Into the Spotlight, sponsored by Huddersfield-based Scriba PR, is a regular feature which highlights some great businesses. Here we profile Slaithwaite-based entrepreneur REBECCA LOCKWOOD who is about to open a pole dancing studio.
Entrepreneur Rebecca Lockwood has returned to her lifelong passion for dance and is about to open her first pole dancing studio.
Slaithwaite-based Rebecca, a successful neuro-linguistic coach who runs several businesses, found a passion for pole dancing back in 2006.
Just two years later she began teaching pole dancing and started WILD at Heart Pole Fitness online.
She offers one-to-one training in Huddersfield and is about to open a new studio in Halifax town centre.
Mum-of-two Rebecca said: “There were no pole dancing schools back in 2008. I just taught pole dancing from my spare room at home and made it work.
“There was no real training for it that anyone had heard of and it was a very taboo topic. I suppose it still is sometimes depending on who you speak to.”
Rebecca has danced since the age of five and it’s been a lifelong passion. After her mum found her dancing in front of the TV to Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ song she sent her to dancing lessons. Each year Rebecca would gain a new medal and certificate and take part in shows for the dance school’s parents and local community.
Rebecca loved dancing and then went on to take a performing arts diploma at Kirklees College. For personal reasons she wasn’t able to continue at college and complete the qualification.
“I always wanted to dance, it’s in my bones,” added Rebecca. “It’s one of the most constant things I have had in my life.”
At 19 Rebecca began to study dance teaching and qualified in teaching jazz dance. Sadly, a career in dance teaching still wasn’t to be, as Rebecca broke her ankle and instead went down a different career path.
“When I broke my ankle I was devastated to no longer be able to dance,” recalled Rebecca. “I couldn’t drive and had no-one to take me to the studio to continue my teacher training so I stopped.
“Around the same time I had begun a sales job and just focused on that in the years after. I still attended pole lessons and different dance classes after my leg had healed around my full-time work.
“But it wasn’t until 2018 that I attended a teacher training certification course at Pineapple Dance studio in London and finally got myself a certificate to teach!”
Rebecca had her first child at the age of 24 and then her second three years later and took time out of dancing. Then in 2019 she rekindled her passion for pole dancing and started to focus and double down on her training.
“I really wanted to become a great dancer and stronger on the pole. I felt like I had so many starts and stops and after having my first child I had a c-section so it took a while for me to gain strength to be able to do much again.
“I took the time to rest and started a training business that year that I still run now. I teach people how the mind works and why we think the way we do.
“Through this work I also coach individuals to help them with their mindset and mental health as I really needed that support for myself.
“When I was able to fully commit again to training and pole dancing I found myself having injury after injury and this delayed my training.”
Rebecca started to see an osteopath and this really helped with her recovery to the point where she was able to focus on training again and fully commit. When she was able to commit again she rekindled her passion with pole and teaching and gained her full teaching qualification for pole.
“I just wanted to teach and nowhere locally really had any space for me to do so. I knew I couldn’t just leave it as it’s something I love so much.
“I just felt so pulled towards making it happen and so after contacting all the local schools and not getting much luck I decided to just go for it and open my own school.”
Rebecca’s school WILD will offer classes in pole, flexibility and other dance styles. The main focus to start with will be beginner pole courses and additional classes will be added as they grow.
To find out more and register your interest you can contact Rebecca at wilddancefitness.uk.
