Words of wisdom from someone who is practically part of the Altitude furniture!

That's what happened when I started pole.

Back in 2015 I was having a pretty rough time. My closest friends had moved overseas, I was working a job that paid well but ultimately sucked the life out of me, and I just felt a little lost. I knew I needed something. I was sat on the couch one day, googling options - thinking, maybe I'll get into Burlesque? I loved a cabaret show, the costumes were gorgeous, but could I really get on stage and show off some of the more intimate parts of me? Hmm, maybe not. Continuing to scroll I came across Altitude Pole. And of course it just so happened that they were having a one off $10 trial class the very next day (thanks universe!). So I threw caution to the wind and booked it 😬🙈

Now the next big question was - what do I wear?! Other than a brief stint at hot yoga, I hadn't done any sort of exercise since high school! Off to The Warehouse I went. I managed to find a pair of tight grey shorts with a pink waistband on clearance for $5; they were at least 1-2 sizes too big for me but surely that'll mean they'll hide some of the parts of my body I wasn't comfortable with right? And $5 was about the maximum amount I was willing to spend on something that might only get used once so they'll just have to do. 

Off to the class I went. The main room of the studio was long and narrow, tall metal poles and flowing silks came down from the ceiling. Music was blaring and the vibe felt relaxed. That's when I met Karry. This excitable, energetic, athletic human was going to be running the class (little did I know she was actually the founder of Altitude and a complete and utter badass and very well known pole dancer!!). She had such a welcoming energy and the best part was she complimented me on my toe point; the young ballet dancer in me was quietly chuffed! I can't recall anything about the class other than going up to Karry at the end and asking how to sign up. 

I went home with bruises and sore muscles but I knew I'd found something that had been waiting for me my whole life 🩷

It's funny how there are signs to do something but we so easily ignore them. I remember when I was roughly around the age of 11 or 12, I lived at a property that had a veranda which was held up by a metal pole. I used to secretly dance around it all the time!! I also remember once I was at high school and catching the bus across town to go home, I would walk past a pole studio almost every day and think about how fun it would be. And yet it wasn't till I was 23 years old that I actually decided to try it! 🤦‍♀️ 

My first piece of advice: If there is something in your life niggling you to try out, let go of, or do differently - Listen to those thoughts and take action! 

Pole became my life. If I wasn't at work, I was at pole. When I say I was all in, I mean it! Just a mere two months after starting pole, I did my first photoshoot. I remember telling Alan, the photographer, that I was new and couldn't really do anything. Oh and also if he could not get my face in the photos, that would be great.. 😅😂 Clearly I hadn't quite found my confidence just yet! Getting the photos back though.. wow that was a game changer. Thank you Alan Bishop Photography, you gave me my first real boost of confidence and I'll never forget it 🩷

That leads to my next piece of advice - Take photos!! When you start pole you might feel awkward and incompetent, but giving yourself proof (in the form of photos and videos) that you're doing the thing is a great way to help boost your confidence and give yourself the motivation you need to keep at it 🩷

Alongside getting in front of the camera, within my first year of pole I had travelled to Auckland to watch a major pole dance competition and do workshops with world renown pole dancer Alethea Austin; pole danced on the beach with my new found Altitude family; signed up to compete OVERSEAS in a group pole dance competition AND performed and competed on a stage in front of 100 people on my own 🤯 Talk about a caterpillar to butterfly transformation! This girly had found her wings and was FLYING! 😍🦋

I had finally found my place in the world. From sitting on the couch feeling lost, to now taking every opportunity possible to fill my world with pole dancing. So when Karry offered me the chance to become an instructor, I was over the moon. 

Was I the best pole dancer in the room? No. Was I even a high level student? Also no. But did I have a drive and passion for pole like no other, hell yes. I started instructing at Altitude in August of 2016, a journey that would continue right through to August 2025. Being a part of someone else's pole journey is an honour. Watching people grow and have their own butterfly moments, sets my heart on fire. For many years I taught beginner pole classes and was there for so many first classes, first climbs and first inverts. But through my own pole journey, I started to step away from the big tricks and found a home in pole flow. Heels, hair flicks, body rolls, this was where I thrived. Turns out I was pretty good at making choreography too, so pole flow, heels flow and floor & basework classes became what I was known for. 

Words of wisdom: Your pole journey is yours and yours only. You don't need to follow the status quo. Do what makes you feel GOOD.

It didn't take long before I became even more involved with Altitude either. After essentially taking every opportunity to badger Karry about working for the studio - voluntary or not, in 2017 I gave up my well paying but soul sucking job to come on board with Altitude Central as their Client Care Manager. It was a part time job so I took a secondary job in retail to help cover my bills and make it work. Did everyone at my well paying job as well as my family think I was slightly crazy? Yes. But did I get to prove them all wrong? Hell yes 😎

Piece of advice: Listen to your gut. There is never a perfect time to do anything. Stop waiting for the perfect moment, stop taking advice from those around you and just tune in to you. Not everything will work out and that's okay, but you'll never know if you don't try. 

By the end of 2018 I was working full time for Altitude doing a range of different roles. I had no previous experience in anything like the work I was doing but that didn't matter. Growing and evolving in my career and as an individual became my new normal. 

Words of wisdom: Use the ol' Nike mantra and just do it! You don't need to know how, if it's something you want to do then go for it. You'll work out the how to along the way 🩷

Now in May 2026, my almost 11 year journey with Altitude has been nothing short of incredible. That's not to say there hasn't been some tough times - hello covid lockdown, recession, injuries and more...  😅🙈 But overall the person I've become, the people I have met and the experiences I've had are far beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I've performed and competed on stages across Aotearoa, I've been hired for performances outside of the pole world (a dream!) and have become such a fan of photoshoots I do one every year for no reason other than to satisfy my own ego! 😂 (it's okay to be a little self indulgent from time to time 😉)

Those that knew me in 2015 and still know me today can't believe how much I've grown. My confidence in who I am, my confidence in my body, the skills I have learnt and goals I have achieved, everything has sky rocketed. And I can say with 100% certainty, none of it would have happened if I hadn't got off that couch and booked that first class. 

And so with over 10 years and countless days/hours/weeks at the studio under my belt, here are my final pieces of advice 🩷

🩷 Slow and steady really does win the race. If there is one thing I could say to my baby poler self - slow down! 😂 Pole is exciting, and yes you will want to do all of the things all at once. But speaking from experience, both your brain and body will cope better if you just take the time to master the basics and enjoy every step of the journey. I know the FOMO to join every competition and show is real but I promise you, there will be more opportunities in future that you'll feel more ready for if you just take it slow. 

🩷 Actually train your non-dominant side!! It's so easy to favour the side that feels good, but trust me, you will be less injury prone, and a more well rounded pole dancer if you mix it up a bit. Take it from someone who is now over 10 years in going back to basics to strengthen that b side, it's worth feeling a little less coordinated every now and then for the longevity of your muscles! 🙈

🩷  You don't have to perform, compete or even learn that super hard pole move if you don't want to. Pole definitely has a bit of a standard roadmap: move through the levels, show off your skills on stage. But that's not the only way to do it. Your pole journey doesn't need to look like anyone else's. Take time to focus on the aspects you really love and hone in on those. You're also allowed to change your mind too - maybe right now you don't want to perform, maybe in future you will give it a go. Maybe right now you just want to do tricks, maybe in future you'll just do flow. You can go back and forth as much as you like, don't feel like you have to do anything - your journey is yours.

And finally, don't hold back. For anything or anyone. Who knows how long each of us have on this planet, don't waste it waiting for someone else to tell you what to do or make the change for you. The only person in charge of your life is you. Wear what you want to wear. Experience the things you love even if you have no one to go with. Try the things that make you curious even if you're feeling nervous. If you're where I was, feeling lost on a couch hoping that things will change, remember that you are the one that needs to take the first step. If you want things to change, you have to take action. Don't hold back. 

And if you haven't already, try pole dancing. Who knows, it might change your life 😉🩷

Final photo credit: Kristyna Wolf Photography 🩷

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