Meet IPAAT 2016's winners Laura and Karen

Laura and Karen, winners of IPAAT 2016 Double Category share with Pole in Style their pole dance story.

1.Tell us about yourselves. How did you meet each other?

Karen: Laura and I met at Danse Vivante in 2012. We were both at similar levels and always shared a pole during classes as we were working on the same tricks. We then started playing around with some doubles moves we had seen on the Internet which turned out to be lots of fun. We performed a few doubles moves together in a couple of local shows and really enjoyed it and then went on to competing together in September 2014. We found it fairly hard getting time to work on routines at Danse Vivante and just after our first competition, I opened my own pole studio in Castle Vale (Addictive Fitness) so now Laura comes over regularly to work on new doubles tricks and routines for competitions.

2.How did you start pole dancing?

Karen: I first tried pole dancing on a hen weekend in Newcastle in 2005. I then organized a similar package for my own hen weekend in Brighton in 2007 and then really got the bug for it. I searched the Internet looking for somewhere to start lessons and found Flaunt Dance in Digbeth which was only about 20 minutes from me. I trained there for about three years and then was pregnant with my son, Mason, so I took a year off. I then went back to Flaunt Dance for about a year and then the school closed down. I found Danse Vivante in Halesowen in 2012 and that is where I met Laura.

Laura: I started pole dancing in 2011 at Polers Paradise in Walsall. The studio was quite a journey for me but I didn't mind as I had always wanted to try pole dance classes. Months later I discovered Danse Vivante was only around the corner and I took my first pole class there. It must have been fate as this is where I met Karen!

3.What are your favourite tricks?

Laura: We both have different strengths and preferences when it comes to doubles tricks. Karen tends to master the back bendy moves whereas I usually tackle moves with splits. We both like to swap between base and flyer depending on the type of trick. Our favourite doubles tricks are me in an outside leg hold with Karen hanging off my arm in an elbow grip human flag, and also Karen in a lay back hold with myself hanging off her hands in Russian splits as these are both moves we loved creating!

My favourite solo tricks are Jade splits and leg hang variations. Karen's favourite moves are currently machine gun and any type of flip.

4. What was your first doubles pole competition together? How was it? What made you decide to compete?

Our first doubles competition was Midlands Pole Championships 2014. We were entered into it, unknown to us, by our pole instructor! It was really nerve wracking and most of the performance was a blur. We placed last in our category and looking back on our routine we can see why. We read all the feedback and really worked on all the comments, and it made us understand exactly what they were looking for and more determined then to try again the following year. That year we worked really hard on our routine to perfect every last detail, to make sure our synchro was perfectly in time and to add all the little extras that really make a performance stand out! That year we felt much more confident, knowing what to expect and most importantly feeling ready and really performing our routine, that was a turning point for us and we took 1st place at the Midlands Pole Championships 2015, which felt amazing. Two weeks later, we performed a brand new routine at the UK Pole Doubles Championships 2015 and took 2nd place, which we were ecstatic, given the time between the competitions. This year, we entered IPAAT 2016 which was a bigger competition and the standard was exceptionally high. We won 1st place. . . totally shocked but so nice to start believing in ourselves.

5. Who are your pole idols?

Our pole idols are Mina & Nadia, Lisette & Terri and Jade & Yvette. They are all so unique and inspirational.

6. What are your goals for this year?

Our goals for 2016-2017 are to continue advancing and experimenting with our doubles training as we love developing moves to make them our own. We also look forward to competing in another competition!