Recently, I had the opportunity to catch up with America’s very own pole idol, Alethea Austin. In this candid interview, Alethea dishes about being a travelling pole star, shares a travel bag must-have and confides about the big changes in her life. Keep an eye out on this pole dance star, she has some big things brewing and you won’t want to miss it!

Maggie: First off, I want to thank you for taking the time! My first question: You must travel a lot for pole. What is the best and worst part of being a travelling pole star?

Alethea: I travel about 300 days a year for the past 3 years. I love travelling and am a bit of a gypsy but the road definitely takes a toll on you physically and emotionally. Teaching pole is the easiest part of the day. I have a bad neck so I have to be really careful on airplanes and what beds I sleep in. the worst part is when you’ve traveled so far and people are excited to see you and you can’t do your potential because you are too sick or exhausted.

Maggie: Wow! 300 days a year! So, when you are travelling for pole events, what are must haves for your travel bag?

Alethea: In my travel bag my must haves are my pillow, one pair Lululemon pants, one good pair of leather boots, my stuffed animal and my “crack patches” which are a non smelly hot patch called Salon Pas.

Maggie: Thanks for the link! I’m sure your fans understand if you are not at your best. So when you do need to be at your best, say, for competition, is there anything you do the weeks prior to prep?

Alethea: Yes this year I decided to do USPDF again mostly because I needed a break from all the flights and travel and to be able to do a performance that showcased how far I had come in the last 2 years since I started competing. So when I entered we blocked it out on my schedule and I got 2 weeks off to train and prep. I was alone in my empty loft in LA packing because we were moving at the time and had the poles set up over concrete floors and focused on some aspect of training from 9 am to midnight every day. Sometimes it was just research or listening to my song. I didn’t see or train with anyone just stayed very solitary for my piece, knowing when I left LA to NY I would be leaving for good. It was a very strange emotional heavy and beautiful time. The day after USPDF I flew to Nashville and closed escrow on my house. there were so many pieces of the life puzzle that had to fall in line that weekend and they did. It was much bigger than just a pole dance. It always is, that’s why we are all so in love with it right? ; )

Maggie: And yes, its more than just pole dance! It’s a lifestyle. 2 weeks are all you took off? It must have been a productive 2 weeks! So do you get nervous before a competition like the rest of us? Ans if so, how do you calm yourself?

Alethea: I used to get really nervous, I was prob the shyest girl you ever met when I was young. When I started performing I realizeD everyone out there just wants to see you do well. They’re not sitting there hoping you’ll make and ass of yourself. POle is a really good environment for that. Now I just try and focus on not taking it for granted. I get to go so many places and experience so many backstages. I try to soak it in and not be disconnected even if i am tired or do this all the time. I talk to the girls whose first performance it is and watch as much and remember all the moments i can.

Maggie: Pole really is the perfect environment to come out of your shell. It was for me too. The pole community is small now but growing fast. For better or for worse how do you see the pole world-changing in the future? Especially now that it seems to have reached the mainstream.

Alethea: I actually do not think pole is growing as fast as it needs too. i love the taboo of it. but feel that now with anyone being able to open a pole studio or host a national or universal competition with no repercussions when it is being done poorly or unsafely that a lot of people who would otherwise fall in love with pole are having bad experiences. It is kind of losing its mystique. I for example would have never gons back if I first walked into a studio in a strip mall with overhead bright lights bare feet and nothing but twisted grips and fonjis. Maggie: That’s fair enough. It would be sad for pole dance to lose its mystique or sensuality. I know everyone has moves they struggle with, a pole nemesis. So as a final question, what is your current pole nemesis? Alethea: My current pole nemesis is the eagle. because contortion scorpio is my most comfortable move and I do it with my arms on either side of the pole just like eagle except up side down. So you would think it would be easy for me to flip it, lol! Maggie: You would think so, wouldn’t you, but gravity favors the contorted Scorpio so much more! Well, thank you Alethea for taking you time to chat with me today. I think its says a lot about a person to stay so candid and real. After the interview, Alethea told me that she was done touring. She loved touring and all the amazing people she has met, but can’t handle any more airplanes. What? Done touring?!? But don’t worry ladies and gentlemen, this sexy starlet is not throwing in the towel. Not at all. So look forward to big and exciting things coming from this goddess of sexy!

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Until next time, be sure to Live It Up!

Maggie