He has many achievements under his belt so far such as coming 2 nd Runner Up at the Asia Pacific Pole Dancing Championship in the Men’s Freestyle Devision for 2011, 1 st Runner Up at the International Pole Championships 2012 and he was the first male pole dancer to perform at the Miss Pole Dance Australia Finals opening number in both 20. Helman is now preparing himself to compete with others male pole dancers from around the world at Mr.
But recently, the number of males interested in pole dancing has grown compared to when he started. He finds that men get discouraged quicker than women. Helman admits that this is a funny thing considering the strength necessary to pole dance, women are much tougher than men in the long run. Some people tend to have preconceived notions that more women do pole dancing than men. Pole dancing is coming from a performing and circus background for sure there is an art form and he can express himself from it. Everyone can create pole dance as a great workout through highly physical contact with the pole. In his opinion, pole dancing is gender neutral. I do not wear gloves or shoes very often.’įor Helman, pole dancing hails from a performance and circus background and is highly physical and a great workout which is also combined with art form.
He said, ‘If I perform with a full costume there would generally be a strip involved to go down to little speedos or boxer brief.
A good attitude is the best place to start.ĭuring practice Helman prefers to wear as little as possible as pole dancing is an activity that involves much skin contact with the pole. He added that having a dance or gymnastic background can help but anyone can do pole dance no matter what your background is or your body shape. He encouraged me and another man that we did not need any special skill to do pole dancing, but rather what we need is consistency. When I had a conversation with him at Jamila Devile Pole Studio, I was going to try pole dancing but doubted myself because I am not very skilled at gymnastics. Helman has much experience of this as he has injured his posterior of his left shoulder during pole dancing and has even suffered a dent in his right clavicle as well as regular bruising and burning. Practicing pole dancing may cause burns and calluses on the skin because of too much friction and the body may be sore in various parts. Some people may say it’s painful to do pole dancing but they get used to it quickly. Slide Lounge on Oxford Street is another option for training as well as being the venue he performs at.Īccording to Helman, there are difficulties and challenges with pole dancing like with any other form of exercise.
He trains at Jamila Devile Pole Studio, Camperdown Bobbi’s Pole Studio, Surry Hills or Pole Dance Academy, Redfern. This increases when to about 5 times a week for at least an hour each time when he is training for a new show, routine or competition. He was the one who taught Helman pole dancing.Īs a pole dancer, Helman regularly practices about twice a week excluding performances. The first time Helman started pole dancing was when he met his mate from the Aussie Pole Boys, James Taylor. Bobbis Pole Dance Studio Singapore is closing, so this will be the last performance from Bobbis Pole Dance Studio Singapore students and instructors at Mis. While it is already recognised as a sport in the UK, the US and Australia, other countries are slower to catch on – including New Zealand.īut there is mounting pressure from the International Pole Federation for it to be included at the 2012 Olympic Games.After he had been doing aerial for 2 years, David Helman started pole dancing in 2010. “To try and get to Miss Pole Dance World, whether or not that is possible I don’t know, but I will just work my ass off until I am there if I have to.” She says she has ambitions to compete internationally. Ms Summers has won a number of British titles and finished fifth in Miss Pole Dance UK in 2009.
Her students are sold on the modern fitness craze. Ms Summers practices four hours a week and teaches two classes. It’s terrifying at the same time though, I mean, there are some pretty good pole dancers there.” They’ve got a lot of workshops for the finalists. She has been selected as a finalist for Asian Pacific Pole Dance Championships in August. It’s hilarious the reactions you get.”ĭespite the stripper connotations associated with pole dancing, Ms Summers takes her sport very seriously. “I love it when people ask me what I do and I say that I’m a pole dancer. “I guess I like that it shocks people as well,” she says. Karry Summers, 26, grew up doing gymnastics and three years ago decided to make the controversial transition to pole dancing. Pole dancing is seen my many as the dance of the stripper.īut a Kiwi pole dancer is out to prove there is much more to it, having been selected to compete in the Asian Pacific Championships.