Student Success Story…

At Candy & Chrome, we are most proud of our students and dedicate ourselves to their progression.  The only thing is, progression has many forms, and people have varied ranges of what it is THEY want to achieve.

Some prople may want to achieve a very visual progress, others might want to loose weight, some simply just want to feel better about themselves.

We have LOTS of success stories at Candy & Chrome, every day more and more students are achieving what they set out to and more! but few have had such a deeply personal battle as well as a physical battle as this one particular student.

To commemorate her bravery and celebrate her triumph, here is the story of my student ‘Seren Bach’ (little star). 

Seren’s Success Story…

I had just got out of a long term relationship (13 years).
The relationship was……VERY rocky and by the bitter end of it I was left a weak person with no confidence, all because of the years of being controlled the abuse towards the end, I had lost all faith in myself and desire to live.
I hadn’t even been out socialising with friends for 6 years due to the consequences that may have occurred, so I had practically become agoraphobic …… things felt pretty grim.

I had had this leaflet in my kitchen for nearly 2 months! “Pole dancing lessons!”

Years ago I wouldn’t have hesitated, but with no confidence I couldn’t lift my head up nevermind lift myself up a pole! That was until a good friend told me I shouldn’t under-estimate myself.  That was a big turning point for me. So, with a shaking hand I sent a text message and arranged a teaser lesson. The week before my first lesson was an anxious one! each day I thought of an excuse not to go: too old, too fat, you name it, I was thinking it! Each time I convinced myself to cancel, I would remind myself what my friend had told me.

The big day arrived, I felt sick! I parked outside, my mouth went so dry and I was trembling with nerves! I nearly drove off, but instead, I managed to walk in, head down (as usual). There was a class just finishing and I watched in amazement, seeing the other girls learing made me think “ I really want to do this!” My instructor walked over and introduced herself, she wasn’t what I had imagined.  She was very friendly, she didn’t look down at me (as I had convinced myself she would), I also thought I might be told I wouldn’t be able to do this (my past haunting me).

Tiny (my instructor) demonstrated some spins, then I tried! Well…..Despite feeling like a clumsy fool, I absolutely loved it! With each attempt at a spin, I got a little better at it, and that gave me such a happy uplifting feeling inside.  When the lesson ended I arranged to do my Bronze award, I just couldn’t wait, I hadn’t told many people what I was doing, I thought I might be laughed at.
But by my 4th lesson I felt I was improving not only my pole dancing ability, but my confidence was building up with each lesson. I was starting to feel like a person not just someone existing from day to day.  I guess you could say that pole dancing gave me a reason to feel good about myself again, and that encouraged me to start taking some control back!

So, I bought myself an X-pole! which takes pride of place in my front room. I go on it most days, I just love to lose myself in the music, dance away and feel like I can be the confident person I used to be. I am coming to the end of my Silver award now and I can’t believe the difference pole dancing has made to my life! I am holding my head up, I can talk to people without thinking they are judging me,
something most people take for granted. People are telling me how good I am looking and how different I am compared to six months ago. I smile and say with pride, “I’ve started pole dancing and it’s great!”

I genuinely believe I would still be stuck in that dark place, staring at my feet if it wasn’t for pole dancing.

Thanks to my instructor! x