Dallas, Here I Come!

Whoo hoo! I’m off to Dallas today for the Southwest Aerial Art Championships!

For those of you new to my blog, who are scratching your head now, saying, “A bodybuilding-mother-of-two-who-pole-dances? Whaaa?” let me explain a little.

Having fun at Bon Bon Barre — Practicing posing at Bon Bon Barre

You know how some people got game? Yeah, I’m not one of them. Posing on stage in a bikini in the bodybuilding competitions was very difficult for me because I wasn’t comfortable in my own post-motherhood body.

To get over it, I signed up for some pole dancing classes, where I found out there were actual pole fitness competitions. (You knew I had to enter one, right?)

So for my 40th birthday challenge last year I entered my first pole dance competition and got 2nd place in novice division. (Also fyi, pole really helped me with my bodybuilding competitions. When I go on stage now I have a bazillion times more confidence.)

After the pole competition last May, ask me how many pole dance classes I took between then and now? Zero. Zero pole dance classes. Because my mom got cancer and I was caring for her until she passed away.

So why am I doing another pole competition without learning any new tricks? Mostly for distraction, and to do something fun that is challenging for me.

Before my mom died I showed her a video clip of my routine and she laughed, “I’m not sure I should be watching this; I’m your mother!”

“Mom, it isn’t stripper pole dancing, it’s pole fitness.”

“Yeah, tell that to men,” she laughed. But she thought it was pretty cool.

My dance is about a boxer who starts off losing the fight, trains her way back and eventually wins. I came up with the concept last year, after I blanked out on stage, forgot the choreography, and had to freestyle half the dance. I came off stage and started bawling because I messed up so bad. But the second dance I did was much better.

So, even when I’m down I’m not out.

I’m not expecting to bring home any trophies this year; I’ve seen the other women from ATX Pole Fitness and they are fantastic! But my dance is clean and I’m excited to perform.

I’d like to thank Stacy Bishop for choreographing the dance (by the way she’s in her third trimester!)

Thank you Dez Raven with ATX and Brenna Wilder with Inner Diva Studios for helping me fine tune it. (And reminding me to stop making a ‘constipation’ face when I dance, lol!)

Also a shout out to Serena Hicks for moral support, Robin Johnson Jr. for being a hardass trainer to help me look like a boxer, and, of course, my family Henri, Rylee and little Henry for watching my rehearsals and cheering me on.

Little Henry climbing pole with Dez Raven spotting

Good luck to all the competitors – I can’t wait to see your dances!

How about you? Are you doing something fun and challenging to push yourself out of your comfort zone?

Lisa 😉

Lisa Traugott is a Mom’s Choice Award winning writer, fitness blogger, wife and mom of two. Her book, “She’s Losing It!” is available at Amazon.com.

Dallas, Here I Come!

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