Pole Dance

What Is Pole Dance?

Pole dance is a mix of dance and acrobatics performed on a vertical pole. Classes teach spins, climbs, inversions and floorwork, and build upper-body and core strength, flexibility and body awareness step by step, so nobody needs to arrive able to hold their own weight.

It splits into several strands, and studios usually say which they teach. Pole fitness and sport pole focus on strength, technique and competition-style skills. Pole art and pole theatre add choreography and storytelling. Exotic pole, often danced in heels, adds floorwork and sensual movement. The International Pole Sports Federation, founded in 2009, wrote the rules and scoring code used in pole competitions.

The roots are older than most people expect. Chinese pole acrobatics dates to around the 12th century, and the Indian sport of mallakhamb to at least 800 years ago. Modern pole moved through fairground and cabaret performance and clubs before reaching dance studios, where Fawnia Mondey is described as the first pole dancing instructor, teaching pole as an art form in the 1990s.

Pole Dance vs Heels Dance

Many London studios teach both, and they often share a timetable. Pole is an apparatus discipline built on strength and tricks, while heels dance is floor-based choreography. Choose pole if you want to learn climbs and spins, and heels if you want to move to music in high heels with no equipment.

Benefits and What You Will Gain

Who It Is Suitable For

How Classes Work in London

Our directory lists more than 25 pole studios across London, and Central London has the most variety. Pole Mission in Soho keeps classes to one person per pole and runs 6 to 8 week courses from £130 to £165 (checked October 2026). Savage Pole teaches pole and heels in Notting Hill and Holborn. In Islington, Venus Pole works in an Aussie style on six competition-height poles, and London Dance Academy opened in 2005 as the London Academy of Pole Dancing.

In the City and West London, Polepeople has taught since 2003 in Moorgate and at Television Centre in White City, and Aerialactive has run classes two minutes from Fulham Broadway since 2013. ARTemis Pole Studio in Chiswick pairs pole with flexibility and ballet technique. Browse more in the Central London and West London guides.

South of the river, Akila Pole Studio in Brixton has two spaces and teaches seven days a week, Ecole de Pole in Stockwell has operated since 2010, and The Pole Studio in Balham offers drop-in classes at £17 and ten-class packs at £140 (checked October 2026). Kelechnekoff in Peckham combines pole with voguing. See the South West and South East London guides.

East and North London have their own anchors. RYSKY describes itself as a social-impact studio with fair pay for instructors and runs Intro Pole classes in Hackney and Bethnal Green. Essex Pole and Tone in Romford was founded in 2008 and has 11 fixed poles. My Gravity in Hendon, open since 2013, runs six-week intro courses for pole, aerial and heels. Start from the East London and North London guides.

A typical pole class lasts about an hour: a warm-up, conditioning, a technique section on spins, climbs or inversions, then flow or floorwork. Studios supply the poles, and most list levels from beginner through advanced. A 6-week beginner course is the usual way in, with the same group learning together.

Beyond group classes, look for drop-in sessions, class packs, private lessons, stretch and mobility sessions, and workshops with visiting pole artists. Some studios also train instructors, such as Polepeople, whose courses are accredited by SkillsActive, and Ecole de Pole, which offers internationally accredited instructor training. For aerial hoop or silks alongside pole, see aerial dance; for heels-based classes see heels dance.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much do pole dancing classes cost in London? +
  It depends on format. As checked in October 2026, The Pole Studio in Balham charges £17 for a single class and £140 for ten classes, and Pole Mission in Soho lists 6 to 8 week courses at £130 to £165. Prices change, so confirm with the studio.
• Do I need to be fit or strong to start pole? +
  No. Beginner classes teach basic spins and holds first, and strength builds as you go. Studios such as Pole Mission and Savage Pole state that all fitness levels, body types and genders are welcome.
• What is the difference between pole fitness, pole art and sport pole? +
  Pole fitness focuses on conditioning and technique, pole art and pole theatre on choreography and expression, and sport pole on competition skills scored under the International Pole Sports Federation rules. Many classes blend them, so read the class description.
• What should I wear to my first pole class? +
  Shorts and a vest or sports top, so bare skin can grip the pole. Skip moisturiser or oil on the day, take off jewellery, and bring water and a towel. Studios provide the poles.
• Is there a beginner course for pole dancing in London? +
  Yes. Polepeople offers taster classes for absolute beginners, Pole Mission runs an Absolute Beginner Pole Dance Course, RYSKY has Intro Pole classes, and My Gravity runs regular six-week introduction courses.
• Can men take pole classes in London? +
  Yes. Several studios, including Pole Mission and Savage Pole, say classes are open to all genders. Check each studio's own wording, since age and audience policies vary.
• Can I learn aerial hoop or silks at the same studio? +
  Often, yes. Venus Pole, Ecole de Pole, Pole Mission, BB Studio London and Essex Pole and Tone list aerial hoop or other aerial classes alongside pole.
• Can I become a pole instructor or compete in London? +
  Yes. Polepeople's instructor courses are accredited by SkillsActive, Ecole de Pole runs internationally accredited instructor training, and ARTemis Pole Studio hosts competitions that welcome entrants at all levels.