Directing: Poles Apart

Pensioners vs Pole Dancers, who will win?

Group of young actors and their directors smiling on stage after a performance of 'Dare to Dance Pole Show' with costumes, colorful backdrop, and a sign in the background.

For my final year project at the University of York I pitched and directed a 15 minute short, titled ‘Poles Apart’, which aimed to explore the generational divide through an empathetic lens and empower women of all ages to own their sexuality.

When an offended Maureen discovers the church hall that hosted her monthly knitting group has been turned into a scandalous pole dancing bar, her displeased elderly knitting circle schemes to host a sit-in. They knit in the middle of the bar all night, to deter any customers and prevent their town attracting any ‘anti-Christian’ behaviour. However, she forms an unlikely friendship with Siobhan, lead dancer and owner of the club.

This was such a rewarding experience where I learnt valuable patience, management and communication skills in a really supportive environment.

A woman with red hair and blue eyes, wearing a beige knit sweater, makes a pouting or skeptical facial expression in a room with blurred shelves of books and decorations in the background.
A person in a black outfit and shiny boots performing a dance move in a dimly lit nightclub with purple and blue lighting, while other people sit and watch in the background.
People seated at tables in a dimly lit venue, with a woman holding a glowing light stick standing on the right, and a camera crew filming in the foreground.
Three women working behind a bar counter in a bar or pub with purple lighting. One woman is in the process of preparing drinks, and two others are engaged in conversation. A camera on a tripod is capturing the scene.