The Ultimate Quarantine Pole Video Playlist: Part 1
Fam, how are we holding up right now? Are we safe? Are we keeping our sanity? Are we continuing the deep, lengthy discussions about how ridiculous Tiger King is? 😂
If you’re running out of things to watch on Netflix and Hulu, we are here to save the day! We have created the ultimate pole video playlist for all of your quarantine needs. Essentially, this is a compilation of some of our favorite pole performances from multiple different genres that you may or may not have come across going down the rabbit hole of YouTube. Because our list is extensive, and we’re not quite sure when this quarantine will be over, we’re releasing this as a three-part series. We hope you enjoy!
Part One:
Jenyne Butterfly- “Dog Days Are Over” at Pole Convention 2011
Let’s throw it ALL the way back to a CLASSIC performance that is likely responsible for many of your instructors wanting to take their first class. Jenyne is an OG to this industry and, most notably, is responsible for creating and performing the Dirty Diana act that was part of the Michael Jackson ONE Cirque du Soleil show.
Bendy Kate - IPC 2015
If you haven’t heard of the International Pole Championships (IPC), this competition is essentially the Super Bowl or World Cup of pole. It’s nothing but elite polers, the best of the absolute best, and it’s held every 2-ish years. The 2015 competition was absolutely AMAZING (and equally controversial), and this won’t be the only video we feature from that year. Check out Bendy Kate’s award winning performance and see exactly why she’s earned that moniker.
Dalijah Franklin - 2015 US Aerial Championships
Listen. 2015 was just a great year in pole dancing, okay. So, excuse us if we’re reliving the glory years, but knowing your history is important, right?! Dalijah Franklin, a pole instructor at the world-famous Body & Pole in NYC, is the founder of Black Girls Pole, an important movement in the pole community to diversify by giving a platform to women of color and introducing the community to faces they may not know. Here is her performance that earned her the title of 2015 Women’s US Aerial Champion.
Emily Moskalenko - Ukraine’s Next Star
Okay y’all, let’s talk about these little kids that are putting us to SHAME! Emily Moskalenko started pole when she was just 6 years old. SIX! In this audition video for Ukraine’s Next Star (similar to America’s Got Talent), Emily is just 8 years old and doing things that some of us will never achieve in our lifetime. We go through equal waves of being shocked, amazed, mad, excited, and jealous while watching this 😂
Nadia Sharif - Miss Pole Dance America 2016
Harley Quinn is quite the popular theme for pole performances, but listen— if it doesn’t look like THIS, you might want to give it up sis. Nadia shut this DOWN! Not to mention, she did this whole performance in 10 inch heels. I mean, come on! We hope Miss Pole Dance America makes a return soon; it was an EPIC competition that felt more like a unique concert of sorts than it did an actual competition.
Cleo The Hurricane - Miss Pole Dance Australia 2014
Cleo is a household name for many pole dancers, as many of you know her from her massively popular online tutorials, Cleo’s Rock N Pole, and her pole wear brand of the same name. But a lot of you may not be familiar with Cleo, the dancer and athlete! She has definitely earned her badges of honor in this industry as a pioneer and innovator and helping bring Aussie-style pole dancing to the US. This performance won her the title of Miss Pole Dance Australia in 2014, which she previously also won in 2012. Spoiler alert: there’s a flamethrower!
Heidi Coker - IPC 2015
Let’s head back to IPC 2015 for a bit and talk about Heidi Coker’s routine. If you don’t know, Heidi Coker is actually a Georgia poler, residing in Marietta, GA! She is constantly innovating her movement and showing the world brand new tricks and sequences that have yet to be seen, which is precisely why this piece was a bit controversial. Shortly after the winners were announced, the community was a little up in arms about why this wasn’t the winning piece. Surprisingly enough, the winner herself (Oona Kivela) made a public post expressing the same sentiment. What mattered most, though, was that this performance was being circulated everywhere and really put Heidi on the map as one of the greatest. You’ll definitely want to watch this to the very end. It’s INSANE!
Oona Kivela - Pole Expo Pole Classic 2019
Speaking of Oona, here she is! Another OG and innovator to the sport, Oona has won countless championships and world titles. She’s also a world street workout champion, and infuses this type of movement throughout her transitional sequences and floorwork. There are TONS of videos we could share (this one is a close second), but we’ll go with her most recent win at last year’s Pole Expo Pole Classic for now. Hello MUSICALITY!
Sergia Louse Anderson - 2013 USNPC (Pole Sport Organization)
Pole Sport Organization held their first series of competitions in 2013, culminating with the US National Pole Championships that brought together the best of the best from each of the (at the time) four regions. Sergia Louise, founder and owner of The Vertitude in California, was the very first PSO National Champion! We love how she brings to life this character in her winning piece.
Amy Hazel - Miss Pole Dance Australia 2017
If you’ve ever wondered what an exotic My Little Pony pole routine would look like, look no further! Amy Hazel, another Australian powerhouse, ended up winning Miss Pole Dance Australia the following year with a stunning Moulin Rouge performance, but we couldn’t help but be completely enamored with the concept she had in 2017. It was sexy, it was tricky, it was stunning, and it was absolutely entertaining.
Pink Puma & Dimitry Politov - IPC 2018
Let’s do a little doubles action, shall we? Doubles pole acts are always so mesmerizing to watch because it opens you to a whole new world of tricks and combos that you probably never imagined. Just when you think the intricate combos aren’t enough, we see an act like this: two people performing incredible pole feats while SHARING. A. CIGARETTE. Yes, you read that correctly! See for yourself!
Bentley Rebel: PSO Northeast Pole Championships
Bentley Rebel is the perfect fusion of exotic, sensual movement and power pole all in one. Professional male polers are a small demographic, but black male polers are even smaller, so it’s important to see people like him in these spaces. When he performs, he finds a way to suck you in, keep you there, and never let you go until he stops moving. We’re convinced it’s magic.