I Saw Her in Australia First
It was at Pole Icon in Australia, near the end of the show—when everyone is already a little tired, a little overstimulated—and then she came on.
There was something playful about her. A little chaotic, a little unexpected. The kind of performance where you can’t quite predict the next moment, so you stay locked in, watching.
People were reacting—not just clapping, but laughing, gasping, leaning forward.
And then it ended.
A week later, I saw her again.
This time in Japan, at ExoGen.
@yoko_polechair
I had to take the opportunity to get to know her.
How It All Started (Hint: Not Pole)
Yoko didn’t grow up dreaming of pole.
She discovered it almost by accident—while on a work trip in China, watching a circus performance.
Aerial silks caught her attention first. That curiosity led her to a pole studio back in Japan.
And then life happened. She left Tokyo for a while, came back years later, and suddenly her friends were dancing in heels.
So she joined them. She just wanted to dance with her friends.
Creating Her Own Lane (Literally… with a Chair)
Yoko isn’t just a dancer, she’s an inventor of movement.
At one competition in the UK, she found herself performing last… on a slippery stage.
Instead of adjusting… she reimagined the entire performance.
She introduced a chair to avoid the floor and created a whole new dimension to her style.
Her Teaching Style: No Rules, Just You
She describes her teaching as:
“Not just tricks… but finding your own style and being you.”
Her philosophy is simple but powerful:
Pole isn’t just about technique. It’s about your life, your experiences, your personality.
It’s adulthood expressed through movement.
The Thong Trick That Took 6 Years
Yes, we need to talk about the thong trick. It’s bold. It’s shocking. It’s unforgettable.
But what most people don’t know? It took her six years to develop.
Six years of experimenting. All for a moment that looks effortless.
And I am happy to hear that my protector helps her control the trick better!
The Story That Changed Everything
Now here’s the part that stayed with me.
Yoko once saved a bird.
Not just any bird, a cockatiel that no one wanted. It was overlooked, neglected, and about to be discarded.
So she did something most people wouldn’t:
She paid extra… just to give it a chance.
But the bird got sick.
Really sick.
The vet told her:
“He might live for a week.”
Yoko spent thousands, literally her entire savings, on treatment.
She worked from the vet clinic.
She sat beside him with an oxygen tank… just talking to him, keeping him alive.
At one point, she spent what equals a year’s salary in Japan just to save him.
The Moment Everything Shifted
Because of that bird… Yoko needed money.
So for the first time in her life, she decided:
“I want to win.”
She entered a competition. Won. Got noticed. Became an instructor. Started dancing in clubs.
She worked a full-time job. Danced until 3AM. Walked home to save money.
Slept sitting up in a tiny space for a year and a half.
All for survival. All for love.
The Beautiful Irony
She laughs about it now:
“Because of a bird… I became who I am.”
And honestly?
That tells you everything about Yoko.
She didn’t chase fame. She didn’t chase success. She chased care. She chose love.
And success followed.