Pole Pod
by Dolly Daggerz
Welcome to Pole Pod with your host Dolly Daggerz! A safe space where I talk all things mindset with your Pole Idols. I will be pulling back the shiny, polished curtain (that we see on social media and on stage) and revealing what’s really going on inside the mind of the performer. I will also be aiming to answer the following questions: How can we combat the mental health issues facing pole dancers and performers, athletes, artists alike? What can we learn from those who have struggled? What tools can we learn to be more adept at facing challenge? How can having deeper conversations about pole dancing help the pole community at large? My aim, as a pole dancer who has struggled with anxiety, panic attacks, perfectionism (and more!) is to help others. If this helps you please feel free to reach out, share, like and connect with me and the guests interviewed.
Episodes
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“Joy is Resistance” with Jana Oneira
Hell on heels, $tripper and pole rockstar Jana Oneira fires up stages across europe since 2019! The queer artist & instructor from Switzerland has a passion for everything circus, burlesque and more, and cant wait to share all her showgirl secrets with you! Follow Jana:...
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‘I walked away wanting to cry…I didn’t wanna leave these people!’ with Guest Instructor Giordaina
In this episode I talk to the amazing Giordaina Hartley about our May retreat that we held in Italy. It was so awesome to listen to this back and reminisce on good times. It really made me reflect on how much @sunrisepoleretreat has grown and think about where it’s going next… About Giordaina:...
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‘We can choose where we want to put our attention’ Xara Flame
I got to interview the amazing Xara Flame and she has such a unique story! I’ll let her tell it as she jumps right into it at the beginning but she lives part time in Ecuador! As she was talking her dog was bringing sticks to her to play fetch and the backdrop was luscious greenery. It was truly...
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Dedication or Madness with Colleen Jolly
I first realised I had to interview Colleen when I read her post about rejection and her need for external validation when competing. I was like “That’s ME!’ So I reached out and interviewed her the same week. There’s some colourful language and a lot of laughs. Colleen has so much knowledge…
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The Pole Physio Interview - Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Ask!
Today I got the pleasure of speaking with Dani Davey, physiotherapist at The Pole Physio. I asked her everything I’ve always wanted to ask a pole physio: from common mistakes we pole dancers make, mental health and pole and how to prepare the body for an intense period of training and MORE!…
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Self Care Practises to Help You Thrive in 2025
Self Care Tips to Help You Thrive in 2025! Since moving countries I’ve upped my self care game! I’ve had to really sit in the uncomfortable and face how I’m feeling head on. These practises really have helped me and have become part of my daily routine. I am not expert meditator yet - but I at...
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‘Life is short and you’ve just got to make the most of it.’ Jade Bensilum
The episode is with the incredible Jade Bensilum. Jade wears many hats in the pole industry: she’s an Xpert trainer, she coaches polers for upcoming competitions with her Comp Guru business, she runs numerous UK competitions and owns and runs her own pole studio Studio Flare. It was amazing to...
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‘I Think It’s Important to Have Successful Vegans Doing Completely Non Vegan Related Jobs..’ Pixie Le Knot
I was super excited to talk to the amazing Pixie Le Knot who is one of the UK’s leading contortionists. She has appeared in the Game of Thrones, The Devil lnside & It Never Sleeps and has established a career in amazing contortion performances. We talk about the reality of life on set, how to…
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‘All This Energy Wasted on How We Look and How We Can Shrink Ourselves…’ Julia Creadiva
I first came across Julia Creadiva when competing at PSO in Switzerland. I saw her perform and thought WOW! Then I saw her perform her Scars to Your Beautiful performance and I knew I had to invite her to be interviewed (as I’ve wanted to talk about disordered eating for such a long time…) So...
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‘The nice thing now is I don’t really care because I’m living my joyful life…’ Darren Whitby
Today I chat to Darren Whitby who is (alongside his husband Vishesh) currently European Same-Sex Latin Champion. We talk about bias in the ballroom dancing judging sphere, along with the differences between competing in pole and ballroom. We discuss the ups and downs of competing and when it…
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‘You have enough protein from plants. The end!’ Klodi Dabkiewicz of Enter Circus
Klodi Dabkiewicz is a versatile performer whose journey through the world of athleticism and artistry has been nothing short of extraordinary. With a foundation as a former Champion Class Rhythmic Gymnast boasting 12 years of experience, earning multiple titles as a Polish Champion. Today, Klodi...
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‘They think I’m happy all the time…but reality is far from that…’ Ollie Read
Trigger Warning : Suicide and suicidal thoughts, alcoholism, addiction & depression. Watch anything of Ollie on the pole and you’ll see that he is an incredible pole athlete. In this interview, however, you’ll realise he’s mentally much stronger than even his strongest power moves on the pole.…
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‘Change can feel really scary but it’s just how you frame it..’ Dolly Daggerz
A little solo episode about my move to Italy! Change - big and small - can be very scary for everyone so I thought I’d share where my head is at now. In this episode I talk about my fear of change and how I am combatting it, my Pole Retreat, morning pages, minimalism and more! I hope you enjoy…
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‘So much of my indentity is caught up in my job… who am I without that?’
This episode is with the powerhouse Gemma Rose. Gemma is incredibly honest and vulnerable and this, I believe, is one of her biggest strengths. We talk about her struggles with her mental health, her cute mermaid persona Finderella, founding her pole competition PDSM and her work as a stripper....
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‘Get over the fear of somebody criticising and just do something that gets you moving in the direction you want to go…’ Fran Daino (Body by Fran)
This episode is with Fran Daino of Body by Fran. Fran is 56 years old and blows me away with not only her physical strength on the pole but also her business know-how when it comes to making money as an online pole coach. We talk about ‘quantity over quality’ which is an interesting way of…
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‘After winning a few times everyone expects you to win and you feel all this pressure on you…’ Giordaina Hartley
Today’s episode is with Giordaina Hartley. Giordaina has had an amazing winning streak: She has won Miss Pole Dance UK, GBPC, LPC, YPC - to name but a few. She’s extremely flexible and started with no previous experience which I find very encouraging as this really shows that if she can do it…
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‘There’s a tremendous amount of problems in the world…and it’s easier to distract from that by picking an other, a small minority and crushing it,’ Steffi Bower
Trigger warning: This episode discusses suicidal thoughts, body dysmorphia and body dysphoria. A message from Steffi: ‘I wasn’t totally thrilled with how I spoke about the issue of trans inclusion in sports. I want to clarify that my answers reflect my own insecurities about my passing and my own...
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‘Movement is medicine…we should be moving forever!’ Joanna Littlewood-Johnson
Joanna recently won the Australian Pole Art Championships at 54 years young. In this episode we talk all things from poling over 50 and pole longevity to her competition process and performing on Australia’s Got Talent eleven years ago. One to inspire us all to keep moving as we age and also to...
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‘I Wanted To Make Sure People of Colour Were Getting Platformed,’ Leila Davis AKA Cutie Whippingham
This week’s Pole Pod guest is pole performer, activist and Blackstage founder Leila Davis AKA Cutie Whippingham. Leila founded Blackstage as a direct response to the lack of diversity in the pole industry and the lack of opportunities for Black people and people of colour (BPOC) who pole dance....
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‘I think I just get in my head a lot and be my own worst enemy,’ Rachel Britton
I started training with Rachel in September last year for the World Pole Championships in Argentina and straight away I knew I had to interview her. So this is a different conversation between a pole coach and athlete and I think you can hear the closeness in rapport. Lots of laughing together…
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‘I hated being the centre of attention and I felt very self conscious about my body,’ Kitty Velour
This episode is with Pole Unicorn Kitty Velour as you’ve never heard her before! We delve deep and get vulnerable pretty quickly! We talk about sex workers rights, what working as stripper is really like, her performance highlights, the fact that she is a shy and introverted person when not…
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‘As long as I liked what I created- then surely that’s enough?’ Yumi Sykes
We kickstart 2024 with a thought inducing Episode with Yumi Sykes - who fuses ballet and pole in her performances. We talk imposter syndrome, dealing with the critical voice and talk strategising and goal setting for 2024. It’s also very ironic that I’ve spent many a day wanting to be able to…
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‘Some things just aren’t feasible for my body and that’s ok.’ Jojo Fox
Jojo Fox is a pole performer, studio owner, instructor, competition organiser and fellow vegan who lives with Level 4 Osteoarthritis. She is also neurodivergent and queer. In this episode we talk about her pole and mindset journey and the misconceptions some people have when it comes to…
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‘I’m trying to show the weird side of me that doesn’t fit in with everyone else…’ Dolly Daggerz
Today I was brave and decided to talk a little about how I’m feeling with the World Pole Championships, Argentina looming just a few weeks away. I talk honestly about how my competition journey has been for me: from the very lowest moment to how I’m feeling right now. I’m very much feeling the…
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‘In my vocabulary there is no such word as impossible’ Sam Fontani
*Trigger warning: As Sam describes the event of her injury you may feel uncomfortable. If you are sensitive to hearing about traumatic injury you might want to skip a few seconds ahead around 5 mins in. However, I’d recommend staying with the discomfort as Sam relays the traumatic event honestly...
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‘The moment I feel that fear I have to go and do it!’ Aimee Spinks
I loved listening back to this conversation with the incredible Aimee Spinks. If you don’t know Aimee I would definitely recommend heading over to her Instagram @aimeespinkspersonal and watching the performances we talk about here. Her Pole Art 2021 winning routine is highlighted on her Instagram...
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‘You Didn’t Get This Far to Only Get This Far’ Kheanna Walker
I was lucky enough to speak to the incredible Kheanna Walker a few days ago. We talked all things from her morning routine to how she deals with overwhelm, what manifestation is, how to build mental toughness, improving diversity in the pole industry and we also dive into what people…
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‘I Never Really Celebrated Myself’ Felicity Logan
In this episode Pole Idol Felicity Logan talks to me candidly about her experience of burnout whilst preparing to compete at Pole Theatre UK 2023. She explains her symptoms of burnout and gives advise on what to do if you are experiencing these symptoms. She talks about her experience of taking a...
About this show
Welcome to Pole Pod with your host Dolly Daggerz!
A safe space where I talk all things mindset with your Pole Idols.
I will be pulling back the shiny, polished curtain (that we see on social media and on stage) and revealing what’s really going on inside the mind of the performer.
I will also be aiming to answer the following questions:
How can we combat the mental health issues facing pole dancers and performers, athletes, artists alike?
What can we learn from those who have struggled?
What tools can we learn to be more adept at facing challenge?
How can having deeper conversations about pole dancing help the pole community at large?
My aim, as a pole dancer who has struggled with anxiety, panic attacks, perfectionism (and more!) is to help others.
If this helps you please feel free to reach out, share, like and connect with me and the guests interviewed.
Hosted by
Dolly Daggerz
Categories