Sound BITES: A View From the Top by guest contributer Perri Kraus

Here's a wonderful contribution, a sound bite if you will, from one of my FAVORITE writer's Perri Kraus aka "Cupcake". She'll'' cruise by ever so often to contribute a "bite". I am HONORED to have this be her very first contribution to Single Serving Blogs, I look forward to more of her literary delicacies & I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.


A day never used to pass when I wasn’t upside down, sideways, hanging by the seat of my panties, lying on my back, up, down, front split vertical, center split sideways, arched back, bent in half, 360 spinning, and ladies and gentlemen, it was all in 6 inch heels.

Then I hurt myself, and I had to stop pole dancing (you all have dirty minds! What did you think I was talking about?)

I’ve missed being a part of that community so much, that when my favorite Mistress of Meals, Miss Manouschka, gave me the go ahead to contribute to her superb blog, Single Serving, I knew what I had to write about.

When I came to BeSpun I was exercising myself of my most recent relationship. I was in deep, and then he dropped me, so I was going to make every pore cry, until he was gone, and I would never have to think about him again. When I heard about pole dancing classes, I couldn’t resist the poetic justice of getting over this man, and simultaneously learning to attract more. The owner, a 26 year old, out going, big sister type, was more than happy to share her moves and her confidence, and to impart crucial lessons like how to shoot Jack and stay upright in your heels, and why vegetables play a crucial part in this process. (Shout out to balanced meals Noush.)

It didn’t take me long to start coming every day. At first it was simply to distract myself from a broken heart, but it became a challenge. I wanted to master the better, bigger, harder moves. I wanted to make them look effortless. I wanted to put my own style into moving in and out of them. It became my form of expression, that release of frustration that comes from crying or punching a wall, but it was beautiful.

I started teaching about nine months into my own training. I’ve seen girls come to class for any number of reasons, but they all stay for the challenge. This shared challenge has created the most dedicated, badass community I have ever had the pleasure of being a part of. How is this relevant to Single Serving you wonder? Well this is how I met the Sorceress of Sweets, the Virgil of Vegetables: my Manouschka. She came to class with an indomitable attitude, and a smile and a laugh for everyone! She brings the beautiful out of the ordinary. She is the shining paradigm of a pole-dancing student.

So ladies and gentlemen, next time you bend over backwards, somersault, cartwheel, or walk with extra swagger, enjoy it, because you can do it. Don’t sweat the whys or the hows? Love challenges because they let you live more intensely right now.