The 2025 Professional Pole Dancing Show announces theme & performers
Blackstage, the award-winning Black Queer SWer-led company-cum-movement, is ecstatic to announce the 13 BPOC pole performers that have been thoughtfully chosen for its annual professional pole show for 2025, set to take place on Saturday 5th April at the renowned and iconic Clapham Grand in London, England.
Throughout the year, pole dancers from across the world were given the chance to apply to perform the annual Blackstage show with the aim to encourage and promote a wide range of abilities and styles that the art hosts. With over 234 applicants, 134 of which were international dancers reaching as far as South Korea, Tanzania, Buenos Aires, and Haiti, Blackstage is honoured to introduce the 2025 line-up –
AK Mistry
An Indian pole dancer based in Sheffield, the desi showgirl has a love for low flow, sensual movement – it is her heritage that allows her to move authentically. . Forever grateful for the Black strippers who gave us all pole, she explores sensual movement in her flow, but with a little twist. Best known for fusing her Indian culture into her routines and speaking out on the importance of correct representation, her performance will allow you to immerse yourself in the world of unique DESI MAGIC.
BaeLien
From Los Angeles, California, her reputation as a performer continues to grow, leaving a trail of starry-eyed admirers in the cosmos. Her style is a potent mix of fierce precision and sultry allure, captivating audiences with every step. Creating routines which combine dynamic footwork with gravity-defying movement to capture the audience. Her creations are a spectacle that feels both ancient and futuristic. Her shows are more than just performances—they are immersive experiences.
Big Yom$
Existing in the duality of being a scientist & artist, a technologist & humanist, a Yoruba girl living in London – these binaries influence her pole practice-cum-worship. Through movement she communicates what their mind does not yet understand but knows intuitively. She will share this new genre of pole they birth by shattering these barriers of false dichotomies.
Connor Lingus
Based in Berlin, originally hailing from Taipei, this multi-dimensional performance artist has a background in gymnastics, circus arts, and internalised wh0reph0bia. Unlearning the shame associated with reclaiming one’s own sensuality, they developed their own pole style. They now teach Sensual Masc, encouraging people of all gender identities and sexual orientations to explore their inner masculine energy using pole as a tool for outward sensual expression.
Leila Davis aka Cutie Whippingham
A queer pro pole dancer, instructor, model, movement coach, brand inclusion consultant, and founder of Blackstage. She is extremely passionate about race, Queerness and their intersection focusing her unique platform to prove that there’s something in dance for everyone.
Gracey
A Singaporean-Chinese professional pole dancer currently based in Sheffield, her style is a mix of flow, strength and flex and is heavily influenced by her background in Ballet and Contemporary Dance.
Legziana
Mesmerising audiences with her fluidity and never ending legs. From her first encounter with pole in her hometown of Windhoek, Namibia, to making the UK her home over 5 years ago, she’s found her place in a welcoming community rooted in the artistry and resilience of sex workers, whose influence shapes her movement style.
Melissa with Selina
A French-Caribbean pole dance artist and instructor based in Paris, known for her bold, unapologetic, and cinematic style. Drawing inspiration from her mother, an iconic striptease artist of her time, Melissa celebrates the art of sensual dance with a feminist and inclusive perspective.
Noel
A second-generation Japanese American dancer from the deep conservative South, hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, she uses the opportunity to perform to show off her own values. Starting pole only in 2022, she draws inspiration from the moments when dancers transcend technique and connect with their audience on an emotional level by moving with boundless sensuality. She aspires to captivate her audience by embodying a bold and shameless expression of pleasure in her movement.
Peachy Poler
A London-based Scottish pole artist who brings bold, dynamic energy to the stage, blending sass, power, and flow. A performer, choreographer, and instructor, she’s also the founder of Peachy Poler Online and a passionate advocate for marginalized communities. With international performances, collaborations, and a growing online presence, Peachy is redefining pole artistry and representation.
Petty Aduna
The pole has become a tool for self-expression, community, and healing. From reclaiming their body and overcoming past trauma to creating art rooted in musicality and emotion, her barefoot lyrical style flows between edge work and waves, honoring the strippers who inspire them every day.
As the founder of B-Valley, Petty has created workshops dedicated to empowering fat dancers in an inclusive and celebratory space.
psycho
A Lebanese pole dancer and instructor known for her empowering performances and dedication to redefining the narrative of Arab women in the arts. With experience teaching in over three countries, she uses pole dance to inspire strength, fluidity, and self-expression. She will showcase her unique vision of resilience and empowerment on this prestigious platform.
Yung Pole Master
A US pole icon passionate about using movement that expresses himself and connect with people globally. Having worked with Britney Spears, Lil Nas X, Kehlani, and more, he hopes to inspire others to embrace their individuality and explore the power of self-expression through being 100% unapologetically themselves.
Tickets are on sale for £40.70 and can be bought here: claphamgrand.com/event/blackstage-presents-audacity.