Since she started pole dancing seven years ago former teacher Emma Nicholson has gone from a novice to competing in the British Pole Superstar Championships. Phoebe Jackson-Edwards reports ...
Right. Hand up high, hips out, pull your knee in and spin. This are the commands from Emma Nicholson. I cling on to the metal rod and clunkily manage one turn.
Pole dancing instructor Emma then takes to the pole and twirls gracefully, swiftly turning upside-down in a blur of limbs going over her head.
It's got its seedy side, but the precision and flexibility it takes to climb the pole lends itself more to gymnastics than sweaty, backstreet bars filled with testosterone.
The skill grabbed Emma, 36, so much, she set up her own pole-dancing studio two years ago.
Wriggling up a pole was a big departure from her day job as a primary school teacher.
Although you might expect some murmurs of disapproval from within the school, Emma says she's never had any negative comments and it helps children to be more open-minded.
"When you're influencing young people, it's dangerous to stereotype as you can't teach young people that there's only one type of person," she said.
"All people are different and you shouldn't judge."
What started as a hobby Emma was "rubbish" at became her job, and now she's even competing at a national level in the British Pole Superstar Championships.
When I watch her tumbling through the air, it shows the hours of dedication it takes to get to her level and perform some death-defying stunts.
Aside from bumps and scrapes, Emma's got away without many injuries – even though she spends six days a week hanging upside from a metal rod.
"You've got to respect the danger involved with pole dancing," she says, pointing out the height dancers can fall from.
But it was love at first dance for Emma when she gave it a go seven years ago.
"As soon as I started, I knew I wanted a pole at home," she said. "Me and my friends spent many a night drinking a bottle of wine and going on the pole at mine."
Already being a teacher, she loved sharing new experiences with people and thought she could bring that to other women looking for a fitness thrill.
Now, the business is spiralling so much, Emma quit her job nine weeks ago, taking away the safety net and going full-throttle with her pole dancing business.
"Teaching gave me security that the bills were going to be paid," she said. "Now, it's a new phase of pressure."
The studio can only take classes of five currently but she's installing more poles.
"These ones are the ones we use at competition level," she says pointing to two free-standing poles, "They don't reach the ceiling so you can feel them wobble while you're doing routines."
The usually full classes mean girls have to be turned away until Emma can find an instructor to work alongside her.
"I can't do anymore without upping my coffee intake," she laughs.
Unlike most instructors, who run classes purely for fitness benefits, Emma embraces the sexy side of pole dancing and thinks there's nothing wrong with feeling confident because of that.
There's stacks of heels piled on shelves for her pupils to take their pick, if they fancy being daring, with perspex platforms aplenty.
"I get them online and it's an excuse to buy more shoes – even if they're not my size," Emma says about another perk of the studio.
She says plenty of boyfriends' ears would prick up at the mention of their partner pole dancing, but it's not so glamorous.
"Their girlfriends come home covered in bruises and knackered instead," she laughs.
Her boyfriend of 11 years, Daniel Woodhouse, took her new hobby on the chin when it first started, although from the sounds of it, he wouldn't have much choice anyway.
"At first when I started, he thought, 'She'll go once or twice,'" she says. "Then the pole went up in the house."
"Once I've got an idea, he knows he has to let me run with it."
But she says since then he's been incredibly supportive and was front row to cheer her on at the competition.
It was blood, sweat and tears that drove her into the final of the British Pole Superstar Championships with night after night spent in the studio honing her routine.
It was a routine full of adventurous moves and after many practice sessions, lots of bruised ribs and plenty of nerves backstage, she scooped second place in the instructor category.
Donning a scarlet bikini and doing her routine to dance-act Knife Party's hit Bonfire, Emma's routine had a fiery theme to match her passion for the pole.
The thrill of the competition and the knowledge her own business is thriving means Emma has it all sewn up.
"This is it now," she says, "Until I can't get my leg over my head anymore," she grins.
