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!

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.

Help Wanted!

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Browse All Pole Dance Moves Below

Introductory Grip

Waist Pocket Hold

The Waist Pocket Hold is a valuable support for many other holds. Here, the pole will rest in the small of your waist. For more advanced pole dancers, you will use this grip as you lean back into your Chopper or Basic Invert, or to hold your Yogini. Beginner pole dance moves that utilize the waist pocket grip is the High Kick Hold, Backspin, or for Pole Abs conditioning.

Introductory Grip

Half-Bracket Grip

The Half-Bracket Grip is a beginner variant of the Full Bracket Grip. It relies on the Push and Pull method, and it’s important to keep the core tight and shoulders back with this grip, as it’s commonly seen in upright moves, mostly used in spins and tricks that require the body to be at least partially held away from the body.

Beginner Trick

Basic Body Rolls

These Basic Body Rolls are a versatile, slinky move that you can incorporate into any pole dance routine. Body rolls are perfect to use as a spacer in a song, or a highlighted move in more sensual flow. Body rolls also help you get used to exploring how your body can move in pole dancing. They are an excellent aid for working on flow and fluidity at a beginner level – not to mention they are fun!

BeginnerFloorwork

Basic Leg Waves

These Basic Leg Waves are a gorgeous way to showcase grace in any floorwork routine. These do not require the pole at all and can be done in a standalone floorwork setting. The key to leg waves isn’t flexibility – though it does help – nor is it necessarily coordination, which comes with practice. The key to good leg waves is keeping everything loose. Your legs will constantly be moving and bending, and you get to decide how wide and showy (or how small and simple) each leg wave is.

Beginner Spin

Chair Spin

The Chair Spin is an elegant, graceful beginner pole trick to begin learning about how momentum works with the legs in motion away from the pole. It is an excellent spin for the beginner pole dancer who has already taken the time to familiarize themselves with how some of the other spins feel.

This move requires the Push – Pull Method, which means you will need to push away from the pole with your bottom arm, and pull your body up – keeping the shoulders down and engaged – with your top arm.

BeginnerFloorwork

Cleopatra

The Cleopatra is a versatile, fun transitional floorwork move that enables you to move from one side of the pole to another, switching sides of the body. It’s a showy move that involves a minor amount of flexibility, but the overall movements are simple and uncomplicated.

While this is taught holding onto the pole, it is not strictly necessary to do so. You can do this move standalone on the floor as well. You can also bend whichever knee is on bottom, depending on your stylistic preferences.

BeginnerTransition

Basic Pole Climb

The Basic Pole Climb is an easy, ergonomic way to move up the pole while using a minimal amount of strength. In a pole climb, you will never need to “muscle” your way up the pole, or force the movement.

While some strength is indeed required to hold your bodyweight up and to bring your legs up, much of the actual motion upwards revolves around “hinging” at the hips and using that as a fulcrum to move your body. We recommend learning how to climb only once you have gotten more familiar with other beginner moves. This allows you to build familiarity with how your body and the pole interact.

Beginner Spin

Dip Spin

The Dip Spin is a fun spin that is similar in shape and mechanics to the Steparound spin. The main difference that the Dip Spin showcases is a seated posture as you swing your momentum around the pole. This is an excellent spin to work on to get used to moving your body around the pole while your momentum changes.

Perfect as a beginner pole trick, the Dip Spin only requires a baseball grip to get started, and though it’s not required to know the Steparound Spin previously, it is suggested.

Beginner Trick

Fan Kick

The Fan Kick is a graceful beginner pole trick that engages the whole body. From the hands, which are held in a stronghold grip and keeping your bodyweight up, to the activation of the core that tilts the pelvis up and helps the legs sweep wide, to the legs themselves, which are sweeping around the body with grace and dexterity.

This beginner pole trick is a versatile move, allowing you to add some flare to any pole dance routine, provide a way around the pole, or help you gain momentum for a follow-up trick in more advanced levels.