[Noor Farhan | Channel News Asia]

“I’ve also noticed quite a bit of difference in terms of confidence level, as I feel more confident about myself now.”

For freelance writer Wayne Rée, his love affair with pole dancing began five months ago when he was persuaded by friends to try a session at Milan Pole Dancing Studio.

Trial sessions soon became regular ones, as he discovered that pole dancing can be an enjoyable way to keep fit. “It actually started because my friend was doing pole,” said the 35-year-old. “She was having lots of fun and asked a few of us to join her for a few lessons.”

There was no turning back for Rée, who has turned his vague interest into a full-on hobby. “There was a trial period then for Milan, where there was like three lessons in one week. So I thought: ‘Okay, I’ll just try the three lessons and tell people that I’ve tried pole dancing.’

“That was five months ago, and I soon found myself coming back every month.”

A key barrier that he needed to overcome in his pursuit of this fitness activity was psychological rather than physical, because pole dancing is often seen as only for women.

Even now, many months after he started getting involved, he has concerns about how his hobby will be perceived, and had to think long and hard about whether to be interviewed about it: “I know there will be a lot of people, including friends or family who would laugh or make jokes and it will be annoying, because pole to me is a form of exercise and a sport and I don’t see why it should be given a certain stigma to it.”

It’s the physical benefit which keeps him coming back: “What’s rewarding for me is that I’m now way fitter than I’ve ever been in a long time, and I can get even fitter.

“I’ve also noticed quite a bit of difference in terms of confidence level, as I feel more confident about myself now.”

Some of his friends have asked if he has taken up pole fitness as a way of getting to know more women. “I’ve actually been asked this a lot of times, where people would ask: ‘Won’t you be distracted by all the hot girls in class?’ And my usual response would be: ‘Man, if you’re taking the class seriously you’d be way too tired to be distracted by anything.’ When you’re in class, you’d be too focused to think about anything else.”
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