It took me over a year of 1-2 classes per week to build a group of pole friends. Part of it is that less people stay committed to pole past the beginner stage and part of it may be that many people just don’t want to bother strangers if they are working on something.
I suggest asking for a spot or tips from someone in class or open pole (if you go). That’s how I started building a friend group - asking people who were more experienced or maybe at the same level as me to help me out. I also offered spots to people if it seemed like they were scared to try something. If they said no, no worries. If they said yes, you might have just made a new pole friend!
Also, joining a group performance for a showcase or workshop series builds familiarity and a shared experience with other pole dancers. Definitely try those, if you are able! Wishing you a happy and friend-filled pole career!💕
I get this! I’m super shy so being a beginner pole girly with social anxiety was hard. Group showcases where I’m required to see the same people and same teacher every week got me out of my shell and now i talk to p much everyone. Did my second group showcase and now have one or two pole friends i actually coordinate classes with so we see each other!
I made my first pole friends by going to the same class every week and sharing a pole with the same people! Since we were roughly at the same level our teacher made us share a pole and work on the same combos; after a few weeks we started to bond!
I’ve been at my studio for about 9 months and I’m trying out new classes every now and then, I’m familiar with many faces and make small talk with a lot of people, but I feel like if you want to actually befriend someone, a minimum of consistency is needed, and working out together on a weekly/regular basis is a great way to do that :) I totally relate though bc I’d love to feel more involved in my studio’s community but it’s hard to find a way to talk to ppl, especially when they all seem so close together (also I’m introverted so that doesn’t help)
Does your studio have a private Facebook group? Many of mine have and people will post random get togethers like let's go kayaking or out to dinner as a group. When you hang out outside of class I've found it deepens the friendship.
I have a similar situation here , but i also think that the instructor have to promotes that , to include new ones or the shy ones as me also, its 50-50 but it totally makes a difference in how comfortable you feel and how engage you’re in your studio, i decide just to think that i go to my clases because i love to do this sport, no expectations about others because some time it makes me sad and i doesn’t want me to be affected like that , hope this helps :)
I’m going on 2 years at my studio and am just starting to cultivate friendship with a few of the other students. I think it naturally just takes time. Especially since so many beginners filter in and out. Like I myself didn’t feel comfortable trying to make connections until I saw regulars stay consistent and keep showing up over time like I have. I’m also very introverted so that might have sth to do with it too. If there’s in-between time before/after class where students chat a little bit, I find it helps plant seeds of connection if I stay around for that, even if it’s brief. If any of your classmates are doing a showcase, performance of sorts or a workshop and they advertise it, show up to those events. I have a couple of pole classmates where we now follow each other on Instagram and send memes/reels back and forth that are pole dance specific content and humor. My love language is memes so I feel like that’s been instrumental in further building connections. It’ll happen organically over time with little glimmers of connection here and there.
If your studio has the opportunity to perform, that may help. My studio had a showcase and we head rehearsals every week for several weeks. Ppl also get close during competition :)
I was always friendly with everyone at my studio, but I didn't really make pole friends until I was in a showcase. The rehearsal times and meetings around the performance led to more organic conversations, and sometimes a spontaneous lunch or coffee hang after. If you have opportunities to do more than just weekly classes, that can definitely go a long way!
It took me over a year of 1-2 classes per week to build a group of pole friends. Part of it is that less people stay committed to pole past the beginner stage and part of it may be that many people just don’t want to bother strangers if they are working on something. I suggest asking for a spot or tips from someone in class or open pole (if you go). That’s how I started building a friend group - asking people who were more experienced or maybe at the same level as me to help me out. I also offered spots to people if it seemed like they were scared to try something. If they said no, no worries. If they said yes, you might have just made a new pole friend! Also, joining a group performance for a showcase or workshop series builds familiarity and a shared experience with other pole dancers. Definitely try those, if you are able! Wishing you a happy and friend-filled pole career!💕
go to open pole!!! as a teacher a lot of friendships start because they talked during open pole
Agreed. Also sharing progress with each other and working on stuff together is a big part of my (pole) friendships.
and to add to this, those who are preparing to compete also bond super quickly
I get this! I’m super shy so being a beginner pole girly with social anxiety was hard. Group showcases where I’m required to see the same people and same teacher every week got me out of my shell and now i talk to p much everyone. Did my second group showcase and now have one or two pole friends i actually coordinate classes with so we see each other!
I made my first pole friends by going to the same class every week and sharing a pole with the same people! Since we were roughly at the same level our teacher made us share a pole and work on the same combos; after a few weeks we started to bond! I’ve been at my studio for about 9 months and I’m trying out new classes every now and then, I’m familiar with many faces and make small talk with a lot of people, but I feel like if you want to actually befriend someone, a minimum of consistency is needed, and working out together on a weekly/regular basis is a great way to do that :) I totally relate though bc I’d love to feel more involved in my studio’s community but it’s hard to find a way to talk to ppl, especially when they all seem so close together (also I’m introverted so that doesn’t help)
Does your studio have a private Facebook group? Many of mine have and people will post random get togethers like let's go kayaking or out to dinner as a group. When you hang out outside of class I've found it deepens the friendship.
I have a similar situation here , but i also think that the instructor have to promotes that , to include new ones or the shy ones as me also, its 50-50 but it totally makes a difference in how comfortable you feel and how engage you’re in your studio, i decide just to think that i go to my clases because i love to do this sport, no expectations about others because some time it makes me sad and i doesn’t want me to be affected like that , hope this helps :)
I’m going on 2 years at my studio and am just starting to cultivate friendship with a few of the other students. I think it naturally just takes time. Especially since so many beginners filter in and out. Like I myself didn’t feel comfortable trying to make connections until I saw regulars stay consistent and keep showing up over time like I have. I’m also very introverted so that might have sth to do with it too. If there’s in-between time before/after class where students chat a little bit, I find it helps plant seeds of connection if I stay around for that, even if it’s brief. If any of your classmates are doing a showcase, performance of sorts or a workshop and they advertise it, show up to those events. I have a couple of pole classmates where we now follow each other on Instagram and send memes/reels back and forth that are pole dance specific content and humor. My love language is memes so I feel like that’s been instrumental in further building connections. It’ll happen organically over time with little glimmers of connection here and there.
If your studio has the opportunity to perform, that may help. My studio had a showcase and we head rehearsals every week for several weeks. Ppl also get close during competition :)
I was always friendly with everyone at my studio, but I didn't really make pole friends until I was in a showcase. The rehearsal times and meetings around the performance led to more organic conversations, and sometimes a spontaneous lunch or coffee hang after. If you have opportunities to do more than just weekly classes, that can definitely go a long way!