Student Voices

I started taking pole dancing lessons because I heard it was a good full-body exercise and I wanted to be stronger. It’s refreshing to feel the body parts I never knew existed being stretched. The more you practice the better you get which motivates me and it has empowered my life.

To complete a dance all the way through one song brings such satisfaction. I can’t even describe this incredible feeling. Those who like to express themselves will absolutely love it and even the skeptics will be inspired for sure.

I wanted to start taking dance lessons where I can also exercise. I came across Instructor Lu’s show on Youtube which took my breath away.

When I first started I was stunned how much muscle movements were involved all over my body. Soon I was addicted to the sense of achievement in performing new moves. It is unbelievable how much it has transformed my body and how much muscle I have now!

As a 40 something woman, I am quite happy with the progress I have been making on my “fight against the flab”. No matter how old you are, it’s never too late to start. Your body will change gradually and it will make you feel good about yourself. It’s really fun!

Chikako has since joined Pole Dance Tokyo as one of our receptionists!

I signed up because I wanted to find a way to enjoy my body.
I was lucky to have met such amazing instructors and great friends. After less than one year, I can now pull off these slinky moves I had always dreamed of. It has helped me peel away years of awkwardness and insecurity about my body which now brings me joy and truly makes me happy!

I enjoy pole class since I need to focus both body and mind, and cannot think about work while I’m there. Teachers and students are friendly and easy going, which gives the studio a nice and motivating atmosphere. You do not need to be super skilled to enjoy, and can learn at your own pace, just for fun.

Burlesque classes are great for bringing out girls inner beauty! Basically we choreograph one song throughout each month. We learn how to express ourselves using chairs and other items that we don’t normally use and how they actually look on the stage. The instructors are very knowledgeable – they help us every step of the way.

It’s not just “sexy” which is the preconceived notion most people have about Burlesque. We dance to a variety of music and they bring all kinds of colors. I had some health concerns at first but because it requires a lot more muscle than I had imagined, I stretch everyday to stay in shape and it helps me become much more health conscious than ever.

You only live once! Why don’t you experience the thrill of Burlesque as a performer?
The instructors are friendly and very encouraging!! Taking up the Burlesque class is like killing two birds with one stone – it’s exciting AND good workout! You will find a whole new you!

The reason I began taking Burlesque lessons is, I wanted to overcome my phobia of dancing so I could enjoy pole dancing more, which I’ve been doing as exercise.

At first, it was just a challenge to overcome something I felt inferior at, but
soon enough, dancing in cute & sexy costumes started to appeal to me. I’m also hoping that by continuing with lessons, my femininity will be enhanced (LOL).

I initially began the pole dancing classes which got me interested in Aerial Tissu.

Being able to make various poses and show tricks with a single piece of cloth… Wow. I am hooked! It helps me get into shape and encourages me to be aware of my posture and what makes me look good. It may be challenging at first but getting over those hurdles after a while feels so great and makes me proud of myself! Trust me – you really should try.

Having seen aerial tissu at Cirque du Soleil, when the classes first started in January 2010, I really wanted to try it out. I found it quite difficult to begin with as aerial tissu requires a lot of upper body strength. However, the good thing about tissu is that even from the first class, I was able to make some really cool moves and I found that week by week I got stronger and really enjoyed the sense of achievement that comes with being able to do new and more complex moves including drops.

So if you try the class and find it hard work to start with, I really recommend that you keep trying and, in just a few weeks, you will be amazed at what you can do! Aerial tissu is a fantastic work out and even if you don’t want to become a performer, it’s great for building up strength, toning up and flexibility.

The class instructors are all great and the other students are really friendly. I like that we all help each other out when we learn new moves as it can be hard to remember them and sometimes we need to help untangle each other from the tissu!

Aerial tissu class has made me fitter, stronger and is one of my favourite parts of the week and I can’t wait to learn more!

I had wanted to try aerial hoop for a while in Australia after seeing a video of one of my favourite pole dancers do it. That’s why I was so happy when I found out that Pole Dance Tokyo offered aerial hoop classes, and that I would be able to try it once I moved to Tokyo.

I was hooked after the first lesson! I love that there are so many beautiful shapes that the body can make in and around the hoop, and since there is nothing connecting you to the ground, you get to experience the wonderful feeling of truly dancing in the air. At times you will get bruises, and at times you may get dizzy, but it is definitely worth giving it a go!!