BENGALURU: Astha Gulati (36) has been running her dance studio Dhurii in Domlur for the past six years. In recent times, the enquiries for lessons on Pole dance have multiplied. This is why Gulati finally introduced a Pole dance session in November 2022. The news spread like wildfire, and according to Gulati, it is one of the fastest-filling sessions in her studio. “Pole dance is fairly nascent with not too many places offering classes at the moment. So I thought it was the right time to start,” says Gulati, who is doing a beginners certification.
The demand has been so high that Gulati, who has just one pole installed in her studio, is planning to expand. “We are right now conducting private and semi-private classes. But from May, we will be adding two more poles,” she adds. Brijesh Yadav, who runs a dance studio called New York Dance Classes on Bannerghatta Road, is going to introduce the classes on Pole dance this weekend.
“My training has been mostly in New Delhi and Pune and in my dance studio, we specialise in hip-hop, street, and Bollywood. But with queries on Pole dance, I saw potential. So I’ve extended it as a dance and fitness form,” he shares, adding, “Group classes start at Rs 7,500 for 12 sessions a month, while private lessons cost Rs 15,000 for 12 sessions.”
Due to the lack of places and instructors in the city, many even take it upon themselves to practice the form at home. For example, Neeraja Subramanian got interested in Pole dancing during the lockdown, inspired by Chennai-based Pole dancer Anusha Swamy. “A little over a year ago, I started hunting for Pole dance classes in Bengaluru but it was difficult to find instructors. Last year I was in Pune and learnt from Pole dancer Nupur Choudhary. When I returned to Bengaluru, I decided to install a Pole in my house and practice,” says Subramanian, a product marketing manager, who has been in Bengaluru on and off since 2013.
Recalling the first time Subramanian tried out Pole, she reveals it was a little ‘disappointing because it was extremely challenging’. “Pole not just increased my physical awareness but also helped in being in the moment,” she emphasises.
Even if not for fitness, many took to Pole dancing as an extension of their passion for dance. For example, Juhi Kamlesh Baldev got to know about Pole dance classes in Bengaluru through an Instagram reel. “I’ve always been a passionate dancer and wanted to take it forward...but was confused about how to take it forward. I was keen on being a part of the Pole dance and I love my experience,” says Baldev.
Did you know?
The Pole dance that is being practiced today is a fusion of the Chinese pole, Indian pole (Mallakhamb), another circus-based exotic dance of various international influences.
Pole dance is often sexualised because of its western origins where circuses used sticks and women would dance seductively on top of them to attract customers. It then became a popular way to make a profit among clubs and bars.
Various committees are working on ‘Pole Sports’ being recognised globally as a sport and the eventual inclusion into mainstream sports events and the Olympic Games.