The Life-Changing Possibilities of Pole Dancing

One Vogue editor and three other pole dancers share how the practice has gotten them through difficult time.

The Life-Changing Possibilities of Pole Dancing

When I started pole dancing, I was looking for a stress reliever. I had settled into a routine that mainly seemed to consist of, well, just work. This kind of one-track commitment was new for me: I grew up involved in activities ranging from gymnastics and dance to soccer and track. I knew I needed to try something different, to get myself motivated to move my body in ways that would bring me joy again.

I had tried pole dancing a few years back, and I remembered loving it, but classes were just too expensive for me to go consistently at the time. Now, with my first steady job post-college, it seemed like the right time to return. I tested out various places until I finally found my go-to: Brooklyn’s Finest Pole Dancing, a cozy studio on Carroll street. Not only was it a five-minute ride from my apartment, but I appreciated its intimate feel, and how Vel Francis, the studio owner, gave everyone individual attention. Her studio felt like a work-out and a therapy session all in one because of the diverse clientele that started to feel like family as we chatted during warm-ups. It became clear that this time was a collective sigh for all of us, whether someone wanted to blow off steam after work, or they were getting in some me-time after dinner with their kids. For me, simply entering this space was a relief because it had nothing to do with my job, family, or friends—it was a place of possibility where I could focus on whatever I wanted to achieve physically, emotionally, and with community.

I took Vel’s beginner class three times a week for three months until I moved up to intermediate/advanced and spin pole classes. Before I moved up, I would stick around to watch the advanced classes, studying their movements and meditating on how I would one day do those tricks with them. When I flew home to Chicago for long weekends or holidays, I would always make sure to visit Fly Club Chicago, my pole home away from home, for Divine Em and Caitlin Marco’s bubbly and inviting energy and range of classes.

As I became more obsessed with pole, I felt my strength and confidence increasing (I swear, no one will hype you up the way the pole community will!). But most importantly, I was healing.

This story originally appeared on: Vogue - Author:Akili King