The Savage Spinner Part I: The Inspiration

Thank you for your interest in the SavageSpinner! I appreciate it so much and I cannot wait to see what magic you create on it!

Update! We are working on Prototype 5. Or maybe it's 6. OMG. This has been a process y'all! So, as we wait for more testing, I would love to share with you a bit of the history, inspiration, and sneak peek into this process, especially for any other aspiring inventors and entrepreneurs out there! The pole community is truly made up of the best people in the world, IMO. So  I appreciate you being here with me. 

Over a decade ago I saw this image. It is from a Bridal event for New York Fashion Week at the New York Public Library. I was stunned by this image and it never left my brain.

Immediately I thought, wouldn't it be awesome if I could stand at the top of a pole with a giant 15 foot garment like this?! The curtain would open and I would look like a giant regal queen! Or witch or bride or something totally over the top and outrageous. 

From there I had no other plans! But it was inspiring.

(Fast forward to "Radical Acts of Unrelenting Beauty," a cycle of three live performances by Jordan Roth at the Louvre. Great minds think alike! Except I need a bigger budget than "kids parachute from Amazon." LOLz)

Anyway, I did nothing with this idea for many years. Then, I was invited to judge and guest perform for Pole Theatre Canada in June 2025. I was so honored! But it has been a while since I did a proper pole performance, especially after a full day of photo shoots, workshops, and hours sitting and judging. oof. 

I needed to create a piece that wouldn't stress me out at all, perhaps something more conceptual, but also be artistically fulfilling. 

At the same time I had this idea for a photo shoot with the fabulous Gina Alm.

Then I thought ... what if I could figure out how to wrap this fabric around me and the pole, stand on a base, and just spin, float, and luxuriate to a beautiful piece of classical music? 

I was motivated to figure out how to make a platform so I could stand on it and make shapes, possibly inside fabric. What material? How does it attach around the pole - heavy duty velcro? That concept did not materialize. But it's still on my mind! So, stay tuned!

But "the Stanek Spinner" was in progress! Why not?! A friend of a friend who makes ninja warrior equipment jerry-rigged prototype 1. It worked! It wasn't efficient and definitely not mass-produce-able. It was in 2 pieces, heavy, clunky, and not easy to attach/unattach. Things I didn't think about! 

But I could make my dance on it. So off I went to the studio to create and experiment. I loved the piece I came up with for Pole Theatre Canada.

BUT on-site, the poles were 45mm, but not custom cut 100% top to bottom like I have in the studio. Ruh roh.

Because it was a pole with x joints and attachments, the bottom part of the pole where I would attach the spiner, was a hair smaller than 45 mm and the clamp wouldn't stay. It dropped to the floor.

I couldn't get the spinner to attach! WTF was I gonna do?!

But the amazing stage managers and I figured that we could attach it about 8 inches or some above the floor where the pole was a true 45 mm. YAY! It was a bigger step up for me than I had practiced. oof! But, I could make it work!

The performance and the debut of "The Stanek Spinner" was a success!

... Stay tuned for Part II: Prototypes, Patents, and Money, oh my ...!