Why Pole Levels Are Both Meaningless and Magical

Let's start with my hot take: levels don't mean shit.

An experienced dancer can take the most basic beginner move and make it look absolutely stunning, and the way they're executing it is nothing like how a first-week student would. Meanwhile, someone doing "advanced" tricks can make the whole thing look like a mess. And pole dance isn't just tricks up the pole. It can be low flow, contemporary, spin, sensual, strength and everything in between. Dance is subjective, and once you get past the basic intro moves, your pole journey may not take a perfect linear progression. You might find yourself drawn to flexibility, flow, or something more grounded and fluid. There's really no perfect level guide for each direction your pole dance journey may take.

So why do levels exist at all? Honestly, they're kind of fun. They give our egos a little something to hold onto, they hand us goals to chase, and there's nothing quite like that rush when you move up a level and feel like you've earned it. That excitement never goes away. I've been teaching for years and I still love feeling like I’ve leveled up.

But here's my real reason for using them as a teacher: I want everyone in the room to have a good time and stay safe. I want to watch you get stronger every week. And I'm always thinking about where you specifically are, your strengths, your challenges, what you're working toward. Levels just help me do that in a structured manner.

Could I teach an intro student alongside an intermediate student in an all-levels class? Definitely, and I do from time to time. But there's a quiet discouragement that can creep in when a newer dancer watches someone more advanced doing things that feel impossibly out of reach. And sometimes that feeling flips into inspiration and someone goes home and tries a move their body just isn't ready for yet and gets injured. Not worth it! The more experienced dancer on the other end of that equation might not get the challenge or attention they need either, when the class has to slow way down to accommodate different levels.

But when students are working on the same material, the vibe just feels right. Anyone who's ever been to an aerial or pole class knows exactly what I'm talking about. Students support and cheer each other on because they're learning together. I still remember my first aerial class, hearing everyone scream in encouragement as I got a trick for the first time. It was honestly the first time I'd ever been in a room full of such genuinely supportive women. It was magical. And occasionally, not as teachers (leave that to me, please!), but occasionally a fellow student will describe a feeling or a cue in exactly the right words, and suddenly something clicks that my explanation never quite reached.

That's the real magic of levels. The connection you feel with your fellow classmates and the feeling of creating small goals and achieving them. So wherever you are in your journey right now, beginner, intermediate, or somewhere in between, you are doing amazing. You're NOT behind. Remember, levels don’t mean SHIT.