Pole Dance Transitions

Pole dance transitions are just that...moves that link one trick, spin, climb or move to another. Transitions such as a pirouette, backslide or sexy floorwork help link all of the moves together in your routine.

These various moves are not difficult to learn and look really good when using them. It does not look good for a pole dancer to just move from one trick to the next, standing and wiping her sweaty hands or looking up at the pole instead of using a move to flow into the next trick. That's what we do in practice, not pole flow!

Transitions can be slow or fast. They include:

• Walks around the pole
• Steps around the pole
• Hip Dips
• Slides
• Pirouettes
• Half Turns
• Back Bends
• Handstands
• Hip moves such as Figure 8's or Hip Grinds
• Body Waves
• 'Accent' moves such as Head Tosses/Hair Flicks or quick, sharp variations of moves that accent the beat, stop or start of a song
• and what in the pole dance world call "floorwork" - various moves that are done once you are off the pole and on the floor

You can also use for transitions:

• Spins
• Climbs

You can also use what we call combos" to move smoothly through your routine. This is grouping pole tricks together such as an Outside Leg Hang with an Inside Leg Hang, or turning over from a Jasmine to a Superman. 

Examples of Pole Dance Transitions

Here is a video clip where the routine uses some pole overs, pirouettes and hip grinds in between the spins:

Here are a few video clips with moves that will come naturally once you learn them and start using them while you are working out on your pole. Start to incorporate one move at a time until it feels second nature when you are practicing on your pole.

Head Toss/Hair Flicks

Pole Over

Pole Turn/Pirouette

Pole Squat

One Handed Leaning Back Pole Slide

Pole Slide to the Floor

Half Turns

Walk around the Pole

Hip Dip

Open Leg Hip Dip

Hip Pop

Putting together a routine?

Are you putting together a pole routine? All of these moves help link one pole dance move such as a spin or climb together.

1. Make a list of all of the moves that you want to use in your dance.
2. Make a list of transitions that you can use in between the moves. 
3. Try it out and see what actually flows together. 

There are other transitions that are specific to aerial tricks.

Need some ideas or more pole moves to learn? Check out these pole dancing move guides that will help you learn the names of tricks and how to perform them.

Pole Dance Transitions > Pole Dance Routine