LOS ANGELES — Christina Aguchi on Saturday captured another exotic Dancer National Championship, becoming the first girl to earn the Masters Grand Champion crown twice with her victory at the Pink Pony South gentlemen's club in Atlanta.
Aguchi triumphed in a final competition against 20 of the top feature dancers in the country. She won her first Masters Grand Champion title in 2010.
"Wow, I can honestly say that this year's group of ladies completely blew me away," Aguchi said. "Of all the competitions that I've ever competed in during my three-year featuring career, I've never seen a group so competitve and hungry to take home the crown before. Each and every girl had elements that drove the crowd to their knees, even the Newcomers division."
Aguchi said that this year's field included numerous girls who were adept at pole tricks.
"I realize that my first year in competition, no one ever touched the pole, and a feature actually told me that pole tricks should be left to the house girls and we can still be pretty and entertaining without fancy pole tricks," she explained. "Well, this year, the competition was loaded with pole competitiors. I almost felt out numbered.
"On the serious side, the industry is changing, and you have to evolve with it. My philosophy is that huge fancy props are cool and at times mind-blowing, but it all comes back to 'work.' You have to put your work in. You have to continue to be in 'feature shape,' at least have a flat stomach. You have to still have the eagerness to never stop learning."
That includes fine-tuning your game with more training in "dance, gymnastics, aerial, pole" and more, Aguchi said.
"Pole is fine and dandy, but it's more than just a pole show; diversity is the key, a little bit of everything," Aguchi said. "Most importantly, you have to care."
Aguchi said when feature entertainers walk into clubs, they should be prepared.
"Do your hair, do your nails. If you buy a costume from Wal-mart, at least bedazzle the shit out of it before you go on stage. And smile," she said. "The point of all this is if I have anything positive to do with the evolution of this industry, that is more glorious than winning a national championship."
But Aguchi said that doesn't change the sense of pride she feels about her historic achievement.
"I am greatly honored to not only win the EDNC back to back (Newcomer '09 and Masters '10) but to be the only two-time EDNC Masters Grand Champion during my reign as 2012 Entertainer of the Year," she said. "Everyone knows this, but I'll say it again. I love what I do and I continue to and forever will do it with a smile. There are sick rumors about the industry dying or 'slowing down.' Whatever. I can promise you as long as I am here, I will not this indusry die beacuse I believe in it."
Aguchi thanked her agents at A-List Features and Continental Agency and all her supporters on social media.
In addition, she said, "thanks to all the club owners all over the world who have taken the time to watch my show and brought it into your home club. Congrats to Lacey Rain, 2012 EDNC Newcomer of the Year and Liza Licious, first runner-up, on her automatic nomination for Entertainer of the Year.
"And my longtime friend Richelle Ryan for second runner-up in the Masters Division. Thanks to my feature family, there are too many to name, but you ladies have continued to motivate me to do better and be better every day. Stay beautiful. Special thanks to ED Publications for being our Bible and road map and making us all beautiful."
The Chinese-Vietnamese performer began making an impact on the feature dancing world in the Fall of 2008, when she won the Spearmint Rhino Entertainer of the Year competition in Torrance, Calif., and was awarded a one-year feature contract to tour the country in '09.
