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So at what point do you actually call yourself a “pole dancer?”
I've been pondering this for a while and found tons of threads on "you may be a pole dancer if…" But, at what point do you go from saying that you pole dance to BEING a pole dancer? I'm beginner-intermediate-ish and pole regularly but still don't have the guts to call myself a pole dancer. Not that I'm ashamed of poling or anything, but like, I feel so noob and can't do any sick tricks.
So when did you start calling yourself a pole dancer?
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15 Replies
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I actually wrote a whole blog post about this just a couple weeks ago. Here's the TL;DR version:
"From the first day I walked in the studio, there was a general acknowledgement that if you’re willing to strut in the heels, sport the bruises, and let the pole peel your skin off, you get to be a pole dancer."
http://poledance101.wordpress.com/2012/08/07/when-are-you-a-pole-dancer/
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I think I started identifying as a pole dancer this summer once I got serious about learning. Otherwise prior to that I felt like I was only a wannabe pole dancer (I only knew one spin a friend taught me at a club and had only taken one actual class).
There has been some “you know you’re a pole dancer if…” talk lately and, while funny, it’s also kind of true 🙂
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Oh man, suigintou, I have been calling myself a pole dancer and I haven't done more than open my pole box and hold the pieces! Until we prep our ceiling for the pole (beam issues), I am working on just strength, cardio, and flexibility for poling. Plus I watch and read what all my Veeners are posting to get the moves in my head and all the info I'll need once I've got it up–I will be too excited when that happens to take time for all that 🙂
So I love glitterqueen's idea, but in my case it's being willing to call myself a pole dancer, put in the workouts, and endure the slow progression in flexibility. 🙂
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@ glitterqueen: I enjoyed your post! You're lucky you feel that way. I'm still too shy to call myself a pole danceer. =[
@Annieloo: I STILL feel like a wannabe pole dancer! I agree, the "you know you're a pole dancer if…" posts are funny and so true! When I read them, I think, "Hmm…a lot of these things sound like me…."
@adAstra: I think that you are going a terrific route on the building foundation. When I started, the studio jumped into dance quite fast and even now after I've completed level 3, I feel I have no upper body strength. It's quite sad =[. I hope you work out the beam issues soon!
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for me…. it was last week….I started pole dancing back in the beginning of the year, but it wasn't until last week when I was talking to a new stranger from work, who was reallly easy to talk to…. He was asking me what I liked to do, and I was like… I work, and I have school…. and the next thing he asks, "don't you do anything else?" … On the tip of my tongue was "yea, i pole dance"… I almost didn't manage to stop myself from saying it.
It was then that I realized that I am a pole dancer….though I prefer pole trickster…. because I don't dance…. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif
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I didn't consider myself one till I got my 1st certificate from completing level 1.
Level 1 is full of one time wonders & curious guests. Level 2 is all the dedicated people, like myself, who either pole at home or come in every week. So it was when i moved to level 2 last month is when it sunk in. I'm in for the long haul and will fully admit I'm an addict to pole. I wear Alethea's hoodie everywhere, i pole at the park, on here excessively and I'm a wicked mess if i don't have class that week. lol. Is there a 12 step program? -
I did it for a living before I had the kids, so I had that title from then.. but it's totally different now, as it is purely for fun and fitness! I think it's individual, no-one else can tell you when *you* are ready to call yourself one… The kid who runs cross country in Little Athletics can call himself a runner, just as the professional athlete can. They are at totally different skill levels, but they both run… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif If you are passionate about it, make time for it, and enjoy it – then in my opinion you can call yourself a pole dancer!
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In my head I consider myself a pole dancer, but I'm not comfortable going around and announcing that as my title until I'm confident I could pull off some really impressive trick or routine that would make people go, "Yup, she is definitely a pole dancer." Something that someone who did dance or gymnastics couldn't hop on the pole for the first time and do.
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Good question. I tell people I pole dance for fitness…I haven't yet called myself a pole dancer. Now that I am getting into advanced moves in my head, I am starting to think of myself as a pole dancer. But I think it will be awhile until I just proclaim that as a title for myself until I get more advanced moves nailed down and my flow, fluidity and grace is on point. Until that time comes, I will continue to tell people I pole dance for fitness 🙂
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I'll never be able to be a pole dancer like the rest of you guys just because of my disabilities but in my heart I was a pole dancer the first time I spun and said out well BOOM there it is…lol True there are polers out there who are so amazing its a wonder they don't have wings hidden somewhere but for some of us being a pole dancer is part of our spirit at least that's the way I look at it.
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@ lisakristin: "Pole trickster," I love it. I wanna be a pole trickster someday!
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for me it was when I realized how much I hated pictures of myself on my personal blog and only had one with my face in it…and how readily I posted pics of myself in my underwear for my pole blog. =P
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actually I should say that was when I officially started saying "I pole dance" because "I'm a pole dancer" implies I can dance like a dancer. same way how I run sometimes but I'm not a runner. 🙂
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I'm a big fan of videotaping yourself (if only to watch for yourself, not neccessarily to post for the public) becuase you can not only see the "bad" or wonky things you do, but also the beautiful and graceful things you do! Perhaps when you see yourself on video, you'll realize that you do many pretty things and will feel more comfortable calling yourself a dancer. Good luck on your journey, I'm almost to my 2 year pole anniversary and I'm finding myself more in love with pole than ever. <3
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