15 Pole Dance Songs that Are *Sensual* But Not Overtly Sexual (2024)

Posted on by Cathy Vandewater

As an instructor, I’m a bit pickier with my music than I am when dancing on my own. While I love *vibes*, it’s hard to ignore demeaning lyrics in songs with great beats that I’d otherwise love to share with students. I don’t know, I just feel like I’m promoting substance abuse or devaluing/objectifying yourself when I play this music, and I don’t want students to associate pole with that kind of negativity.

So through very scientific means (starting a Pandora station for every song I remotely like to dance to), here are a few songs I’ve found that I love to play for student freestyle time. They’re sensual and vibey, but mostly low on sex or drugs references. (The nasty songs will have to be a separate post, ha).

Let me know if you’d dance to this, and share any suggestions or favorite songs below!

1. Like I Want You, Giveon

I love Giveon for groovy, vibey music that captures that has a kind of torch-song longing mood. Bonus points for smooth vocals and an excellent BPM.

2. Rewind, Ravyn Lanae

Slightly more upbeat, this song has whispery sweet, feminine vocals and in interesting beat with lots of details to create accent movements with.

3. I Want You Around, Snoh Aalegra

Clean and bright, this bass-heavy track would pair well with smooth, exotic-style flow.

4. Last Dance, Leisure

I LOVE Leisure for pole. This is one of my favorite songs. They have funk and disco-inspired beats with understated, indie-feeling vocals that allow for lots of variation in speed, tempo, and accent moments. Just, *chef’s kiss,* mellow perfection.

5. Ideal Woman, Celeste

This is a slow, gooey guitar-driven R&B song with lowkey feminist edge to it. Love it for a fierce, take-your-time freestyle that feels more about power and control than enticing anyone.

6. So Young, Portugal the Man

Indie vibes, syncopated beat, groovy vibes.

7. Best Mistake (Slowed Reverb Version), Ariana Grande

I love this song anyway, but slowed down, it’s soulful, sad, moody, and the perfect tempo.

8. Baby Powder, Jenevieve

This has the beat of nasty 90s R&B but with sweet vocals and high standards.

9. Come Gimme Love, King Sis

Upbeat and smooth, this song is flirty but PG.

10. My Love Mind All Mine, Mitski

Okay okay, you’ve heard this a million times on TikTok, but the mellow, melancholy vibe of this song and it’s short length make it perfect for a relaxed, easy-going closing freestyle.

11. Wicked Games (Clean), Kiana Lede

Slow, vibey, and angsty as hell, this song has lots of tempo-change and accent opportunities.

12. My Heart Bleeds, Rhye

Rhye makes really spare sounding music rife with sexual tension. Vibes!

13. Good Thing, Kehlani

Bombshell theme song! This one is upbeat, unapologetic, and would be great to choreograph to. Plus you can’t beat the message..

14. Be More, Stephen Sanchez

If you’re a fan of emotional, retro sounds, you might like Stephen Sanchez. It has the feel of 60s torch songs with a modern, restrained singing style.

15. All Over You, Leisure

I really like Leisure, okay?!

So that’s the list! What did you thing–would you or do you already dance to these? I have a few NSFW songs to share too, so that will have to be a follow up post.

See you in class!

-Cathy

Skeleton Key, Kenzie May; new life developments, etc.

Posted on by Cathy Vandewater

Hey guys!

Just wanted to apologize for going a bit dark lately. I’m a little short on time, but I guess I’d rather be dancing than writing about dancing! (While not actually dancing, haha).

I’ve just started my master’s degree (J school at Syracuse Newhouse, HOLLA), resumed rehearsals with the Fire Blossoms (Maki’s back from Japan, yay!), have been writing several pieces a month that embarrass my parents for Bustle, and am of course still working full time! I’ve also been trying to into the pole studio at least for my flexibility classes if nothing else, but honestly, I have not been on a pole for a while. I can’t even complain though because my lucky ass has a gym attached to my office with great classes around lunch time so I’ve been able to keep my conditioning up regardless of what I have going on after office hours. I guess I just need to worry about losing a few callouses and some grace when it comes to pole, haha.

I love being busy and I feel like I get a lot more done when I have a lot more to do–that’s a thing, right? But check back in with me in a month and I might be on the verge of a breakdown, we’ll have to see, haha.

Oh and also I have a boyfriend and I’ve tricked him into taking a flexibility class with me this week, muhahahahahahahahaha. #lifechanges.

What’s new with y’all?

Reflecting on a summer of poling (lightly)

Posted on by Cathy Vandewater

Hey bitches.

My mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday this year (tomorrow) and this is the list I gave her (from which she could pick an item or two):

-Ballet slippers

-OR just a package of black socks. Exactly the same thing, practically.

-An over the door pull up bar (like, self explanatory).

-Ear buds.

This is an accurate reflection of my interests this summer.

I signed up for “summer school” at Body and Pole, which, in hindsight, was a mistake.

For one thing, I didn’t calculate how many weekends I’d need to be out of town this summer–camping trip, wedding shower, wedding-wedding, special visit home to visit the Lil Stinker who looks like this now, CAN YOU STAND IT??

Julia
Julia 😀

My favorite classes–and frankly, the only ones I’m fit enough to do in a row–are all on weekends: ballet, flexibility, and poleography.

The classes available on weeknights are too early (5pm???? Body and Pole you need to calm down, you’re a half hour away and I get off work at 6), or too freaking advanced (we all remember my foray with “floor fusion”).

😐

The upside is, without feeling guilty about spending precious pole $$$ on flex classes, I did definitely did get super into flexibility this summer. And that is (sorry, I have to do it again), 100% due to the lovely teachings of Emily Sanderson, who was just made flexibility director/czar/empress/etc at Body and Pole. Coming back from that low back disc issue, I could weep tears of gratitude at the zero-pressure atmosphere she creates in her class. With her cues and notes on where things should feel “interesting” and plenty of modifications, I always know HOW to push a little harder if I want to, but I never, ever feel shamed into doing stuff that doesn’t feel right. I only wish this was true of all of my fitness classes. #SHADE.

Okay stopping gushing now, I also had a blast with Polegraphy–and omg, I discovered so much amazing music. Body and Pole had a studio-wide “Glass Animals” movement and now that’s my whole stretching playlist.

Here’s a sample of how sick this music is for pole (this is Emily from flex dancing to Gooey. BTW, COULD YOU JUST DIE at her fluidity???):

I could post a shitton of videos here, but, I just did a dump on instagram, so click the the link to the laptop-friendly version of all those. (Re: instagram: yes, I have one, yes I’m still intimidated by other dancers, and yes, I’ve decided to embrace mediocrity and put it out there. We need more examples of what “intermediate” looks like, or MARION CRAMPE WINS).

Huge ups to Tatiana, Kelly, and Irmingard of B&P for their beautiful choreo which was unfortunately butchered by my willing, yet not terribly able body. The struggle is real, but so is the progress!

What have y’all been up to?

Are you on insta? Can I follow you? I don’t know anyone. Come find me at @thespindiaries!

Now enjoy these pictures I took from”Movies with a View,” plus other miscellaneous summer picks. Movies with a View is basically free movies under the Brooklyn Bridge, and the night I took the pics we saw “Dr. Strangelove.” It was motherfucking hilarious. PROTECT YOUR PRECIOUS BODILY FLUIDS.

Oh, and after that, I’ve dropped a few choice yummy jams from Glass Animals. I HIGHLY recommend you use them as Pandora/Spotify inspiration, they’ll turn up some great pole music.

Glass Animals Songs I Like (presented without comment because this post is already hella long).

1. Gooey (the song Emily’s rocking above)

2. Black Mambo

3. Hazey (Click here to see a clip of some dope Tatiana choreo for this!)

4. Toes

5. Gooey Rework

I saved this one for last because we’re working on choreo for it in Kelly’s poleography class tonight–stay tuned!

XOXO

I’m 28 years old and I got my nose pierced.

Posted on by Cathy Vandewater

My beauty routine now involved wetting a q-tip and polishing the stone after I powder my face.

photo 2

It’s cute though, right?

I should note that I only got this because, on a trip to the mall to get my glasses adjusted (an appropriate activity for someone who is almost thirty), my little sister announced that we were making a pit stop to get her nose pierced. And she did (she’s 25… I protested a little, but hey, she’s an adult and it’s her face). The thing is… it looked so cute that I got mine done on the spot.

Spoiler alert: it does not feel like a “little pinch” to get your nose pierced.

It feels like a metal rod is being pushed through your cartilage, and it takes several excruciating seconds.

Nobody told me that it wouldn’t hurt, but, ya know, I figured I’m Pole Strong (TM) so it wouldn’t bother me. Lol yeah it hurt so bad.

Again, cute though, right? I was thinking that I would immediately regret it, but actually, I’m in love. It’s pretty (SPARKLES) but a little edgy, just like me. The edgy part anyway.

Okay okay, so here’s some obligatory Thanksgiving pictures of The Baby,  who now says the word “Cat” which I’ll go ahead and assume is an attempt at Cathy (IN YO FACE, “mama” and “dada”!)

Please note her exasperation with my sister’s posing as she waits for more yogurt to enter her face. This kid. Love her.

photo 3photo 5

…MOAR YOGURT.

Everybody have a good thanksgiving? Are we all getting appropriately, seasonally fat?

Here’s a song I just found and can’t wait to try on the pole, ps–acoustic version of Running, Jessie Ware. DAMN can this woman sing.