EVERY doting father’s instinct is to hold on to his darling daughter for as long as he possibly can – never more so when precariously dangling her from a slippery pole two meters above firm ground.

The strength of Dave and Hazel Roberts’ bond (and grip) has certainly been tested since entering the competitive pole fitness arena as the world’s first ever father-daughter duo.

“My biggest fear is dropping Hazel,” admits 50-year-old Dave with a shy smile.

“I actually did it once. She had slipped out of a move. I caught her and grabbed her foot. I was above her and from my perspective I thought her shoulders were firmly on the ground so I let go. I heard a thump. She fell but she was close enough to the floor so she was all right.”

The pair embarked on their own separate forays into pole fitness or ‘poling’ as it is known on the circuit unbeknown to the other.

Dave was dragged to a class at Emily’s Pole Fitness in Cheney Manor by his former partner three years ago for moral support. She gave up the towel after just six lessons but Dave was hooked on the acrobatic sport.

“I thought I would only have to go to a few classes and then she’d feel confident enough to go on her own,” adds the father-of-five from Gorse Hill.

“But she ended up dropping out and I just kept going. It’s very addictive. You see pictures of people doing great moves and you make it your goal to achieve that and it snowballs from there.”

Meanwhile Hazel, then a university student in Ireland, was persuaded to give pole fitness a try by some flaky friends who pulled out one by one at the last minute.

Intrigued and determined not to back out, Hazel decided to go on her own. Three weeks later she sprang the news on her father on Skype, showing him a picture of herself performing a particularly tricky move.

Little did she expect him to repost with similar photographs of him twisting around the pole in even more advanced poses.

“I was slightly shocked,” recalls the 24-year-old Morrisons team manager. “But it was really funny. We kept exchanging pictures saying, ‘Can you do that yet?’”

After graduation, Hazel joined her father at Emily’s Pole Fitness, gradually mastering more gravity-defying flips and balancing moves.

Coaxed by their teacher to showcase their acrobatic skills at her Halloween gala, Dave and Hazel first hit the stage as a duo in 2013.

“At first I wondered myself if it was a bit odd because people have this perception of pole-dancing but it’s not like that at all,” explains Dave, a B&Q team leader.

“We did a master and puppet routine; it was very hastily cobbled together. It ended up being really fun.

“At the beginning though there were a lot of feet in faces and elbows in backs and a great deal of skin friction, like rope burn. It wasn’t easy. But you just plod on.”

Since the noughties pole fitness has experienced a renaissance, gradually moving into the mainstream as a gymnastics-based workout offered in gyms and some dedicated studios.

Learning to navigate perilous choreography while respecting each other’s boundaries and personal space has proved tricky at times. But avoiding the more risqué moves has never been an issue for the pair. They have steered clear of the classique style of pole dancing and its sultry, sensual routines.

Their unusual hobby took a competitive turn when they entered the UK Amateur Pole Performer competition in November 2014.

In hot pursuit of a national title, they recruited professional instructor Donna Gant, nicknamed The Queen of Spin by those in the know, to knock them into shape, refine their technique, perfect their flawed dance transitions and teach them to point their recalcitrant toes.

Ahead of the finals they rehearsed at home on two poles fitted to the ceiling in their living room.

“We were very nervous; you could tell it was our first competition, “says Dave. “It required a bit more dance skill than I had. You really need to perform. It has to be flawless.”

They failed to place but the thrill of a high-stake live performance was enough to spur them on.

Their efforts were rewarded tenfold in July this year when they were crowned UK champions in the doubles category at Heir to the Chrome for a gothic routine inspired by Frankenstein’s monster – beating a host of professional teams to the accolade.

Their closeness has proved a huge asset. The odd incident aside, they trust one another implicitly to keep out of harm’s way during their boldest stunts. Hazel has also inherited her father’s intrepid streak.

“It’s all about trust,” she says firmly. “You just have to go for it you don’t have time to think and if I didn’t trust dad, I would second guess everything.”

They are now getting into gear for their next national contest, the UK Pole Doubles Championships 2015 in Birmingham on October 4.

“It’s not just about turning up, we’re hoping to win,” says Dave.

“I’m never going to be a world champion. When I see what the young guys out there can do I know that. But I’m competitive and I want to show them the old boy can still do it.”

They have had to contend with prejudice and bigotry along the way, mostly driven by the public’s pre-conception of poling as crude and restricted to strip clubs.

While this image is fading fast abroad, it is still clinging on in the UK despite the sport’s popularity, especially among trained gymnasts.

“It’s becoming more open,” Dave insists. “More people understand that side of poling.

“But you get negative comments from people who associate it with strip clubs. But Hazel’s mum and her Nan have been very supportive and my colleagues have come to shows to cheer us on,” he said.

The biting comments and taunts have ignited a fire to make their mark on the sport. The pair have now set their sights on going professional and achieving European and international titles. Dave is also planning to train as an instructor.

“We are hoping to compete separately at some point too,” says Hazel.

“I would love to claim a title for myself. Performing with dad has given me the confidence to go out on my own.”

She turns to her father before adding playfully: “I don’t mind sharing the fame with dad... for now.”

WHERE TO LEARN

 Emily’s Pole Fitness in Cheney Manor holds beginners classes on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6-7.10pm, and from 8.40-9.50pm on Tuesdays and Fridays. Visit www.emilyspolefitness.co.uk/contact.php.

  •  Breathe Pole and Fitness in Hillmead holds muscle-targeted pole classes on weekday evenings and Saturday mornings. For more information call 0796 995 5802 or visit
    breathepoleandfitness.co.uk.
     
  •  PoleFun offers lessons in the town centre throughout the day on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For more information call Charmaine on 0780 777 1454 or email info@polefun.co.uk.