Madonna pays tribute to Michael Jackson with spectacular performance

July 6th, 2009 No Comments   Posted in News

madonna-jacko-243x159Even for an artist famed for reinvention, it must have been a dizzying 10 months for Madonna since her last appearance in London at Wembley Stadium: the divorce, a new daughter, four-year-old Mercy from Malawi, and the death of Michael Jackson, originally scheduled to play the O2 three days after Madonna.

Her tribute last night made this spectacular performance — the launch of phase two of the 50-year-old’s European Sticky & Sweet tour — even more memorable.

Some fans who were also at Saturday’s 17,700-capacity show knew what was coming, but that didn’t reduce the impact when dancer Kento Mori, dressed like Jackson, moonwalked to Billie Jean and Wanna Be Startin’ Something.

“Let’s give it up to one of the greatest artists the world has ever known — Michael Jackson,” said Madonna, while a boyish Jackson appeared on the big screen. “Long live the king!”

Madonna couldn’t claim to possess the virtuosity of Jackson at his peak. But whatever her vocal limitations, this was a triumph of eye-popping production, exhausting choreography and her indomitable personality, as well as those fantastic songs.

The appearance of Kanye West and Britney Spears on video as well as a vintage Rolls-Royce on the ego ramp initially suggested a show big on gimmickry. Yet, while it was rehearsed with military precision, Madonna gave much more than you expect from a global superstar, even when tickets cost up to £175.

Nevertheless, the pounding musical interludes during the costume changes were actually better than plenty of concerts. So when Madonna rose from below the stage in a mini-skirt, skipping and then pole-dancing on a moving DJ booth during Into the Groove, the reaction was approaching hysteria. “Who says the English are reserved?” she bawled.

Despite her own raunchy history, Madonna’s rock-hard body was not too exposed, although she did manage to snog a look-alike of her Eighties self and a dancing monk grabbed her backside for a stipulated two seconds.

It was her fearsome pop power and the fantastic dancing that kept you transfixed though, whether on joyous renditions of Like a Prayer and La Isla Bonita, or the fantastic clubby finale of Give it 2 Me, during which Madonna and her dancers each wore one white glove in honour of Jackson.

“No one’s going to stop me — ever,” Madonna pointed out after a breathless two hours. Based on this performance, who can doubt her?

New Mesa business uses pole dancing for fitness

July 6th, 2009 No Comments   Posted in News

Every woman wants to know what it’s like to be an exotic dancer.

At least, that’s what one Mesa business is counting on.

Former exotic dancer Jennifer Bourland and Debbie Faaaliga opened PlayfulPole, a gym at Alma School and Guadalupe roads that teaches women to pole dance in a workout that mixes fitness and exotic Pole dancing. It’s a safe place for women to express themselves, they said.
The women opened the gym last month when Bourland was ready to retire from exotic dancing.

“I wanted to give women a place they could learn without having to go to the clubs I went to,” she said.
She touts pole dancing as an excellent workout for women. In 16 years as an exotic dancer, Bourland said she never went to the gym because her job kept her in such good shape.

The workout has become popular in recent years with a series of workout videos starring Carmen Electra Pole, and it’s showed up in family gyms across the country.

Bourland, a former food merchandiser, said she felt her self-confidence grow when she became an exotic stripper pole.She got into better shape and felt more beautiful and powerful, she said.

And her job helped her get a jump on becoming an entrepreneur. One of her patrons eventually agreed to invest in her studio, so she could teach classes rather than dance for a living.

The two parted ways after a few months, but Bourland had already made up her mind about becoming a business owner.

Britney Spears’ stripper pole axed by hotel

June 19th, 2009 No Comments   Posted in News

britney

Britney Spears cancelled a booking for a top Dublin hotel because they refused to co-operate with her demands for a stripper pole, it has emerged.

The 27-year-old Womanizer star requested that an exclusive hotel on the Dublin southside install a steel pole during her brief stay in the city for her sell-out Circus tour.

But when the venue declined, her minders promptly booked into the apparently more accommodating Four Seasons Hotel instead.

A source revealed the mum-of-two is a keen pole dancer, as it apparently helps her keep in shape.

The source said: “She adores working out on a pole as it helps her keep toned.

“She has had to work very hard to squeeze back into those tiny stage costumes and she knows she has to stay on top of her regime. Britney can’t let her weight creep back up as this is the most important tour of her career and she has to stay in peak physical condition.”

Heather Graham, Pole Dance Advocate

June 3rd, 2009 No Comments   Posted in News
Heather Graham has a cure-all for women with confidence issues: take up stripping.
The actress, who plays an exotic dancer in ‘The Hangover,’ says it’s a great way for ladies to feel empowered in their lives. The 39-year-old star has taken stripper poles classes in the past, but she returned to school to prepare for the role.
“For this film I went back and took some refresher courses (with actress and stripper teacher Sheila Kelley),” Graham said, according to the Daily Express. “It’s a dance class but they teach you pole dancing moves and it reminded me how great it is … It’s for any kind of woman, women of all different ages and sizes.”
“As a woman, it’s inspiring because any woman can feel sexy and you’re cheering each other on. You’re not doing it for like, ‘Oh, just give me a tip.’ … You’re doing it to feel good about yourself and see other women feel good about themselves.”
Kelley famously got Oprah Winfrey to do some exotic moves on an episode of ‘Oprah.’
Other celebs who have showed off their stripping skills in recent years include supermodel Kate Moss (in a White Stripes video), Britney Spears (in her current stage show), Jessica Biel (in ‘Powder Blue’) and Marissa Tomei (‘The Wrestler’).

I just got my Electra pole!

May 14th, 2009 No Comments   Posted in Videos

When you do things like this you use a great deal of strength from your arms, legs, and most importantly your abdominal. And when you incorporate some dance moves into the pole aerobics routine you start to burn more calories. And with you building strength and muscle you burn more calories. For me Electra pole dance helps you work your whole body out and makes you feel great, because you never know its a workout…

Britney Spears demands stripper pole

May 7th, 2009 No Comments   Posted in News

britney_spears_stripperThe Britney Spears has requested a stripper pole be installed in her hotel room.‘Toxic’ singer – who is a huge fan of pole dancing as it helps maintain her new slender figure – made the unusual request to staff at London’s Dorchester Hotel, where she will be staying when she performs at the city’s O2 arena in June as part of the UK leg of her ‘Circus’ tour.

A source said: “Britney loves pole dancing, it is her new favourite work out. She gets the toning she needs without having to hit the gym and wants to do it in the privacy of her own hotel room.

“Keeping fit on tour is very important as her show involves lots of rigorous dance routines, so Britney likes to do her pole dancing workout first thing in the morning.”

The mother-of-two has also requested the hotel provide a chef from restaurant chain Nando’s to be on hand to cook her spicy chicken whenever she feels like it.

Britney’s request comes just days after Russell Brand asked for a private pole.

The British comic star – who once gave Britney sex tips – is set to stay at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino when shooting starts on movie ‘Get Him to the Greek’ in Las Vegas.

Russell has requested the famous Apex suite, known as the “ultimate bachelor pad”, and has its own stripper pole.

Celebrity Stripper pole

March 9th, 2009 No Comments   Posted in News

Stripper pole
Paris Hilton parties with her own Portable stripper pole, Kate Hudson had one installed in her bathroom. The hot new Hollywood trend of lately is to have your very own portable pole? Paris has one in her house and she used it often during her birthday bash over the weekend. Britney Spears’ latest Circus Tour featured a not so child friendly Stripper pole.

Buy pole dancing kit

Arcola’s Lawn stripper pole mowers

January 15th, 2009 No Comments   Posted in News

Some of the Lawn Rangers’ more,cantankerous mowers are either being toned down or sitting out the parade entirely:

The mower outfitted with a “stripper pole” has been converted to a mower with a non-stripper pole.

The easy chair-turned-riding mower, complete with a sign that says, “Senate Seat 4 Sale” and a 1-800 number to Gov. Rod Blagojevich, will not be making the trip.

“We want to do it respectfully because it’s a historic event, but we also have to have fun,” said Tim Monahan, one of Pat’s three brothers.

Perth’s first male pole dancer

October 28th, 2008 No Comments   Posted in News

A Perth-based stripper who claims to be Australia’s only male pole dance instructor is about to spread his wings.

Pole professional Adam Webb – who goes by the stage name “Corey Cruise” – has been running pole dance lessons at the Penthouse Night Club in Wellington Street for four years.

I’ve been teaching dance all my professional life,” Cruise says.

“As far as I know, there’s no other pole dancing men in Australia.

“I find it to be like ballet – the girl is the star and the guy is the pole.”

Cruise regularly straddles the pole himself, but says he’s only ever taught pole dancing to women. More »

McCarthy Installs Stripper Pole In Son’s Room

October 28th, 2008 No Comments   Posted in News

Thrifty actress Jenny McCarthy installed a stripper pole in her Los Angeles home at the height of her son Evan’s autism battle – because a real fireman’s pole was so expensive.

The actress/model opened the doors to her germ-free retreat, where her son is home schooled by teachers who understand his condition, to U.S. TV show Access Hollywood recently – and admitted there’s a naughty secret in his playroom.

As well as a climbing rope attached to the ceiling, there’s also a metal pole that McCarthy revealed is not exactly what it seems. She explains, “The fireman’s pole was, like, $2,000, and the strip-aerobics pole was $200.”

Meanwhile, McCarthy has bought the property next to her home and plans to turn both into a center for autistic children.

Little Evan is a recovered autistic child. source