Aaaah Halloween! My favorite holiday of the year.  A day when people are encouraged to express another side of themselves, to get creative in their dress and to be someone or something else for a whole night.  A day to celebrate the dark side of things.  Mmmmmm, yummy.

Of course,  I get to dress up and explore another side of me every week in pole dancing class.  I get to put on different clothes and shoes and discover what they do to my body and how I respond to them.  Recently I bought a pair of hot shorts with a zipper that goes all the way around my butt and four garters sewn in for attaching stockings.  Except I don’t attach any stockings – I just let the garters swing and tap against my butt while I move.  Occasionally I will pull on one while I slowly circle my hips just to feel the tension between my hand and my hip.   I can’t explain to you how deliciously and insanely hot I feel in those shorts.

Clothing has a way of changing our perceptions and can influence how we feel about ourselves.  What we are wearing is often one of the first things to be noticed by others and clothing is used across cultures to identify different social circles, tribal affiliations, and rank.   In Western cultures women tend to pay especially close attention to clothing and we are also quick to assign meaning to the clothing another woman chooses to wear.  Halloween is the one time of year when it is more or less permissible to dress any damn way we please without repercussions.  Pole dancing class also gives us this gift.

We talk a lot about pole dancing being empowering for women.  Part of that empowerment comes from the freedom we have to play with our sensuality and to express it.  But part of it is also the freedom we have to adorn our bodies and to express our sensuality through dress and costume.

Whether you are drawn to tribal, jungle cat clothing a la Zoraya Judd or the rockabilly bad girl sexiness that Alethea Austin is famous for, you know

when a piece of clothing beckons to you.  The right outfit will tease something out of you and your audience and will help tell your story.

And, let’s be honest, it’s just plain fun to dress up!  My favorite part of ballet class when I was little was the costumes we got to wear for the recitals.  And my leotard and ballet shoes.  Many women who grew up taking dance classes get to revisit this same pleasure today in their pole dance classes.   And aren’t we lucky!  Happy Halloween!

I did a photo shoot a few weeks ago with a very talented artist by the name of Gregory Beylerian.  He was interested in capturing some images of women on their poles at home and he was especially interested in capturing the emotionality and the sensuality of the dance – much more so than the tricks and technical skills.  The experience was…sublime.  With the exception of my classmates, I rarely dance for others.  And when I dance, I let an extremely sensual, extremely erotic part of myself come out to play.  This makes me feel equally powerful and vulnerable.  So sharing that part of myself with a near stranger in my living room and subsequently my bedroom was initially nerve-wracking.  In addition, my studio doesn’t have mirrors, so I have absolutely no idea what I look like when I move.  When I told Gregory this he said, “I’ll be your mirror." Eek.

But as it turns out, I had no trouble at all dropping into that sensual, sexual part of myself.  And after the first couple of songs (and ok fine, one glass of wine) I found that I really enjoyed sharing my sensual self with the camera.  In class we use a chair and the per

son sitting in the chair as a reference point for our dance.  The chair helps us to focus our dance in a certain direction and reminds us that we are telling a story to someone else.  In this case, the camera was the reference point.  I teased and taunted and hid from and seduced the camera with my eyes, my hair, my hips, my back, my breasts and my ass – especially my ass.  I told my story

with my body.  And while I was doing all of that a funny thing happened.  I began to discover that I really enjoyed it.  There was something exhilarating andliberating about exposing that part of myself to someone else.  And rather than feeling like an object of the camera’s gaze I actually felt like the camera was the object of my gaze.  That I was pushing out my sexuality, owning it and forcing it onto the viewers, whomever they might be.  While certainly Gregory put me at ease with his demeanor, I uncovered a part of myself that I did not know existed.  At the same time, there were

these moments of discomfort where some sort of old programming about what is and isn’t appropriate for a woman to be doing with her body would pop into my head (usually when I was pushing things a little bit further – pulling off a layer or rolling around in the bed).  In those moments the question “Is this bad?” would rattle around my brain for a few seconds.  Literally.  And then I would drop my head into a lazy circle, arch my back, circle my hips and think “Well it feels too good in my body to be bad.  So F*@k it.”

At the very end of the shoot my boyfriend came home.   I was leaning provocatively against the pole and Gregory was clicking away.  “Hi my love!” I called out.  Immediately Gregory invited him in to see what we were doing.  And again, I was struck at how comfortable I was with my boyfriend watching me be photographed in lingerie.  The whole experience made me realize that the erotic, sensual part of myself is not separate from the rest of me at all – it isn’t something that I can only turn on fordance class. It’s actually fully integrated into my being.  It’s a part of who I am - a big part.  I’m not ashamed of it.  In fact, I love to share it.  It may sound strange, but it almost feels as though the photo shoot took apart a dam

in the stream of my sensuality.  Whereas before I could stop up that stream after dance class, or I maybe felt that I had to out of fear or shame of it flowing out into the world, now I don’t need to - or want to.  I know better.

It goes without saying that a big part of this realization had to do with the kind and  almost sacred reverence Gregory has for the female form.  He makes a woman feel beautiful and safe, which allows her to unwrap her sexuality at her own pace and feel empowered in the process.    He quickly understands the way in which a particular woman moves her body, and captures those movements so that her natural beauty is highlighted.  He is a genius when it comes to lighting.  His photos reflect an understanding of what it means to capturea moment, and then to create a work of art.  But it’s more than that.  He sees his subjects not just through his camera lens, but through the lens of his heart.  Because the technological aspects of photography are second nature to him, he is free to focus on the story that is being told by the woman in front of him.  And because of who he is, you want to tell him that story.

For more information on how to schedule a shoot with Gregory Beylerian please email him at:

http://www.gregorybeylerian.com/ or call #323 385 5200

Ohhhh the California Pole Dance Championship was splendid!  I had the immense pleasure of hanging out in Bad Kitty’ s VIP box and mingling with the dancers backstage.  So much fun!  The setting at The Avalon was the perfect mixture of lounge and theater and the show was sold out.  A big thanks to Anjeldust for putting it all together.  It was gorgeous.

I haven’t been to a showcase since The Pole Convention in DC and, once again, I was struck by the differences in each contestant’s choreography.  Some dancers’ routines were more technical and elegant while others were extremely sensual and erotic.  Madeline Eve’s tender and angry dance (dedicated to anyone who had lost someone) was heart wrenching to watch.  She poured so much emotion into each movement.  It was a delicious reminder of how pole dancing is as much about emotional expression as it is about skill.  Erika Labansat playfully danced her way in and out of a coffin and Flying Laura Martin lived up to her name by finishing her dance with a dizzying inverted spin combo.  My boyfriend actually leaned over to me and asked “Why do I feel like she isn’t holding on to the pole with anything?”  There were fantastic performances by Felix Cane, Bad Azz, Alethea Austin, Jamilla Deville, Estee Zakar and Amber Kittle, last year’s champion.

If you had the chance to attend the Champagne Meet and Greet just before the show then you know that Felix Cane was there, signing autographs.  You might have also seen all of the super sexy posters decorating the lobby.   Some were of Felix Cane, some were of Stripperella (striptease heroine extraordinaire), and some were of Felix Cane as Vixxxena, Striperella’s trusty sidekick.   Yes, that’s right!  Felix Cane is officially a cartoon character!  Named Vixxenna!   If you’re not in the know (and I was not) comic book genius Stan Lee (president of Marvel Comics, invented Spiderman) and artist Anthony Lee Winn (he is responsible for every one of those drawings at the CPDC) have teamed up to create a rather sassy and scintillating graphic novel/wireless comic book called “Stripperella”.  The premise?  Stripper by night and super heroine… by day and night! Her superpower?  Why seduction, of course!  Personally I’m looking forward to seeing how this comic strip helps shape the public’s perception of female sexuality into something a little more liberated, powerful and playful.  I had the chance to speak briefly with Anthony Lee Winn, and when I asked him what drew him to the Stripperella character he said, “Empowerment .  It’s about empowering women through their femininity, through their sexuality.”  Couldn’t have said it better myself.

This is a copy of a VIRAL E-mail Titled "God's Pharmacy" that has been around for a few years now.  We at Bad Kitty figured you all would enjoy it !!

1. A sliced Carrot resembles the human eye including the pupil, iris, and radiating lines. Science indicates that carrots help protect the vision, especially night vision. WHFoods: Carrots

2. A Tomato has up to four chambers and is commonly red. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and helps prevent heart disease, prostate cancer, breast cancer and more. Tomato juice can also reduce the tendency toward blood clotting. WHFoods: Tomatoes

3. Grapes hang in a cluster that resembles the shape of the heart. The stronger the color of the grape is, the higher the concentration of phytonutrients. Grapes prevent heart disease and reduce platelet clumping and harmful blood clots. WHFoods: Grapes

4. Walnuts resemble the brain, mimicking the wrinkles and folds of the neocortex. Research suggests that walnuts may reduce the risk or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Walnut - Wikipedia The high concentration of omega-3 fats in walnuts promotes healthy brain function. WHFoods: Walnuts

5. Kidney Beans, true to their name are kidney shaped. They provide nutrients that are helpful to the human kidneys. Kidney beans contain molybdenum, which helps sulfite oxidase to form and is responsible for detoxifying sulfites WHFoods: Kidney beans. Animal research has shown that chronic renal failure has been associated with oxidative stress Sulfite-mediated oxidative stress in kidney cells.

6. Celery has a bone like appearance and is rich in silicon and Vitamin K, which are needed for healthy joints and bones Gillian McKeith You Are What You Eat

7. Avocados were used by the Aztecs as a sex stimulant and the Aztec name for avocado was ahuacatl, meaning "testicle" History of Avocados. An extract of avocado impedes the growth of both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer cells. WHFoods: Avocados

8. Figs have a rich history and often been referred to as a sexual food, this is partly symbolic due to the appearance of the fruit. Figs are loaded with seeds and when halved, many note a resemblance to female genitalia. The Hindu name for fig is anjeer and research has shown that anjeer is helpful for sexual weakness Ficus carica - medicinal plants. Figs have also been mentioned as a source helpful for male fertility and motility. Health-info.org

9. Oranges, Grapefruits and other Citrus fruits have been compared to the appearance of female mammary glands. These fruits contain nutrients that are helpful in the fight against breast cancer. Health Benefits of Citrus Limonoids Explored

10. Sliced Onions resemble skin cells and contain quercetin. Studies have shown when treated with a combination of quercetin and ultrasound at 20 kHz for 1-minute duration, skin and prostate cancers show a 90% mortality within 48 hours with no visible mortality of normal cells. Quercetin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

11. Sweet Potatoes resemble the pancreas and have a low glycemic index count, which is beneficial for diabetics. North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission

12. Olives resemble ovaries and may help reduce hot flashes in women going through menopause. WHFoods: Olives Research indicates that Olive Oil may reduce ovarian cancer by 30%. ACS: Olive Oil May Lower Ovarian Cancer Risk