'Why I've taken up pole dancing in my 50s'

"I was never going to do what was expected, blending in is literally my idea of hell."

So says Leisha Bond from Kenilworth, Warwickshire, who has been a barrister since the 1990s.

She said she was happy with her work, but had "a bit of an existential crisis" and felt like something was missing when she hit her 50s.

Bond wanted to try something different with her life, but did not know what that was.

In January 2025, she decided to address her situation by taking up pole dancing.

Speaking to the BBC, the 52-year-old said: "Everyone says life begins at 40, my 40s were great. What have you got to look forward to in your 50s?

"Frankly, perimenopause and waking up with a new injury because you slept a bit funny.

"And I thought, I'm just not having that. I need something. And my something was pole dancing."

Bond started attending sessions at Pole Elevation, Coventry, and fell in love with it.

"It's made me feel a lot happier in myself, which will benefit everything that I do," she said.

Bond claims the endeavour was a challenge, as she was "no dancer at all", and while she is strong, she had less flexibility.

"I was the kid who was picked last at school for any sport. I peaked at primary school with the egg and spoon race," she laughed.

At Pole Elevation, Bond says there is a wide array of people in attendance, of various ages, abilities and backgrounds.

"The great thing about pole is it's not for a particular age or body type or natural ability. It's people of all shapes and sizes. It's literally for anybody, anybody can do it," she said.

In particular, she appreciates the aspect of camaraderie she has with the other women attending the sessions.

"It is the most female-empowering thing I've ever done," she said.

"It's hugely supportive. If someone's struggling, everyone will help. Everybody wants everyone else to do well.

"When people enter competitions, it becomes an outing. It's just incredibly supportive, there isn't judgement. It is for all."

While a courtroom is poles apart from a dance studio, Bond thinks there is a performance element to both.

"I think there probably always was [a performer inside me] and it took until my fifties for me to unleash her," she said.

Bond also brings an element of glamour to her day job, as she has won the Most Stylish Female Barrister Award twice.

On finding out she was nominated, Bond thought: "I'm going to treat this like a presidential campaign.

"I was absolutely thrilled to win it."

Bond is happy with her life at work and her life in the dance studio and does not care that some people may perceive her hobby with a judgemental eye.

"It's about people finding confidence in their own body, own ability, not caring what anybody says. If you say you're a pole dancer, you will get judged," she said.

"I don't care, I'm very happy with what I do. The common denominator is it empowers people who do it."

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