3 Science-Backed Tips for Better Pole Freestyle

About this episode

Dr. Rosy Boa shares research-based tips to enhance pole freestyling through mindset, music, and self-perception.

Dr. Rosy Boa shares a previously unavailable talk outlining three research-based areas to help pole freestyling feel easier and more natural: a mastery mindset, moving to music, and reducing self-consciousness. Drawing on improvisation research (largely from jazz and musical improvisation), she explains that improvisation relies on generating and selecting familiar movement options, so dancers are more likely to access skills they can execute successfully about 90% of the time; mastery approaches are also linked to less perfectionism and better body appreciation. She then summarizes entrainment research showing dance training improves rhythmic synchronization, and that music with strong, predictable beats, some complexity, familiarity, and slower tempo is easier to move to, while metrically complex or unfamiliar music is harder. Finally, she notes that watching oneself (mirrors, filming, self-view on Zoom) increases self-consciousness and can worsen body image, so for flow she recommends avoiding visual self-monitoring and reflecting via journaling and feedback. Are you a pole nerd interested in trying out online pole classes with Slink Through Strength? We’d love to have you…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Rosy Boa

Topics covered

• pole freestyling
• mastery mindset
• improvisation research
• rhythmic synchronization
• self-consciousness

Keywords

• pole dancing
• freestyle
• improvisation
• dance training
• body image
• self-monitoring

Sponsors

Slink Through Strength

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Slink Through Strength

Products: Intro Pack

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