Today we will talk about pole dancing – Pole Dance, because today it is one of the most relevant dance trends, as well as how pole dancing differs from pole dancing in strip clubs, because it is far from the same thing.

What is Pole Dance?

Pole Dance is a pole dance (steel pole) that combines elements of choreography, artistic gymnastics and acrobatics.

It does not require special physical training, all the necessary skills and strength are acquired in the process of systematic training.

Many people confuse it with striptease and female pole dancing in brothels, although there is nothing in common between. “But what about the pole?” You ask.

What is the difference between pole and pole dancing?

The pole or, more precisely, the pole in Pole Dance is the main working element, it is a sports equipment on which all the tricks are performed. In striptease, the pole has rather a decorating role, the stripper spins around it, performing elementary dance movements – there is no question of any tricks and the active role of the “pole” here.

Striptease is a “freebie” and demonstrating yourself next to the pole. Pole Dance is a physically challenging pole dance, more like a power sport. Do you understand now the main difference between pole and pole dancing?

In addition, pole dancing is practiced by women of all ages (children and adults, young girls and aged women). Men, by the way, are also no exception – they dance on a pole, performing beautiful strength elements of special difficulty.

They usually go to Pole Dance because “I saw beautiful photos from a friend, I also want”, “I want to lose weight, I tried everything”, “It’s so sexy”, “I want to tighten my body” and for many other reasons – explainable and inexplicable.

Pole Dance is it a striptease?

The pilonists are, of course, accused of being similar to striptease not only because of the pylon, but also because of the open clothes in which the dance is performed. But here there are few similarities with striptease, because in Pole Dance it is simply necessary to keep some parts of the body open for the possibility of grip with the pole!

There is no dispute over clothing in sports such as swimming, figure skating and tennis. The principle is the same here. But the controversy continues. Unfair, but true. Maybe it’s not so bad? As they say, black PR is also PR.

Types and varieties

There are three main directions of Pole Dance:

Exotic

Art

Sport / Fitness

They differ significantly from each other.

Exotic dance style

In Exotic Pole Dance, choreography prevails over the strength elements in a ratio of about 70% to 30% , in addition to this, many dance elements are performed in the so-called stalls – i.e. On the floor.

Exotic is distinguished by eroticism and plasticity of movements. But don’t confuse Exotic with striptease! There is no undressing here; in competitions in this type of dance, the participant is disqualified for being naked.

Art Pole Dance Style

Art direction in pole dancing, which is characterized by the most harmonious combination of choreography and power elements – about 50% to 50%.

Here the emphasis is on the technique of performance, the quality of the tricks, the costume of the performer. Pole Art is Pole Dance in its classical sense.

Sport / Fitness Pole Dance

Sport / Fitness is the most challenging area physically. Here 70% is given to the quality and complexity of the strength elements. As the name implies, Sport is a Pole Dance sport direction.

How is pole dance training going?

How does Pole Dance workout go? First, be sure to warm up (warm up) to avoid injuries and sprains. This is a very important part of the workout, as a good warm-up makes the workout more fruitful and safe, prepares the muscles and ligaments for physical activity.

After that, you can start performing simple Pole Dance elements on a pole and twists. Further, when the body is already warmed up enough, a set of stretching exercises (both static and dynamic) is performed.

Flexibility is critical to most pole dancing tricks, which is why stretching exercises are present in every workout, ideally done both after warm-up and after the workout.

After stretching, the actual strength training begins, in which the elements on the pole (pole) are worked out. A lot of physical energy is spent on strength training, and that’s what it is about strength.

To perform complex tricks in pole dancing, a checkmate is provided (and in the literal and figurative sense =). After the strength training is over, the coach will stretch and cool down.

At this point, Pole Dance training can be considered over. The trainer can also conduct specialized training in choreography and plastic or stretching.

Benefits over other types of dance

What are the advantages of Pole Dance over other types of dance? The main thing is that there is no place for boredom in Pole Dance. There are no boring memorized movements here. Here you are constantly growing, learning more and more new tricks, from the simplest to the most difficult – there is no limit to perfection.

You are always interested, because every workout is a victory over yourself in the literal sense! In Pole Dance training, you will be amazed at what your body can do, convinced from your own experience that a person can do anything. One has only to want.

But Pole Dance is not only euphoria and admiration for oneself and one’s own skills. These are calluses on the hands, and bruises all over the body – especially at first, in the first months.

Then the bruises go away, mostly come back only when working on a new element. Sometimes, as with any sport, sprains and sports injuries occur.

Pole Dance is constant work on yourself, hone your skills, overcoming fear and pain. But is it a minus? The more effort is spent, the sweeter the taste of victory.

Dance

Music during workout helps to relax nervous and muscle tension. With pole dance you become more plastic and graceful, and at the same time – more self-confident. Dance Pole of Dance – the art of control with his body, to which one can not but look with admiration. This is the feline grace and lightness behind which there are years of training in the gym.

Slimming and sports

Pole Dance and sports pole dancing is a combination of business and pleasure. This is not only a dance, but also a sport. The pole is a trainer that allows you to work with your own weight, build muscle strength and keep your whole body in good shape.

During training on the pole, the body experiences a tremendous physical stress on all major muscle groups, especially the upper ones (back, abs, arms). Half-dancers work to the limit of their capabilities, so their muscles develop very quickly, the body becomes more fit and athletic.

Stretching and flexibility

In addition to a toned body, Pole Dance gives flexibility and health to joints and ligaments, because most of the elements of this dance are built on acrobatic elements that require not only remarkable strength, but also truly fantastic flexibility.

Paradoxically, Pole Dance in this regard has much more in common with ballet than striptease, as many mistakenly believe. But that doesn’t mean you don’t belong there without stretching – flexibility also develops over time! It also happens that a person finds out that he has good “hereditary” flexibility only in training.

Acrobatic stunts

Pole Dance is a cocktail of thrills based on various acrobatic elements that make the audience in awe of delight. Pole tricks are the “salt” and meaning of Pole Dance, the envy and admiration of friends and acquaintances. Their implementation requires the development of coordination and balance, flexibility and strength, which is achieved during training. Each trick you master is a big victory over your fear, pain is a victory over yourself.

Hobby or lifestyle?

Many come to Pole Dance and start learning power pole dancing out of curiosity and find their vocation in it. For example, Anastasia Skukhtorova. Like most pilonists, she started from scratch, but in a short time she became one of the best in the world.

This is a vivid living example of the fact that the Pole Dance does not require special physical preliminary preparation, everyone can do it, and the necessary skills are acquired in the process of training (unless, of course, you do not stand idle next to the pole, but work hard on yourself at every training session). And there are many such examples.

Happiest sport

This article is my personal review of Pole Dance. There are many articles on this topic on the Internet, but, unfortunately, many of them can hardly be called truthful and reliable. I hope that my feedback on pole dancing will be useful, if only because I know what I’m writing about from personal experience.

I have been practicing Pole Dance for 10 months – it was an incredible 10 months! Before my eyes, people were changing beyond recognition. They come unsupported, without stretching, without physical form, with an absolute “tree”. And a few months later, even the most zero beginners are hanging upside down without fear, mastering all new acrobatic tricks – full of enthusiasm and the desire for new victories, for new achievements.

All of the photos for this article show these former novices with zero training.
And in the main photo for the article and here, it’s me:

I would never have believed that I could do this in such a short time, as well as achieve such a good physical shape – many thanks to my coach Maria Khripkova – “Our Masha” and thanks to Pole Dance for such a discovery of myself!

Well, on this I will end my short story about my impressions and a review about Pool Dance and pole dancing, also next time read in detail about pole dancing, and the features of this less athletic, but for men, usually even more interesting direction in dance art. And also about other types of dances, about how to choose the right kind of sport and even about a strength training program for women in the gym.