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

BeginnerFloorwork

Cleopatra

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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.

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BeginnerTransition

Basic Pole Climb

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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.

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Beginner Spin

Dip Spin

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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.

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Beginner Trick

Fan Kick

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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.

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Beginner Spin

Fireman Spin

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The Fireman Spin is a wonderful move to get your whole body on the pole, experimenting with how your body moves on the pole while staying close to the ground. Once you master this spin, you can spread the knees far apart from each other for a wide Fireman spin, keeping the ankles together. The only difference here is style, and on spin pole, it will cause you to spin slower.

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Beginner Spin

Front Hook Spin

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The Front Hook Spin is a fun way to involve the whole body in a spin. Using both hands and the inside leg’s knee pit, this is the perfect beginner pole trick to get comfortable with lifting your bodyweight off the floor.

This is a versatile spin, with the hand placement perfect to allow you to transition into other spins and tricks on the pole at more advanced levels. This is also a spin that can be done safely in pants as the hands provide most of the necessary skin contact.

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Beginner Trick

High Kick Hold

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The High Kick Hold is a fun way to add a quick pop up in any pole dance routine, and gives you the momentum needed to transition into other spinny tricks, or a fun way to showcase a beat in the song right before you move down the pole.

Also known as the straddle pole ab and straddle up, this move is also commonly used as conditioning for inverts. Only requiring a stronghold grip and waist pocket hold, this move is a perfect beginner pole trick for when you want to emphasize a strong point in your routine.

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Beginner Trick

Hip Dips

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These Hip Dips are a sensual way to add subtle movement to any performance. Perfect for the beginner pole dancer looking to incorporate more lowflow movements into their pole dance routines. Commonly called Hip Dips, or Hip Sways, this is primarily done behind the pole to showcase the extension of the neck, the rotation of the hips, and extension of the legs. It is best performed on static pole, but it can be done on spin. This is a perfect move to add if you’re looking for an exaggerated, start-stop movement to add to the beat of a song.

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BeginnerTransition

Pirouette

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The Pirouette is an eye-catching transition that you can work into almost any pole dance routine, whether you’re trying to space out your next pole trick, get into position for an exotic squat in a stylish way, or just continue riding the momentum around the pole.

While this move is the most basic pirouette, once you get comfortable with the movements, you can add your own style, whether it’s a knee out, adding in a hip-sway, figure-four, or a fan – the possibilities are endless.

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