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The Wild Flowers perform on properly mounted poles at PoleCon 2019

Don’t Pole on That! A Note About Safety

If you’ve read my other blogs, you know I’m more of an aerialist than a pole dancer, but in the past week or so I’ve seen some horrifying examples of how poles are installed.

Now, for these examples, I don’t know how old they are, where in the world they are, or if these set ups still exist so I’m not trying to shame anyone. My goal is to educate folks on what to look for when attending a new-to-them studio or pole retreat. There has been a prior post (here, from 2019) talking about putting up your pole at home.

Don’t Rig From Trees (for Pole or Aerial)

The first one I’m going to talk about is the most recent one I came across that prompted me to write this. Pretty much since the introduction of casual/hobbyist aerial, folks have been talking about the dangers of rigging from trees.

The short version is don’t do it. I’ve never seen anyone talk about rigging poles from trees. Maybe we thought we didn’t have to.

The social media post I’m referring to is from 2023. It’s currently 2025, so this may have been rectified. This looks like a tension mounted pole that is mounted to a tree.

The bottom of the pole isn’t visible in the original picture, but the ground that is visible around the pole is sand. It should go without saying, but don’t rig from trees. Nothing about this set up is safe, please don’t rig like this.

A Club Gig Isn’t Worth Your Life

This next one is from a post in 2025 that was asking about aerial rigging next to the poles, but similar to the first one, it’s a tension mounted pole that is in no way mounted properly.

For tension mounted poles, the whole header/dome has to be supported. This set up is a T junction of pipes. I have no clue how those pipes are connected to the wall/ceiling. It’s possible those are the pipes for the sprinkler. I haven’t been to this location in person, so I really don’t know and can’t tell even from the whole picture. If you walk into a venue that wants you to perform and you see the pole set up like this, LEAVE. You can try talking to management about it, but likely if you’re coming into an established club with this set up they’ve “been fine so far” and “others have danced on it” and you won’t win any arguments.

Follow Manufacturer Instructions

All reputable pole manufacturers have installation instructions with their poles. Lots of pole manufacturers also have installation videos to go with their products. Follow these guides when installing your pole. When you’re training, remember to check your pole with a level (I like this level), adjust the pole as necessary, and check the tension. Especially if you live in a climate where temperatures fluctuate wildly (like the US Northeast). This includes if you run a studio—check your poles regularly to make sure they are securely connected to their mounts.

An improperly installed pole is a huge risk to you, anyone who may be around you (people or pets), and any items that may be around you. If you break your house with your pole set up your homeowner’s insurance will deny your claim (and probably laugh at you). Homeowner’s Insurance usually does not cover you doing something “unusual” inside your house. No one wants to end up on the polelols Instagram or get injured on an improperly mounted pole.

Cora
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