6 Reasons You Might Need to Give Pole Dance a Try
It’s not uncommon for a client to walk into our Boston studio and be instantly drawn toward our poles. I get it – they’re a mysterious thing, something not everyone has encountered or had access to before (also: shiny). And then they ask, sometimes shyly, sometimes enthusiastically: “Could I try that?”
Pole dance isn’t just a sexy good time – it’s good for you! The benefits of pole dance are many and varied, but here are six reasons why you might want to give pole dance lessons a try.
1. You find regular workouts boring.
Do you look at a treadmill and envision a hamster on a wheel? Does counting reps feel like counting sheep? Pole dancing is a great way to shake up your routine! Its emphasis on control and balance engages the mind just as much as the body, and offers a chance to express yourself creatively.
2. You’d like to reduce chronic pain and/or improve posture.
Sufferers of chronic pain or illness (like me!) know that exercise can help – and pole dance is especially successful at managing chronic pain. Pole dancing strengthens the entire body, focusing on the back, shoulders, and abdominals. Over time, it can improve posture and back pain, as well as conditions like arthritis or fibromyalgia. (As always, remember to consult your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen.)
3. You’d like to improve your mental health.
2020 hit us hard, and maintaining mental stability is tough these days. Luckily, pole dance is a great activity to boost your brain. Studies show dance of all sorts can have a great impact on mental well-being; but unlike some other forms of dance, pole dance also offers the unique opportunity to safely explore, process, and express our feelings around body image, vulnerability, sexuality, and gender.
4. You’d like to build strength, confidence, and trust in yourself.
Just like with people, building confidence and trust in one’s body takes time and intimacy – and pole dancing is a great way to access that intimacy. Pole dancing’s sensuous nature encourages the dancer to engage deeply with their body on an emotional level, and over time, it strengthens and improves flexibility in all muscle groups. Now that’s a confidence booster!
5. You value and support sex workers.
It’s true that not all pole dancers are strippers – ballerinas, acrobats, and even clowns use pole in their performances and training regimens. However, pole dance as we know it today was developed by Black strippers and by sex workers of color, and is still an integral part of their daily work. Participation in this art form requires that we honor and support sex workers of all experiences, as well as their contributions to art and culture.
6. You want to improve your body image.
Our bodies are truly amazing, and nothing proves that to me more than watching a pole dancer in action. All bodies are pole bodies, capable of sensuous and powerful motion. For many, joining pole dance classes is a chance to witness that astonishing grace and power within themselves, as well as in others.
Like what you see? Book a private or duet pole dance lesson with us today
