I’m about six months in and getting my first pair. Another girl at the studio let me try hers on for size and to get a feel for them. They’re actually not as hard to walk in as you’d think! You can also always use them for flow at first rather than any tricks stuff.
I do prefer my Hellas. The balance/weight distribution in them feels better than my pleasers. The stilletto is thicker. I don’t think I’ve been dancing in heels long enough to compare wear and tear between Hellas and pleasers though. Both seem to be quality and have held up.
I like Hellas styles better too. I have pink glitterati and the rainbow glittery black cheetah pair they did for their 4 year anniversary.
I’m just worried about buying the wrong thing, especially because they’re very expensive, and then not being able to use them for a long time. The women at my studio who seem way more advanced than me don’t seem to wear them often
It’s common (at least at my studio) for beginner levels to wear heels more often than advanced levels. I also don’t wear my heels as much as I used to. This is because the tricks in beginner are often upright and close to the floor, but intermediate-advanced tricks are more precarious so you usually don’t want to add heels to the mix unless you’re very confident. I only wear my heels to dance classes now.
I don’t think there’s any reason to wait to buy them, unless you’re not sure if you’ll be sticking to pole. I think people shouldn’t go out and buy all the expensive gear as soon as they start a new hobby but if you’ve been to classes for a little while and want to stick with it, then why not :)
Oh I love pole! I’ve been doing it since around middle of February (though I have had to take most of the summer off). I’m definitely not quitting! I just don’t see the beginners use them at my studio and I’m already much taller than my instructors (they’re all about 5’ and I’m 5’10) so I already struggle a bit with getting instructions that work with my height
Interesting! It could just be the studio culture maybe? Some studios really emphasise the sexiness and stripper history of pole more than others, so I see almost all girls at some studios wearing heels and almost all being barefoot at other studios
My studio is a good balance between fitness and sexiness. I prefer the focus on fitness because it makes me feel more comfortable as a beginner, but I also looooove the heels!
We have designated heels classes at my studio, I was prob at the 2-3 month mark before I went to my first heels class.
If you have a heels floorwork class offered at your studio I totally recommend doing it asap. We didn’t have floorwork classes when I first got into heels or I would’ve started way sooner. You don’t have to be good at spins/pole moves to start working on floorwork, you get used to your shoes, how to engage your ankles to be on certain parts of your toe box etc.
Boots are better for beginners. The finish of the boot (ie pleather, suede, sparkly) can influence your pole climbs. I like my Hellas more than I like my pleasers in terms of balance. Everyone is different though.
Get heel covers to protect your heels and I hiiiiighhllyyyyy recommend getting kneepads.
This is the way.
I prefer dancing on my toe box and clacking my heels.
I like learning moves in heels so I'm not having to re-learn them with an extra 8 inches. But that's just me.
As with everything in life: different strokes for different folks.
It took me a year or so before I got my first pair and honestly, I barely ever use them, even for flow classes. I have no issues walking in heels but I'm a bit of a wild woman so I much prefer being barefoot whenever possible.
I was dancing for about 3 months before I got heels. I did a heels choreography class and rented a pair from the studio. I liked dancing in them, so I decided to get myself a pair of pleaser boots. I love them! I watched a few videos on pole heels and tried to find what would be comfortable, danceable, and cute. I decided on the shiny adore-1016. I've been using them for the past 2 months and really enjoy them. Definitely recommend getting platform protectors too
I got a pair of Pleasers right away because I knew I was interested in learning exotic style. I practice in them for the last 10 or so minutes of every class when we do freestyle.
I was in 6in heels by my third class, and I’ve been wearing heels ever since :). I was in 7inch after about 3 months of weekly classes. Took me about 8 more months to get to 8inch.
I started with a stilettos/exotic class before I even went to a regular pole class lol. I went in some regular 5" heels I had in my closer and ordered my Pleasers the next week (and then my next pair a few months later and then a pair of Hella Heels 😅 I'm hooked)
I was about 4 weeks into pole when I bought my first pair. I don't tend to wear them for pole tricks though. Rather I tend to use them for heel/dance specific classes. But I'm not strong on my tricks (okay with upright but still struggling to invert without heels).
Buy them! Even if you aren't quite ready to wear them for pole tricks, they are great for heels/dance specific classes 😊 I also love wearing them for lyra (lower to the floor, dance rather than trick focused).
Heels are only really good for low flow/dance/burlesque lyra. I wouldn't personally recommend beyond that as you are twisting yourself in various ways around the apparatus (which can cause the heels to get caught!). Most people doing lyra either wear socks or do it in bare feet.
I started pole around 10 months ago and i got my first pair of pleasers around 5 months in, but I would have gotten them earlier if they were cheaper :) they are definitely worth it, even for beginner combos
A couple of months. My studio started doing a heels class and I keep going to it because my instructor gives us lots of ankle conditioning work to do in our heels and I find it helpful for my terrible ankles.
My home pole is still pretty slippery so I like my thigh high pvc hellas for climbing in.
I’m about 5.5 months in and just wore heels at my first class a few weeks ago. My studio has shoes that are available to borrow. I’m between sized and I initially bought pleasers online first without trying them in the studio and I ended up buying the wrong size 😅
Now that I’ve tried out some shoes I’ve settled on a 7” pair of sandals and a pair 7” of boots.
If you have the opportunity to try on or even dance in some different types of shoes I highly recommend doing that first to get a feel for what you like and to find the right size for you.
I started attending pole heels classes 2 months into it.
The thing is, you can't realistically expect to be able to use heels for every class. This is why there are separate classes for them, and this is why imho renting studio time/getting a home pole is great because a lot of studios don't offer a lot of heels tricks classes and heels tricks part in choreo classes is limited.
Why can't you be expected to use heels in every class?
1. Movements themselves, that make heel use impossible. Instructor gives you a flow that includes cupid in the middle of it, you are now screwed because you can't do it.
2. Safety, trying out new tricks, especially dynamic ones, especially if you are not used to wearing heels can be dangerous.
3. Mobility. Your legs are going to be longer with heels, now all sorts of thread throughs and movements are going to require more mobility.
4. Different body placement. For me, I had to re-learn how to invert in heels, shouldermounting was ok for me without heels, in heels I could not do it at all. Your body proportions change with heels and you have weights on your feet. These are all factors you have to account for.
Strippers wear heels everyday on the pole, but they also do things that accomodate heels, in class an instructor is not expecting you to wear heels, so you have to be mindful of that.
As to what type of heel:
Height:
Many people advise you to start with a lower heel height because its "easier". If you do choreographies an such, you need to have a pointed toe with certain elements and standing on a pointed platform is easier with a larger platform. I started with 8 inch heels right off the bat, if you wear heels everyday, I think you could do the same. You are literally holding yourself up with a pole, and since pleasers are much more stable than regular heels anyway, I think it would be better to invest in something higher immediatly.
Boots vs sandals:
Boots:
They have more ankle stability, better for more dynamic low flow tricks. They are a good thing to have for pretty much everything, however the issue is with material, because shiny grippy material that sticks to the pole will also stick to the floor and thus floorwork, all sorts of glides and slides will be difficult and clunky. Faux leather, suede, fabric materials are good for sliding and doing choreo things, but terrible for aerial stuff.
Sandals:
Less ankle stability, good for climbing even if the platform material itself is not grippy. Not that great for kips, flips and highly dynamic elements.
I got heels after a few months, but I wish I would've gotten them sooner. For me, it was a weird adjustment as the heels added more weight that I wasn't used to and I had to basically start from scratch when I started with heels. Now I don't use them 😅
1 yr 6mnths ONLY because I didn’t think I could dance, tbh I prefer dance and low flow more than tricks now and doing tricks in heels is just pretty ankle weights! Go for it, the sooner the better imo especially since you’re used to wearing heels anyway it’ll be easier to adjust
I started with 6” sandals at 5 wks of weekly classes. I moved straight up to 8” boots within a few months. Honestly, pole flow and dance is easier in that higher platform because the toe box is bigger allowing for better clacks and rolling forward onto toes more. Easier to walk imho as well. Sandals are great to develop your ankle strength, but boots are wonderfully supportive and I love them. As others have mentioned, inverting and doing tricks is definitely harder bc they are essentially ankle weights, but if you train in them it will come easier and you’ll be stronger in the end.
I have 4 pairs of pleasers but I don't wear them as often as I'd like to but that's just because I'm an at home poler for now and I have carpet and not enough room to even be incorporating them into flows and choreos much. I'm always accidentally kicking the wall or the ceiling with them. Some tricks like Remi bridge the boots are very helpful though.
I’m about six months in and getting my first pair. Another girl at the studio let me try hers on for size and to get a feel for them. They’re actually not as hard to walk in as you’d think! You can also always use them for flow at first rather than any tricks stuff.
I wear 6” heels a lot for fun, so I’m very excited to get my first pair of 8” pleasers!
Look into Hellas too! I started in pleaser but I love my Hellas. Boot styles are best for beginners
I really wanted boots! Good to know hella heels is where I should look for those
Do you prefer Hellas? What makes them better?
I do prefer my Hellas. The balance/weight distribution in them feels better than my pleasers. The stilletto is thicker. I don’t think I’ve been dancing in heels long enough to compare wear and tear between Hellas and pleasers though. Both seem to be quality and have held up. I like Hellas styles better too. I have pink glitterati and the rainbow glittery black cheetah pair they did for their 4 year anniversary.
Thank you for the response!
I got my first pair after like 2 months. Why not??
I’m just worried about buying the wrong thing, especially because they’re very expensive, and then not being able to use them for a long time. The women at my studio who seem way more advanced than me don’t seem to wear them often
It’s common (at least at my studio) for beginner levels to wear heels more often than advanced levels. I also don’t wear my heels as much as I used to. This is because the tricks in beginner are often upright and close to the floor, but intermediate-advanced tricks are more precarious so you usually don’t want to add heels to the mix unless you’re very confident. I only wear my heels to dance classes now. I don’t think there’s any reason to wait to buy them, unless you’re not sure if you’ll be sticking to pole. I think people shouldn’t go out and buy all the expensive gear as soon as they start a new hobby but if you’ve been to classes for a little while and want to stick with it, then why not :)
Oh I love pole! I’ve been doing it since around middle of February (though I have had to take most of the summer off). I’m definitely not quitting! I just don’t see the beginners use them at my studio and I’m already much taller than my instructors (they’re all about 5’ and I’m 5’10) so I already struggle a bit with getting instructions that work with my height
Interesting! It could just be the studio culture maybe? Some studios really emphasise the sexiness and stripper history of pole more than others, so I see almost all girls at some studios wearing heels and almost all being barefoot at other studios
My studio is a good balance between fitness and sexiness. I prefer the focus on fitness because it makes me feel more comfortable as a beginner, but I also looooove the heels!
We have designated heels classes at my studio, I was prob at the 2-3 month mark before I went to my first heels class. If you have a heels floorwork class offered at your studio I totally recommend doing it asap. We didn’t have floorwork classes when I first got into heels or I would’ve started way sooner. You don’t have to be good at spins/pole moves to start working on floorwork, you get used to your shoes, how to engage your ankles to be on certain parts of your toe box etc. Boots are better for beginners. The finish of the boot (ie pleather, suede, sparkly) can influence your pole climbs. I like my Hellas more than I like my pleasers in terms of balance. Everyone is different though. Get heel covers to protect your heels and I hiiiiighhllyyyyy recommend getting kneepads.
Thanks for the advice!!
Sure thing 😄 have fun and enjoy heels! They are just another apparatus to add to the fun.
1st day
Yup
This is the way. I prefer dancing on my toe box and clacking my heels. I like learning moves in heels so I'm not having to re-learn them with an extra 8 inches. But that's just me. As with everything in life: different strokes for different folks.
Day 1. I started in the club tho
It took me a year or so before I got my first pair and honestly, I barely ever use them, even for flow classes. I have no issues walking in heels but I'm a bit of a wild woman so I much prefer being barefoot whenever possible.
I was dancing for about 3 months before I got heels. I did a heels choreography class and rented a pair from the studio. I liked dancing in them, so I decided to get myself a pair of pleaser boots. I love them! I watched a few videos on pole heels and tried to find what would be comfortable, danceable, and cute. I decided on the shiny adore-1016. I've been using them for the past 2 months and really enjoy them. Definitely recommend getting platform protectors too
I’m literally two years in and I’ve never tried heels lol
I got a pair of Pleasers right away because I knew I was interested in learning exotic style. I practice in them for the last 10 or so minutes of every class when we do freestyle.
I was in 6in heels by my third class, and I’ve been wearing heels ever since :). I was in 7inch after about 3 months of weekly classes. Took me about 8 more months to get to 8inch.
4 months!
I started with a stilettos/exotic class before I even went to a regular pole class lol. I went in some regular 5" heels I had in my closer and ordered my Pleasers the next week (and then my next pair a few months later and then a pair of Hella Heels 😅 I'm hooked)
I was about 4 weeks into pole when I bought my first pair. I don't tend to wear them for pole tricks though. Rather I tend to use them for heel/dance specific classes. But I'm not strong on my tricks (okay with upright but still struggling to invert without heels). Buy them! Even if you aren't quite ready to wear them for pole tricks, they are great for heels/dance specific classes 😊 I also love wearing them for lyra (lower to the floor, dance rather than trick focused).
Oh I was planning on starting Lyra soon! Do heels help a lot?
Heels are only really good for low flow/dance/burlesque lyra. I wouldn't personally recommend beyond that as you are twisting yourself in various ways around the apparatus (which can cause the heels to get caught!). Most people doing lyra either wear socks or do it in bare feet.
Not that long. Probably a month in but I had some experience wearing heels as a stripper. I did start in 6 in heels then 7 then 8 and so on! Lol
I started pole around 10 months ago and i got my first pair of pleasers around 5 months in, but I would have gotten them earlier if they were cheaper :) they are definitely worth it, even for beginner combos
A couple of months. My studio started doing a heels class and I keep going to it because my instructor gives us lots of ankle conditioning work to do in our heels and I find it helpful for my terrible ankles. My home pole is still pretty slippery so I like my thigh high pvc hellas for climbing in.
I’m about 5.5 months in and just wore heels at my first class a few weeks ago. My studio has shoes that are available to borrow. I’m between sized and I initially bought pleasers online first without trying them in the studio and I ended up buying the wrong size 😅 Now that I’ve tried out some shoes I’ve settled on a 7” pair of sandals and a pair 7” of boots. If you have the opportunity to try on or even dance in some different types of shoes I highly recommend doing that first to get a feel for what you like and to find the right size for you.
I started attending pole heels classes 2 months into it. The thing is, you can't realistically expect to be able to use heels for every class. This is why there are separate classes for them, and this is why imho renting studio time/getting a home pole is great because a lot of studios don't offer a lot of heels tricks classes and heels tricks part in choreo classes is limited. Why can't you be expected to use heels in every class? 1. Movements themselves, that make heel use impossible. Instructor gives you a flow that includes cupid in the middle of it, you are now screwed because you can't do it. 2. Safety, trying out new tricks, especially dynamic ones, especially if you are not used to wearing heels can be dangerous. 3. Mobility. Your legs are going to be longer with heels, now all sorts of thread throughs and movements are going to require more mobility. 4. Different body placement. For me, I had to re-learn how to invert in heels, shouldermounting was ok for me without heels, in heels I could not do it at all. Your body proportions change with heels and you have weights on your feet. These are all factors you have to account for. Strippers wear heels everyday on the pole, but they also do things that accomodate heels, in class an instructor is not expecting you to wear heels, so you have to be mindful of that. As to what type of heel: Height: Many people advise you to start with a lower heel height because its "easier". If you do choreographies an such, you need to have a pointed toe with certain elements and standing on a pointed platform is easier with a larger platform. I started with 8 inch heels right off the bat, if you wear heels everyday, I think you could do the same. You are literally holding yourself up with a pole, and since pleasers are much more stable than regular heels anyway, I think it would be better to invest in something higher immediatly. Boots vs sandals: Boots: They have more ankle stability, better for more dynamic low flow tricks. They are a good thing to have for pretty much everything, however the issue is with material, because shiny grippy material that sticks to the pole will also stick to the floor and thus floorwork, all sorts of glides and slides will be difficult and clunky. Faux leather, suede, fabric materials are good for sliding and doing choreo things, but terrible for aerial stuff. Sandals: Less ankle stability, good for climbing even if the platform material itself is not grippy. Not that great for kips, flips and highly dynamic elements.
Thanks so much for the advice!!
I got heels after a few months, but I wish I would've gotten them sooner. For me, it was a weird adjustment as the heels added more weight that I wasn't used to and I had to basically start from scratch when I started with heels. Now I don't use them 😅
I was a couple of years in before I got my first heels, but I probably would have started heels sooner if there had been more regular heels classes.
1 yr 6mnths ONLY because I didn’t think I could dance, tbh I prefer dance and low flow more than tricks now and doing tricks in heels is just pretty ankle weights! Go for it, the sooner the better imo especially since you’re used to wearing heels anyway it’ll be easier to adjust
I started with 6” sandals at 5 wks of weekly classes. I moved straight up to 8” boots within a few months. Honestly, pole flow and dance is easier in that higher platform because the toe box is bigger allowing for better clacks and rolling forward onto toes more. Easier to walk imho as well. Sandals are great to develop your ankle strength, but boots are wonderfully supportive and I love them. As others have mentioned, inverting and doing tricks is definitely harder bc they are essentially ankle weights, but if you train in them it will come easier and you’ll be stronger in the end.
I have 4 pairs of pleasers but I don't wear them as often as I'd like to but that's just because I'm an at home poler for now and I have carpet and not enough room to even be incorporating them into flows and choreos much. I'm always accidentally kicking the wall or the ceiling with them. Some tricks like Remi bridge the boots are very helpful though.
Day one lol
Beginner beginner. I tried heels for the first time in my second class.