Today we’d like to introduce you to Caroline Perry.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Caroline. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My passion for movement started at a young age. I loved practicing dance, gymnastics, and figure skating because they were elegant and graceful.
When I reached high school, my interests began to shift more into fitness. I started running, lifting weights, and practicing healthy eating habits. I became obsessed with transforming my then scrawny, skin-and-bones figure, into a more muscular and well-developed physique. I loved the results I was achieving from my workouts, but the urge to dance and move my body never left me.
In college, I thought my body was at its peak. I was running and going to the gym every day without fail. One weekend my identical twin sister, whom I went to school with at the time, mentioned that she had started taking pole fitness classes a few times a week at a studio next to our campus. I was shocked! She was the last person I’d ever thought would be interested something like that. In my mind, I still associated pole dancing with the strip club stigma, so I was very skeptical. She invited me to come to watch her perform that night to see what pole dancing was all about. I was incredibly curious so, of course, I took her up on her offer.
When I got to the studio that night, I felt out of place, almost scandalized, just by being so close to something that I always considered to be taboo. But when she started to dance, throwing her body upside down and around the pole with such incredible strength and grace unlike anything I’d ever seen, I knew. I knew I had to do this! From that moment on I was determined to become a great pole dancer. I saved up all my money to take classes every week in pole, flexibility, dance, anything that would help me perfect my craft. I took about eight classes per week and religiously practiced at home another 8 hours per week. I was obsessed!
Eight months later, I won my first title at the Miss Texas Pole Star competition. That was a defining moment for me. Winning that competition made me realize that pole dancing was more than just a hobby for me; it was my passion, my everything. In the four years that I have been practicing pole, I have won four regional and two national titles and competed in competitions all over the U.S. I currently teach classes regularly at Vertical Fitness Dallas and Altitude Fitness Frisco and I travel all over the world teaching workshops at studios and pole camps. I love seeing my students’ faces when they nail a new trick and guiding them through their own journey to finding passion in pole dance as well.
Has it been a smooth road?
Not, in the least. I was born with a rare, congenital birth defect called Hemifacial Microsomia. This condition affects the development of facial features which caused me to lose most of my jaw on the left side, my left ear, and 50% of my hearing. Growing up, I was in and out of the hospital constantly. I had over 20 reconstructive surgeries, 4 bone grafts, and 2 grafts to make my face look as normal as possible and regain some of my hearing.
Besides the bullying I endured from my peers in school, I was bed-ridden and in recovery for a lot of my youth which made it hard to stay as active as I wanted. I think that is why I loved dance and fitness so much because the ability to do whatever activity we want whenever we want is something a lot of us take for granted. During the time, I was able to do what I loved, I took full advantage of it and went all in.
Taking up pole dancing was a huge leap for my self-esteem as I never felt confident in my own skin. I was embarrassed by my face and the scars on my body; I thought that people who look like me can’t do things like this. But, as I got better and began to see the changes in my mind and body, I started to embrace everything about me, both physically and mentally. I used to let my condition define me, but the pole has given me a new sense of identity that is self-loving and body-positive. I love who I am because of the pole. The journey wasn’t easy, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am a pole dance athlete, instructor, and performer. I travel all over the country teaching classes, workshops, and even specialized lessons online through Skype. I teach classes and private lessons ranging from pole technique, choreography, competition training, flexibility training, and pole conditioning.
As a performer, I’m most known for my unique style which combines the power and strength of an athlete with the delicate grace of a dancer. My choreography and musicality tend to set me apart from other performers. I aim to make an audience feel a certain emotion when they see me dance and I pull from my past experiences and memories to create stories to tell on stage. My style is raw, genuine, and unapologetically original.
As a teacher, I enjoy helping others discover their own style and breaking down seemingly impossible moves to make them attainable for all levels of dancers. I aim to build a sense of community between me and my students. My classes will give you one heck of a workout, but they are always fun, lighthearted, and full of laughs.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
The diversity of this city gives it a vibrant, colorful feel that I love. I have students and patrons from all walks of life that support me as an instructor and performer.
While I feel this city has a pretty good reputation for being appreciative of the arts, there is always room for more. As artists, the aerial and pole community are often undervalued despite the hours of dedicated training and specialized practice it takes to master our craft.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ginjatheninja.com
- Phone: (214) 215-3693
- Email: ginjapoleartist@gmail.com
- Instagram: @ginjapoleninja
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ginjapoleninja
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/caroline.perry.77
Image Credit:
Jessica Chen Photography, Alloy Images
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