For years, people have used dance as a form of expression and exercise while also using it as a catalyst for community. One trend that’s been gaining popularity is pole dancing in Denver. With several pole studios in town, anyone can join and try their hand at several unconventional exercises and moves, from spinning and flipping around on suspended hoops and aerial silks to moving their bodies across a floor or chair.
But pole dancing is commonly thought of in terms of sex work, with pole dancing going as far back as 2,000 years with the Chinese Pole and Mallakhamb. However, in the Western world, it’s thanks to strippers sharing their talents with the general public that allowed for pole dancing studios to blossom and grow, leading to a niche community that’s willing to try something different and loving it.
From a student who didn’t know where to start
“I wanted to get into dancing, but I was like ‘I don’t even know where to start’ and I wanted something more freeing, so, like ballet was off the table, I’m not a jazz person and I decided I wanted to learn how to twerk,” says Scarlett Grace, a lawyer and student at Hard Candy Dance Studio. “And I wanted somewhere that could really honor where that kind of dancing comes from, and respect it, so I really wanted to find somewhere that could curate that atmosphere.”
Grace mentions how she tried out several of the other offerings available, speaking highly of the skill and strength that goes into pole work, her admiration of chair work and the fluidity that comes with the freedom in the classes she takes. While hesitant in the beginning, it’s become a major pillar of stability for her during a difficult time in her life.
“It’s that community and that strength that you feel behind it — especially if you’re in an abusive relationship like I was — you’re just questioning yourself, and everything is just confusing. Going into those classes was always a safe space that made sense,” says Grace.
From the instructors on their own missions
This is one of the main ideas behind these studios and the people behind them — a major sense of community. While it could be considered a niche market overall, it doesn’t matter when so many people in it are doing everything to make it an inviting environment for anyone who might be curious. Kamrin Coffey, an instructor at Hard Candy Dance Studio who created Pole & Chill Parties, got into pole dancing six years ago, and during the pandemic, got the idea from a spell of cabin fever and a broken ankle during that time.
“I reached out to this ‘Young Black Women of Denver’ Facebook group and just asked if anyone wanted to do a pole jam session. I get that it can be an intimidating thing to come to a studio that might not be that cultural or diverse,” Coffey said when talking about the first session of Pole & Chill Parties. “It was just a hang out with yoga and a pole, so that’s when I branded it Pole & Chill.”
What started as an excuse to hang out and dance with other women became a proper business venture in the last year, as Coffey focused on a sense of diversity and unity for women of color and sex workers, creating a space where they could express themselves.
For more pole dancing in Denver check out Rocky Mountain Pole Camp, founded by Jamie Cole and Hannah Lemmons, which brings in several people from across the state and even further, seeks to create a community of inclusivity in pole dancing.
“There isn’t one type of person that comes to pole. There are people who are executives, nurses, teachers, moms. I mean it’s a wide variety of statuses, race and body types, but everyone has this core thing in common — they’re very open and excited to try new things,” says Cole when reflecting on both the camp experience and the community as a whole. “Pole people are kind of the same everywhere, so it’s like this international network of cool people.”
Cole’s own origins in pole dancing started in 2019 out of sheer curiosity and had to push through some of that internalized stigma that comes with saying “I pole dance,” and the common comments that come afterward, like what her kids and family will think, or if everyone who does this is a stripper or is short on cash. Regardless, the vast majority are proud of what they do. Cole mentions on her own blog that “I have never felt more connected to myself than when I am pole dancing. I have never loved my own body and its capabilities more.”
From the Studio Owners who make it possible
Of course, this kind of pioneering effort wouldn’t be possible without the spaces to do it in, like Studio 3sixT in Denver, a pole studio owned by Jennifer West that’s been in business since 2011. She mentioned that there are not many pole studios around (though more than before) and it’s still a unique venture both as a participant and a business owner. West takes immense pride in filling a space for anyone interested and working to educate anyone who’s willing to listen.
“For the most part when people ask about this, they’re very curious, and they’re wowed by what you can do. And there is still a little bit of a stigma, but I feel like for the most part we’re getting over that,” says West. “Now, there’s been several pole dancers featured on America’s Got Talent, and all the social media attention shows it off in a good way.”
Along with West, national and international organizations have also begun to advocate for pole dancing, aerial silk and aerial hoop as official sports, like the Pole Sports and Arts World Federation (POSA) and United States Pole Sports Federation (USPSF), the latter mentioning on their website how they “hope to educate and inspire the public and future athletes in the benefits of Pole Sports and competitive pole.”
West also mentions how the expression and variety of dance forms let you explore this path in any way you’d want, whether it’s more sensual, slow and sexy, or more rigid and technical — whatever your prerogative is. “That sense of watching people grow over time and coordinate with each other, friendships being made that’s just fun to watch,” says West. Fellow studio owner Jenna Lynn, who runs Rockstar Pole Fitness in Westminster and will hit its 10-year anniversary in August, shares the same sentiment about her students finding their footing in class.
“I had a student come up to me, and she was just leaving a violent relationship, booked the class last minute and it changed the course of her life, giving her the confidence to leave and get her life together,” Lynn said, with permission from the student to share the story. “What we get from it is just being able to have that for the students and helping them feel better about themselves and seeing that change. There are so many stories like that.”
Both West and Coffey have had similar stories, with the former sharing how she feels it’s important to keep her studio open when she sees posts online or someone tells her in person what this has meant to them, solidifying her choice to remain open whenever she floats the idea of selling the business.
“It’s so unique how it helps people. Like, people with eating disorders will come in and instead of focusing on what they look like, they focus on what their bodies can do, and that’s a really good distraction for somebody who has one,” says West, also mentioning how she went through a similar challenge and found her own way of overcoming it through pole dancing.
It isn’t a major commitment to get started. Studio 3sixT and Rockstar both offer new client specials for anybody curious. If you’d rather watch what the students and instructors have worked on, there are several showcases throughout the year from several studios — including one on Oct 29 at the Roxy on Broadway. At the end of the day, no matter what your goals are or where you come from, the sentiment is the same — there is a solid community in this eclectic tribe of dancers spinning around or slinking across the floor, suspended by hoops or posing on a chair, waiting to welcome you with open arms.