A Conversation with Dancer, Leia Campbell

First things first, Leia, thank you for taking the time. And, full-disclosure, we know each other. I married one of your cousins [which one, I won’t say.] So, we are related in that sense, but I must say we are also related in having a love of certain things out of the ordinary.

So, when did you first start pole dancing and how did you get started?  Did you take a class? 

I started pole dancing about five years ago. I stumbled across pole dancing watching YouTube videos one night and got sucked down the rabbit hole. That night I thought mhmm, I would like to try this, I wonder if anybody teaches here in Knoxville. So, I searched online and came across Sheer Inspiration Pole Fitness. I asked my husband what he thought about it, and signed up for a class.

Do you do any other types of dance or sports? 

I have taken belly dance classes and performed in a burlesque troop for about two years. I also love to explore outdoors and paddleboard.

What does Caleb think of your dancing? 

I have his full support. He knows I enjoy it, that it challenges me, keeps me healthy. And he thinks its sexy.

Have you done public performances, private events, or is this for the sheer love of it? 

I have performed in a studio review at The International. Sheer Inspiration Pole Fitness does a student review about twice a year and the shows are awesome! Everybody puts a lot of work, training, and creativity into their performances, the support and feedback one gets from fellow performers is invaluable.  It really makes it fun to participate in. And if you’ve never been to a pole show before they are so much fun!

What thoughts did you have before your first performance? 

Even though I had performed before in the burlesque troupe performing for the pole review was a different beast altogether. I was so nervous!

Do you have a stage name and if so how did you come by it? 

I do not have a stage name for pole performances. My burlesque stage name was Diane Taluvya, and my husband came up with the name.  I thought it was cheeky and could work in a cutesy and a kind of deadly dame manner which was the persona I was going for, and I think I carried that through into my performance for pole. I’ve always been drawn to the dark and sort of macabre side of things.

Have you ever had an embarrassing or unusual moment in a performance?

Something unexpected almost always happens in a performance and you’ve just got to go with it and make it look like you meant to do that. In the pole performance my bustle skirt snapped and when I stood up to walk off stage my skirt came detached too, so I just flung it over my shoulder nonchalantly, did a little half turn and wink and strutted off the stage. Had I not had experience in doing burlesque I probably would’ve been mortified and looked awkward, but the thing is to keep the “act” going no matter what happens.

Who inspires you in dancing?  

My pole momma and instructor at the studio I attend, Natasha Fine, is a huge inspiration to me! Along with I everyone I dance with at the studio they are all amazing and supportive. I also love Alethea Austin and Marlo Fisken. Alethea has a studio in Nashville, the Chrome Bar, and produces and performs in her shows Live Dancing Girls and Miss Pole Dance America. If you have the chance to attend one of her shows, go! It will blow your mind! Marlo Fisken has a studio based out of Boulder, CO, and she teaches movement classes called Flow Movement that are available to the masses online, if you can’t attend one in person; they are also amazing!

Any other inspirations outside dancing? 

I love film, nature, music, my family, and friends, I draw inspiration from all these things. I’m not a professional dancer and I am certainly not the best pole dancer I know (there are many others that are waaaayyy better than me), but I have fallen in love with the sport and plan to keep doing it as long as I can.

Pole dancing has a stigma of being associated with stripping and not-niceness, which is short-sighted to my mind.  Is the stripper-connection a misconception or do they work hand in hand?

The thing that people have a misconception about pole dance is that it is one thing. When in truth it can be whatever you want it to be. If you want a challenging workout that works all parts of your body in strength, endurance, and flexibility, then pole is for you. If you want to float like a fairy in a tutu and have a completely ethereal look, then pole is for you. If you want to have high drama or express your pain, then pole is for you. Pole is whatever you make it! So, if you want to also dance in stripper style with grinding, directional body touching, heel clacks, and floor work then, yes, pole dancing is for you! Pole dancing is what you make it!

You once posted this cute video of Caleb holding Coraline, then just a baby, and getting her to swing around the pole.  I believe you said now she plays on it and says "Look Mommy!  I go round and round!"  It was so adorable! Have you had any judgmental push back? What would you say to them if they were right in front of you? 

I have gotten eye rolls, been made fun of, been aghast at, had that awkward silence after saying something about what you did in class that day or that you performed in a pole show. The misconception that the studio is where sleazy strip club managers come to your class on a talent search for their club (yes, someone asked me if that happened) is just flat out wrong! I know that pole is so much more than what people think it is. People can either see past their preconceptions or you realize that is not something you can share with them. I know now that there is a wonderful community of people that love the sport, and are willing to talk and share about their love of pole too.

If my daughter came to me today and said mommy I want to learn how to do that, I would let her in a heartbeat. I would liken it to gymnastics and have seen other children participate in it as well, so I see nothing wrong with it.

What advice would you give to other dancers who are faced with opposition from friends/family/culture about what they do? 

Keep going, do what you love. I’ve learned who I can be open about it with and who I will get a backlash from. If you do get a backlash, I would realize that they don’t have a full picture of what pole dance is, and for those haters, realize that you can do something they can’t, and smile to yourself about it, you are the one enjoying the spoils and satisfaction from the hard work you have put into your training, they are the ones missing out, wishing they had arms like yours.

If there were one other hobby/pastime that you don’t currently do, but wouldn’t mind giving it a go, what would it be? 

I would like to try silks or lyra. The aerial arts bug has bitten me. And I feel like the community of flow artists is rich in this area. As a little girl I wanted to join the circus and as an adult I don’t feel like that feeling has ever left except now I feel like I might have a talent if the option ever arose.

So, Leia, if our readers wanted to start dancing what advice could you give them to get up right now and get started without any money or going somewhere? How can they capture a little bit of what you do? 

Turn on some music and start to move, see where the music takes you. To vary it up set a mood in the area you are dancing, change up the lighting, and challenge yourself by trying to evoke a mood thru dance or dance to music you wouldn’t typically dance too; push yourself out of your comfort zone and see what happens. You might surprise yourself!

Here are my answers, Kylie. Thanks for thinking of me when you think of doers, that feels good. I hope to keep doing and try new things and hopefully inspire others, especially my daughter.