Introducing my new love

I had heard about the pole, who has not, it really became big in the past ten years or so changing its image from that of a sexy club dance part of strip tease and lap dancing routines to that of a demanding acrobatic sport. I  had seen pictures and even video-clips of women wrapping themselves around the pole, performing snake like moves, inversions and backbends with  elegance, confidence and sensuality.
I kept on dismissing it as not the thing for me, making all possible excuses - too old, too unfit, too this, too that.  I was at peak fitness two years ago, soon after completing the Bikram yoga 30 day challenge, but then I let my practice slip up a bit and after fracturing my wrist in December it took a while to get back to serious exercising. I managed a bit of swimming, irregular Ashtanga classes, the odd Five Rhythm 'sweat', enough to look fit but I know that I have to reacquire my flexibility and core strength. I made no secret in earlier blog posts of my having had a very difficult time emotionally, fighting off a depression that had me on my knees and constantly weeping. There were days when I hated myself so much that the idea of dragging myself to a class, any class, was most unappealing.

Photographer: Jan Murphy

But  on my way back from Inverness I picked a health magazine with an article about the pole and an excerpt from the book by Samantha Holland about how empowering it is. Women of all ages have found the pole really gives them an opportunity to rediscover themselves as women. They bond through it and support each other. That did it for me. I booked a taster at the Pole Dancing School in Hoxton.
There were only four of us, one for each pole in the studio. Our teacher was seriously fit, the result of  years of continuous practice. "Pole dancing will give you a strong upper body" she said.  I really admired her musculature, she seemed to have been sculpted.  I was the oldest in the group and had some trouble with my hair as the hairclip I had brought kept on getting unfastened. It made me feel very self conscious, with my hair constantly in the way. We began with a warm up then we were told to wear our heels and shorts. I wore fishnets too though advanced pole dancers wear as little as possible on their legs as the grip comes from the inner thigh muscles. But as a beginner I could get away and the fishnets helped me to slide more easily around the metal bar - the others groaned that it really hurt.

Photographer: Jan Murphy

From the moment we began to walk around the pole I knew I'd found my love. There is something about pole that is extremely liberating. It is hard work, you sweat, you get bruised, the spins nearly killed me. But there is something magic about it and when I managed a simple routine, pulling myself up the pole and then sliding down with my legs lifted at the back in a 'v' shape, landing on my knees, bending backwards and then returning to the pole with the front of my body, curling and uncurling the back, I knew I'd sign up for the level 1 course, which I did about two hours ago online, only two places left.
I doubt it pole dancing will change my body shape, but it will definitely stretch me and rebuild my core. And, according to Sam Holland, it will give me a sense of being in control, empowered and more aware of my sensuality. I welcome that.



This is Jac. She is 51 and absolutely inspirational


(All photos modelled by Alex B.)