I was trained as a cultural anthropologist. In my years of research and teaching, I came to understand the importance that story plays for all of us, across oceans and generations, regardless of wealth, experience, or education. I saw this in my classes, too: although I taught my students social theories and principles that could be applied in their own work, years later, what my students remember are the stories that they read, about real people. It is universal themes of suffering, victory, loss and love that bind us all together. What separates a good performance from a great one? Or better

Hi! My name is Kristin, and I am Poppy on the pole. I have been pole dancing for about two years – since January 2011, to be specific – but I have been designing clothing and costumes for as long as I can remember. I learned to sew as a young girl (thanks, Mom!), and I spent countless hours designing collections for every fashion week since about the fifth grade. [That's Paris Fashion Week, because in my imagination, I would ultimately found my own fashion house and become a member of the Chambre syndicale, bien sûr.] I designed costumes for a musical theatre company for about thre