Preschool teacher by day, pole dancer by night: Plus-sized dancer on finding confidence despite online negativity

Before she took up pole dancing, Jaslyn Tan’s initial impression of the exotic art form was that it was something only strippers did.

Years later, the preschool teacher laughs at that misconception, saying she was amused to discover that she is always "fully dressed" during her practice sessions.

Tan first picked up pole dancing in 2019 after the preschool teacher’s coworkers at her new workplace suggested trying out a new hobby, hoping to explore a more unconventional activity together.

Admitting that she was “never a dance person” and had never received formal dance training as a child, the 32-year-old nevertheless decided to give it a shot — but not without struggle.

“My first dance practice was horrible,” she told Stomp. “Throughout the whole one-hour session, the only thing I could do was pull myself up for two seconds.” 

Starting at her heaviest

Before she discovered pole dancing, Tan said she rarely had the chance to exercise regularly.

In 2018, her mother suffered a stroke and became bedridden, prompting her to take on the role of caregiver at just 22 years old. Her mother died the following year. 

The experience took a toll on her physically and emotionally, and her weight eventually reached 105kg.

“I was skeptical, like, I’m a plus-sized (woman), so heavy... can I really manage it?” Tan recalled, remembering her first lesson. “But then I realised, oh, I can pull myself up. That’s something I didn’t know I could do.”

Encouraged by what her body was capable of, she continued attending classes and gradually grew more confident in the sport.

Tan now trains at Fable Dance Studio, which offers pole dancing and aerial arts classes.

Alongside aerial and K-pop dance classes, she credits pole dancing for helping her stay active and allowing her to appreciate her body more. 

“I feel like I’ve become stronger — I’m 96kg now, but I feel that even if I were to gain back (the weight), my physique is different from before.”

Putting herself out there

As her passion for pole dancing grew, Tan began posting videos of her studio practice sessions on Instagram.

She recalled having mixed feelings before publishing her first reel, wondering if people would “comment bad things” while also excited by the prospect of showing others what she could do. 

Unfortunately, some did.

“I posted a hammock practice video,” Tan shared. “I was struggling to get into the trick — so people started commenting things like, ‘Is this dumpling season already? Are you a roasted kebab?’”

The comments affected her at first.

“At the very start, yes, I did have bad emotions and got very down,” she said.

However, she learned not to dwell on them.

“Over the years I don’t feel anything, to be honest. They cannot hurt me physically.”

While some netizens have left harsh remarks under her posts, the 32-year-old also sees her fair share of supportive comments.

“I’ve received a lot of encouraging messages from plus-sized ladies all over the internet saying that I give them inspiration. I’m really proud of that.”

Acceptance and support from fellow teachers and students

At first glance, Tan’s social media accounts — filled with pole dancing and aerial arts videos — may seem worlds apart from her day job as a preschool teacher.

However, she said her hobby has never been an issue at work, as her colleagues have all been very supportive of her pursuit in pole dancing. 

Some of her students’ parents have also started following her on social media.

“Even my students are interested in my dance videos,” she said with a laugh. “They’ve asked questions like, ‘Teacher Jas, why you can fly?’”

Tan said she is grateful that neither her workplace nor the parents have expressed concerns about her hobby.

She also no longer thinks it’s “just for strippers”.

Looking back, she is thankful she stepped out of her comfort zone and tried something new.

“I would say good job,” she said when asked what she would tell her younger self. “Good job for coming out of your comfort zone and trying hard.”

For anyone interested in trying pole dancing, her advice is simple: “Start with small steps, and confidence will be built over time.

“I’m 96kg, and I never thought someone like me would try pole dancing.”

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