Alicia Chambers has just completed a six week pole dancing course and says despite all the sexual connotations it’s nothing like she thought it would be.
Nineteen-year-old Alicia admits she thought it would be more sexualised than it was, associating it with clubbing, but in reality for her it’s been “incredible, eye opening and friendly”.
“Anything you do they hype you up”
Alicia Chambers
The pole dancing novice found the course challenging but rewarding adding that the atmosphere is incredibly supportive and it’s full of people just helping each other.
“Anything you do they hype you up, everyone is just so incredible,” she says.
The beginners pole dancing course at Emma’s Pole Dancing in Derby runs each week. It was suggested to Alicia by a friend and she says it is something she looks forward to every week.
There are plenty of options for Alicia, if she wants to carry on with the pole dancing, but in the future she would like to go to a pole competition to see how the moves work in a competitive setting.
The International Pole And Aerial Tournament (IPAAT) is an annual competition for performers of varying ages and abilities. They hosted their adult and youth finals over the weekend with prizes being won by people all across the nation.
The IPAAT began in 2011 after pole started to build in popularity as a form of art and fitness in the early 2000s.
There are 144 studios in the UK who say pole dancing as a form of exercise helps to improve strength, flexibility, balance, coordination and tone muscle.
And for people thinking about trying pole out? Alicia says “Just do it”.
“The longer you wait the longer you’re going to hesitate,” she says.
She reassured anyone that wants to give it a go doesn’t need to be flexible as every skill you need, you’ll develop with the course.