When it comes to the naming of a pole dance organisation, one school in particular had a rather perverse take on things…
Mention pole dance to your colleagues and you are guaranteed a reaction. Sometimes it is positive, at other times it might not be quite the desired response. Partly due to ignorance, the mass of society is still unaware of what exactly pole dancing involves – and partly because there are no guidelines in terms of poling, i.e. Can men join? How do classes work? Are they group or private, mixed level and if so, will you be intimidated by the more advanced students? Perhaps it is little wonder that a mass audience are unsure of the appropriate response.
So, with this awareness of mixed perception, Hannah Capocci first had the idea of naming her school – established in Nottingham – ‘Twisted Pole’.
‘I played around with lots of names at first – pole position, poletastic, pole-laris, etc. but then when I thought of the general misconception surrounding pole dance, I thought how twisted it was…and the idea stuck.’
Hence the naming of the school was born. Yet it was not just the darker side of poling that fuelled Ms Capocci’s idea, it was the frustration with the notion that pole dance was an activity exclusively for women – a concept which Hannah found, well, twisted.
‘Twisted Pole’s classes are non-gender specific, and class is open to anyone. Pole Dance is often seen as an activity solely for women, which is not the case!”
In keeping with Twisted Pole’s policy of fitness for everyone, the school also offers a wide variety of other dance based classes – all of which promote fitness. Zumba, Splits class as well as offering photo shoots, courses, gradings and shows whereby the students perform for friends, families and expose pole fitness to an audience that might otherwise not know what pole dance involves.
And the future for Twisted Pole? Where does Ms Capocci see her school going?
“We are constantly trying to provide a great service by adhering to standards available from many associations, keeping skills updated and developing new ones as well as trying to keep on top of the ever growing number of moves that are out there in the pole world! But our main focus is our students. We encourage students to carry on developing their own unique style while dancing and performing tricks and spins in a safe, friendly and welcoming environment.”
To visit Twisted Pole’s Website, please see www.twistedpole.com
Article By Rebecca Plume
