Mostly associated as an erotogenic element, the Pole Dance is actually a skill that can be performed by only well-rehearsed and talented individuals. In this article, we will present a discussion on the world’s best pole dancer(s) and the art form itself.
To be a pro pole dancer, it is essential to first learn and excel at gymnastics. Often classified as an exercise, gymnastics – where athletes are required to use props like pommel horse, bars and still rings – helps develop physical strength, agility and coordination.
Pole dance is an art form that combines dance with acrobatic feats. Not only this, but the performance has to be executed on a vertical pole, hence the name pole dance. Currently, Anastasia Sokolova is considered to be the world’s best pole dancer. She was a finalist in Ukraine’s Got Talent in 2013. She has been running a YouTube channel where she uploads videos of her breathtaking performances.
The video below depicts one of her performances. It will help you understand what pole dance exactly is.
Today, Anastasia successfully runs a dance training institute called Kiev Pole Dance School. After gaining international fame, the world’s best pole dancer has made substantial efforts to get this form of art recognized. For this purpose, she has introduced a business line that offers tailor-made costumes for pole dancing. Besides, she also caters to the needs of individuals practicing related sports, suitable clothes for training in the gym, exercising or beach wear (like bikinis), can all be found at her boutique.
She has not only organized multiple workshops for aspiring pole dancers, but also appeared as a judge in multiple dance competitions, thus completely fulfilling her duty towards her chosen profession.
Like Anastasia, most pole dancers are trying their best to change the general perception about a skill they are passionate about. Previously, pole dancing was believed to be all about nudity – a trait specific to strip-clubs. Reason being that these dancers were mostly not invited to perform elsewhere and that was their only means of making a living.
The video below shows a performance by Remy Redd who is known for her performances at King of Diamonds, especially for the stunt where she clings to the pole upside down and slips down in speed.
Today, people have begun to accept it as a form of art, owing to difficult stunts like headstand, handstand and spins. In fact, multiple competitions have been organized since the 2000s to recognize those who excel.
The image below depicts a participant performing in the U.S. Pole Dance Championship at Symphony Space. The very purpose of creating Symphony Space was to promote all forms of art. Therefore, in this competition the presence of elite participants has made pole dancing acceptable art and skill. The contest has categories for each level of expertise ranging from novices to professionals.
Contrary to the general belief, the platform is also open to male dancers. The audience has to purchase tickets if they wish to view the live performances.
Besides Anastasia who is unanimously believed to be the world’s best pole dancer, there are many popular ones with a large number of followers on Instagram, including Silvia Raga from Italy, Claire Francisci from France and Julio Peixoto from Brazil.
Passionate individuals have started blogs where they share video tutorials and tips to improve your pole dancing skills. One such individual is Miglena from Germany who runs a page called “The Pole Dancer”. She had initially struggled to learn minute details from multiple sources and feels there is a gap between the available tutorials and what an expert pole dancer needs to learn. In an attempt to minimize this gap, she writes informative blogs, and offers live as well as recorded classes on her website.
If you are aspiring to be one of the world’s best pole dancers, her website can be really helpful, especially if you cannot afford to pay the large sum of fees charged by famous training institutes which are already rare at the moment.
However, do remember that learning pole dancing is not a piece of cake. It requires time. The amount of time varies from one person to the other depending on their body’s flexibility, their instructor’s teaching methods, and how much of the talent they already possess before starting the training.
Even some of the world’s best pole dancers took at least three weeks to get the hang of it and be able to perform some basic steps perfectly.
We can conclude that pole dancing is not just a means to satisfy the viewer`s lust but a form of art that requires you to put in a lot of effort and time. Many performers use it as a de-stressing medium or as a hobby. Therefore, it should be respected and recognized like other forms of dance and exercise.