Pole Dance Move Dictionary

Welcome to the PolePedia Pole Dance Move Dictionary!

In this section of the website, you can browse a variety of pole dance moves and tricks based on classification or skill level.

Want to browse all pole dance spins? Select “spin” from the menu below. Want to see all beginner-level pole tricks? Select “beginner” from the menu.

It’s really as easy as that.

You can also search for your favorite moves in the search bar below. We are always improving and adding to our move dictionary, and that includes alternative move names – so if you don’t see something you’re looking for, please let us know!

Much love, and happy poling, from the PolePedia team!

Helpful Related Links: Points of Contact Explained | Learning the Push-Pull Method

 

Introductory Pole Dance Moves

Introductory pole dance moves include everything you need to know to practice safe pole dancing movements and motions. Building your own mental knowledge base is essential for training safely, whether you are practicing in a studio, club, or at home. In this section, you’ll find various hand grips, safety information, and more tricks to help you build your pole education base.

Beginner Pole Dance Moves

In the section about beginner pole dance moves, you’ll find moves that you would typically start with in a studio. Here, you’ll find a variety of pole tricks and floorwork moves; spins, slides, legwork, climbs – everything you need for a solid foundation moving into intermediate pole dance moves.

Intermediate Pole Tricks

Now that you’ve mastered the beginner moves and you’ve built up enough strength to start practicing intermediate pole tricks, it’s time that we get a little more complex with our movements. If you’re not certain whether you’re capable of doing a move, don’t worry – each move will have a list of pre-requisite moves, motions, or grips that you need to be comfortable with first.

Advanced Pole Tricks

Advanced pole tricks are for the pole dancer who has aced the intermediate moves. You feel strong and confident in several keystone intermediate pole tricks, and beginner pole moves are a walk in the park. This is the next level up from intermediate, with fewer points of contact and more audience-wowing feats.

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Browse All Pole Dance Moves Below

IntermediateFloorwork

Windmill, Pole Assisted

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The Windmill is a dynamic and flashy floorwork move that makes for a great centerpiece in any routine. By stringing together several basic movements, this move becomes a semi-complex intermediate move that requires mild flexibility and coordination. By practicing individual small movements, it becomes a showy fluid motion that will really make an impact in the routine. This movement may be complex to look at, but it is fun to chain together with other leg circles, waves, and pop-ups.

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IntroductoryFloorwork

Knee Bridge

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The Knee Bridge is a beautiful and dramatic floor move that highlights clean lines and helps you slow down the pacing of your choreography. It’s important to keep your muscles engaged with this move, as it will help you extend your lines. This move can be done either with or without heels.

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BeginnerFloorwork

Heel Clacks

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These Heel Clacks are the quintessential technique to making lots of noise in your floorwork routine. After all, if you’re sporting heels, then it only makes sense to show it off and incorporate it into the choreography. Fun and simple, these are perfect for just about any style that includes heels.

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IntroductoryFloorwork

Speedbumps

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These Speed Bumps are a cheeky, fun shape to make on the floor. It is easy to play around with this basic shape and create something unique with it. Time these booty bumps to your music or use it to emphasize sections of your routine. While this move looks best with heels, it can also be done barefoot.

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Intermediate Trick

Scissor Sit

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The Scissor Sit is a unique pole pose that relies on the opening of the legs after reaching the standard pole sit position. This unique sit is an excellent way to pull together a new shape in your latest routine.

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Intermediate Grip

Forearm Grip Shelf

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The Forearm Grip Shelf is crucial in many inverted moves, from layback flips to brass monkey, to forearm grip Ayesha and beyond. Most common in inverted moves, it can provide a nice fulcrum for your body, just like anchor grip can in a climb. In other moves, like Janeiro, this top arm can serve well as a shelf to balance your bodyweight. The bottom arm takes a lesson from Split Grip, where the pointer finger should be pointed and only slightly wrapped around the pole to provide the best wrist alignment.

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Intermediate Trick

Jamilla

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The Jamilla is a great way to get into several other inverted moves, opening up a world of alternate inverts and new transitions. Many inverted moves can even be transitioned into directly, so there is no need to perform a leg hook between invert and trick, simplifying combos and shortening routine times.

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Intermediate Grip

Basic Foot Hold

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This Basic Foot Hold is a versatile move where your toes are pointed towards the floor (or ceiling, for inverted moves) and most of your foot is on the pole, providing a strong point of contact.

The key to this hold is to make sure you feel secure, which may mean for some feet, depending on structure or flexibility, that may be easier to maintain with the heel to the side of the pole instead of directly on it. The balls of the feet should always be firmly pressed into the pole. Moving the heel like this will give you another contact point in the arch of your foot.

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