Name: Madeleine Sambou
Course: Criminology
Year: 4th Year
What made you choose to join the AberFly Society?
I started taking weekly pole classes during my Erasmus time in Malta and I really enjoyed it so wanted to make sure that I could continue pole dancing in Dundee. I realised Abertay didn’t have a pole dance society, and therefore wanted to set up a society so Abertay students have the chance to try out this amazing form of art.
What initially drew you to pole, and how has it impacted your physical and mental well-being?
I got into pole dancing because a friend of mine attended classes at the University of Dundee; she told me how it helped her physically and mentally, but also how the people in the classes will become your friends or even your little “pole family”. I decided to give it a try and really enjoyed it; however, because I started just before the summer, I didn’t continue the classes for a while. Nevertheless, once I arrived in Malta, I decided I wanted to give it a go again and reached out to a studio on the island. Pole can be seen as a form of art rather than a sport; however, you can’t underestimate the physical side of it, as you definitely use all of your muscles. Besides this, other physical benefits include increased blood flow, flexibility, and mobility. The mental benefits on the other side include becoming more confident and self-aware, but it also lowers your stress levels. I have definitely experienced multiple of these benefits and am very glad that I was introduced to pole dancing.
How does pole contribute to your self-confidence, body positivity and overall sense of empowerment?
As mentioned above, some of the mental benefits include becoming more confident and self-aware and it lowers your stress levels. I definitely believe that Pole has made me self-aware of my body, which at first might be scary and make you a bit uncomfortable, but in the long run, you will really start to appreciate it. Because pole classes mostly consist of other girls or women who are in the same stages of life, you will feel how the others hype you up when trying a new trick while also helping you through more difficult times. I would say that this relationship that you create with other polers is very empowering and makes you love pole dancing even more.
Can you share a memorable experience of breaking through a personal limitation or fear while practising pole? How did you approach it and what did you learn from that experience?
I first tried pole classes while still in Dundee, which I liked but didn’t necessarily enjoy because of the difference in levels and big classes. I also moved back to the Netherlands over the summer to work so couldn’t continue it for a while. Once moved to Malta for my Erasmus I decided to try pole classes again. I started my classes in October, I started to realise how much I actually liked pole; this was also a result of the completely different environment. The classes in Malta were small, with a maximum of 5 people, and the levels of experience weren’t as mixed as in Dundee. Because of this, I got the chance to get more one-on-one assistance and, therefore, grow a lot. So, this is something we want to take into consideration in our society, as we want everyone to feel comfortable in the classes.
If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future, and why?
I would travel to the future, as I wouldn’t like to change the past, but I am very curious what my future will look like. You will either have something to look out for and be excited about or something you can mentally prepare yourself for.
What's your favourite board game or video game, and what makes it so enjoyable for you?
It is not really a board game, but more of a card game. One of my favourite games is Skip-Bo. I love the fact that this game is both lucky and tactical, as you don’t know which cards you get; however, you are the one who decides how the game might end. It’s especially fun to play with people who really know the game well because this will make the game very exciting. Skip-Bo is one of the games I always play with my best friend, and we always get so competitive. This game also carries so many good memories with it, such as holidays I played it on.
If you could have any superpower for a day, what would you choose and how would you use it?
I would like to be able to fly, as this will allow me to visit multiple countries in one day. My goal is to be able to visit as many European countries as I can. But it would also be ideal to go to Australia or Thailand, as this is normally such a long and expensive flight. I really want to see as much of the world as possible, meet new people, learn new languages, and experience new cultures.
