Short answer. These are class words, not a judging code. Names of figures vary by teacher and by country. If a word is new, ask what the body should do.
- Pole
- The vertical apparatus. In studios it is usually a metal pole fixed between floor and ceiling, or a stage pole. Flow Factory’s installed poles are stainless steel, in 45 mm and 40 mm diameters.
- Static
- The pole is locked and does not rotate. See static vs spinning.
- Spin
- The pole rotates on a bearing. “Spin” is also used for a move in which the body travels around the pole.
- X-lock
- A mechanism, also called a quick spin at Flow Factory, that switches one pole between static and spin. Not every studio uses this hardware.
- Grip
- How the skin or the hand holds the pole, and also the name of bottled products that change tack. See pole grip.
- Climb
- Going up the pole using legs and arms. A first class may not include one.
- Sit
- A seated position on the pole, often with the thighs holding. One of the early holds.
- Invert
- Going upside down. An invert is a family of entries, not one trick, and it is not a first-class requirement.
- Floorwork
- Movement on the floor, away from or returning to the pole. A large part of heels and exotic classes.
- Conditioning
- Strength and endurance work for the hands, shoulders, core and legs, inside or beside a class.
- Spotting
- A teacher physically guiding a move so you can feel it safely. You can refuse a spot.
- Dominant side
- The side that feels easier. Pole still has to be trained on both.
- Pole flow
- Continuous movement and transitions, rather than a list of separate tricks. At Flow Factory it asks for about three months of pole.
- Pole heels
- Pole dance in platform heels. Defined in what is pole heels?
- Heels dance
- Dance in platform heels without a pole.
- Exotic
- A sensual, dance-led style of pole. Pole Dance Family uses the name Pole Exotic. It is not automatically the same class as pole heels.
- Pole sport
- Competitive, scored pole. Explained in pole dance vs pole sport.
- Single class
- One class, booked on its own. Some studios call this a drop-in. Flow Factory’s Beginner Level 1 can be booked this way. Not every school offers it.
- Class card
- Several classes paid for together. The usual cards are 5, 10 or 20 classes. Buying a card does not always reserve a place in a specific class.
- Practice / open pole
- Time on the pole that is not a taught class. It may be supervised or not. At Flow Factory, Pole Practice has no teacher.
- Workshop
- A one-off class, often with a guest teacher, separate from the weekly timetable.
Figure names — ayesha, brass monkey, and the rest — are left out on purpose. They multiply, they get renamed, and a glossary that lists them badly is worse than asking the teacher in the room.