Emma: I started dancing at the age of 3 and am still dancing now! It was my love of dance that lead me into the Fitness Industry where I have been a professional for 10 years, teaching an endless list of classes ranging from Hula and Pole Dancing, through to Body Pump and Spin. I hold a National Diploma in Performing, an A-Level in Dance and as a qualified City & Guilds teacher, I also teach other fitness trainers to develop their teaching techniques in various classes.
Having been one of the people who kick started the Pole Fitness craze, I have noticed a huge change in the way people now view pole dancing compared to how they thought of it 5 or 6 years ago, it is now regarded as a skill that requires strength, grace and creativity rather than as something that goes on in seedy clubs. I hope that my message of 'fun and fitness for women' has played a part in helping to shed the seedy strip club image and turn into it a respectable form of dance that is full of complex choreography and gymnastic moves.
Having taught pole fitness for over 6 years I still thoroughly enjoy taking classes, the thing I love most about pole dancing is helping people acheive their fitness goals physically and mentally. I am always so pleased when I see how the classes improve the ladies confidence and fitness, it's also great to see how pleased they are as they notice the improvement in tone and definition of their bodies. It's really nice to teach a class that makes such a difference to the women who attend it in so many ways! I really do believe that pole dancing can help all women to improve their confidence and fitness, whatever their age, size or dance ability.
Charlotte: I’m Charlotte and by day I work as an Orthoptist, a specialist in children’s visual development and adult double vision, but by night you will find me teaching pole dancing for Pussycat Poles or working on new pole moves.
I got into pole dancing through a friend who invited me along to one of Emma’s classes and I was instantly hooked. I have always been drawn to the more unusual sports, throughout my teenage years I spent hours in the pool training as a synchronised swimmer and at university I dabbled with rock climbing. Now I’ve discovered the aerial hoop and I want to master that too, luckily it really compliments pole dance.
I love the physical challenge of pole dancing and have found this is the only form of exercise I can stick at as there is always a new move to be discovered as this is an evolving sport.
Safina: Hi I'm Safina, I first discovered pole dancing a few years ago for a friends 21st birthday. We wanted to try something new and exciting that none of us had ever done before. I had no idea how much fun an hour pole dancing with friends would be, it was not only a memorable birthday but it also completely changed fitness for me.
After finding Emma's pole school I became completely addicted, for me pole is something that not only gave me a good fitness level and transformed my body but also gave me confidence in myself and my ability to try new and exciting things I never would have before.
I have never been able to stick at any particular kind of sport or going to the gym before, it just bored me after a month. Pole dancing is the only fitness class that I have stuck with and cannot get enough of! Teaching pole dancing is a great way for me to pass on my passion and hopefully transform someone elses life the way pole dancing changed mine.
Laura: I have always loved anything fitness and dance related and in 1999, I decided to take the fitness a little more seriously and qualified as a fitness instructor.
I have been successfully and very happily teaching and presenting fitness and dance fitness classes since qualifying. I do this predominantly in my local area teaching Freestyle Aerobics, Freestyle Step, Combat, Pump, Spin, Dance and Burlesque, but I have also representing the UK on the International Fitness Presenter circuit.
I am usually so busy teaching that I don’t get the opportunity to try something just for myself, but I made an exception for Emma’s Pussycat Poles courses back in 2008 and loved every minute. Trying something new and different, which is not just about conditioning, fitness and core stability, but also about doing something which incorporates simple dance moves and allows you to express yours femininity and sensuality, was a revelation for me and has inspired me in many ways. So when Emma asked if I would like to teach for her, I jumped at the chance and I haven’t looked back since.
Christina: Hi I'm Christina and I'm a full time mum! I have always been in to keeping fit but lost my self confidence when I had a baby and never thought I would lose the baby weight.
I tried all sorts of ways to keep fit but found I could not stick to any of them, so when I found Emma at Pussycat Poles I decided to give it a go! I Was hooked straight away and with a little hard work it paid off!
I am feeling great about my body now and looking good too! So now you can find me teaching pole dancing to help others feel and look good as well. I would say it's the next best thing to a keep fit class, so to all you mums out there - You can find yourself again!
Marie: Hi I’m Marie. I first tried pole dancing as an attempt to boost my self-confidence whilst having some fun at the same time. I came away from my first class having achieved both of these plus a love for the world of pole dancing.
I work full-time and didn’t think I could workout regularly. When I did make the time it felt like a chore; the truth was I never found any form of workout that didn’t bore me after a few sessions. With pole dancing there are always new tricks and spins to crack each week which made me want to learn more and more. I am still learning now.
I decided I wanted to teach to share my passion with other ladies and show them they too can learn something so fantastic whilst still having a great workout that enables toning and weight loss, not to forget the opportunity to seriously impress their friends! The classes are fun and great for meeting new people. So my advice is, give it ago you will love it!
Vicky: Hi I'm Vicki and I've been attending various dance classes since I was 3 and at 18 I qualified as a dance teacher with the NATD, teaching ballet, tap and modern to children and young adults. However In 2008 music and dance was replaced with nappies and bottles after the birth of my daughter and all fitness fell by the wayside.
In January 2010 I thought it was about time I joined a fitness class to meet new people and tone up the baby weight. I Googled various courses, found the pussycat poles website and registered for a beginners class.
From my first lesson I was hooked, the girls were lovely and I had the time of my life. I'm still taking classes now and love learning new moves, choreographing routines and sharing my skills with others!
Lauren: I have been pole dancing now for 2 years and I have loved every single minute of it! My best friend was desperate to give it a go after meeting Emma at LA Fitness in Tunbridge Wells so she decided she needed a partner in crime and that was where I got dragged in. I was so nervous starting off! My dance career had never really taken off as a child (much to my Mums' dismay) ballet classes managed to last a whole year when I was just 4 and I quit that because I was rubbish - even she had to admit that! So I wasn't exactly convinced that I would be much of a natural. But I loved it and took to it straight away!
One of my favourite things about Pole Dancing is that you don't have to be a natural dancer, dancing may be in the title but it is only half of the exercise the other half all relies on your strength. I took P.E. As Level and have always been very active and sporty but most of the sports I competed in were team games such as netball, hockey and football I never quite conquered gymnastics, dance and trampolining like the other girls! However, from doing all my rough and tumble sports I became relatively strong and have that to thank for my upper body strength. It also goes to show that u don't have to be a girly girl to be a Pole Dancer.
When Emma asked me to assist her in Tunbridge Wells and then go on to teach my own class in Sevenoaks I was sooo exited!! I had such a good time at my pole lessons I couldn't wait to show others how great it was. I wanted other girls to go home after a pole lesson and bore their partners with how brilliant their new move was and show off their badge of honour bruises (in all the right places) to prove that they had nailed it too! Also I wanted them to see the same improvements in their strength and body tone that I had seen in mine, with better results than any personal trainer had ever managed to show me. Pole dancing is fantastic for your body and there have been times in class when I have never laughed harder with my friends so it can't be all that bad for your mind either! It's definitely the most fun I have ever had working out! :)