With Summer Camp right around the corner, we asked past Summer Camp attendees about their favorite classes, best New York memories, and how Summer Camp changed their pole lives! Check out what Jeanie Kay, Mint & Drusilla Ray had to say!
Summer Camp Interview:
What was the most memorable part of last year’s experience of Summer Camp?
Jeanie Kay: It’s been almost a year since I had one of the most, if not THE MOST, invigorating experience in my pole life – the B&P Summer Pole Camp 2014! It’s really hard to say which was the most memorable part of my Summer Camp experience. From the variety of 2-hr intensive classes with world-class star athletes and performers each with their own unique offerings, to my fellow campers who came from all over the world to be united in one place by our shared passion for pole, the entire experience as a whole was pure love and joy.
The part that stayed with me the most however, was the camaraderie between campers and the genuine desire to share from both the instructors and campers.
Drusilla Ray: For me, the orientation was the most memorable part (aside from all of the amazing classes they had planned for us and the awesome closing party on the last day). The energy in the room was infectious on the first day with all 20+ of the Summer Campers huddled together in the classroom. Everyone was excited to be there and to share who they were, where they were from, and what they most wanted to learn in our 10 days there. I was touched that all the teachers took the time to be there and to greet every one of us personally. It really got me pumped for the rest of camp.
Mint: The amount of muscle pain myself and my roommate were in after the first 3 days of training. I thought we would never be able to get out of the bed again! For owners of studios, training and teaching multiple hours everyday – it was such a workout!
Do you feel the impact from last year’s Summer Camp? How has it made you a better performer, athlete, or teacher?
Jeanie: As I have shared with the whole B&P Summer Camp family at the farewell party on the very last day, teary-eyed, I have never been so touched by how much my instructors wanted to share with me to help me grow; how encouraging my peers were with me to help me find joy even when I failed at something. At home, there are times when I feel like my growth has plateaued due to a combination of reasons, such as the lack of advance level classes/instructors close to me that can take my training further and lack of similar-level training partners to experiment, fail and succeed with. The biggest thing that had really disheartened me before attending camp was the general lack of desire to share within the community I felt back home, as it seemed like everyone/studio was in competition with each other.
My experience at the Summer Camp was the opposite and a much-needed breath of fresh air.
In short, the journey has made me a better performer, athlete, teacher, student and a sucky cry-baby who terribly misses everyone from camp, back in the summer of 2014.
Drusilla: As an instructor and competitor, I appreciated the academic nature of the classes. Body & Pole offers an unmatched variety of classes and workshops during Summer Camp. Each is designed to give students a taste of what their instructor is famous for. We went from doing backflips in the morning with Dalijah to Contemporary Pole with Michelle Stanek in a matter of a few hours.
Mint: Most definitely. This is a question I can answer without a doubt. The way I moved had changed, matured. Less thinking; more natural.
Where did you find inspiration while at Summer Camp (hanging out with other campers, just being in New York City, etc?)
Jeanie: I have never had such a supportive group of classmates who offers me banana to remind me to eat on those 8-hr pole marathon days (thanks Joanna!); takes me out to Central Park to teach me how to do a basic cartwheel after I miserably failed at the Pole’nastics class (thanks Anna!); sets up jamming sessions to share and learn from each other (thanks Dru!), or continues to stay in-touch, as promised, after camp to still encourage each other on our separate pole journeys from around the world (Adriana, Jacqueline, Vivian, Annie, Paulina, Vicky, Mint, Cristin, and everyone I’m running out of characters to write!)
Drusilla: I made fast friends with all of my camp buddies. We ate together, trained together and hung out after hours as well. Having a network of other campers around me made taking in the sights so easy and fun. We hand balanced in Central Park, saw the Natural History Museum, and even made a trip to Smorgasbord. There was never a dull moment.
Mint: As campers sharing the same experience we would always go for lunch together, one of my favorite moments was when we all went to the park to eat, then bumped into Sam Star and Miguel and ended up training for handstands instead. It is inspiring being around so many people with many different abilities/ages/styles. In the studio wherever I would look there was always so much beauty to take in of each persons movement.
Has the B&P Summer Camp impacted your business? How you teach your own clients?
Drusilla: I’ve definitely tried to recreate the good vibes that run through all classes at Body & Pole at my home studio. I’m a big fan of their open teaching style and culture of dedication. If you have the stamina, I would recommend taking a few non-Summer Camp classes. There is no ego at Body & Pole. You’ll see instructors in every class, constantly learning from one another.
Mint: I met many people and in only 1 year 4 of them have already come to visit Pole Fit Egypt. I have hosted Josh Taylor (UK), Joana Silva (Portugal), Cristen Manser (Switzerland) and also Marie-ester (Peru)! It’s so funny how 10 days have created pole-ships from all over the world! In my opinion it is a fantastic way to meet people as a studio owner. My students definitely saw it there is the “Mint before summer and the one after” – we still refer to it this way!
Do you keep in contact while people you meet while at Summer Camp?
Drusilla: I’m actually trying to sort out a trip to Egypt and Portugal next year to see my camp buddies! Doing camp was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my pole journey. I feel like I know so many other friendly polers now; it’s opened doors for me to train abroad, do workshops, and see other parts of the world that I would’ve never had access to.
Would you do summer camp again?
Mint: If I wasn’t injured this month, I would definitely be back at B&P! There is so much talent there everyone should abuse it!
Drusilla: In a heartbeat! Summer camp didn’t align for me this year, but I’m planning to do a Traincation at B&P in October because I just couldn’t keep away 😉 It’s the mecca of pole dancing for a reason!
