Delivering a bikini turned Salt Rock mom into a proud pole dancer

Despite the look she gets from people when she mentions that she is a pole dancer, Genevieve Daw is determined to pirouette on the pole until denied by her body.

The 45-year-old Salt Rock resident said she enjoys her sport because it gives her the ability to physically carry her body weight, dance above the ground and play around with centrifugal force.

Daw said she was part of a very big community in Ballito yet few were brave enough to talk about it in public because most people have mistaken them with prostitutes and strippers.

“Women hold their husbands tighter as soon as they know that you are a pole dancer, but this is a misunderstanding about our sport,” said Daw.

The mother of 2 girls said there are 3 categories of the sport: pole sport, artistic and exotic.

“There is an incredibly athletic pole sport. Attention to detail to the technique is crucial. The poses and rotations on the spinning position or static position have to be held for a specific time. Your hands are only allowed to leave both poles for 1 minute in a 3.3 minute routine.”

Then there is the artistic category, which has the same rules as above except you do not have a minimum amount of time with your hands not touching a pole.

“This style is where the athlete can introduce a dance form, for example contemporary, ballet or hip hop – transitioning between both poles artistically and interpreting a story. There is a lot more flow and forgiveness to this style.”

The exotic category, performed in 8-inch heels is most challenging, says Daw, because the shoes are quite heavy and are difficult to stand in.

She was introduced to the sport at the age of 38 when she visited a pole-dancing studio in Ballito to deliver a bikini.

“They were having a photoshoot for their pole dancers and needed bikinis and when I saw them dancing, I was ‘that’s it, I’m joining.”

Daw had taken part in several KZN pole dancing competitions and was keen to enter more.

“Pole dancing is a very tough sport. The type of bruises I get while practicing, one would think that I am in an abusive relationship,” she laughs.

“I remember at one time we went to the beach and my husband did not want to sit next to me, because my legs had so many bruises.”

She said she was grateful for the support she gets from her family and especially her husband who has travelled with her to all her competitions.