One of my biggest challenges as a pole dancer is hyperhidrosis — I have excessively sweaty hands. In pole dance, you often rely a lot on the hands gripping the pole to support your body weight. If your hands are constantly sliding, it's quite exhausting and almost impossible to stay on the pole.
The physical challenge was one thing. What frustrated me more was the comments of some pole instructors. One said: "You just need to relaaaax, you will sweat less." She clearly had no idea about hyperhidrosis. Yes, being nervous can make me sweat more, but so can humidity, exercise, and random times of the day for no reason, even when I'm chilling in bed. Another instructor made fun of me when I spent a long time drying my hands in front of a fan. Some told me to "get over it" and pushed me to do an upside-down trick when my hands weren't ready.
As a result, I sweated even more and struggled to grip and climb the pole. Not to mention the few times I fell off the pole and landed on my face. I often felt inferior, not brave or strong enough. While many students can climb the pole after 3–4 classes, it took me 8 classes to finally get both feet off the floor. It was so hard not to compare myself when I was the only one struggling badly in every single class.
Then I met an instructor who completely transformed my pole experience. I took a class with @mariahazelpole and was given different tricks when my hands were too sweaty. She even gave me the spot closest to the fan so I could dry my hands more easily. It was the first time I felt so seen and cared for in pole — one of the most physically demanding dance forms. Her patience and understanding helped me progress much faster and even nail the trick I used to be scared of.
I got stronger and more confident after each session and increased my self-trust. Whenever my body felt overwhelmed, I would take a water break to calm down my nerves. I took as long as I needed to dry my hand, knowing that I won't be laughed at or given unsolicited advice about my hand situation.
Looking back, I realised this experience shaped me deeply as a teacher. I will never be able to see the physical limitations of every student just by looking from outside. I don't have a background in physiotherapy. Although I'm trying to educate myself on biomechanics and dancer anatomy, I'm not fully aware of various injuries and physical traumas a person might have.
Therefore, I can never assume everyone can do every challenging or complex move. I need to LISTEN and ADJUST my exercises/routines when a student shares their physical limitations. I'd check with students before class about their medical conditions, prepare a few variations of the same moves, and make space for them to listen to their own bodies. When I do cross-training, I always remind them to pause immediately if they feel major discomfort or any sharp/unusual pain. Progress means nothing if the body doesn't feel safe. Safety is always prioritised over perfection in my class.
I'm against forcing movements onto dancers because I've been there — as a nervous student with sweaty palms, tight hips, and low self-confidence. I know what it feels like when your body doesn't cooperate the way you want it to.