Let’s face it — confidence and body positivity aren't always easy. Most of us struggle with feeling at peace with ourselves and our abilities. Pole dancing offers a non-traditional approach to finding comfort in your own skin.
Zahara Wiss dances at O-Pole Studios in Bellingham. She began pole dancing a year ago and has since then fallen in love with the sport.
Wiss danced growing up, but never felt as connected or passionate about it as she does now until she started pole dancing.
“This is the most dedicated I’ve ever been to a sport,” Wiss said.
For Wiss, pole dancing has become a way to embrace her body and discover how to be authentic with herself.
“It’s definitely such a welcoming space to explore your movement and your relationship with your body and to feel sexually and sensually empowered,” Wiss said.
Pole dancing goes far beyond looking sexy for others. In fact, Wiss feels that it has taught her the opposite.
“I haven't always had the best relationship with men,” Wiss said. “But before I started dancing, I was stuck feeling like I was always feeding into the male gaze.”
Now, Wiss feels like she's broken free from her need to be performative for men. Wiss feels like she’s shifted her energy towards feeling empowered in herself and wanting to perform for herself and the community.
Gil is the studio manager at O-Pole Studios in Bellingham. She dances under the name Gila Monster and declined to share her legal name for safety reasons.
For Gil, pole dancing has created a supportive and safe space that has shaped how she lives her life.
“I don't think I would have started pole dance if I hadn't seen a lot of really strong female role models around me at the time,” Gil said.
One of these role models was Gil’s first mentor, Jill.
“I was pretty young at the time, and pretty lost on what I wanted to do with my life,” Gil said.
Jill went beyond teaching pole dance. She encouraged Gil to get her Personal Trainer Certification, helped her find direction and provided her with a space to figure out who she was.
“[Jill] had this crazy gym that she worked out of, where it was a boxing gym with poles set up. The boxing class would be leaving and the pole dance class would be showing up. But that was just her style,” Gil said.
In the world of pole dancing studios, you will likely encounter many different personalities and approaches to the sport. At the end of the day, it's about finding a place that makes you feel comfortable enough to explore yourself.
“Pole dancing specifically is a good mix of feats of strength, ass-shaking, and sensuality,” Gil said.
Pole dancing requires strength and body control in addition to fun dance moves.
“You have to take care of your body in order to do pole, and pole is a way to focus on your body in a functional way,” Gil said.
Taking the emphasis off of looks and placing it on what you are or can be capable of can dramatically shift how you view your body, explained Gil.
The pole dance community is not homogenous and there are many ways to participate in the sport.
Emma works both as a pole fitness instructor and a stripper. Due to the sensitive nature of her work, her last name is not included in this article.
Emma started pole dancing before she began her stripping career. She loves them both for very different reasons.
Pole dancing challenges her to try new skills and get stronger. Stripping, on the other hand, has boosted her confidence and changed her perception of her body.
“Through dancing, you learn how to be strong, you learn how to be sensual, so it really builds up your confidence,” Emma said.
Pole dancing is a great activity to get into if you struggle with feeling insecure. There is a culture of healthy female relationships and support that helps so many people, Emma said.
“There's so much more than just dancing. There’s layers,” Emma said.
Pole dance studios like O-Pole are great for increasing access to the sport and removing the stigma that surrounds it, but it’s important to acknowledge pole dancing’s roots in stripping.
Wiss, Emma and Gil all shared a common message: Don't erase sex workers.
Pole dancing is about being open, supportive and loving yourself. There isn't room to hate on other people’s experiences.
If you are looking to work on your strength, gain confidence, connect with your body, or just explore something new, pole dancing could be the right fit for you.
“You don’t need strength to start, you don't need flexibility to start. You literally just need a pair of shorts and some inspiration,” Emma said.
Mary d'Arcy (She/Her) is an opinion writer for The Front this quarter. She is a Junior majoring in journalism public relations. In her free time she competes on the Western sailing team. You can reach her at marydarcy.thefront@gmail.com
