Letters From Passion, With Poise

From passion, with love.

These letters are over 6 months old. Late but never too late.... I say this to all women coming to 50 who have the desire to pole dance but fear. WeiHong at 49 is one such validation that age is just a number.

I find her beautiful, passionate and spunky self a force to be reckoned with. And her courage to participate in Pole Idol last October which she went and swept the crowd crazy with her insanely lean & toned physique, and then later bagged the Best Performance prize, I'm overcome by a profound sense of appreciation and this deep sense of responsibility to publish Wei Hong's thoughts. Or rather, her short journal if you will. Because her letters to me are really an insight of the life and mind of a 49 year-old pole dancer. Great energy, beautiful language and definitely inspiring for all. Please indulge.

From the days leading up to Pole Idol
Stepping home and seeing Maple's email ... Reading your mail makes me happy! A diva actually personally wrote me a reply! And reading your blog, the Anatomy of Pole, makes me want to tell my friends to go read your blog too. Many still frown at me, asking me,
"What's happened to you? Why are you doing this (pole)?"

The photos are outstanding - the gorgeous dancer, the poses, angles, lighting and contrast, and the writeup is most appropriate to change the mindset of the uninitiated, my dinosaur-age-friends and the hard-core gym-junkies.

From WeiHong, with love.
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Sometime after Pole Idol and the Style Rocks! Party at NEO... Maple, your name still conjures up an image of a life-size goddess, a golden lion's mane, graced on a beautiful regal body, exuding a heart of generosity, passion, grace, and the art of living.

I still cannot get over the weekend, and so I fail to write ...... To say thanks seems so inadequate that I am paralysed into silence. Firstly, thanks to Linna (her teacher) for goading me along. I was hesitant, then longing but embarrassed, because the choreo is NOT my choreo (but it is the only full routine I know), and I am nowhere near as good as the other gals.

I had a reminder in my mobile phone to write to both of you, a thank you note, but somehow, I could not write ... for the want of better words than a mere thank you.

From WeiHong, with love.
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After class one night soon after Pole Idol, reminiscing her experience...
I fell with that spinning pole, and honestly, my right sit bone hurt quite a bit then, my right knee was bruised too, and the front of my neck, 24 hours later was painful. Jessie was so kind to send in my old video.

And upon arrival in KL, you all helped me so much and made it all possible. After what must be my best lamb cutlet, century eggs salad, most humongous prawns and fabulous jungle-dining experience for a long long time (at Mandi-Mandi), and imagining you all pole dancing amongst the greenery (some 2 years ago), the mood was building up.

The opening night at NEO (Style Rocks! Party) to see the glamorous you, Maple, and how you spoke to the (Burmese) cleaner clearing the broken glass, I was witnessing the path of success that you were walking on. And on the day itself (Pole Idol), I felt the tension, the excitement rising, firstly with Linna coaching me on what to do - do my hair first, stretch, rehearse, stretch, and all those things that she tells me during class seem to come back. I must do it, to rise to the occasion, to live up to her expectations! (but sorry, I still miss the opening accents :-()

And then it was Maple - your personal time to do my make-up, perform, enjoy every bit of it, and each and every accessory that you decked on me, I felt more naked and more focused to do my best and enjoy it!

From HATE to LOVE... I think all the performers loved the "stage". I loved it! The appreciative spectators, their close proximity, no blinding spotlights, the screams and encouragement, the sound-system. (Though the audience at the back may not like it so much because they cannot see except when we are on top of the poles!) I loved it! I truly did! I loved attention and limelight afterall!!! :-)

KFC did not seem like a grand ending to the evening (we all pigged out at the KFC next to NEO), but it speaks volumes of an ability to transcend to the practical and mundane when the need arises! We rise to the stratosphere, but we actually need to live in the atmosphere on a day-to-day basis to stay sane and healthy because we are but mortals.

From Dinasaur to Diva... This experience is not just about perming my hair (the last time must be when I was 27. YES! WeiHong actually permed her hair at the salon I brought everyone to for their make-over for Style Rocks!), and my first dance competition, but also me getting me into FaceBook now, and I will sign up for a basic make-up course, and think about killer heels! Yes, Linna, I will - so that I will stop troubling Li Leng and Maple.

A Note to Linna...I have come a long way. I saw your Body Talks students pole-dancing at Gotham Penthouse, and it was only 2 years later, last year June, when I finally muster the guts to sign up for Pole-dancing. It is weird, that after the paralysis, for the want of words, I am quite liberated now! Thanks Maple!!!

Ah! Thanks to both of you, my teacher, Linna, and diva, Maple, for helping me continue my journey in life - so wondrous, fabulous and fulfilling!

From WeiHong, with love.
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Somewhere between the bucks and the crux...
Yes yes ... I received my prize money. I am smiling all the way, not to the bank, but to my deepest of my soul!!!! Btw, it is really hard to explain "my packs" (6 packs at 49 ahem!). I DID NOT DO ANYTHING (bitch...). I think it will go way when my hormonal imbalance is over. Not just no estrogen, but also no testostorene. (Shit, I can't wait for menopause then!)
It is like second wind I suppose .... and will I have my third? I will let you all know.

Hot flushes so what... so long as I'm still hot!
Thanks for the encouragement. I want to do better. Carpe diem every day of our lives - every good day that I still have. Even as "pole" time gets shorter, synapses depleting, recovery time lengthening, skin drier and thinner (and sometimes unbearably sensitive) and body in need of that elixir of youth to fill my veins again. Remember RGS school anthem? ;-)

Last night, was it mere coincidence or by design, your boots offer and a chance to perform with the advanced gals was a foot in the door for me with them! :-) I have been invited to elope FaceBook now - Sandra and Wen Lene sent me the invitation. I am part of their pole-circle now! Yipee!!! You helped me break the ice with these gals, who are largely clueless as to why I am in the same pole-class as them. You have alot of influence over them!

Which reminds me of Maple's influence over all the people around her. You two are alike in so many ways, and yet different, or rather unique! I am the lucky beneficiary. :-)

From WeiHong, with love.

~~ IT'S THE END ONLY IF YOU BELIEVE IT IS ~~