Can Pole Parties Be Safe?
Trying to Help a Tweep
This post was triggered by a question a tweep of mine had about her new business doing pole parties. She wanted to know the ins and outs of the pole party biz, and she was hoping to get some useful guidance and do some networking.
I said I’d help spread the word, so I posted her question on Facebook.
Big mistake.
What resulted was not at all pertinent to her question, but was, instead, a big hijacking of the thread into a shouting match about the perils and evils of doing pole parties.
This pissed me off.
One, because I don’t like a panic-based worldview to be presented as indisputable truth. And, two, because hijacking is just annoying, in general. Worse, I actually posted a second time, specifically stating that the previous thread had been hijacked, and it happened again.
So, grrr all around.
Which is why I thought I’d just take the topic to my blog, where I have a little more control of the airwaves, so to speak.
Why I thought the hijacked comments were bullshit.
The hijacker felt that letting a bunch of people who have been drinking try pole tricks was a bad idea. She also felt that letting people with no training, who are trying to party instead of learn, try even basic spins was a risk.
These thoughts are not what I thought was bullshit. In fact, I totally agree with them.
Where I disagree was in the belief that there is no other way of doing pole parties, let alone any way of doing them safely.
How I would set up a pole party business.
First and foremost, I wouldn’t allow any aerial moves.
None. At all.
Not even a basic fireman spin.
Why?
Because even a basic spin requires correct shoulder position and proper conditioning, which is not possible to ensure in a rowdy, boisterous party.
Now, some of you might say the no-spins rule is overreacting.
And, maybe it is. But I really don’t think alcohol and aerial spins mix. On the other hand, if you have a no-drinking rule at your parties, you may be able to teach beginner-level spins properly.
Personally, though, I’d teach the sexy, non-aerial stuff. You know they want sexy, if they want a pole party! I’d teach them seductive turns, hot floorwork, and sexy poses.
I’d finish by doing a demo of a real pole dance, with all the moves – AFTER they are done with the lesson. Just to show them what they could learn and, if I were teaching (as many pole party types also are), it would give them a taster of what more they could learn.
And don’t forget the basics.
Insurance, insurance, insurance. Get some. Then get some more. You are dealing with people’s homes, removable poles on unknown ceilings and floors, and a bunch of drunken wild women. Make sure you’re covered.
Thank you so much!
I actually just got home from an info session with an Aussie organisation which works with women in the sex industry over here, both local women and trafficked. So am hoping I might be able to set up something with them in the future!
Thanks for your help Georgia Marie
@Georgia Marie – Thanks for the link!
@Eleanor
Here’s a news post I came across, that mentions pole dancing for charity. It was to raise money for Gynae C, a Swindon charity supporting women with gynaecological cancer.
http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/8133845.In_pole_position_to_help_charity/
@Eleanor – aww, thank you! Please keep us all posted – it sounds like a great idea. And, since I used to research trafficking in women, I am always eager to see new approaches being used.
P.S. This website is amazing by the way – I’m so impressed!
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks so much for your enthusiasm! I checked out the superstar competition – it looked amazing! As much as I wish I could organise something as spectacular as that – I think my event would be slightly more low-key.
Also, HIPS looks like a great organisation, thank you for that. Probably should have mentioned that I’m Aussie though (from Melbourne). So am looking for an organisation run out of Australia which works with victims of illegal sex trade in the South East Asia region. I’ll have to start researching!
I probably won’t get this event off the ground for a while as I’m currently organising a separate theatre performance and at Uni so pretty busy. But hopefully it happens soon and I’ll be sure to let you know! Thanks so much for your help, I really appreciate it!
Eleanor
@Eleanor – I think poling for charity and awareness-raising is a great idea! Diane Passage has done this with Pole Superstar (http://poleskivvies.com/2009/11/pole-superstar-competition-all-the-details/).
As for the trafficking education, just work with an edgier organization. Like http://hips.org, perhaps. Good luck – and let me know when you get it going, so we can get an interview about it up on this site!
Hi,
So this post has nothing to do with Pole Parties..I’m an activist and a pole dancer (amateur..just started last year!) and I kind of want to mix my two passions.
I know it sounds crazy but I have this idea of an awareness-raising event called “Poles against Poverty” – so it would be like an amateur showcase/competition along with perhaps some speakers about sexual slavery in south-east asia and trafficking etc. I know it seems like a pretty weird mix and could be VERY controversial in many ways but I think it could also work..maybe?
I work/volunteer for a fair few different NGO’s and community organisations but I sincerely doubt aby would want to partner with me on a project like this..so controversial I know.
Let me know what you guys think!
Thanks
I own a studio and we sometimes do as many as 9 parties a weekend. We have a 1 room studio. In our parties we spend part of the time doing a short chair or lap routine and the other part doing a short pole routine. We only teach the fireman spin as there is not time to SAFELY teach much more and a few sensual moves so they have a short but fun pole routine. It is inevitable even after making a announcement about not doing things they may have seen on youtube, reiterating only trying the spin I’m teaching, giving my spiel about safety, If I turn my back for a sec I hear Woohoos and Yeahs and I look around and someones trying something they shouldn’t be. It may be a half attempt at a front hook or the dreaded abandoning an engaged shoulder to jump into a fireman. These are grown women and sometimes despite our effort, constant reiterating, and forewarning about technique, safety and proper form they just go for it. I do not think the answer is not teaching a spin at all. They would be very disappointed if we didn’t. After all spins are a huge part of pole. We make it looks so beautiful and easy. lol
We are asked quite frequently to come to homes instead of them coming to us. Usually this is because they want to drink and not drive. However this could be a recipe for disaster as we all know. We don’t go to homes because A)insurance would be hard to get and quite costly I would think. B) we have 11 poles and me bringing 1 or 2 to your home with 10-15 chicks won’t give you any real pole time. Somebody’s gonna fell like it’s a ripoff. To me I’d feel jipped if I paid $20-30 and only got 10 minutes of pole time cause I had to wait my turn. I sure don’t wanna have to be at someone’s house 2 or 3 hours either. I know not everyone has a studio or that many poles but home parties are not for me. Also like Charley said, your safety can be issue. If things start to get hairy like I had an issue with a customer last night at my studio about her party arriving late. I would not have wanted to have that conversation at her home. At my studio I have control and can ask them to leave if things get out of control, at her home, she does.
@Charley – that’s a great point! I hadn’t even thought off that. You’re right, if the pole parties are at a person’s home and not in a studio, safety of the instructor has to be a priority.
I seriously think this is being over thought.
First and foremeost is the safety of the instructor! Yes, because she is going into someone elses’s house, someone else’s rules, no bouncer, no back up, no idea of what *could* happen. Drug use could happen, men could allowed at the party after she alreeady said no boys allowed, drunk women might get angry with her and try to hurt her. There are a number of situations that play out in my head where home parties scare the bejeezus out of me. I would be more concerned with having a plan to rescue the instructor IF something bad should happen.
As far as the party hosts – they sign a waiver agreeing that that understand the pole might damage their house due to no fault of the company or instructor. No one touches the pole until they sign a waiver releasing liability again. Besides, if one was actually injured at a home party the home owner is responsible. Think about it. The homeowner provided alcohol after signing a waiver saying they were told not to drink and all party members agreed to this.
Yes I do in-home pole parties and have been doing them for the last 3 years with nary an injury or damage to a home…wait, there was just one, my plate that goes under the pole when in the stage moved & caused a scratch on a floor. I do warn everyone before hand via email and in my opening that too much alcohol and a pole do not mix! I do show two spins, the fireman is the ‘finale’ move and one that I call an ankle swing and one foot is always on the ground. I also carry insurance which luckily has not been put to the test!
I am still very much a beginner pole dancer, I unfortunately do not do much practice at home-I personally find it difficult and rather boring to pole alone! I find things seem to hurt so much more when doing it alone! I’ve never been able to stick to an in-home exercise routine either! Just have more get up n’ go in a group atmosphere! Unfortunately, there are no studios in my area to offer training.
So I disagree with not showing any spins at all, I don’t think these beginner moves are SO dangerous that someone would get seriously hurt. If demonstrated properly, I don’t think they are that big of a deal! But to each their own, whatever you’re comfortable with is your choice!
Jennifer,
I know my poledance school do run hen nights and similar as pole parties. Although I’m not involved in running them, so I can’t be sure, my understanding is that they either run them in our studio (this is a new development) or in a (privately rented-out) nightclub or similar venue.
If your friend has access to such a space, I would imagine (and again, this is a thought experiment, rather than experience talking) that women would feel less likely to do something stupid/forbidden if they feel they’re walking into ‘teaching space’, rather than in their own homes. Not only is it slightly more public, it also gives a small amount more authority to the instructor/teacher/party organiser.
I can imagine people feeling slightly short-changed if they had a ‘pole-party’ and didn’t get to learn even a basic fireman, but I also agree that safety is essential. Personally, I’d be tempted to run it almost in two halves. The first half would be teaching maybe two very basic spins as you would in a normal class, and the second half would be dancing and taking pics and being outrageous. I would have lots of poses and, as you say, other sexy, fun accessories and I would also say that no drinking would be allowed until after the ‘lesson’ had been finished.
Oh, and of course a good performance afterwards. ~grins~ Nothing like it to amaze and inspire people.
Here is my original content from the postings. Interesting how you hijack my ideas about alcohol, pole safety, weight bearing moves, insurance and point all of that out in your blog with no mention that the “hijacker” mentioned all of this in her postings?
Now mind you there were people on this thread that have no clue about proper pole instruction and are wanting to go out and do in home pole parties…hence my strong reaction.
In reply to a post by jennifer Jennifer PoleSkivvies Michelle Let’s try this again. For those actually doing POLE PARTIES, a friend wants some advice, since I think she’s the only one in her state doing them. Lots of hen parties out there and they CAN be done safely. If that sounds like you, please message me!
Leela response;
Does the host that brings the portable pole to pop up in a strangers home TEACH them any weight bearing moves? Do they risk people getting injured? Is there alcohol and spinning/lifting/weight bearing involved. Do they have enough insurance to cover a pole coming down and killing, injuring or damaging property? Make a few phone calls and try to obtain professional liability insurance for this activity and see if it makes sense before you get into the party business, that would be my sage advice
The first post by jennifer; Jennifer PoleSkivvies Michelle Do any of you teach POLE DANCE PARTIES? A friend is starting up a party biz in her state and is looking for a peer group to bounce ideas off of. Message me if you’d like to help out a new pole biz!
leela responses;
Yes, tell her to get good training and good insurance. I am not sure anyone writes insurance for that kind of risk though…drunk girls, poles, and party hosts with no training is kind of a bad mix (sorry to be a downer, but you know how I feel about safe pole)
January 24 at 10:03am •
Jennifer PoleSkivvies Michelle
Thanks, Leela. I’ll pass it on, along with your FB profile if she has more questions.
January 24 at 10:18am
leela response;
Does the host that brings the portable pole to pop up in a strangers home TEACH them any weight bearing moves? Do they risk people getting injured? Is there alcohol and spinning/lifting/weight bearing involved. Do they have enough insurance to cover a pole coming down and killing, injuring or damaging property? Make a few phone calls and try to obtain professional liability insurance for this activity and see if it makes sense before you get into the party business, that would be my sage advice.
“How is the pole party business owner or instructor in an uncontrolled environment going to guard against guests doing anything aerial? Good luck on that one.”
The same way you do in a classroom environment.
Everyone is told before hand not to do anything they haven’t been instructed to do, even if they have pole experience. And no-one is to do any aerial tricks without the teacher as spotter.
I have a little welcome speech which involves warning them about bruising and chafing and sore muscles, about moisturiser, sweaty hands and other things that are important to know. This includes safety warnings and a run down of the rules.
Women who disobey are reprimanded. Often due to the nature of classes or parties, this happens in front of other students. Usually they are very apologetic at this point and are goody-two-shoes for the rest of the class.
Hahahah hijacking is not free speech! Where was everyone else’s free speech when the hijacker was so insistant on THEIR freespeech being the loudest free speech!?
Anyway – pole parties do work and have worked for many years. I do them fairly regularly. We use party games to break the ice rather than alcohoo. So we wear feather boas and bunny ears and do relay catcrawl races where one item comes off each lap, and we get people to pair up when they’re trying body rolls and many other things that induce laughter and loosen the women up.
Then we move on to some basic pole tricks. The half spin, some underarm turns, a few other seductive turns etc. We do also do 2 or 3 basic spins – e.g. the front knee hook, the fireman. This takes up the main chunk of the party. Then after this point, we take a break where snacks and (optionally) drinks are brought out.
I do a performance (sometimes a duet performance if it’s a big party and we need 2 instructors) during this time. Then we teach a little routine involving the tricks we have learnt so far, but anyone who didn’t master the spins is given replacement ‘tricks’ instead.
Once everyone’s had some fun with that we do lots of sexy photos, teaching hot poses, group photos, photos with the instructors etc etc.
And that’s a wrap!
Jennifer, I believe I stated my passion for safety. Hijacking, hmmm…isn’t that called FREE SPEECH?
I don’t believe pole parties at homes are inherently dangerous. What I stated was good luck finding proper insurance coverage for going into someone’s home and putting up a portable pole with unknown construction foundation, guest alcohol or drug consumption etc. If you are completely honest with your insurance agency you would be hard pressed to find adequate coverage should your pole come crashing down with a guest under the influence or otherwise. How is the pole party business owner or instructor in an uncontrolled environment going to guard against guests doing anything aerial? Good luck on that one. It’s like kids in a candy factory. Remember Willy Wonka?