- pole and dance - dance) - a spectacular dance at the intersection of choreography, artistic gymnastics and aerial acrobatics. Since the 2000s, Pole dance has been actively developing as a form of acrobatics, sports and fitness, with an emphasis on demonstrating the dancer's choreographic skills and technique. We will talk about the prospects of this direction below.

Features of Pole Dance

Pole and its role in Pole Dance

I am a half-dancer, my legs are stretched like a string.
Like a pylon I am thin, graceful, slender.
No problem hanging upside down for me
Or, having made a flyby, go into a power trick.
© Igor Bolshakov.

By the way, bare areas of the body in floor dance are necessary precisely for better adhesion to the surface of the pole, and not only and not so much for attractiveness.

Pole Dance: a little history

Since 2003, pole dancing has officially emerged from the darkness of nightlife establishments.: competitions and championships began to be held in the discipline. Moreover, a certain code has already been formed - the organizers clearly distinguished between the concepts of strip dance and gender dance: any revealing outfits, gestures, etc. are prohibited at performances. Even strips are prohibited in Pole Sport: all attention must be concentrated ONLY on the athleticism of the dancer, who needs to be able to “cleanly” perform the elements of the program and make interesting connections between them. The world championships are initiated by the World Pole Sport & Fitness organizations and the International Pole Sports Federation.

Since 2008, Pole Dance competitions have been held in Russia. For the first time the competition was held in St. Petersburg, and the victory was won by a Ukrainian woman with a wonderful national name Vardanush Martirosyan. Pole dancing continues to develop: children's pole dance classes are opening, impromptu performances can be seen in the open air, and even an underwater version of pole dancing has appeared.

My life without half-dance is sad and dull.
I would give anything in the world for a pylon.
The blood is boiling - it is the excitement that is boiling in it,
My goal is to get a championship in Pole Art.
© Igor Bolshakov.

Types of Pole Dance

There are four directions of pole dancing:

• Pole Sport- the most “serious” direction of pole dance: pole dancing refers to aerial strength athletics, competitions in the discipline take place on sports grounds, and are evaluated by certified teams of judges according to approved rules. Each performance contains a mandatory set of gymnastic elements, ligaments and transitions. Competitors perform in tracksuits under musical accompaniment on two types of poles, alternating them during the program to demonstrate different skills.
• Pole Art- artistic dance with a pole and a choreographic program that includes certain elements. Competitions are held in the discipline, where the quality of performance, direction, as well as acting skills and suitability of the costume to the chosen image of the performer are assessed. To better understand the difference between Art and Sports, you can compare them with ice dancing and pairs figure skating.
• Exotic Pole Dance- the dance contains less of an acrobatic component, but more of erotic plasticity, and is of a distinctly entertaining nature.
• Pole Fitness- an amateur style of floor dancing, which is taught in widely specialized fitness centers.

How Pole Fitness workouts work

• The first 5-10 minutes are devoted to warming up, which is needed to warm up the main muscle groups and joints involved in Pole Fitness.
• Next 10 minutes are given to strength balance exercises on a pole.
• The main part of the lesson lasts 40-45 minutes and at this time the girls practice various acrobatic and choreographic elements: twists (twists), various trick combinations.
• Next 5-10 minutes are reserved for improvisation using the studied elements with musical accompaniment.
• Stretching completes the workout, which is given 20-30 minutes of training time. Stretching is necessary for a half dancer to master the skill of splits and other acrobatic elements of dance.

The group is selected small, and strictly according to the number of shells in the room. In a self-respecting establishment, more than one person practicing on the pole is not allowed. While mastering acrobatic elements on the pole, the teacher provides insurance for beginner dancers, plus shock-absorbing mats are used. The training takes place barefoot or in special lightweight strip shoes. high heels(more advanced level). Fitness centers and dance studios guarantee individual approach to everyone involved, regardless of age or level of physical training. Moreover, many schools promise their students a real opportunity to take part in Pole Dance competitions.

Pole Fitness: benefits

• Endurance and good coordination. Many dynamic movements of pole dance develop dexterity, train the vestibular system and sense of balance.
• Strong muscles and tone for the whole body. Maintaining your own weight various positions promotes the development and strengthening of muscles.
• Flexibility and mobility of the articular-ligamentous apparatus. You'll finally sit down leg-split :)
• Resilience, strength of character and the ability to overcome difficulties.
• Increased self-esteem, self-confidence and just a good mood.

Pole Fitness: Disadvantages

Hyperhidrosis(increased sweating) is a physiological feature that can become an unpleasant surprise when practicing with a pole. Simply put, if your palms sweat a lot, then it will be difficult to perform hand grips - your hands will slip. To solve this problem, it is often enough to use sports magnesium.

Fear is a frequent companion for beginners. Fear of injury, fear of heights, fear of unusual body position (for example, hanging upside down). This is a natural emotion caused by the instinct of self-preservation, which passes with increasing experience in sports.

Prepare to bruise: they will definitely be, all successful floor dance dancers have gone through this. If you can’t imagine your life without a miniskirt or the bruises on your skin take a long time to disappear, then this can become a small problem. Be patient and use ointments that help resolve hematomas (badyaga, troxevasin, etc.).

Pole Dance: contraindications

Here's what they say about their passion for pole dancing
(reviews from irecom):

And men, for example, consider gender dance the best sport For a girl! Of course, is there such a representative of the stronger sex who would not dream of an ideal stretch for his other half?

Pole Dance: motivation.
Video of the best performances

It's good that you're sitting.
Hold on tight to your seat, because this video with Polina Volchek is simply SOMETHING!

Stock up on validol, because your heart will need something to calm it down.
Pair performance. Fabulous.

Men are not far behind either.
Christian Lebedev as a Spartan. Strongly.

Come on, who will now say that Pole Dance is simple...or vulgar? Pole dancing is a real art of strong and handsome men and women. And yet, we cannot disappoint the expectations of those who were waiting for the “spice”: we guarantee that you have never seen Hannibal Lector like this:

Today, the variety of trends in dance and fitness is simply amazing. However, everything more girls wondering what pole dancing is called. This type of art is called pole dancing. Despite the modernity of the term, dance has very ancient origins and represents a whole science about the culture of the dancer’s body.

Pole dance: a brief historical excursion

The reputation of pole dancing is questionable for many, because such an “activity” resembles a striptease. However, it is important to understand that pole dancing is a dance-sports discipline whose history dates back several thousand years ago.

References to the pole used for training and ritual dance rites have been found in Sumerian, Roman, Egyptian culture. However, back in the 12th century BC, such a practice was one of the varieties of yoga. At that time in India, the pole was also used to train strength and endurance in young people.

Circus art can be called a separate page in the history of pole dancing. Having adopted centuries-old experience of working with a pole from ancient civilizations, acrobats used this instrument to perform complex tricks. Many of the circus elements are still included in pole dancing, making the performances truly mesmerizing and spectacular.

Read also:

As you know, pole dance techniques are also used by striptease dancers seeking to improve the level of performance of their routines. Meanwhile, these two directions are connected with each other only indirectly. Connoisseurs of pole dancing never tire of emphasizing the independence of this discipline.

Practice and componentspole dance

For a novice dancer, it is not only important to know what pole dancing is called, but also to understand the elements and directions of this art. Many may have noticed the “vertical” orientation of this dance, because the entire number is built around a pole, and not in a horizontally oriented plane. In this regard, there are several levels in which a dancer can work:

• the lower level, which involves dancing on the floor near a pole;
• intermediate level, including various rotations, fly-bys and other elements aimed at demonstrating the performer’s plasticity and flexibility;
• the upper level, which involves performing elements and tricks at the top of the pylon.

The levels are divided not only by the distance of the dancer from the ground, but also by the degree of complexity and danger of the tricks.

Classes, as a rule, include a whole range of disciplines aimed at developing the physical and artistic abilities of the dancer. Many of these are separate dance styles, elements of which are used when staging pole dance routines. So, the studio can teach:

• classics, that is, work at the machine;
• stretching;
• strip plastic;
• go-go dance;
• Pilates;
• power training.

As in any other sports and dance discipline, special competitions are held in pole dancing. Dancers are judged in two categories - artistic and fitness. Thus, both the physical and creative components of this art are important.

If we talk about the artistic aspect, then a variety of elements are used, including ultra-popular ones. In this regard, many aspiring pole dance performers are interested in what the dance is called when they shake their butt. Most likely, this refers to the so-called booty dance and twerk. These directions primarily involve the performer's hips and buttocks. The techniques of such dances of African origin are often used today in dance numbers on the pylon.

In addition to direct practice of “communicating” with the pole, future dancers need to develop a lot of skills. The external ease of dance performance by masters actually hides enormous work and perseverance. Before starting to master truly complex elements, a dancer must thoroughly work on the following aspects of the development of his body:

• endurance;
• flexibility;
• plastic;
• coordination;
• agility.

Very often, a heavy load falls on the shoulder girdle and arm muscles. Every now and then the performer has to support his own body weight on the pole. In addition, during pole dancing classes you need to work hard on developing the muscles of your back, abs and legs. In other words, pole dancing involves the complex development of the human body, his sense of space and creative thinking.

Today we will talk about pole dancing - Pole Dance, because today it is one of the most relevant dance styles, and also about how pole dancing differs from pole dancing in strip clubs, because they are far from the same thing.

PoleDance is a dance performed on a pylon (steel pole), which combines elements of choreography, artistic gymnastics and acrobatics.

It does not require special physical training; all necessary skills and strength are acquired through systematic training.

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

What is the difference between pole and pole dancing?

The pole or, more precisely, the pylon 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 more of a decorative role; the stripper spins around it, performing basic dance moves– there is no talk of any tricks or the active role of the “pylon”.

Striptease is a “freebie” and demonstrating oneself next to a pole. And Pole Dance is a physically challenging pole dance, more reminiscent of a strength sport. Do you now understand the main difference between pole and pole dancing?

In addition, women of all ages (children and adults, young girls and older women) practice pole dancing. Men, by the way, are no exception either - they dance on the pole, performing beautiful power elements of particular difficulty.

People usually go to Pole Dance because “I saw it at a friend’s beautiful pictures, I want it too”, “I want to lose weight, I’ve tried everything”, “it’s so sexy”, “I want to tighten up my body” and for many more reasons - explainable and inexplicable.

Is Pole Dance a striptease?

Pole dancers are of course accused of resembling striptease not only because of the pole, but also because of open clothes in which the dance is performed. But even here there is little resemblance to striptease, because in Pole Dance it is simply necessary to keep some parts of the body open for the possibility of grip on the pole!

Types and varieties

Exists three main directions of Pole Dance:

Sport/Fitness

They differ significantly from each other.

Exotic dance style

INExoticPoleDance choreography predominates over power elements in a ratio of approximately 70% to 30%, in addition to this, many dance elements are performed in the so-called stalls– i.e. on the floor.

Exotic is characterized by eroticism and plasticity of movements. But don't confuse Exotic with striptease! There is no undressing here; at competitions in this type of dance, a participant will be disqualified for nudity.

Art Pole Dance style

Art direction in pole dancing which is characterized by the most harmonious combination choreography and strength elements - approximately 50% to 50%.

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

Sport/Fitness Pole Dance

Sport/Fitness is the most difficult direction in physical terms. Here, 70% is given to the quality and complexity of power elements. As the name implies, Sport is a sports direction of Pole Dance.

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

After this, you can begin performing simple Pole Dance elements on the pole and spins. Next, when the body is already sufficiently warmed up, a set of stretching exercises (both static and dynamic) is performed.

Flexibility is key to performing most pole dancing tricks, so stretching exercises are included in every workout, ideally performed both after the warm-up and after the workout itself.

After stretching, the actual power training, on which elements on a pylon (pole) are practiced. Strength training requires a lot of physical energy, that's why it's strength training.

To perform complex tricks in pole dancing, a mat is provided (both literally and figuratively=). After the strength training is completed, the trainer conducts stretching and cool-down.

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

You are always interested, because every workout is a victory over yourself in the literal sense! During Pole Dance training, you will be surprised at what your body can do, making sure from your own experience that a person can do anything. You just have to want it.

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

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

PoleDance- This Full time job over yourself, honing your skills, overcoming fear and pain. But is this a minus? The more effort spent, the sweeter the taste of victory.

Dance

Weight loss and sports

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

During pole training, the body experiences enormous physical activity 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, their body becomes more toned and athletic.

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 acrobatic elements, requiring not only remarkable strength, but also truly fantastic flexibility.

Paradoxically, in this regard, Pole Dance has much more in common with ballet than with 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 through training.

Acrobatic stunts

Pole Dance – it's just a cocktail thrills, based on various acrobatic elements that make the audience tremble with delight. Tricks on the pole are the “salt” and the meaning of Pole Dance, the subject of envy and admiration of friends and acquaintances. To perform them, the development of coordination and balance, flexibility and strength is required, which is achieved during training. Every trick mastered is big victory over your fear, pain - this is a victory over yourself.

Hobby or lifestyle?

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

The happiest sport

This article is mine personal review about 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 review of pole dancing will be useful, if only because I know what I am writing about from personal experience.

I did Pole Dance for 10 months – it was an incredible 10 months! Before my eyes, people changed beyond recognition. They arrive unfit, without stretching, without physical fitness, an absolute “tree”. And after a few months, even the most complete beginners hang upside down without fear, mastering new acrobatic tricks - full of enthusiasm and the desire for new victories, for new achievements.

All the photographs for this article are of these former beginners, 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, and also achieve such good physical shape - thanks a lot to my coach Maria Khripkova - “Our Masha” and thanks to Pole Dance for such a self-discovery!

Well, this is where I will end my short story about 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 sporting, but for men usually even more interesting direction in the art of dance. And also about other types of dances, about that, and even...

Head of ECSTASY Pole Dance STUDIO Margarita Tarasova spoke about the most common myths about Pole Dance

1) This is a striptease

— Pole Dance is a type of pole dance with elements of acrobatics and choreography. This is an independent type of dance that has long been separated from striptease. There is no place for revealing outfits and movements. Pole Dance categorically excludes not only nudity, but even hints of movements of an overtly sexual nature. At Pole Dance competitions, participants are disqualified for such things, and even the rules for participation in many championships strictly stipulate how much revealing clothing is allowed during a performance. Points for performance are reduced even if underwear is visible from under clothing.

Pole Dance is an art. And the art, I must say, is quite seductive!

In addition to being an incredibly exciting dance, it is also very difficult. To master it, you need to put in a lot of effort, but the result will exceed all your expectations. This is a great alternative for girls gym, which will not teach you femininity, but this is so important!

Pole Dance helps strengthen muscles, develop flexibility and plasticity. You will gain strength and endurance, which will be useful to you outside the gym. This is not just a dance, it is the revelation of your inner energy and strength, femininity, self-confidence and your uniqueness!

2) Pole Dance requires good physical preparation

— Even if you have never played any sport before, there is no need to be afraid. In just a couple of weeks you will feel the results of your training and see how your muscles have become stronger, your body has become toned, and your body has taken shape. During the warm-up part of the class, stretching exercises are necessarily given, so some beginners can do the longitudinal splits after just a couple of months!

3) I remember movements very poorly and am generally not flexible

— A lot here depends on the teacher’s approach and his teaching system! For example, girls who attended another school for six months study in our studio, and they achieved almost zero results. However, after a month regular classes with our teachers they perform completely calmly basic elements and twists. A good trainer is already 60% of success, everything else depends only on your desire and desire to work on yourself and your body.

4) I don’t have time for such sports, it’s easier to go to the gym

- In this regard, no ordinary fitness can compare with pole fitness! Within a month you will definitely feel the result; your figure will tighten before your eyes! And, the most remarkable thing, exactly in those places where it is most needed - the waist, hips, buttocks. The load in the classes is very intense, and the most interesting thing is that the learning process is so exciting that you won’t even notice this load until you leave the room. For girls, this is a great alternative to the gym with its series of repetitive exercises, which will not teach you femininity, but this is so important!

5) I am too short/tall

— Height during Pole Dance classes has absolutely no meaning! If you are still haunted by your short stature, use heels :)

6) I won’t be able to dance in such high heels (strips), I don’t wear heels at all

— It is not at all necessary to wear stripes during classes. During regular training, girls train in socks, ballet shoes, or even barefoot. Strips can be worn, for example, when you are planning a spectacular performance for your loved one or a performance at reporting concert. The strips, it is worth noting, are created specifically for dancing, and not for walking, these are two big differences. The percentage of time that you stand on the floor while dancing is minimal, due to this the load on your legs is small.

7) Pole Dance is a dance for girls with a model appearance and perfect figure

— Not all of our students have a model figure. However, this does not bother anyone. In class, everyone is doing more interesting things than looking at their own or other people's flaws. We repeat, no ordinary fitness can compare with pole fitness! Within a month you will definitely feel the result; your figure will tighten before your eyes and exactly in those places where it is most needed - the waist, hips, buttocks. Very soon you will even forget about such things as cellulite and self-doubt!

8) Pole Dance is very painful

— Yes, at the beginning of training there will be pain, as well as bruises. Your skin will get used to the grip of the pole. Not all girls have bruises after classes, although there are some who really have a lot of them. It all depends on your blood vessels. There are usually the most bruises at the very beginning of the training process. In this case, there are many different effective creams and gels against bruises and contusions. However, within a few weeks after the start of training, the bruises will become less and less. Your skin will simply get used to pole training. It’s not so scary, here, as in everything, the main thing is to start!

What to do if you want to lose weight, become more flexible, resilient and plastic at the same time? Do you really have to spend days and nights in the fitness club to achieve the desired result, including cardio training, stretching, abdominal exercises, exercise classes and yoga in your program? It turns out that instead, only one sport is enough - pole dancing.

Pole dancing, which is also called pole dancing (Pole Dance) or pole acrobatics (Pole Sport), appeared in Russia not so long ago, and if at first many were wary of them, then very soon their popularity as a sport began to grow . Today, many large fitness and dance studios have included pole classes and workouts in their programs.

Striptease on a pole can rightfully be considered the ancestor of pole acrobatics. But the main difference modern programs learning to pole dance from striptease is that you don’t have to undress. The classes teach both elements of strip-plasticity (dance joints, stretching exercises, development of plasticity and flexibility) and acrobatic tricks on a pole.

Diligent students quickly learn to fly around a pole, holding themselves in the air with only one hand, climb it to the ceiling and effectively hang in the air upside down. As in any other sport, those who already have good physical training progress faster. But if there is a desire, sooner or later everyone achieves success.

Pole Dance practice ordinary women, thin and plump. And, believe me, some donuts can give a head start to many skinny people in performing difficult tricks. For those who are shy about group classes, there is always the opportunity to work with a trainer individually. And true enthusiasts can even install a pole at home to practice on it in their free time.

Since almost any fabric has a sliding property, it is most convenient to perform tricks in short shorts and tops.

In addition, pole dancing is best option for those who get bored during monotonous workouts on simulators or in group classes. Firstly, because the training program will always be tailored to a specific participant: everyone performs and learns their own set of tricks, focusing on the general program. And secondly, because it won’t be boring: a healthy portion of drive and the opportunity to experiment in the lesson are provided.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the dress code adopted in classes. Golden Rule for Pole Dance says: the less clothing, the better. Since almost any fabric has a sliding property, it is most convenient to perform tricks in short shorts and tops. Those who have been practicing for a long time purchase special clothes made from non-slip materials and high-heeled shoes for greater effect.

Regular pole exercises are comparable in strength to effective fitness training, as they allow you to work out almost all muscle groups. After all, in order to hover in the air, overcoming the laws of gravity, you cannot do without steel muscles.

During classes, the entire upper body will work, especially the arms, which should hold the weight in the most different positions. In racks and when bending back on the pole, your back will work. Numerous inversions and lifts will train your abs. The legs will not be left without attention, especially the inner thigh muscles, which will have to be used to hold yourself on the pole. In addition, pole dancing develops endurance, flexibility, coordination, grace, agility and stretching.

Another undeniable advantage of pole acrobatics is the development creativity. Having a basic set of figures, you can experiment with their sequence and connections. And then choreograph a whole dance for yourself, showing not only creativity, but also artistry. Some groups provide for independent dance performance to selected music and demonstration of it in a circle of other participants.

Finally, this sport has another advantage that no other workout has. Since there is no escape from the erotic background of this dance, pole training will develop femininity, self-confidence, and will allow you to accept and love your body. And this advantage alone should encourage you to start going to them as soon as possible.

As your body gets used to it, bruises will stop appearing after each workout.

By the way, autumn with her long sleeves and tight tights - the perfect time to start mastering pole acrobatics. After all, at first you cannot do without bruises. Gradually, as your body gets used to it, bruises will stop appearing after each workout. Therefore, if you want to master the skill of pole acrobatics by the summer, it’s time to start practicing now.