Meet our blog contributor Mel Nutter

Pole in Style interviews Mel Nutter and her pole dance journey so far. Mel has shared with us tips about pole dance, such as How to improve your pole flow and The devil in the details - how to execute a mesmerizing pole dance performance.

1. When did you start pole dancing and how did you get into it? For most of my adult life I have been involved in yoga. My instructor in Sydney was Richard James Allen, who also has a strong background in dance. He brings a lyrical flow to his yoga class and I started to fall in love with what my body was able to do. In 2011 a friend started pole dancing and I was in awe of the photos she was posting online. She was twirling around, going upside-down and just glowing! I could already see a strong link between yoga postures and the shapes that were possible on the pole. I found Art of Pole, a studio run by Jamilla Deville that was just around the corner from our house. Jamilla took our beginners course and I was hooked! Her approach to dancing and training, and her stage presence are always something I aspire to. She is also always open to people finding their own style. It didn't matter what music I liked, or how I liked to dance, I immediately felt supported and part of a pole community. 2. How did people around you react when they learned that you were doing pole dance? I am incredibly lucky to have a supportive partner. My husband is a photographer and we share a love for creative expression through different mediums. This aside, though, I still find that it's hard to talk about pole dance in the community. Most people immediately think "stripping" and "exploitation". Now that I am living in Cambodia, this is even more the case. I tend to just let people say there piece, and then I show them some of my own photos or a clip of my favourite dancers. They soon come around to seeing how much more there is to pole dance. 3. What are your favourite tricks? I love spinning pole and how elegant a ballerina or inside leg hang can be. The shapes remind me of the tiny dancers inside a music box. The poses are also so versatile, as you can change your arm gestures or leg to alter the shape, speed up, slow down etc etc. 4. What are your nemesis tricks? I've always been a scaredy cat when it comes to momentum tricks. It took me ages to build up the nerve to start learning a handspring. I also had a bad fall years ago trying body switches, so these still shake me up a bit too. 5. What are you currently working on? What are your goals for this year? I don't have a pole right now in Cambodia, but I have joined the circus here to learn lyra and silks, as well as continuing with my yoga practice. It's amazing how the language of dance is cross cultural. So many shapes from pole translate well to lyra and silks, and through dance I have been able to share my knowledge with the Khmer people at the circus too. I've also been exploring floor flow movement and hope to produce some videos and visual art with this soon. When I'm next on the pole, I'm excited to see how what I have learned will influence my dance. 6. Any advice to new beginners or those who want to try pole dance? Just do it! Whether you have been a dancer all your life or you are just starting out, the pole community embraces diversity and creative expression. Be prepared for change, especially in the way that you will start loving your body and what it can do!