Polecats Manila
Cristina Dy is an acclaimed visual artist by day. She typically wakes up at six in the morning, with a banana choco soy smoothie to kickstart a day of meetings and activities. As one of Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Thirteen Artists awardees in 2009, she makes intricate charcoal drawings all day.
By night, her art becomes the pole. And as the founder of Polecats, the hottest pole dancing act in Manila, this “Mama Polecat” gives Supreme a taste of what it’s like to work those poles.
SUPREME: How did Polecats Manila start?
CRISTINA DY: In October 2009, I got my best pole students and formed the Polecats. Most of them didn’t have any dance or gymnastic background. I thought it would be good to show people that anyone — regardless of size, shape, and background — can do pole dancing and benefit from it.
What are the benefits of pole dancing?
Pole dancing is good for the body. We’ve all lost weight. I personally lost 20 pounds, toned up, became stronger and more flexible. It is also a great way to get over stress, take control of your body, feel good about yourself. It drives us to be better at what we do. Dancing together has given us friendships that will last a lifetime. Pole dancing has changed our lives, so we want to share it.
Does size or body fat percentage matter?
Size or body fat doesn’t matter. As long as you get clearance from your doctor that you can proceed with this form of exercise, then let’s go!
Do you experiment with your music?
We love playing with music! We’ve always tried to promote OPM during our shows. For our last big show at the CCP, we danced to an all-OPM set, with songs by Kjwan, Sugar Hiccup, OBS, Pedicab, Sandwich, and a live set by Brigada. Our next project is performing with a string quartet — watch out for it!
Any bad injuries? I got cramps when I was fooling around onstage after a pole show.
We’re all still alive and in one piece! We’ve experienced a couple of sprains, but that’s it. We practice safety first in all our classes and practices. Myla, Amaya and I (the senior members) are also first-aid certified. Myla and I are also undergoing certification from Viva Vertical, the international leaders in aerial art instruction — which means we have to pass a physiology and anatomy exam!
For your cramps: please warm up properly, eat bananas and have a sports drink.
Would you recommend this to guys? I’ve seen some crazy, gravity-defying videos online.
Yes! We do have a guy in our group. Our newest member is our tomcat Job Bautista, who just reached the semi-finals in the International Pole Dance Fitness Association’s pole championships.
Guys should not be scared — we will not make them wear sequins, feathers or speedos.
Any strange encounters with men after a performance?
Men are men. (Laughs) Mostly we’ve had offers of free drinks and declarations of love. It’s sad that there are still some sleazy remarks, but these have drastically declined since our first performance. I think now people know that the Polecats brand of dancing can be fun and sexy without being slutty.
Any celebrity students you are proud of?
Of course, everyone has seen Ciara Sotto-Oconer perform. We love her! She’s a great student — very hardworking and diligent. Sheng Belmonte also takes our classes. As well as Aira Bermudez of Sexbomb Dancers. These girls are amazing!
Also, watch for Angel Locsin’s next movie — we trained her for a pole dance sequence. That should be awesome!
What can we look forward to on your first anniversary party?
We’ll have a short pole show for everyone, music from Brigada and DJ MikeCons, and open pole night! If you’ve ever wanted to try pole but have been afraid to, come over to the party and we’ll teach you for free!
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Come to Polecats Manila’s first anniversary! See you tonight, November 6, at Quantum Cafe, located at Bagtikan Street in Makati. Everyone is invited! Party starts at 8 p.m.
If you want to give pole-dancing a spin, try the Beginners Pole Dance class every Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8-9 p.m. For more inquiries about classes (regular or private), bridal showers and performances, call Myla Tan at 0917-5587910.
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