We recently connected with Rachel Warden and have shared our conversation below.

Rachel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Learning to pole dance did not come naturally for me in any capacity. During the pandemic, I decided to finally take the plunge and learn this art form. I took classes here and there at a local studio. I would leave every class either feeling stronger or discouraged, but I would keep coming back, determined to strengthen and challenge my body more and more. Needless to say, I was incredibly stubborn. It wasn’t until I got the opportunity to work at Portland Pole + Dance as a Front Desk Manager that I got to really dig in deep with my movement practice. I was able to take classes for free and train in this beautiful studio that had become my refuge. Eventually, my manager and mentor, Iris, encouraged me to train as a teacher for the studio. Now I work both at the front desk and teach classes every week. I have completely fallen in love with pole and the community that has grown over the past 3 years at Pole + Dance.

Knowing what I know now from working in the industry and observing other instructors, I would have put more emphasis on cross training other skills alongside pole dancing. There are many different types of movement that are complimentary to pole dancing that I wish I had started sooner. Ironically, it wasn’t until a terrible car accident landed me on physical therapy that I really started to heal my body and break unhealthy movement patterns that had held me back as a dancer. I’m still learning and growing every day.

I try to be gentle with myself because I’ve been pole dancing for 3 years now and started from absolute “ground zero” in terms of skill strength, and experience. I did not start pole with an athletic background of any kind. In fact, I had been recovering from a traumatic illness that had nearly took my life. At 21 years old, a doctor diagnosed me with paraganglioma, an incredibly rare neuroendocrine disease, when he found a large tumor lodged between two major arteries in my neck. Thankfully, I survived, but the consequences of that disease were severe and had created extra physical barriers.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As a pole dance movement artist and instructor, I place a strong emphasis on fluidity and flow in my movement and teaching style. I teach beginner pole dancers how to do anything from climbing the pole, spinning, incorporating floor work – all from the ground up! Accessibility and creative expression are what drive me in my work as an instructor. My ethos is that everyone can pole dance. Pole dance is for every body, every gender, and every age. In my classes, I aim to cultivate an environment that encourages students to creatively express themselves, to build community with other dancers, and to uplift them to keep them continuing throughout their pole dancer journey.

In my personal movement practice, my style of dance emphasizes expressive shapes on spin pole, low flow, twirling swirling pirouettes, and lyrical pole movements.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding moment for me as a pole dance instructor is witnessing the blossom and bloom of my students. I love the “ah-ha” moments that spring up in learning new tricks and techniques. This art form and sport is incredibly, incredibly difficult, and can often deter students, especially those that don’t “see” themselves in this pole world. My goal is to encourage everyone who has the desire to pole dance to continue on their journey. It requires grit, patience, and a bit of bruising, but it is the most rewarding and beautiful thing I’ve ever set myself out to do.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Resilience is what carried me through this practice as a pole dancer. As a survivor of rare disease and a survivor of domestic violence, my body felt more like a burning house rather than a temple throughout much of my life. As someone living with chronic pain, I didn’t see exercise as an escape for that pain. In fact, it felt more like a self torture or just another tally to add to the list of things I failed at. When I found pole dancing, I was at a point in my life where I needed so badly to find a redemption arc for this body. In the midst of the pandemic, I was desperate to move my body and seek community. That was when I decided to finally take the leap and book a class at a local pole studio. Having been inspired by my circus and stripper friends, I had wanted to try pole dancing for many years but couldn’t bring myself to taking the leap. Until I finally jumped in. Despite some difficulties with learning pole and some unfortunate experiences with those who were not as supportive and encouraging of my movement journey, I persisted. I kept showing up, despite feeling like I didn’t belong. Despite feeling like I was making a fool out of myself. Despite the internalized misogyny and post-religious trauma that echoed shame in my bones. Despite all of this, I kept coming back for more. Over the past 3 years, I’ve helped cultivate a community built on the foundation of play, support, s*x positivity, and friendship at the Portland Pole + Dance studio. I’ve traveled the world, connecting with other studios and taking classes to continue my practice and meet other dancers. I love my life and at this point, I cannot imagine my life without pole dance. I’m forever grateful for the people in this community who put their faith in me and lifted me up to become a part of this incredible space.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Poleanddancestudios.com
• Instagram: Rae.Lavande

Image Credits

Iris Sparrow, Alloy Images