Blackstage, the award-winning Black Queer SWer-led company-cum-movement, founded by pro pole artist, instructor, and activist, Leila Davis, launches Blackstage Talks – an IRL event to discuss issues facing the pole industry and how to do better as a community.
On Saturday 10 February, Blackstage, the POC inclusive events company, will host the first Blackstage Talks at The Common Press in London – a panel evening with pioneering professional pole dancing leaders gathered to discuss safe(r) community spaces, brand inclusion, shadowbanning, + more.
This is the first in-real-life panel event of its kind – in conversation with three founders pioneering safer community spaces in the pole industry. The event will be Hosted by Dr Carolina Are – the pole dancing academic with a PhD in ‘Social Media Governance’, campaigning against social media censorship and shadowbanning.
Guest include Filthy Friday founder – Beanie the Jet, queer pro pole dancer, brand inclusion consultant, Blackstage founder – Cutie Whippingham, and creator of the Pole Dance Stripper Movement (PDSM), sex worker and pole instructor, Gemma Rose.
Guests speakers at Blackstage Talks: Breaking Moulds will include:
Beanie the Jet (@beanie_the_jet) – renowned as the ‘sexual Liberator’ and ‘pleasure enthusiast’, Beanie is the creator of the UK Pole industry’s first fully inclusive showcases called Filthy Friday in Manchester, which was created not only as a space for marginalised folk to celebrate and be celebrated but also to honour the roots of pole dance as we know it today.
Cutie Whippingham (@cutiewhippingham) – a queer professional pole dancer, instructor, model, movement coach, brand inclusion consultant, and founder of Blackstage – a group for Black people and people of colour (BPOC) of all bodies and abilities, especially those who are Queer, Trans, Non-binary and/or Sex Workers (SW). Drawing from her own experience, Leila is known for her informative online voice and workshops such as ‘How to Make Money as a Pole Performer’, ‘How to Write a Pole Performer Contract’ and ‘How to Build an Ethical Pole Event’, shining a light on the creative industries prejudices and getting the pole community to do better.
Gemma Rose (@gemmarosepole) – a proud sex worker and pole instructor. She is the creator of Pole Dance Stripper Movement (PDSM). PDSM runs sex worker-centred events by providing spaces and opportunities which directly give back to the community on which pole was founded. The PDSM Competition is the world’s most sex worker-inclusive pole competition and unites the intersecting pole and stripping communities. Gemma is also the podcast host of The 6am Club.
When: 6:45-9pm, Saturday 10 February 2024
Where: The Common Press, Shoreditch London
Tickets: £21.50, sold here
Last Updated on 3rd February 2024 by Nonchalant Magazine
This article was written by one of our creative team writers here at Nonchalant Magazine.
