The start of my pole journey is probably a little different than many other students around the studio. I didn’t originally start pole here in Appleton at Aerial Dance. I actually took my first pole class in La Crosse with other women in my sorority as a sisterhood bonding. Which I actually forgot because I thought I first started pole dancing in England when I studied abroad in college, but I had to check my instagram for the dates! I remember that initial sisterhood class being so fun though and just like Aerial Dance, it was full of supportive women and celebrating each other’s wins as we successfully did a fan kick or held ourselves on the pole for a couple of seconds. Who would have thought that class would have planted the seed that is my love for pole now? 

Actually, the following semester when that sisterhood event took place, I went to study abroad in Canterbury, England. I made some amazing friends, some of which I still talk to to this day, and I’m very grateful for them. I remember the campus promoted signing up for a society (what we’d call a club) and every society on campus had tables and booths set up in one of the dorm halls. I vaguely remember all the different and cool societies that were on campus. I signed up only for 1 society at the time, and it actually wasn’t the pole society, I was too intimidated and embarrassed to do that. I signed up for another society called “Are you not drinking much?” TL:DR, it was a group of people who didn’t want to party all the time and instead play games and hang out. I actually started going to the Pole Society when one of the other American students I became friends with encouraged me and some others to join her for the society. 

I had so much fun in that society over the course of the semester and learned so much! They had the society set up in a classroom with about 4 or 5 portable poles set up and little circle mats to go around each one. They could only allow so many students in the classroom so we had to wait outside to guarantee our spot in class. I started out as a beginner and by the end of the semester I was in intermediate level 2 with them. The first move I was so excited to get was some dragon move. I don’t remember the name but it’s equivalent to our ballerina. By the end of the term, the final move I had accomplished was a cross ankle layback and I was so proud of myself! They even had a show at a local business at the end of the term like Aerial Dance does at Tanners, and I regret not signing up for it, but watching the other students perform was amazing!

While my other friends that I made stopped coming halfway through the term, I kept going and I’m really proud of myself, because I was determined to improve. I remember when I came back home to Wisconsin I immediately Googled pole studios near me and found Aerial Dance. I think I came into the studio at some random time and talked to one of the instructors who was confused I was there and explained that I had to start as a beginner with them and move up according to their policies. I was bummed, but also I had to go back to La Crosse anyways to finish my senior year. After graduation, that summer I started at Aerial Dance and the rest is history!