Dancer's Corner: Contemporary Pole Dance

When it comes to Pole Dance, differentiating and defining each type can be, well, complicated.  There are so many different styles and variations that vary by country, region, etc. It’s hard to have a firm grip (a little pole dancer’s pun for you) on all of them.

So, for your learning convenience, we’re stripping down (see what I did there) to the basics of each style in our new blog series: Dancer’s Corner.  In each mini blog, we will explore a new style or variation.

In our flagship post, we’re going to cover a style that you’ve likely already heard of and maybe even have practiced: contemporary pole.

So get your pen and paper and be ready to take notes. 

What is Contemporary Pole Dance Anyway?

In the pole dancer’s zeitgeist, contemporary is the most current and popular style across the globe. That said, it is a tricky one to define because there are SO MANY different subcategories of contemporary, but for the purposes of this post, we’re sticking to the basics.

In a nutshell, contemporary dance is a mix of modern, jazz, and classical styles. This amalgamation of dance is so popular because it’s aesthetically pleasing and generally accessible to most people. It can be performed in shoes or socks and builds off of other dance experiences unrelated to pole. You might find that artists that craft in this style focus on agility and controlled legwork. The dancer can change the speed, rhythm and direction at any time within their performance using floorwork, spins, pirouettes and more.

It’s Got Brains and Beauty.

Contemporary Pole Dance is smart. It’s fusion - creating beautifully artistic and emotionally driven stories using the pole while weaving together movements seemingly effortlessly. Inversions are even added to provide a little extra spice to the performance. 

Costume and lighting often aid in setting the tone accentuating the strength, grace, and self-discovery highlighted in contemporary flow.  This is why you’ll commonly hear contemporary pole dance referred to as lyrical flow.

And like any other style, it’s about self-expression, creativity and feeling good about yourself.

Hoping you found our first edition of dancer's corner both informative and inspiring, and if youre ready to start your dance career you can book a class at https://www.akpolestudio.com/classes.

XOXO - AKPole