I might have to have a clearance sale soon on all the circus equipment. Roilan and I need to relocate out of Utah... just trying to figure out where. Probably Las Vegas to start. More opportunities, etc. Not sure yet if or when I will reopen shop once we move. We are looking for auditions and performing opportunities. Roilan is a very skilled handbalancers, probably the best handbalancer in the world in my book. He deserves so much more than sitting in Utah with no work for him. I would be holding him as well as myself back by not leaving. Check out our demos. We posted them on the website at http://aerialempowerment.com/performers.html

I realize I have been a total slacker on the blog and this New Years, I want to change that. I post a lot on my Facebook which you can find me under "Hope McCurdy Aerialist" where I post inspirations, advice, and progress photos etc. So todays inspiration is Erika Lemay. Check out her performance for the 2012 Monte Carlo Circus Festival.

Pole Masters Cup

My good friend Charlee took first place last night at the International Pole Masters Cup 2012! I am so proud! I was asked to perform for her precompetition party and got the opportunity to see her routine in advanced and I knew she was going to win. She is so incredible and a genuinely kind and humble person. Yeah Charlee Shae Wagner! Ravan Artist also took first in the men's division. Both are from Utah! Yeah Utah dominated the pole world! Here is Charlee's winning routine!

Another Jaw Dropper

I realize that i only post whenever i find an inspirational video. Here is one that inspired me recently. It gave me the goal to have cleaner sharper transitions in and out of moves. I love his fancy dance work. Beautiful Routing all around!!

Aerial Straps in Salt Lake City, Utah

Little update in my world, business has been good, I do my best to have complete customer satisfaction, I think so far I only had one customer who got mad at me because I was out of stock of inventory so it took a little longer than usual to ship her item. So I added on the website that if something needs to be shipped by a certain date to receive on time to please write me and let me know. But so far everyone seems to be happy with Aerial Empowerments products, merchandise, apparatuses, and I am hoping to expand and get more inventory but it is going to take a lot of patience on my end.

I moved into my new home and I now have a permanent 20ft tall Aerial Rig in my backyard that we cemented down and everything. The neighbors thought we were nuts but then whenever i practice they all pull out little lawn chairs and watch me dance. I love my rig, I love the 3 poles in my living room, its an amazing house. It has taken away so much stress.

I finally got myself a pair of aerial straps to start training on. I've always been fascinated by aerial straps, I feel that it is an apparatus I can really bond with especially since I have been getting pretty heavy into handbalancing. I recently found a cord lisse and aerial straps artist who has completely blown me away with his strength and grace. I wrote him to inquire about lessons and found out he will be joining Felix Cane in the Michael Jackson Immortal Tour which will be here in Salt lake city in November 2011. He's super nice and I really hope I get the opportunity to meet him someday.

I present to you, IGOR ZARIPOV

"Fear" written by my dear friend, Hollywood

Pole and Aerial dancing requires vulnerability, But vulnerability puts us at risk, not just emotionally, but physically too.
So why do we struggle to be vulnerable in pole? or silks? or trap? or hoop? or love? or life? FEAR! Fear stops us from doing our best by keeping us stuck in our comfort zone. It's SO much easier to agree with our fears and insecurities than to man up and find the courage we need to do want freaks us out. It's kind of crazy but we really do find safety in being afraid. If we don't try...then we cant ever fail.
One way we let our fears pick and choose what we can or cant do...Is by sh*t talking ourselves. We somehow convince ourselves that "I'm too week", "I'm too fat", "I'm too uncoordinated", "I'll never be as good as so-and-so", or, the one I'm guilty of, "I'm not flexi enough for that" I'm sure most of you have heard me refer to my self as a brick with legs... That kind of talk has kept me from trying a lot of stuff. stuff that I have really wanted to learn. like the Oona and the Jade.
Before even trying to attempt something new, we've talked our self's out of it... Yet, underneath that fear, we want to become a bad ass poller. how are you ever going to be a bad ass when you keep telling your self that you suck...HmmMmmm? So to defend our safe choice, we look at those crazy tricks and say "I'll never be that strong/flexi/good" or "that's a stupid move any way" (i have said that before)
By telling ourselves "I'm not sexy", "I'm not graceful", "I'm not creative" or my favorite "I cant dance" we let go of pole emotionally. turning it into a mechanical experience; completely devoid of individuality or self-expression. We hide behind technical proficiency rather than allowing ourselves to feel the music inside us... Some times a pointed toe isn't as breathtaking as the look on your face, or the sway of your hips....We tell our self's that we will look stupid if we try to be sexy wile we dance, or we make Ourselves feel trashy. by saying "if i dance like that ill look like a stripper" and I say...whats your point? your a strong, amazing and sexy...ACT LIKE IT!!! pole dancing gives Lady's a unique opportunity to be super humanly strong and a lustful sex kitten at the same time...you cant do that in kick boxing...or step class, right? We deny ourselves the pleasure of experiencing our own sensuality. And for what...to make someone else 'ok' with what we do...why? who cares? You have stepped out of the norm by taking pole fitness...don't try and force it to be a spin class...all sweat and no slink....dancing without emotion is like love without passion. to be a to be a good Poler you need to have passion... Its OK to close your eyes and celebrate being you.
When we finally face our fears as pole dancers OR AERIALISTS, we're granted this amazing feeling. and we have all experienced this feeling. when you finely nail that trick you have been working on...we all do the same thing we squeal, hug or high five the closest person to us and wrap it all up with a happy dance. Our vulnerability produces strength, courage and confidence that pushes us toward bigger and better goals; even mastering that which at first seemed impossible. So, as that negative mental chatter TRYS TO CRUSH US, we have to stop it as soon as it starts... I want you to look at the pole, or silks, or hoop, or trap, or what ever...take a deep breath and say.... "I am strong, sexy and capable. And damnit, I'm amazing!" If we embrace our strengths, recognize our progress and continue to TRY and become better dancers then we were the day before, nothing can ever get in our way. If you have some crazy trick you want to learn....ask someone to spot you, pull out the big crash mat, take a deep breath and just do it. Come to a classes you think will be harder then the classes you already take, step out of your comfort zone...Push Past as Althea Austin says....Push past the fear, Push past the pain, Push past your self....FLY FIRST, THINK LATTER!!!!!!!!!

Powerisers- Jumping Stilts

I recently got more aerial silks in our store inventory at aerialempowerment.com, beautiful colors. The forrest green has really grown on me. I've picked up a new hobby as well, powerisers stilt walking. The powerisers are fun cause its like stilts combined with trampoline. Its an incredible leg, butt and core workout. I just bought myself some advanced ones from powerisers.com

Here is a cool video to show what I am talking about.