“I really loved the shoot to do! Loet, the photographer, came up with the location. She had been watching the location for a while, and when High School Avans asked her to photograph me for Punt magazine, she had soon made the match. I thought the location was super cool too! It was in a fire station, so I did have a lot of audiences during the shoot. That actually made it just nicer and funnier. What I find difficult during a pole dance shoot is just coming out for the camera. Your body must really have turned in the right angle, especially if the photographer's freedom of movement is limited by space or exposure. You often use other moves to get in a certain move. So then you have to think carefully how you start to end up getting out in the right corner. You can also go and turn what makes it super tricky! Eventually we put the stage outside so that Loet could walk around me. Further, it was as much as possible to linger so that she could take beautiful pictures. Loet thought it was important that I could do as much as possible my own thing but at the same time also gave good advice. Together, we've definitely come out. On location, it is always a little thought about what moves you normally do but once it started it was quite nice and the result is beautiful! Even the pictures of moments when you actually switch to another move are cool and radiate that pole dancing is just a very powerful sport."
"Wees jezelf en spring in de paal!". For Britt, pole dancing is found to have a positive influence on many areas of her life. When asked what pole dances have done for her confidence, Britt answers frankly. “My experience with pole dancing beyond as sports is really great, but it hasn’t always been. When I started, I had been hiking a long time, so I had no turn/RG background, and I really was sweating like an otter. I always slipped out of the pole, my hands were always wet, and I had a lot of trouble building up strength to get upside down. But I kept going because I loved it and wanted to be able to do whatever I saw others doing! It wasn't until after months of training that I found out I'm hypermobile. Step by step, I discovered how to exploit that. The downside of being super lithe is that building your power is harder. But if it all went easy, there's no bag to it, right? I've been paalding for about 2.5 years now, and it's really a part of my life, I really can't live without it anymore. I've become much more confident about the pole dancing. I get to know and control my body super well, and I made many new friends. Nice sideliness is that I've also lost a lot of weight from pole dancing."
Britt also gives a nice tip for pole dancers who struggle with self-confidence. "My tip for novice (and very shy) pole dancers is keep going! If it doesn't work, jump back into that pole because really, you're getting there! Feel free to keep trying and nothing looks stupid, no way. Be yourself and jump into the pole. Pole dancing is really a sport to discover yourself, learn to be yourself and challenge yourself. So don't let it stop you, but go for it!"
Britt's photographs also exude it: self-assurance, strength and perseverance. This is agreed by the photographer Loet Koreman, from FotoLoet.nl. Who's Loet? "In 2014 I graduated as a photographer from the art academy in Breda. During my graduation I started an investigation into the disciplinary life of the circus performer. I photographed several artists in public spaces. I am always looking for graphic patterns and lines, so that the act and the environment reinforce each other or contrast with each other.
Based on this concept, I also worked in professional practice. I regularly work for Punt magazine where this time they asked if I wanted to photograph Britt. I then went looking for a suitable location and soon ended up at the fire station in Dordrecht. This location contains beautiful architecture and the theme gives a subtle wink."
The fact that these pictures weren't just shot is immediately noticeable. The composition and coherence of colours and lines have been clearly considered. It has a lively depth and the model jumps out of the photos at the same time, as it does in the surroundings. The clean lines of the fire station stand out nicely with the round shapes of Britt's silhouette. Loet says this himself; "I see pole dancing as an art form as well as the circus world. It was really cool working with Britt. With an emphasis on working together. Because these kinds of photographs are created by combining two art directions. I briefly met Britt and explained my views on her discipline. We were very much on a par, so the photo shoot went very natural. Britt was sure of himself. I had her train like she normally does. I observed her with my camera and that's how we came to this result."
The result may be there.