamede, one of their awesome teachers. I experienced similar rudeness the second time I visited. Again, had it not been for my fondness of Mica, I would have been done after that first time. We all have bad days but when you work in customer service, it’s your responsibility to be cordial.
There’s no real changing area. You can go to the small bathroom where upkeep is just ok, bordering on suspect but that could be a building issue and not the studio. There is one changing stall inside the studio suite and it’s really just a coffin-sized area covered by curtains. Unless you get there early, or come dressed already, the situation is a nuisance.
Price: Similar to Body and Pole.
Summary: I see this as a place for people who already have some pole experience as they don’t have a pole 101 class. There’s open pole, and then specific “climb and spin” and “climb and invert” classes. C&S and C&I classes do incorporate dance, FYI.
5. Sacred Brooklyn (UPDATED: Sacred no longer offers pole dancing).
Overview: While Sacred does have pole dancing, hot yoga is more their specialty (they also have pilates, burlesque and capoeria).
Atmosphere: Sacred is a small well-maintained studio that also has a cozy feel and they are involved with the community.
Pros: They provide a free yoga class on Sundays and they also bring in guest teachers for occasional workshops. I went for a five week workshop called “Melt.” It was a pole dancing class created by Roz the Diva, that focused on being sensual and fluid in movement. Our class performed at a Scared showcase at the end of the series.
Here’s a shadowy snapshot of that performance (my first pole performance ever) that we did to Rihanna’s “Skin.” There is video available but it’s private, so view this murky picture and love it. In case you’re wondering, I’m climbing on the right.
Oh and, the staff is down as fuck!
Cons: Pole isn’t their specialty. They have mostly beginner classes with one or two level twos (or an open pole) but there’s not much variety and there aren’t many poles. I’ve never experienced an overcrowded class but you do often have to share poles. I’d love it if they added more pole classes.
Price: Single classes are $20, you can by packages and they do offer monthly memberships.
Summary: Come here if you’re a beginner of if you just want to pole without pretense. It’s a fun place.
6. Fly Fitness NYC (7/8/14 EDIT : FLY FITNESS IS NOW CLOSED)
Overview: It’s a new space that opened mid-December. They offer a variety of aerial, conditioning, yoga and pole dance classes.
Atmosphere: It’s a small space with 18ft poles, Good googa mooga! The staff was very pleasant. I even met the owner, who was informative and congenial.
Pros: I took a free pole conditioning class with Irmingard Mayer. The class was hardcore and she was a good instructor (and after Googling her, I discovered how talented she really is). I liked the class and the space enough to purchase a class package, which I will start redeeming in January. Amy will be teaching there, even more incentive.
Cons: None yet.
Price: On par with Body & Pole and NY Pole Dancing but slightly less.
Summary: I haven’t been enough to have a good grasp but so far so good.
Meet Sarah Massey. Her butt measures at about 7 feet in circumference and she’s perfectly ok with it. I appreciate people who are genuinely confident and content in who they are. That’s the type of vibe I’m getting from Miss Massey. I wish they had shown younger pictures of Massey and got into her upbringing. I wonder how she got so confident. I’m also curious about what her workout goals are they didn’t go into too much detail there. So many questions. I am fascinated.
Beyonce´ released the latest vignette in a video series where she explains various elements that went into creating the audio and visuals for her latest album. In “Self-Titled Part 4 -Liberation,” she talks about putting her sexuality on display and coming into herself as a new mom who still wants to feel confident and sexy, and as a woman who still has dreams. So many people have had opinions about her work and her motives that it’s nice to hear where her head was during the creative process.
The video opens with Bey talking about the process for “Partition” (one of my favorite songs). Assuming you’ve heard her album by now, and I really hope you did, a lot of the songs and corresponding visuals are sexually suggestive and racy but not raunchy just for the sake of getting attention. Beyonce´revealed that while she is comfortable with being sexual, it was embarrassing to be so open about it during the recording process but she got over it.
For the video, she recreated a Crazy Horse routine that inspired her years ago. She and Jay-Z went to a Crazy Horse show (in Paris) on the night they got engaged and she was so inspired by the sexiness of the dancers that she wanted to be a part of it, so she enlisted them for the video.
Get into cabaret style entertainment!
She also addressed changes she went through once she gave birth to Blue Ivy and working hard to feel normal again postpartum. She doesn’t believe that mom’s should be frumpy and boring and I agree. I’m not a mother but there also seems to be similar belief systems in place when it comes to wives. I’ve seen a lot of women lose themselves to relationships whether it’s marriage or motherhood. They let their bodies go, they give up on their happiness and don’t nurture their own desires, and become people who are constantly saying “I wish I could,” or “Coulda, woulda, shoulda.” I realize that the aforementioned life changes are critical aspects of a woman’s life but I feel it’s also important to maintain elements of your individuality to help foster optimal happiness for all parties involved.
Beyonce´talks about this toward the end of her video when she explains her 195 lb weight gain during pregnancy. She lost 65 lbs following the baby and she felt proud and accomplished, like anyone who loses weight or achieves their optimal physique should.
“I wanted to show my body. I wanted to show that you can have a child and you can work hard and you can get your body back. I know finding my sensuality, getting back into my body, being proud of growing up, it was important to me that I expressed that in this music, because i know that there are so many women that feel the same thing after they give birth,” she says. “You can have your child and you can sill have fun and still be sexy, and still have dreams and still live for yourself. I don’t at all have any shame about being sexual and I’m not embarrassed and I don’t feel like I have to protect that side of me because I do believe that sexuality is a power that we all have.”
Say that again, please!
What she’s saying speaks to me as a 31-year-old. One of the changes I’m experiencing in my 30s is a new found sense of confidence that I didn’t have in my 20s. I heard a lot of women mention this transformation in the past but there’s nothing like experiencing it.
I love her album because it exudes self-confidence, embraces femininity and represents the power of sensuality. I’m still quirky and awkward at times but I’m a work in progress. Again, if you haven’t heard Bey’s new album yet (assuming you’re a fan of pop music) then you should. There’s a lot of good material on there for dance playlists and it’s especially pole dancing gold.
In related news, I may have to make that trip to Paris so I can check out Crazy Horse. However, in the meantime, I guess I could check out some local cabaret and burlesque classes.
