Finding the perfect pole dancing music can be challenging, whether you’re stuck in a rut during practice or searching for your next performance song. Many songs have been overdone, played in every pole dance clip, or are the soundtrack to every nightclub experience.

But suppose you’re going for something different: a Bohemian theme, a classic power ballad, or a never-been-done song. In that case, there are so many genres of music to pick from—dark, slow, dramatic, heavy rock, romantic, sensual, classic, retro, EDM, psychedelic, and female power, just to name a few. Here are some tips for selecting your next tune:

Focus on a Theme

Sometimes your routine and your song will emerge together, but you will often have your moves worked out before looking for the right musical piece. It helps to keep your routine’s theme in mind when researching music choices.

Does your performance have a purpose? What message are you trying to convey? Are you trying to let loose and have fun? Or are you digging deeper and using this performance to heal something in your past? Your theme should be reflected through your music, narrative, props, and pole dance outfits.

Ensure It Has Deep Bass

While you can pick any song that connects with you, the best pole dance songs typically have a deep, thumping bass. This enables you to feel the music through the floor, guiding you to all your marks for your moves, especially your pivots and spins.

Find a Song That Matches Your Dance Style

Similar to your theme, you have a signature dance style. Whether you are more sultry or high-energy and powerful, you want to find a song that will track with your chosen dance style for this routine. Here are some common styles and examples for each:

Dark and Intense:

This would typically be a slow, edgy routine. A red pole dancing bodysuit would go perfectly with these songs:

• Take Me To Church - Hozier
• Radioactive - Imagine Dragons
• Human - Rag’n’Bone Man
• I See Red - Everybody Loves an Outlaw

Romantic and Sensual:

Again, this would be a slow routine but a little more soulful and sweet than the previous style. There are so many romantic songs from every era, but here are a few:

• Earned It - The Weeknd
• Champagne Kisses - Jessie Ware
• Sexy Boy - Air

Retro or Vintage:

If you’re looking for something unique or want to glam up your practice or performance, these songs will transport everyone with you. Go for the complete look and wear pole shorts with garters.

• Big Spender - Shirley Bassey
• Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend - Marilyn Monroe
• I’ll Be Seeing You - Billie Holiday

Classics:

The songs below are classics for a reason. They’re perfect if you’re just starting out for a competition or you want some morale-boosting songs playing during a freestyle or studio class. If you love classic pieces but don’t want to choose something overdone, look for covers of the music to add a fresh take to your routine.

• Carousel - Melanie Martinez
• Lady Marmalade - Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya, Pink
• Back In Black - AC/DC
• Don’t Stop Believing - Journey

Empowering and High-Energy:

Depending on the message you are trying to convey, here are some songs with strong, independent messages to bring some oomph to your routine.

• You Don’t Own Me (feat. G-Eazy) - SAYGRACE
• Swan - Willa
• Beautiful - Christina Aguilera
• U + Ur Hand - Pink

Seasonal Routines:

If you’re putting on a show for Christmas, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” or Christina Aguilera’s “Christmas Time” are classics. If it’s for Halloween, both Dope’s “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)” and Evanescence’s “Haunted” have the right beat and are on the theme.

Analyze The Music

This can get very technical with music notes, lyrics, and spreadsheets, or you can just run through your dance with the song on. Sometimes, it will click right away; sometimes, you need to tweak your routine slightly. If you have to do a massive overhaul of your moves or it doesn’t flow, move on to one of your backups.

Pick a Song You Love

No matter what, you should pick a song you’re wild about. Otherwise, it’s unlikely to inspire a one-of-a-kind performance. You will automatically elevate your moves when dancing to a song you enjoy. Your audience will be mesmerized if you lose yourself in your music and dance.

With that in mind, you can ruin a song by listening to it too much. If you’re starting to dislike your music or struggle with your routine, work on your combos without it. By working with counts, you can pace each move and pose perfectly timed to the music when you add it back in. Plus, you’ll get a break from hearing the song on repeat all the time so it will stay fresh.

Don’t forget—if you’re feeling uninspired, get some new perspectives. Ask for some help from your pole friends. Have them listen to your song choice because they may hear a new melody or beat that can help inspire new moves you hadn’t considered before. You can ask how they would dance to the song or what sequence would go perfectly with the hook. Lean on your community, and you will have a fantastic routine while making fun memories along the way.