Father-daughter pole dancing team go viral
A father and daughter who were booted off a reality show for being too “weird,” are now opening a pole dancing studio together.
Dave Roberts, 52, and his eldest daughter Hazel, 27, have been pole dancing together for years, after bonding over their shared love of the activity.
Their love of the activity surprises a lot of people but Hazel and Dave focus their classes on the gymnastic skills required rather than sexy dance moves.
“It’s a matter of trust,” Hazel said of performing with her father. “If you can’t trust your own dad not to drop you, who can you trust? I’ve had other people suggest that I work with them, but I think to myself ‘not a chance.’ I wouldn’t feel so comfortable or safe because they would not know my balance points like my dad does.”
Hazel began pole dancing six years ago, at the same time Dave was encouraged to attend a class by his ex-girlfriend.
“Completely coincidentally I did a six-week course in the last year of University in Ireland and sent him a picture of me doing a Crucifix [move] saying ‘look what I can do,’” Hazel said. “He sent one back in the same pose saying ‘so can I’.”
The dad-of-five initially kept his hobby under wraps for fear of being ridiculed by friends and family, but when Hazel returned from school they began going to classes together.
They were eventually persuaded to appear on TV talent show Britain’s Got Talent — which resulted in their act being branded too “weird” by judges in 2015.
“[That’s] the weirdest thing I have ever seen,” judge David Walliams said at the time.
Despite the criticism, they are now preparing to open a studio with 14 ft. poles, in Gloucestershire in the U.K.
Hazel said the most rewarding part of teaching is encouraging people to build up the confidence to discard their leggings and grip the pole with their bare legs.
“[Clients] come in saying they can’t wear shorts because they have thunder thighs, but I just tell them that means they will be able to grip the pole better,” she said. “We start off with moves that secretly build up their core muscles so by the time they come to lift their feet off the floor, they are already stronger than when they came.”
Students admit they were initially taken aback by the partnership, but have gotten used to it.
“I was a bit confused when I first heard her call Dave ‘dad,’ but they clearly know what they are doing and make me feel very safe,” said Kate Brown. “Dave is very strong so he can help with the power stuff and between them they have a lot of different strengths. They work really well together.”
“I was a bit surprised when I found out they were father and daughter but they work really well together so what does it matter?” added student Tracey Fisher.
– Additional reporting by SWNS.
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
