PolArity – dAnce

Let me introduce you to the three main styles of pole dancing: sport, exotic, and artistic. Sport typically requires the strongest dancers, as you may see them performing flag poles and other maneuvers that require ridiculous strength endurance. Exotic pole may be the first style that comes to mind when you think of pole dancing. It embodies an extravagent approach with a promiscious flare. Lastly, artistic pole describes a story delivered through graceful and elegant movements. This is the style a friend and I learned in the Intro to Pole offered at aUM Yoga.

Upon entering the studio, we removed our shoes out of respect and cleanliness and received a friendly greeting by two instructors. One of them named Sylvia, who has been practicing pole for three years, led a full class of beginners to understand the basics of artistic pole dancing. After a warm up, we tested our strength, creativity, and discipline once we came into contact with the pole. We applied wash clothes with alcohol solution and a sticky spray specifically for this sport to our hands to help fastened your grip to the pole. Besides keeping your hands in place, this dance requires an immense amount of strength smoothed with grace over the intensity, making the mastery of these moves in the first class nearly impossible. Overlooking the Ann Arbor nightlife on South University, the studio captured an atmosphere of both light and fun as well as expressive and determined.

Different types of music allowed various approaches to finding our rhythm as well as our voice through dance. Upbeat songs surged the energy through your muscles and encouraged you to harness your power with an fast paced tune. Slower songs seeped into your core and inspired you to discover a dormant art within yourself.

Her words “no two people dance the same” reinforces the concept that we all interpret the world in a unique way. What you may see as the color blue may differ from my perception of blue. Either way, it is still blue to both of us. Understanding this different can be a frustrating process. This is why there is conflict in relationships, government, and religion. No two people are the same. Even if they are genetically identical, the core being offers something that makes them special.

Please note that these images were taken after one class of experience.