Adventures in Pole Dancing: Since When Did Buying Shoes Make Me Nervous?

The ironic thing about the pole dancing sport is that the standard shoes we wear (when we actually do wear shoes) are technically stripper shoes, despite the fact that the athletic pole community is trying to move away from the seedy association with The Player’s Club. However, in defense of stripper heels, they actually enhance certain moves and struts but it’s just an interesting observation that I made when I realized that buying shoes for pole actually made me blush.

I started poling in February and never had to use shoes until last month, when one of my most recent pole workshops was strictly dedicated to choreography. We did a lot of strutting and used feminine shapes that looked better in 6 inch heels so I finally went to purchase my first pair (pictured above). I also decided that since walking in normal high heels can be a bit of a challenge for me, I better start getting used to dancing in the super high heels if I want to start performing anytime soon (again, shoes aren’t always necessary but sometimes they are).

Buying shoes is usually always fun and mindless, meaning that I know what I like when I see it but that’s when I’m shopping in stores like Macy’s, Forever 21 or online for Jefferey Campbell goodies. Yet when I entered Pleasure Chest on West 4th street (luckily with a friend), I felt like a giggly school girl.

I was greeted by a friendly sales woman who asked how she could help and when I told her my request she showed me the vast array of heels available and I was fascinated. Some were lucite, some pleather, some lit up, some glowed in the dark, some glowed under black light, some even had spaces in the bottom where you could store money…O_O. I tried not to look like a beginner and I think it worked because she asked me, “Do you dance?” But not dance like a ballerina, she meant…dance.

“Do I d-dance?” I stammered so that I could stall and think of my response (which really shouldn’t have been that hard but it was). “Not professionally” I replied.

She got it and showed me a pair of shoes appropriate for a beginner and that was that.

Lesson learned: I made much adieu about nothing. Anyone who works in a sex shop is most likely desensitized and has seen freakier things sold than some lucite heels so, next time I won’t make such a big deal about it.

Walking in progress.

Tags: Pole Dancing, Shockra Studio

Category: Health/Fitness, Reflections