Women's Day 2025: Pallavi Dhote on breaking barriers with her pole dancing skills
It has been seven years that Pallavi Dhote started pursuing pole dancing, and four years to have started teaching the craft to her students. Owning the first-of-its-kind pole studio in Taltala, Pallavi remembers witnessing women from all walks of life break free from societal norms and expectations, embracing their sensuality, strength, and beauty through the dance form. Here are excerpts from our chat:
What made you take up pole dancing?
Dance is an integral part of my life. While I’ve tried and loved different dance forms, pole was always something that stood out. When I first tried pole dancing, it helped me feel beautiful and confident about myself. I felt uplifted, free and deeply in touch with my feminine essence. That is when I knew I had found the dance form for myself.
You practice a dance form that is often criticised. Do you have a supportive family?
I think I’ve seen a massive shift in how India is now perceiving pole dancing. People do have preconceived notions that only fit, thin, women should pole – I’ve been using the power of social media to bust these myths so that more people come forward to give this a try and experience a journey to their own inner freedom.
I’ve had a very supportive family and that helped overcome the biggest challenge of looking at this form of dance as taboo.
You have set up the first pole dancing studio in the city. What is the response like?
Kolkata has been surprising me and how! The city women (and a few men) are quite open and ready to embrace this form. For many, it’s a form of fitness that is also very fun with the additional dancing. Pole is an inclusive dance form and is for everybody irrespective of weight, age, height or gender.
What do you think is the future of the art form?
I believe, as more people, especially women, experience the mental, physical and spiritual benefits of this form, the more it will grow. There is something profoundly liberating, to have a safe space dedicated to let the feminine, as well as the inner child within us, thrive. Pole studios in India and around the world, are such a space.
How do you always make sure that you're top of your game, since pole dancing needs a lot of core and arm strength?
I do have a very strict fitness regime, which involves strength training, flexibility, as well a high-protein diet. Along with this, I ensure I study the theory about body mechanics. As a pole instructor, we must be prepared for every student's unique needs. Not everyone in the same class will be at the same level in terms of their pace of learning, bodily readiness or mental readiness.