When you start your pole journey, you might not really know that there are multiple ways to practice this discipline. After a while, you think you've figured it out : you either do pole sport/fitness or pole dance. And then you try pole dancing in heels and realize that it's not just to be pretty it's actually kinda hard, and so different from poling bare foot!
Even more complicated, the heels category of pole dance includes many, MANY, sub-categories. Let me present to you a few of the more popular ones, in hope that it might help you discover your true calling in the heels department. This is not an exhaustive list, there are so many more options out there! But it can help you find your way through all the different names that you may read, as I only chose the more common ones.
Note : in some schools or competitions, you might see the term exotic used to describe pole dance in heels. Read my previous article here ( https://www.calmnesshotline.com/en/post/what-is-sensual-hard ) to understand why I don't encourage the usage of this word.
Sensual (or Flow)
Sensual flow calls on to your senses. It asks you to take things slow, to feel more than think. Sensual flow will often feature floorwork moves and leg or body waves. The poses will slowly work around the pole rather than on it.
Old School
It is no surprise that pole dance, especially in heels, originated from strippers. Old School is rooted in sensuality and femininity, in teasing and of course, stripping. It's all about learning how to bring the attention to your best attributes.
Plastique (or Strip Plastic)
Plastique is all about fluidity and musicality. You're looking for seamless transitions and smooth fluid movements with precise, straight lines. The music is normally slow and the dancer looks like they're melting around the pole and on the floor.
Edgework
Kind of disturbing at first, Edgework feels like it's breaking the rules : instead of using the pointe of your shoe (the toe-box), you use the edges of the platform and even the heel to slide on the floor. It can be very complex, because it needs precision in the ankle position and in the balancing of your weight.
Frame up Strip
In Frame up, you would see more dynamic and surprising moves. It includes unexpected changes of direction and faster transitions. The choreography is normally complex but also precise. It can be extravagant, with weird shapes and broken lines.
Contemporary
Inspired by contemporary dance in the "classique" dance world, Contemporary Pole can absolutely be practiced in heels! But I gotta be honest with you, nobody seems to agree on what contemporary means. It is often portrayed as weird and incomprehensible. But it can also be touching and recreate all kinds of feelings. You have to feel the music and let it guide you through movement.
Australian (or Classique)
Many consider the Australian style the first kind of pole dancing that happened as a hobby not just as a job in the clubs. Australian pole dancers are known for over-the-top performances, always pushing limits. Their goal is to wow the audiance and surpass everything that has ever been done - we're talking incredibly hard tricks and contorsion moves, but also amazing costumes and exuberant characters. Some even call it the Drag Show of Pole...
Sensual Hard
Hard is described as high energy, bad-bitch attitude. It includes faster movement and explosive tricks on a more up-beat music. You will often hear heel clacks and see drops, all to make sure to keep your attention on the dancer. It's an amazing confidence booster for anyone who tries it!
Koda
The Koda style took its name from Olga Koda, a Russian pole dancer who likely created a whole new style on her own. She creates crazy shapes and impressive new transitions and performs them in a very precise way. There is a sharpness in every details that is very hard to master.
@spinnyminnie doing moves considered 'Sensual Hard'
I hope this enlight you on some of the terms you might have seen here and there in your pole researches. What kind of heels dance are you the most curious to try?