Pole vaulting to happiness

Mona

If you thought pole dancing is ‘only’ for young and slender girls bordering sexy, Smilly Suri, the Kalyug actress, is out to break that myth. In her recent Shakti Pole workshop, the ‘not so respectable’ dance was joined by many fringes of society – blind for one, transgender and men too. In Chandigarh, Smilly insists, “I want to be called the ‘mother of pole’ in India.”

The story of this actress-turned-pole dancer is as exciting. In the family of achievers (she is Mahesh Bhatt’s niece), Smilly fought her dwindling acting career, depression, thyroid, PCOD to come out a winner. She credits her success to a class of pole dance in Dubai.

Fond of dance since childhood, as she was accepted for an aerial class and was introduced to pole dancing she felt immensely strong and sexy at the same time. “If you look through coloured glasses, you would think it’s just a few twirls and whirls around the pole. Only as you climb up the pole you realise the amount of focus and strength it takes for those moves.”

Ready to share her newfound knowledge, Smilly established Pole Star. And she has young professional girls to home-makers to those in their 60s happy to explore something new and stay fit. And her students include not just women but men and kids too. 

Actor, martial art practitioner Ritesh Bagga accompanying Smilly to Chandigarh puts in, “I was pretty proud of my strength and agility but a swing on the pole and I could see how much I had to learn.” Between the two of them they are teaching each other pole dance and mixed martial arts and happy spreading their passion for fitness. 

Pole Star mixes pole dancing, gymnastics, martial arts and yoga to develop a healthy regimen and there are plenty of takers for Bolly Pole and Punjabi Pole. “Your workout regimen don’t need to be boring, we are a bunch of folks having fun on pole working out our cores.”

While pole dancing may seem like an alien concept, Smilly mentions Mallakhamba, an ancient form of pole dancing that’s been reintroduced in current times. “India needs it all the more – a fit body and alert mind – for women are safe neither inside their homes nor outside.” 

Happy to take her Shakti Pole workshops across the country, Smilly is looking forward to visit all the Shaktipeeths on her visit up North spreading the message of women being embodiments of ‘shakti’ – the goddess. 

Be a sport

Ritesh Bagga is an actor, martial art practitioner, now hooked to pole dancing. “Like many around I never thought much of it, only recently I realised that it’s an international sport,” says this Diya Aur Baati Hum actor who has seen a massive increase in his fan following post his pole stint. “There are as many women as men as gays,” he admits aiming at in all-inclusive ‘fit’ society.