Sexy, inspiring and surprisingly comedic, Stirling Uni Pole Fitness held their second ever Showcase on April 9 at the Macrobert, fundraising for Scottish Women’s Aid, a domestic abuse charity. There were nine dances overall, with a few talks and stand-up bits peppered in-between, and the audience adored every minute of it.
Starting the night on a high was Hagi’s routine, where the head-to-toe teal body paint was merely the first surprise they had in to store for us. What followed was a Phineas and Ferb themed routine, with Hagi starring as Perry the Platypus and Martin, a host of the show and fellow performer, playing the nemesis, Dr Doofenshmirtz. What followed was a comedic yet undeniably fantastic routine, portraying a sub-dom relationship- with the platypus as the dom. All was excellent: the narrative, the pole skills, and dance skill.
From here, the night just kept getting better.
Teigan, the president of Pole, and Britney then teamed up for a High School Musical inspired routine. Dancing to Breaking Free, the audience sang along and clapped at all the twists and tricks, fully on-board with the queer interpretation of the Disney classic told through pole.
The Fairy Godmother took to the stage next, and the crowd somehow got even wilder. I Need a Hero was not only a brilliant song choice, but the dance itself, performed by Laura, was technically brilliant, captivating, and an all-round pleasure to watch.
President Teigan then returned for their second of four dances, this time performing a power-house routine to Tia Tamera by Doja Cat. Sexy and enchanting, Teigan’s performance was wonderfully executed and worthy of the roaring applause it received.
My Body is a Cage introduced a more serious tone to the evening. Already, the hosts had highlighted the complex and important history of pole, but this dance highlighted the emotional and personal aspect of the sport. It was beautiful to watch, and Ruby done the story justice with her skills.
Heating things up again, co-host Duncan came on stage to strut his stuff to Hit Me Baby One More Time- The Jack Black cover. His confidence and enjoyment shone through the performance, and he was undoubtedly a highlight of the night. The sheer enjoyment he has for pole and the enjoyment felt by the audience watching made for a great dance.
Sparkling just as much as Duncan was Ghostface – also known as Laura – wearing a fantastically and intensely bedazzled mask. Teigan, back for her third dance, was the murder victim. The competition-winning dance was a treat for the audience to behold. The narrative was enthralling, the dance beautifully complex and the special effects phenomenal.
All American Bitch, performed by Tesla, was another dance that proved how talented the gang at Pole are. Confident, charismatic, and captivating, Tesla’s dance was the cherry on top of the evening’s performances.
To round things off, the ensemble did a dance to karaoke classic Tequila. It was a lovely send-off to the night, showing some of the skill of the club and all of the heart.
Pole Fitness embraces all genders, abilities, and experience levels. Everyone who spoke during the show said how Pole had welcomed them and made them feel at home, and that was the sensation felt by the audience too. The performers were at confident in their bodies and on stage. After the night I had, the next showcase will be put in my diary the moment it is announced.
Featured Image Credit: Tighe Wylie-Freegard. Instagram @wylie.kyoti
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