My Pole Family

I have heard that Armistead Maupin once said “there is your biological family and then there is your logical family.”  I lucked out and my biological family is part of my logical family. Today, however, I am going to talk about the non biological family, my pole family.

When I started pole dancing, I figured on a couple of things. One, I would be getting some exercise and probably shed a few pounds. I also know I would have some fun doing it. The biggest thing I got out of pole dancing, and unexpected, was the sense of family.

On the first time entering the pole studio, I was a little apprehensive. I was entering what I thought was the girl’s club house. That feeling went right out the door. I was immediately considered one of the girls and family bonding time had begun. I was just blown away by the instant support at was shown towards me over just the first few pole classes I had taken.  That sense of belonging just continued to grow from there.

 

(Ok, I have to interject here… As I am writing this blog about pole family, I am also dealing with my pole show I am doing February 1 for my AIDS LifeCycle fundraiser. They say family is there to help you out, well, Diana, one of the instructors from the studio I go to, just volunteered her stage pole for us to use at the show. This is what I am talking about! Ok, now back to your regularly planned blog.)

 

Now, this new family all belongs to the same studio. I did a pole show last year as a fundraiser and I cannot tell you how lucky and proud I was to be a part of this group. The performers volunteering their time and donating their tips, it was amazing! Then there is the learning. If someone thought of something that might help me progress in pole dancing, they let me know, even if I was not in one of their classes. And again, the support is amazing. I am not a great pole dancer but the way this group cheers you on, you can’t help but feel great about your performance. But like I said, this was my pole studio family. It wasn’t till I went to Pole Expo that I saw how big my whole Pole Family was.

Pole Expo was amazing for me! (Thanks to my hubby for paying for me to go! Love You!) I got to meet so many people. How can I describe it? It was like every person I met, regardless of what level they were at in pole dancing or how well they were know, I was on that same level, I was just as important.  It was like, ‘oh, you pole? Then you’re family’.  And the connections continue on, even after the expo was over. Most of it might be on FaceBook, but the communication continues. The notes of support, the comments of encouragement, all of it makes me feel like I belong.

Then there are even the people in pole that I have not met in person, but treat me like family. It makes me feel good and appreciated.

The last thing I’ll say about my pole family is you have all affected me one way or another. Because of you, I push myself harder and further. Not just in pole, but in all aspects of my life. I feel that I can’t fail; I have too many hands holding me up and pushing me higher. I can only imagine what this world would be like if more people were this accepting and giving and caring as my pole family.