Cover Story

DEB INSPIRES US ALL TO BE BETTER Pole dancing for fi tness

Deb Roach strutting her stuff.

 DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

DEB Roach is that rare kind of athlete that takes your heart away when she is in full flight.

The thee time world pole champion and Blacktown Woman of the Year nominee was born without her left arm but the disability has never held her back.

In fact she has inspired a generation of athletes, fi t or disabled, to do better and to use the sport of pole dancing as a way to enhance their wellbeing and outlook on life.

Deb recently hosted an open day in celebration of the 10th anniversary of her International Pole Championship win in the 2012 Disabled Division.

It was also the fi rst birthday of her revamped pole studio, Stargazer Studios, previously known as World of Pole.

As a one-armed pole dancer and small business owner, Deb is dedicated to creating more inclusive workout environments for people with physical or mental disabilities.

“Historically, pole hasn’t been a very accessible sport, so when I reimagined the studio I wantedto create a space that presents a diverse range of movement and exercise opportunities for all bodies,” Deb said.

“All our poles are bright colors and we have a variety of diff erent lighting options, which makes it great for people with diff erent sensory needs.

“Our program is structured diff erently too, with more mixed-level classes and less pressure to progress at a specifi c rate.”

The event was attended by representatives from the Pole and Aerial Society of Western Sydney University. Guests viewed a special recreation of Deb’s winning IPC routine, recently fi lmed for its debut at the Inner West Disability Pride Fest, a decade after the original performance in Hong Kong.

The business is designed to off er a fun and covid-safe experience for Blacktown and district participants.

“We will have a maximum of 30 people in the venue at all times and a clicker system to rotate the guests every 15 minutes if we get busy.”

“Anyone curious about pole dance or alternative fi tness should visit and see what they think for themselves,” Deb said.

Stargazer Studio is at Unit 106/69, Holbeche Rd, Arndell Park .