Pole dancing is not just for women. Men can do it too. More than 650 people of both genders attended the Great Midwest Pole Dance Convention Aug. 15-17, in St. Charles, Ill.
Instructor Josiah "Bad Azz" Grant assists Candace Graves, 26, of St. Louis, Mo., in his Bad Azz Tricksters workshop. — April Wilkins / Redeye, Aug. 17, 2014
Josiah "Bad Azz" Grant, 26, of Los Angeles, demonstrates a transition move for students in his Bad Azz Tricksters workshop. Grant won the 2013 North American Pole Dance Champion title at the convention last year. — April Wilkins / Redeye, Aug. 17, 2014
Instructor Josiah "Bad Azz" Grant demonstrates a move in his early-morning Bad Azz Tricksters workshop. — April Wilkins / Redeye, Aug. 17, 2014
Melody Andrise, 25, of Cystal Lake, Ill., and Jill Olig, 37, of Madison, Wis., practice a transition move during Josiah "Bad Azz" Grant's Tricksters workshop. — April Wilkins / Redeye, Aug. 17, 2014
Josiah "Bad Azz" Grant, 26, returned to the Great Midwest Pole Dance Convention to teach a workshop. Last year he won the 2013 North American Pole Champion title. — April Wilkins / Redeye, Aug. 17, 2014
Melody Andrise, 25, of Crystal Lake, Ill., practices in Josiah "Bad Azz" Grant's workshop. — April Wilkins/Redeye, Aug. 17, 2014
Toby J, 38, and Suzie Q, 31, are the current Australian Pole Championships Group Champions and the International Pole Championships Doubles Pole Art Champions and were semi-finalists on Australia's Got Talent in 2012. — April Wilkins / RedEye, Aug. 17, 2014
Bob Zamora, 57, from Denver, Colo., moves effortlessly on the warm-up bars. — April Wilkins / RedEye, Aug. 17, 2014
Toby J, 38, helps partner Suzie Q, 31, down from the pole after stunning bystanders with their acrobatic moves. — April Wilkins / RedEye, Aug. 17, 2014
Toby J, 38, and Suzie Q, 31, are from North Parramatta, Australia. — April Wilkins / Redeye, Aug. 17, 2014
Tricia Lauerman, 45, with spouse Kurt Lauerman, 42, of Frisco, Texas. — April Wilkins / Redeye, Aug. 17, 2014
Kurt Lauerman performs a pole trick to the applause of wife Tricia Lauerman. Together they own Altitude Pole Dance & Fitness Studio in Frisco, Texas. — April Wilkins / RedEye, Aug. 17, 2014
Kurt Lauerman admires the pole tricks of spouse Tricia Lauerman at the Great Midwest Pole Dance Convention in St. Charles, Ill. — April Wilkins/RedEye, Aug. 17, 2014
Joel Lessing, 53, of Forest Park, Ill., shows off his moves on the warm-up bars. — April Wilkins / Redeye, Aug. 17, 2014
Victor Flores, 38, of San Diego, Calif., is the founder and owner of Pole Sleeves, which offer better grip around the pole. — April Wilkins / Redeye, Aug. 17, 2014
Victor Flores demonstrates with his Pole Sleeves product in the expo room. — April Wilkins / Redeye, Aug. 17, 2014
Joel Lessing shows off more moves on the warm-up bars. — April Wilkins / Redeye, Aug. 17, 2014
