pole dance
feminine
The English phrase "pole dance" is translated into French as pole dance. Wiktionary also lists danse à la barre verticale and danse à la barre.
Meaning: dancing centred around a pole (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pole dance | feminine | |
| danse à la barre verticale | feminine | |
| danse à la barre | feminine | |
| barre verticale | /baʁ vɛʁ.ti.kal/ /bɑʁ vɛʁ.ti.kal/ |
feminine |
The term refers to dancing centered around a pole. To express the action of practicing the activity, French speakers typically use the verb faire (to do/make) rather than danser (to dance), as in faire de la pole dance.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The English loanword pole dance is the most common way to refer to the activity in casual conversation and modern fitness contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the English loanword in French, it is treated as a feminine noun, such as in la pole dance.
Did you know?
- The word barre in danse à la barre may share a distant ancestor with the Ancient Greek word pháros, which means 'beacon' or 'lighthouse'.
- In France, pole dance is often categorized as a 'sport' rather than just a 'dance', leading to the rise of competitive championships focused on athleticism.
Examples in context
- J'ai commencé à prendre des cours de pole dance et j'adore ça !I started taking pole dance classes, and I love it!
- Elle pratique la pole dance tous les jours.She practices pole dance every day.
- La pole dance est une discipline très physique.Pole dance is a very physical discipline.
- Elle a suivi un cours de pole dance hier.She took a pole dance class yesterday.
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are discussing her new hobby.
- NathanTu fais quoi comme sport en ce moment ?What sport are you doing these days?
- ChloéJe fais de la pole dance depuis un mois.I have been doing pole dance for a month.
- NathanC'est impressionnant, tu es très forte !That's impressive, you are very strong!
- ChloéMerci, c'est un travail difficile.Thanks, it is hard work.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pole dance” translations and entries barre verticale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries barre, dance, danse, la, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
