Vie and Vault Makeup For Ronnie and Alex

Another makeup challenge faced my way when I collaborated with two of my Pole Tiger friends when they competed for this year's Vie and Vault Asian Pole Championship. Last year, I was one of the finalists. I took backstage work this year doing two of my friend's makeup when they competed. Unlike beauty and bridal, this one is a bit more challenging. since it involved character makeup and conceptual makeup.

Alex and Ronnie are two of my Pole Tiger friends who do awesomely at pole. Alex gives out very soulful performances in our pole flow class solos (I got teary-eyed in his version of Hiram) and he's also super strong and flexible. Ronnie has awesome endurance, strength, and has no fear when it comes to all buwis-buhay tricks. I was excited for them and even on the eve of the competition, I was feeling all jittery and nervous as if I was one of the contestants.

For Alex, he would be dancing to the song Baliw by Kuh Ledesma. He wanted just clean makeup with emphasis on the eyes, enhancement with intensity. The peg was the look of the tomcats in Stellar 3. After usual clean guy makeup, I lined his eyes with kohl and extended them with gel liner and contoured his eyes for a tad of smokiness. 

Ronnie danced to a song he's been wanting to dance to : Magical Mr. Mistoffelees from the Broadway musical, Cats. His makeup would be more challenging since it would literally involve face-erasing techniques. I did my research in tutorials, watched the video like probably more than twenty times, and asked around MUA friends for makeup to withstand tricks, flips, and stage lights. Thanks to Oliver who lent me his Ben Nye Clown White palette and eyebrow-erasing techniques and Jinky who tipped me on Ben Nye color wheels, I was able to come up with his Mr. Mistoffelees look.

I did a bit of tweaking by adding a bit of blue to the eyes to match the hat, enhancing the jawline with more stripes (a suggestion by Oliver, which made the look more mischievous) and dusting glitter on the face for sparkle, since Mr. Mistoffelees is a magical kitty. Im glad it turned out almost like the one in Broadway (we had to do our own version to fit pole dance competitions) and Ronnie was practically unrecognizable the next day when he arrived at the Adam Tan workshop without his magical sparkly cat makeup. 

They did amazingly and I was super proud of them. For me they already all are winners. :) Added bonus for this day too, was when the winners were called out: Ronnie won best costume and styling as well as the champion title for the Amateur division!

I told them that my goal is that they would have to curse me when it comes to makeup removal or still have a bit of eyeliner up to the next day. My brushes also had white makeup on them even after three rounds of brush cleanser. Well, that's stage makeup.

A photo op with the two! Hugs from this kitty to you! Look, I even wore a tiger shirt to support! I believe that they both started pole just barely a year ago, I think, and they've grown so much stronger, with the grace to match. You both made me laugh and cry at the same time, but I still give you lots of hugs and love.  This was already pushing past 10 pm. Glad makeup stayed put with performances, cheering, and all that.  Happy to live the Vie and Vault experience once more, even if it was just lending a hand in makeup or cheering backstage. Would I be back onstage next year? Let's see. Congratulations to everyone - winners, competitors, and organizers. Loves and purrs to all!

That Vie and Vault Experience

My knees and shins are bruised and my arms and back feel sore. But I still am on cloud nine as for the first time in my life, I performed a solo dance number in front of a lot of people. The Big Shift Vie and Vault Amateur Pole Dance Competition was truly an experience I will never forget.

Our grand finals was definitely an experience that I'd be glad to live over and over again. It's the first ever in the Philippines and I was happy to take part of it. This is from a girl who spent most of her formative years hunched up in schoolbooks rather than dancing, in the gymnastics mat, or school gym practicing sports after school. I never started out as that girl who's been dancing since she was little (baby ballet and dance PE doesn't count with even half of how these awesome professional dancers were training when they were much younger) but I love performing and being onstage. This night was just like that. It was absolute enjoyment with the lights and everything, while trying to give a jaw-dropping performance, of course. Big Shift Creativ Centrale was packed that night, and I couldn't be happier.

photo by Bert Aricheta

I danced to Garbage's #1 Crush, which was from the Romeo + Juliet soundtrack. It was clearly a dark and quite sexy number so the moves had to be different and exude this haunting creepy stalker spurned lover vibe. Dark makeup (like a snake-y reptilian black swan) and slithery costume inspired by reptile skin. Even if I started with no dance background, I can't make that as an excuse not to give an awesome performance. As my teacher CD would say, "Do it!!!!"

I did my own hair and makeup, which I designed on the spot. No face charts or sketches. It's funny how on others I'm very OC taking notes and face charts when given a peg but for me I just wing the HMU department.

photo by Bert Aricheta

For my costume, I knew exactly who to ask to do my costume, Dennis Celestial, who produces amazing things that wow and shock. He made the most perfect costume for me, by just listening to the song I sent him, showed him the specs of usual pole dance outfits, rules and regulations of the competition, and of course, my own body measurements. I fell in love with the costume the minute I saw it. I looked like I was dressed in liquid diamonds and leather. I loved it!

I was glad too meeting a lot of new other people from other pole dance schools here in the Philippines, who are really talented and passionate about their newfound skill. The competition also brought me and my classmates closer as we helped each other during rehearsals. We were seeing each other almost everyday so we're practically together all the time and bonding through lunch, dinner, Facebook chats, and all.

The Polecats were there from the beginning to end, helping us at rehearsals, checking our costumes (no wardrobe malfunctions), reminding us to lock our knees and point our toes, and despite their packed schedule, were there that night supporting and cheering for all of us. I couldn't pick a better audience than all of them. They were the reason why we joined in the first place.

We hope we made you proud that night! Polecats Family <3 nbsp="nbsp" p="p">

photo by Bert Aricheta

Aside from the grand finalists, the organizers of the competition (and also teachers at Big Shift) Lance Santiago and Jamaica Jornacion performed a very beautiful contemporary number. Thank you Lance and Jamaica for giving all of us this opportunity.

The grand finalists lining up.

photo by Bert Aricheta

I'm very proud of  Miguel and Kyla, two of my classmates who bagged first and second runner up respectively. Kristel from Dance Station was the champion. She truly is an amazing dancer. Can't believe she started pole just four months ago.

Kim is a bellydance teacher and now pole dancer who performed at an intermission number. She's a good friend that I met in a photoshoot and we've both shared our love for dance.

My pole batchmates Hannah and RJ. Hannah bagged the people's choice award! RJ is just the sweetest supporting us and driving all the way to Makati to watch.

I was happy doing something I love, which I worked hard for. I couldn't be happier spending it too with people who understand and share the same passion as I do. During my introduction, it was mentioned that I wanted to give the message that it's never too late to start dancing. And I can say I have proven that. I started out as very shy on the pole and couldn't spin and couldn't climb and took almost forever for my first invert. Now here I am, a grand finalist in a pole competition. This whole experience actually inspired me to keep on dancing, seeing that those who supported me were there and watched me perform the number which I worked hard for.

I hope I made you all proud. Here's to twelve million years of dancing and pole love. For those who want to see my competition piece, you may watch here: