In episode two of Sway Talks, we journey to Dar es Salaam's coastline where Fenella Sutton (@suttyfen) has built a thriving pole empire. Between two air conditioners that barely combat the equatorial humidity and a studio painted in vibrant turquoise and pink, she's creating magic – 18 classes a week of it. Her secret? Understanding that in pole dance, what you wear isn't vanity; it's strategy.
The Day Everything Changed: An Electric Yellow Alethea Bodysuit Story
"I hadn't done this trick in maybe six months," Fenella recalls, her voice brightening at the memory. "It took a lot of strength, and I said to myself, 'Let's see if we can do it today.'"
She was wearing an electric yellow Alethea bodysuit – vibrant, bold, impossible to ignore. The kind of statement pole wear that makes you stand taller before you even touch the pole.
"I had a really positive mindset. I felt really good in the outfit, and I was so pleased because I got this really hard floor trick... and then the rest of the day I felt this big sense of accomplishment. I felt really good about myself the rest of the day."
"So it does its magic," she adds simply.
"its magic" - @suttyfen nailing the trick with confidence.
For Fenella, high-performance pole outfits that boost confidence have become part of her practice, as integral as grip aids or warm-ups.
From Theatre Lights to Teaching in Tanzania
Fenella's pole journey began like many of ours – with a massive dose of humility. Despite her extensive background in theatre dance, ballet, tap, and jazz, that first pole class in 2015 was a wake-up call.
"I thought being a dancer it was going to be a lot easier than it was," she laughs. "I found it quite hard in the beginning. It took a while with sweaty hands. I used to really struggle with sweaty hands."
But here's where her story diverges from the typical pole journey. When her South African instructor left Tanzania, most students would have seen it as the end. Fenella saw it as the beginning.
"By the time she left, there was no teacher any longer. So myself and another girl became teachers so that we could keep it going."
No YouTube tutorials could fully prepare her for what came next. Teaching herself to advanced levels while simultaneously building a community from scratch required more than just determination. It required understanding every aspect of pole – including why professional pole wear designed for extreme conditions would become non-negotiable in her practice.
The Humidity Diaries: When Physics Fights Your Pole Practice
"We're just by the equator," Fenella explains, painting a picture that will make any pole dancer wince in sympathy. "Today we're going into our summer months here. So it's really, really hot."
The numbers tell one story – two industrial air conditioners running full blast. But the reality tells another: "Girls still can sweat in the class because humidity is just so high in the summer months. Sometimes it feels like the poles themselves sweat, and no matter how much you clean them, no matter how cool it is, the humidity is just so hot."
This isn't just discomfort; it's a technical challenge that affects every aspect of training. In these conditions, moisture-wicking pole dance fabric that actually works isn't marketing speak – it's the difference between nailing a trick and sliding off the pole.
"Being a dancer helped in some ways," she reflects, "being able to flow and move with the pole, but not necessarily with the strength building. That took a while." And in Tanzania's climate, that strength building happens while battling elements most pole dancers never face.
The International Classroom: 18 Classes, Infinite Perspectives
Teaching 18 classes a week would exhaust most instructors. Teaching 18 classes a week to students from Tanzania, Europe, America, and South America – each bringing their own cultural relationship with movement and body image – that's a masterclass in adaptation.
"Everyone comes for a different reason and what their expectations are are very different," Fenella explains. "Some like to dance, some like to just do tricks, some hate spinning, some just come to do some exercise, some want to get to a really advanced level. They're all so different. So I have to really adapt how I teach each person."
This diversity extends to pole fashion choices. "Half of my students are quite conservative and they're still like shorts and a vest top," she observes. But for those ready to explore, she's become a guide to finding versatile pole clothing that enables smooth transitions from training to performance.
"I remember buying my first sets of different colors and wearing them to pole and people looking at me like, 'What is she wearing? We don't wear stuff like that yet.' But I think slowly, slowly, then other people started also getting stuff."
The Revolution Starts with Turquoise and Pink
Fenella's studio is a manifesto in color. Turquoise walls, pink accents, wall stickers everywhere – it's a deliberate rejection of the beige, serious fitness aesthetic that dominated early pole spaces.
"I love bright colors. I love things that are a little bit sexy, a little bit edgy, you know, things that are different."
This philosophy extends beyond interior design to how she approaches pole wear. In the early days of pole, she remembers, options were limited to "long shorts and real old-fashioned sports bras." The revelation came through social media: "Oh, but this isn't what you have to wear. You can wear things with patterns and designs on and customize things."
Now, she carefully guides students toward comfortable pole outfits that enhance grip without sacrificing style. "When you wear something so special, you want what you're doing to be not necessarily major, but you want to do something big or something impressive because you're wearing the outfit, so you want it to match."
The Sustainability Secret: Why Quality Matters in the Heat
When you're training in conditions where everything deteriorates faster – from grip aids to motivation – investing in durable pole wear that withstands intensive training becomes economical wisdom, not extravagance.
"I've had some sets for a very long time and they're still as good as new," Fenella notes about her preferred pole wear. This longevity matters when you're sweating through multiple classes daily in equatorial heat.
She looks for specific qualities: "It's both sporty and sexy and it's really flexible to work with too. You can do all sorts of tricks in it." The versatility is crucial – pole outfits that work for both exotic and sport styles mean less time changing, more time training.
"You can do sexy stuff, exotic tricks in it, but then you can also do sporty stuff and combinations and floor work. So it's really versatile."
Building Bridges Across a Continent
The African pole community might be geographically scattered, but it's digitally united. Fenella connects with instructors from South Africa to Egypt, Kenya to Mozambique, sharing everything from trick tips to competition strategies through WhatsApp groups.
"We all seem to be able to link up online and we often chat with each other about competitions or about tricks that we're learning or teaching our students."
But distance creates unique challenges. "Most of them here, they're all online because it's so hard and expensive to travel to go and do competitions," she explains. When you're filming for virtual competitions, competition-quality pole outfits that photograph beautifully become even more important – you can't rely on stage presence and crowd energy to enhance your performance.
The Exotic Divide: Navigating Cultural Boundaries
While exotic pole has exploded globally, Fenella faces unique challenges introducing it in Tanzania. "I only have a small group that I teach heels classes to. The majority of the other students, they don't want to learn it."
She's thoughtful about why: "I don't know if it's a stigma still associated with the shoes... They think if I wear the shoes, people are going to call me something. There's still a slight stigma that there isn't in the Western world that we still have here. Like a little bit controversial still."
This cultural navigation has taught her to be intentional about recommendations. She's learned which students are ready for bold pole dance outfits with strategic cutouts and which need full-coverage pole wear that still provides grip. It's not about pushing anyone outside their comfort zone – it's about helping them find where performance and personal values align.
The Partner Paradox: When Your Spotter Is Your Spouse
In perhaps the most relatable moment of our conversation, Fenella reveals that her husband – a former gymnast and gymnastics coach – is her acro partner. They practice "tricks on the pole like double flips or handstand tricks" together.
"It doesn't always go well though," she admits with refreshing honesty. "Sometimes it causes a lot of arguments if something's not working or if he says, 'Oh, it's your fault.' And I'll say, 'No, it's your fault.'"
This dynamic partnership has influenced her appreciation for flexible pole wear designed for acrobatic movements – clothing that can handle not just pole work but the full spectrum of circus arts without restricting movement or compromising on style.
Training Smart at 40°C: The Strategic Approach
Teaching 18 classes while maintaining personal training in extreme heat requires military precision. "I try to be more clever with my training. So I'd rather do two or three hours training, but then have a few days where I don't train."
This strategic approach extends to every aspect of her practice, including choosing breathable pole training wear for hot climates. "Sometimes, especially when it's so hot, I can just tell myself, 'Oh, I'm not going to train today, it's too hot,' because it can be so frustrating when it's really hot."
Her solution? Planning everything, from class content to outfit choices. "I try and sit down one day and do all my plans for the week of everything I'm teaching, all my classes. Otherwise, it just gets a bit overwhelming."
The Performance Psychology: Why Outfit Choice Is Never "Just" Fashion
"Bright makes you feel brighter," Fenella states simply, distilling years of teaching experience into four words.
She's observed this phenomenon countless times in her students. "If you're wearing something that makes you feel good, it gives you that little bit of a boost to pole, whatever it is, whether it's just a little quick flow or you want to do a floor routine or you want to do just a trick. I feel it's so inspiring and so helpful when you've got something that makes you feel good on."
This isn't superficial. It's sports psychology in action. Just as runners invest in quality shoes and swimmers in performance suits, pole dancers need professional-grade pole wear that enhances performance – physically through grip and flexibility, psychologically through confidence and presence.
The African Pole Style: Tradition Meets Innovation
When asked to define African pole style, Fenella thoughtfully considers the question. "I'd say it's very much linked to the original pole sport... Very much learning from the beginner, what you learn to begin with, and then almost following like a syllabus."
This structured approach, she explains, treats pole "like you would learn gymnastics at a gymnasium. We follow a system from beginning to advanced and we keep going like that."
Yet within this structure, she sees beautiful diversity. The international nature of her student base – Tanzanians training alongside Europeans, Americans sharing space with South Americans – creates a unique fusion that defies easy categorization.
Beyond Age: Creating an Inclusive Studio Culture
"I've got students that are kids and I've got ladies in their 60s," Fenella shares proudly. Her message to anyone hesitating because of age is unequivocal: "Age doesn't matter. You can be whatever age you want to start pole, continue pole. Don't let age mean anything. It doesn't mean a thing. You can do it."
This inclusivity extends to helping students of all ages find pole wear that provides coverage and confidence without sacrificing the technical grip points needed for safe practice.
The Power of Perseverance: A Message to the Global Pole Community
As our conversation draws to a close, Fenella's advice resonates with hard-won wisdom: "Never ever think that you can't achieve something. If you think something's difficult or you'll never get there or you're really struggling in your pole journey, keep going. It gets better."
She emphasizes the time factor that Instagram often erases: "Even if it takes a week, two weeks, a month, six weeks, six months, you're going to get there. It just takes time. We all start at the beginning and we all get better with practice and putting in that hard work."
The Future Is Bright (and Probably Turquoise)
Looking ahead, Fenella sees the African pole scene growing, evolving, perhaps becoming less conservative about heel work and exotic styles. "Maybe in five, ten years it might change and everybody's going to be walking around in Pleasers all the time," she laughs.
But regardless of how styles evolve, one thing remains constant in her teaching philosophy: the transformative power of showing up – in whatever outfit makes you feel ready to conquer your goals.
"I try and practice what I tell my students," she reflects. "It doesn't matter if something doesn't come as long as you're trying, you're still conditioning."
The Sway Connection: Where Values Align
Throughout our conversation, Fenella returns repeatedly to themes that resonate deeply with conscious pole dancers: sustainability, versatility, and the magic that happens when ethically-made pole wear meets exceptional design.
"Your brand is just perfect," she tells me with characteristic directness. "I've loved it since the beginning. Because it's both – it's sustainable and long-lasting as well."
She's particularly drawn to the mix-and-match possibilities: "I love all the different options of mixing and matching." For someone teaching in challenging conditions, having pole outfits that maintain their shape after countless washes isn't just convenient – it's essential.
Fenella's story reminds us that pole dance thrives not despite challenging conditions, but because of the passionate individuals who refuse to let geography, climate, or convention limit their dreams. Whether you're battling Tanzanian humidity or your own inner doubts, remember: the right mindset – and yes, the right outfit – can change everything.
Discover the Sway Movewear difference: Sustainable pole wear designed by dancers who understand that performance is personal. From everyday training essentials to show-stopping competition pieces, find your power pieces. Fenella is our Sway Seed - make sure to use her LINK for 15% off your order!
Watch the full interview on YouTube | Follow Fenella's journey @suttyfen | Join the conversation #SwayTalks
Have a name suggestion for our podcast? Send it our way! And stay tuned for episode three, where we continue exploring the stories that shape our global pole community.