Is Pole Dancing For Every Woman?

The handspring, summersault, tumble, suicide dive… fun, challenging, yet crazy, death-defying tricks! This is one of the reason’s pole fitness is so satisfying. Women are setting personal goals, and then work their bodies consistently week by week in order to overcome these new challenges. I think that’s why so many women come back to pole dancing time and time again. We are always challenged. Thanks to YouTube, we have a whole new curriculum available online that inspires and drives us. Not to mention, attending workshops after workshop with professional pole dancers that amaze us and propel us even further. As an instructor at Unveiled Fitness in Orange County, CA, I see woman bust their butts during the warm-up, enduring song after song of abs and planks, then trying to perfect a trick or movement with fervor. They are pushing their bodies further than they thought possible. It is both inspiring and humbling.

Yet, this can be intimidating as well, thoughts like, “Will I get hurt?” “Could I fall?” “Am I too old?” or “Am too out of shape to do some of these tricks?” run through many women’s minds. Followed with, “do these concerns mean I can’t take pole class anymore?”

What about the women who want to be fit, have fun, dance, do some mildly challenging tricks, and then get back to their lives? Is there a place for these women in pole class if they decide they can’t risk being injured, they don’t want to have bruises or they are just too afraid to give it a shot? Certainly yes!

While the tricks are the impressive and fun, they are only part of pole fitness. I think pole fitness has become so popular because it is for every woman! Just spinning around the pole evokes images of being a young girl on the playground; whipping her hair, feeling like she is flying, and just having fun. It allows women to be present in their bodies, to tend to their well-being and to enjoy the company of like-minded women.

We give so much to our families, our jobs, our friends, that just connecting to ourselves, feeling our feelings and pushing our bodies past our expectations is a luxury and necessity at the same time. We look forward to our workouts. What gets women into the door seems to be the novelty of the pole, but what keeps them hooked is the unique way a woman can express herself through the movement.

The tricks are amazing but what really takes my breath away is the grace and flow of the movement, it is slow and sensual, indulgent and intoxicating. The small gestures unique to each woman allow you to take a peek at who she is inside. The dancing is an expression of her emotion; a glimpse into her soul. It is a gift that the women give themselves and it is an honor to be a part of it. I am privileged to see their vulnerabilities, their strength, and their truest nature. So whether there are pole tricks or not, the most beautiful part of pole dancing is that these women show us themselves.