Covid-19 and The Pole Industry: Part 8
Since the start of covid, between pole studios closing, adjusting their safety measures, and/or moving online, many polers have increased how often they practice at home. And as the Delta variant continues to gain momentum, we may even see a further increase in home poling. For those continuing to do this, Colleen Jolly, CEO of the International Pole Convention, Executive Director of the International Pole Industry Association, performer and instructor, and Dakota Fox, co-owner and instructor of Aradia Fitness, give some pole home-pole-work and tips.
Q: Have any pandemic/quarantine-pole-homework for our polers out there?
Colleen: “If you can, keep taking your instructors classes and keep supporting your local studio. Your instructors need the love AND the income. If you want your studio to reopen, keep supporting it.”
As Colleen mentioned, it is very important to continue to give support to your local studio as the continue to recover from the pandemic. If supporting your local studio in person still isn’t an option for you right now or your unable to do so safely, check with your studio and it’s teachers to see what online resources they have. Even purchasing gift cards or passes for yourself to use in the future is a great way to still continue to support your local studio. And as Dakota explains below, going online for pole practice is a great way to explore new instructors as well.
Dakota: “This is an incredible opportunity to get back to basics and really tighten up your skill sets. Pole is more than the next big “insta-trend” or “pole trick of the week”. Sometimes we get caught up in the hype of always learning something new every day that we forget how fun it is to just dance, just move, or truly find that mind-body connection that makes some of your favorite pole idols so captivating to watch. Spend the time really understanding what makes your body tick, what is behind the mechanics of the pole tricks you love, and how to become a stronger & safer pole dancer. Most of us will be spending a lot of time practicing at home – so take it slow, keep it safe, and try a new style of movement. Even more, the pole world has gone virtual like it never has before! You can keep supporting your local studio AND you can learn from others all over the world… all from the comfort of your own home. How cool is that? While nothing can ever replace hands-on instruction, gone are the days of having to wait for a workshop to meet a cool new instructor. You can literally take a class from a different instructor every day right now!”
Though nothing beats our second home pole studios, I agree with Dakota; poling at home can allow you to explore variations in your style of movement and allows you to go at your own pace. And if your studio is offering online classes, you can get the best of both worlds!
Q: Anything else you want to share with our readers?
Colleen: “No one knows the best way to get through or manage or survive or whatever your preferred verb is during a pandemic. We just don’t. Be kind to yourself and be kind to everyone you come in contact with.”
Colleen makes a great point, this has been/is a new experience for pretty much everyone and adapting to it has certainly required a lot of us. For many, this pandemic has severely strained our resources, particularly money and time. These two resources affect everything, including pole, so if that means you had to take a hiatus from pole or slow your training down, that is absolutely fine. And as Dakota will explain, asking and giving help is okay, and a great way to back into the swing of things.
Dakota: “We are all in this together – along with a world-wide pandemic, our world is seeing a long-overdue civil rights movement & political upheavals. 2020 has thrown A LOT of heavy shit at us, from every different direction. I think that one of the most unique things about the pole industry is how incredibly diverse it is. Even as different as we all are, we are still sharing the emotional, economic, and physical tolls of this pandemic. Check on your friends frequently. Reach out for help or support if you need it. Quarantine living has us more physically isolated than ever but never forget that you are NOT alone. Be safe. Be smart. Find your new groove. Because you’ve totally got this!”
In summary, yes, we still have challenges ahead in recovering from the pandemic, but we are not alone, whether we are poling in the studio or from home. We can and should continue to support one another and make the best of new resources and adjustments, like online pole classes and following new studio safety measures. I hope this series has been helpful to you as we try to navigate through this. If you’ve made it this far in the series, thank you so much!
- Pole Con 2021: My experience as an attendee - June 17, 2022
- Benefits of Foam Rolling for Pole Dancers - November 19, 2021
- Covid-19 and The Pole Industry: Part 8 - October 29, 2021
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