Bonjour Ladies in the Pink!

I hope you had a superfantabulous weekend!!!

Some women bond over scrapbooking. Some ladies bond in spinning class. Others at the playground with their kids. Me, I bond at the pole.

Can you do this??!! Me neither.

The ladies ROCKED it last Sunday in S Factor class! I had bought a pink tutu that flared out and looked more African or tribal than sexy. I put it on but felt like a hippo in a ballerina costume – it just wasn’t right. My friend loved it so I let her wear it. She is much skinnier than me and can get away with overly stiff tulle. She looked so cute in it. I let her borrow it to “use” with her boyfriend.

I missed the last week’s class so I had to learn the descending angel. I couldn’t figure out how to put my leg, so I totally pulled a muscle in my shoulder on the first try.

We did some climbing. When will I ever be able to climb easily??!! It still feels like I am trying to pull a car up a hill. Oh wait, that’s just my body weight. I really need to put the ice cream maker in early retirement.

We danced to hip hop. I was a bit spastic. But the second time around, for the group dance, which we did to Snoop Dogg’s WET, I was totally into it and rocked it.

S Factor ladies – all for one and one for all!!

The S Factor ladies met up after for a bite to eat at Habana, a funky restaurant in Costa Mesa. The ladies are so cool. We are all so different and yet have this love of the pole in common. Different ages, different backgrounds, different personalities. It was Jane’s birthday and we were flattered that she wanted to spend some of it with us. We got her a dessert with a candle. We discussed the outing next week at King King. It’s The Girl Next Door Show and basically, a bunch of pole dancers. No, they are not strippers. It’s a dance show. Very legit. Here’s the website:

http://girlnextdoorshow.com

We were all bringing either a husband or a boyfriend to the show so Abby wasn’t so happy that she was coming alone. Jane was trying to set her up with a 60 year old man from her ballroom dancing group. 60??!! Jane was saying that he looks much much younger and she could not believe it when she found out he was 60. It reminds me of that song “I’m in love with a man nearly twice my age…”. I have dated guys older than me, but usually only a few years. This guy was ALMOST twice Abby’s age and I was cringing at the thought of what she might have to endure on a date with a guy close to her father’s age. Creepasaurus. Everyone else was saying just go for it. It will be fun. He has money. Hmmm…. Abby is one smart, independent woman and I know that just because a guy has money, Abby is not going to jump up and throw her panties in the ring.  The ladies were not telling her to go on a date just for his money, they were just trying to make it more enticing, and as any of you single ladies know oh too well, if you’re going to date an old guy, he might as well have money. Hey, it makes up for his age. A little. You don’t think all those young chicks you see out with the wrinkly dude are dating him for love do you? SILLY GIRL!

Jane pulled up his Facebook photo on her phone. Abby tried to have no reaction but I was not so subtle with mine “Eeeeeeewww!” I cried. “He looks like a total dweeb.” He did. And he looked old to me. Maybe not 60, but definitely 50 which is still too old for Abby anyways. He also looked like a total dweeb. She can do better. I told her that I would say “Hell no.” She appreciated my comments since I seemed to be the only one against the old man date.

We were laughing so hard. It’s funny how enthusiastic and animated ladies can get when trying to set up one of their friends. I’m not sure why we love to do it, but we sure do.

The night of the show comes and we decide to all meet before for some dinner. I find a good place called St. Felix in Hollywood, right near the show. It used to be a place called Citizen Kane and I loved the space. Hopefully, it would be good. Of course, we got there at 6:30 – had to have dinner early in time for the show – and it was a ghost town. Some of the ladies made comments but I just said “This is L.A. ladies. Anyone cool would not be caught dead out before 8. I remember those days (sigh). All the ladies looked HOT and we properly fawned and gushed over each other’s outfits. We look much different away from our S Factor class.

It was fun to meet the ladies’ significant others. One husband joked that he didn’t know what kind of show it would be but that he had a bunch of single dollars in his pocket. Very funny. I think all of the men were just a little apprehensive about going to see a “girlie” show with their wife/girlfriend. Definitely not the norm.

We got to King King and found our instructor who had reserved a table for us. Thank god for her because it was packed and standing for 2 hours would have been miserable. There was one pole near us, and one up on the stage and then a big hoop hanging from the ceiling. Oooh this was going to be good. The show started and the women were AMAZING!!! The strength you have to have to do the tricks they were doing is unbelievable. The S Factor ladies were so excited when we saw some of the moves that we had learned and stood a little taller like proud peacocks. We knew. We also knew how hard most of the tricks were and were just in awe of the ladies’ strength. I kept leaning into my husband saying “I can do that,” all proud. And then, Oh, I definitely can’t do that,” on most of the tricks.

God she is strong!

There was a ton of variety – slow pretty dances, jazzy numbers, heavy metal and of course, my fave, hip hop. My favorite was this little Asian girl who mixed Thai dance, belly dancing, and hip hop all in one number. It was pretty cool. I looked around to see the guy’s reaction and they were just sitting there silently! It was so funny! They looked like they were trying to be on their best behavior, like in Sunday School. I think they knew that some comments might not be appreciated. I LOVED the show and recommend it highly. I was not uncomfortable at al, even when a couple of the outfits were a bit risqué. It was done really well and the audience was respectful. No dollar bills in sight.

Can't do this one…yet!

The show ended and I was all ready to go out on the town. I had my cute dress on and I was back in L.A. baby. But the hubby was going surfing at the crack of dawn the next day and he was ready to go. It was probably best since it was already late. We said our goodbyes and drove home. On the way home, I asked the hubby how did he like the show. He looked at me a bit nervous because he knows me, and well, I might get a little sensitive if he were to say something like “That was hot!” He said he thought it was great and ummm….errr….very sexual. “Well no shit!” I exclaimed. You would have to be blind not to see the show as sexual. Dancing in itself is very sexual and you add dark lights, some poles and some sexy outfits, Jesus Mary & Joseph you are going to get some sexy time going on!! I said how it’s still very different from strippers. The hubby disagreed. “They are dancers. We paid to go watch the show. It’s not far off.” Hmmm… So funny how this brings up a huge moral debate. I don’t see how this show is anywhere near what goes down at a strip club. Here’s where I think my husband is too black and white on things. Say a guy takes a girl on a date. Say they then have sex. He bought her food. Does that make her a hooker? NO. How can women wear bikinis at the beach and not be considered indecent because it looks like lingerie? Because it isn’t lingerie silly, it’s a bathing suit. I know it’s a fine line but it’s all about perception, isn’t it?

My sister battles this perception problem all the time. She is a producer for an entertainment company and they do everything from private parties for celebrities to grand $1 million New Year’s Eve shows for top Las Vegas hotels. She employs hundreds of dancers from all genres – jazz, hip hop, acrobats, ballroom, aerialists, and so much more. So many times, the dancers she works with do not get the credit they deserve. Just because they can do burlesque dancing (which is supposed to be done with your clothes on), or belly dance or some other form, people want to categorize them as “exotic dancers.” These are stupid people. Just go watch “So You Think You Can Dance” and you will see the level of people my sister works with. The stereotype is there. Just try it. Next time you are out with the gals, and you meet some guy, tell him you are a dancer. I guarantee he will smirk and get all excited. “No, not THAT kind of dancing you slimebag.”

I suppose it’s hard to be in a business that has shady areas to it. Just as everyone in L.A. says they are an “actor,” it is hard to determine who is legit and who is full of shit. (By the way, in my experience, there is a 90% chance these people you find are full of crap. Unless you find them at the Golden Globes, or the Oscars, or on set.). So goes it with dancers. It is hard to determine who is really a working professional dance and who is not. It’s not like a doctor. You tell someone you’re a doctor, well, there is instant credibility. Unless you are lying.

So I feel for you dancers who should have more appreciation. Kudos to you and all you do and JUST DANCE!