Who or what inspired you to start pole dancing?
I’m not sure that anyone or anything inspired me to start pole dancing. Back in college I was a gogo dancer at a bar that happened to have two poles, so during my down time I would play around on one of the poles and ended up really liking it.
How has pole dancing changed your life?
Pole dancing more than anything is a form of expression for me. So pole dancing has really been an outlet, an escape, where I can let go and be in the moment. Having that type of safe space for myself has changed my life completely.
Do you have any pole role models or people that influenced you in the pole community?
Yes, I definitely do. Isis Diamond for starters. I had the pleasure of training with her for a few months when I first started my pole journey & she was really the person that showed me how limitless pole dancers can be. Second I would say Nicole ThePole Williams. Back when the pour it up video was released I had never really seen pole dancing until then and I literally became obsessed with her artistry.
Do you have any background in dance or was pole dancing your first foray?
I have prior dance/cheer training. I danced for a dance company back in high school as well as my high schools dance team. I also cheered collegiately for FIU & competitively with Top Gun All Stars.
Do you feel like there is an actual career for black men in pole dancing?
I believe that possibilities are endless. I think that someone who is passionate about their craft can most definitely make a career out of pole dancing. As we continue to showcase our talents as black men and show the world that there are talented men who are pole artists, I really believe that will continue to break boundaries and create opportunities for black men in all spaces.
What has been your biggest struggle so far being a black man in the pole community?
I personally can’t say I’ve had a struggle to be honest, I’ve always really had people around who have supported my artistry and encouraged me to create and dance. Outside of that I can say that as a black man working in nightlife, I do feel that I ran into a lot of establishments that didn’t hire me because I was black. I think in sex work in general can be very colorist and racist, so I definitely dealt with that sometimes.
Did you ever feel the need to hide being a pole dancer or have you ever felt ashamed?
Not at all, I just really feel like pole dancing is such an amazing art form and the fact that I am able to use my body in crazy ways with a spinning piece of metal is so sick to me. So I feel like if anyone isn’t into what I’m creating they are haters lol.
Do you think people made assumptions about you once you made your pole dancing journey public? If so, what assumptions were made, how has that affected you and how have you dealt with it?
Luckily I’ve always been the type of person to do what ever I wanted to so I never thought too much about that. I figured that people would assume I was a stripper (which I was lol) and I didn’t mind quite honestly because that was my truth at one point in time.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
I’m so bad with time and the future but I’d like to believe that in the next 5 years I’ll be operating at a higher frequency than I am currently which would mean more blessings and opportunities. Thats all I can ask for.
Do you have any upcoming projects, classes/workshops, or performances coming up that you’d like to share?
Aside from launching all of my virtual programs like patreon, I’m just busy creating content and challenging myself to learn more about my craft.
What would you like to see more of in the pole community?
Honestly I’ve been so pleased with everything I’ve been seeing, I love that there are so many different communities within pole where people have safe spaces to be themselves amongst like minded people. I think that’s one of the most beautiful things we can have.
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