THE COURIER Monday November 8 2010
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The rise of the lad mag... > Life , page 14-15 Life & Style Editors: Kat Bishop and Mary Mullarkey - courier.life@ncl.ac.uk
health 3ROH GDQFH \RXU ZD\ WR Ă€ WQHVV Jess Gibson tries her hand at pole dancing and busts the promiscuity myth associated with the exercise WKH Ă€ UHPDQ¡V VSLQ , WKRXJKW (DV\ But after numerous attempts, I realised that pole dancing is much harder than it looks. So I know what you’re still thinking; the only girls that pole dance are uneducated bimbos, right? Wrong. The society’s founder and instructor, Courtenay Pipkin, is proud to be a skilled pole dancer, and a fourth year civil engineering student. She said ‘I’ve been pole dancing for two years and I love it’. Other committee members study chemistry, law, maths, economics and biomedical science. A clever bunch by anyone’s standards.
It’s unfair to think that pole dancers are bimbos. Committee members study civil engineering, chemistry, law, maths, economics and biomedical science: clever by anyone’s standards
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It’s that time of year where all the university clubs and societies have recruited new freshers, and are getting down to some proper training. The Debate Team are debating, the Boat Club are rowing, the Pole Dancing Society is‌well...pole dancing! New for 2010, the society has scooped up over 100 students since freshers’ week. Now, these girls are learning to spin, twist, and bend their way around the pole. This week, I went along to the Pole Dancing Society’s training session, to see how they’re getting on, and to gather my own perspective on the pole dancer stereotype. What do you imagine when you think of pole dancing? I’m not psychic, but for most of you,
I could take an educated guess. Images of seedy strip clubs, fake boobs and neon bikinis may be involved. :KHWKHU LW LV WKURXJK À OP WDEORLGV or a drunken experience in Blue Velvet, the stereotype of the pole dancer LV À UPO\ LQ SODFH So when it comes to our university’s society, what kind of girl is actually getting involved? I had no idea what to expect as a brave friend and I made our way to Attic nightclub on Monday evening, where the girls train. Would they all be peroxide blonde FRQWRUWLRQLVWV à H[LQJ WKHLU ZD\ around the pole, with nipple tassels in full swing? Ok, maybe the nipple tassels are a bit too far, but I certainly had my
own preconceptions. To my surprise, there were no bikinis in sight. The girls wore simple shorts and T-shirts. As I looked around during the warm up, I realised two things. Firstly, that the only other movement I had ever done on Attic’s GDQFH à RRU ZDV D GUXQNHQ VZD\ with a VK in hand. Secondly, that the girls looked completely normal, they were all regular students, up for trying something fun and a bit different. As a member of the Newcastle University Cheerleading Squad, I ZDV TXLHWO\ FRQÀ GHQW WKDW P\ GDQFH and gymnastic experience would help me with the basic pole dancing skills. After the instructor demonstrated
(YHQ WKRXJK WKHVH JLUOV KDYH brains, they also have biceps. Pole dancing requires you to hold your own weight, maintain a strong core DQG KDYH JRRG à H[LELOLW\ &RXUWHQD\ VWDWHG ´, ZDQW SHRSOH to realise that pole dancing is a lot harder than it looks, and that it’s not sleazy. ´:H ZDQW WR UHPRYH WKH VWULSSHU stereotype that people associate with pole dancing�. Pole dancing is slowly becoming a respected sport and art form, where WKH FRVWXPHV VWD\ À UPO\ LQ SODFH (sorry boys). The World Pole Sport Championships have also become hugely successful, and feature world class performers, in a showcase event, who demonstrate sheer physical strength with mesmerizing skill and stamina through individually choreographed routines. We all know that pole dancing is associated with strip clubs, but here comes the big difference. In strip clubs, emphasis is placed upon the scantily clad dancer, rather than the skill of dancing. Real pole dancing is about moving on the pole with skill, that takes training and dedication. As the pole dancing craze continues to spread, I hope the seedy stereotype will slowly disappear. These girls put in effort, commitment and are not paid the credit and respect they deserve. It takes a lot more than double D’s and a diamante thong to pole dance in style.
Doctor, Doctor: “Please get rid of my dry skin!â€? Although winter brings Christmas GLVSOD\V DQG GXIĂ H FRDWV LW GRHVQ¡W half play havoc with our skin. The biting temperatures and blusWHU\ 1RUWK (DVW ZLQGV DOO FRPELQH WR rob moisture from the body’s largest organ. However, follow these simple steps and you’ll be guaranteed to stay soft and smooth all year around. Firstly, moisturise, moisturise, moisturise. Get yourself into the habit of slapping on a layer or two of lotion straight after showering. Understandably, this is easier said than done. No one wants to spend any more time than necessary in their smalls when the lack of central heating causes you to sleep with two duvets and an electric blanket. So give yourself a thirty second EODVW ZLWK WKH KDLUGU\HU Ă€ UVW DQG then speed rub yourself to a baby supple shine. With candy coloured packaging and alluring scents, choosing the ERG\ ORWLRQ IRU \RX LV DV GLIĂ€ FXOW as picking which member of One 'LUHFWLRQ \RX ZLVK ZDV Ă€ YH \HDUV older. $TXHRXV FUHDP LV D Ă€ UP IDYRXULWH Cheap and cheerful, these Ben and Jerry’s size tubs are around ÂŁ2 a pop GHĂ€ QLWHO\ YDOXH IRU PRQH\ 8QIRU tunately it offers no fancy smells and FHUWDLQO\ QR SDLVOH\ VZLUO DQG Ă RUDO details, but after one use it’ll become as staple a part of your potion collection as a tin of Vaseline. Use it in the shower as well as after. It doesn’t lather and you’ll have to make sure to rinse away any residue to prevent your housemates taking a tumble but it’ll give your skin that added sparkle. Start keeping a small hand lotion in your bag for after washing your hands or when you can’t be bothered to make notes in lectures. You’ll notice the effects on your Ă€ QJHUWLSV DQG SDOPV LPPHGLDWHO\ ² and you can get some really yummy smelling ones too. Kat Bannon
Aqueous FUHDP LV D À UP favourite. These Ben and Jerry size tubs are around £2 a pop
K. VONG