Pole Performances: The tip of the iceberg!

Anyone who has ever performed on stage understands the amount of work and preparation that goes into being competition ready. It's so hard to build up the courage to step into the bright stage lights for the first time, but it's so easy to sit in the audience and critique those onstage.

There is a huge difference between what the audience sees during a performance, and the performer's perspective. Both the audience and the performer are experiencing the same moments on stage, but the difference between their perspectives of the performance is huge.

The audience sees only the finished product - a polished and glamorous few minutes of beauty and athleticism on stage. The performer sees years of training, injuries, months of rehearsal, the breakthroughs and also the painful moments of crippling self-doubt, all combined to c3reate a performance for a brief moment on stage.

Performing and competing takes so much commitment and dedication. Everyone who steps on stage has already won innumerable battles to get there, no matter the results on the night.

Everyone feels vulnerable after pouring their heart out on stage... So next time you see a performance you love, tell the performer!! I guarantee you it will mean the world to them.

Michelle Shimmy xxx