TRY #002 · MOVE
POLE DANCE
You don't need to be strong.
You don't need to be flexible.
You just need to be curious enough to try.
OK, I WANT TO TRY
BEFORE YOUR FIRST CLASS
You don't prepare for your first pole class by learning pole. That's what the class is for.
YOU NEED
✓ Comfortable clothes you can move in
✓ Shorts — depending on what your studio recommends for beginners
✓ Water
✓ A beginner or intro class
✓ That's pretty much it
YOU DON'T NEED
✕ To be strong
✕ To be flexible
✕ To know how to dance
✕ Pole shoes
✕ Your own pole
✕ Expensive pole wear
✕ Any idea what you're doing
One useful thing: skip body lotion or oils before class. Skin grip matters in pole, and slippery skin doesn't help.
You don't need to get ready for pole.
You just need to show up.
YOUR FIRST TRY
WHAT YOUR FIRST CLASS MAY LOOK LIKE
START WITH THE BASICS
Your first class is usually about getting familiar with the pole, the space and a completely new way of moving. Depending on the class, you may learn basic positions, grips, steps or simple movements.
YOU PROBABLY WON'T BE CLIMBING
You don't need to climb, go upside down or do anything that looks impressive on Instagram. A beginner class starts where beginners actually are.
SOME THINGS WILL FEEL STRANGE
The pole is new. The movements are new. Even figuring out where to put your hands and feet can take a moment. That's completely normal.
DON'T MEASURE THE CLASS BY WHAT YOU COULD DO
The question after your first class isn't: “Was I good at pole dance?”
It's much simpler: Did I enjoy this enough to try it again?
You went to a pole class.
You tried something new.
That's already enough.
GOOD TO KNOW
A FEW THINGS NOBODY TELLS YOU
YES, YOU MAY GET BRUISES
Pole bruises happen. Some people get a lot of them, some very few — every body and every skin reacts differently.
They're not a sign that you're bad at pole.
IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THE POLE
Pole dance doesn't necessarily mean spending an entire class on the pole.
Depending on the style and class, movement can include floorwork and elements using a chair, an armchair or other props.
Knee pads can become a very useful thing to have, especially once you start doing more floorwork.
ABOUT THE SHORTS. AND YOUR BODY.
At some point, you may find yourself training in much less clothing than you're used to.
Not because pole dance requires you to look a certain way, but because skin grip is part of how you stay on the pole.
Give yourself time to feel comfortable with that. There is absolutely no rush.
And here's something you might not expect: nobody is standing there examining somebody else's stomach, stretch marks or cellulite.
There are different bodies everywhere. And somehow, it all just becomes normal. And beautiful.
IT'S PHYSICAL. BUT IT'S NOT ONLY PHYSICAL.
Pole dance builds strength, coordination and body awareness. But for many people, something else happens too.
You become a little braver. You discover sensuality in your own way. You start trusting your body to do things you didn't think it could do.
And sometimes you walk out of class feeling just a little more beautiful than when you walked in.
SO... HOW WAS IT?
THE VERDICT
You tried it.
That's the whole point.