Episode Transcript
Hello, my name is Aziz and I'm the son of a divorced mother. She is really my superhero. That's why it's important for me to support women to share their uniqueness, their personalities, perspectives, and emotions about life. Too many women in this world feel alone. They worry about the judgment of others and they struggle with their mental health, but when they listen to the Rare Girls podcast where empowered women share their voices and tell their stories, many women will feel inspired to live a life of freedom and to overcome all insecurities. They will feel it is a safe space to find their confidence, to remember their unique beauty, and to feel their self-worth, and they will connect with the sisterhood of Rare Girls who encourage their success and support their dreams. That's what this podcast is all about. My guest today is Fanny Adam. Fanny is a 28-year-old primary school teacher. She practices pole dance and will soon participate in a competition. The first one she does in pole dance, but she does a lot within her childhood in gymnastics. Fanny loves to explore sports and develop the skills of her body. She also likes the peaceful feeling of travel and going for walks in nature. She loves plants. She has many of them. They are her babies. Of course, she loves her friends and family. She has the chance to live near them and to enjoy time with them. She lives in Paris since the last two years, and she is a French girl since forever. Fanny, how are you today? Hi, I'm really fine. I'm happy to be here, and I'm on vacation, so I have full time to enjoy. I'm happy that you're on vacation, you're enjoying your time, and I look forward to know much, much more about you. So I will begin with this question. Fanny, if your friends can describe your personality, what do they say about you? My friends told me several times that I'm an authentic person, I am empathic, and I am a good listener. Thank you. Yes. And what gives you the courage to be authentic in this world? Because there are many people who are afraid to show their reality because they think, oh, some people will talk and they will judge and they will say. So what makes you brave to do it? I think I don't know how to say this, but I feel myself when I am authentic, and I like being truly myself with my friends. And it's hard to be authentic with stranger people, but I hope I do my best. And I feel really myself, I don't want to be another person because that feels un-honesty. And I want to feel honesty for myself. I understand 100% and thank you for sharing that. And when you are growing up, you did a lot of gymnastics. I am curious, what made you interested in pole dance? Why change from gymnastics and become a lover of pole dancing? What is the reason? Yes, I did a lot of gymnastics in my childhood. I stopped when I was... It was in 2018. So it was six years ago, five years ago only. And I wanted to discover pole dance because this was really beautiful and also artistic and really sporty. It needed force and artistic move, so I was feeling this was really interesting. So I tested it after I stopped gymnastics. And this was a big love. The coaches are really good and really nice. And they push you to the very best of you. So I like it. Thank you for sharing that. And also, you are someone within the pole dance community. Many people say that people are very, very nice. The trainers, the competitors, they're not like envious or jealous, but everybody support each other. First, maybe from before, when you were in gymnastic training or in any competition, how different was it compared to pole dance? And tell me, what is the personality? Are they more honest and authentic in pole dance? Or why? Just describe it a bit more, because there are other communities of dance that are not the same way. Yes, I hear that. It's hard to form... It's a bit hard to talk about gymnastics for me, but I want also to inform the people, and the community that in gymnastics, it's hard to make a name and it's hard to evolve in the community because there is a lot of competition and a lot of negativity. I don't know how to tell, but I feel there are jealousy and really negative feelings. And I experiment in my gymnastics club, some masculine coach who are a bit harassing the pupils, the girls, and it was really hard for me to see that. It's a big change for me, the pole dance, because I don't see that at all. And I have the chance to be with the empathetic people, with the nice people, and it's really comforting. Thank you so much, Fanny. I interviewed a pole dancer from Italy, and she said her parents' older generation don't think that pole dance is positive. They have some prejudice about it and judge her. And she dreams one day to go do a pole dance show in her small village in front of her parents and everyone to show that it's artistic and everything. And she said the younger generation are more open about pole dance compared to older. Maybe that is only Italy, but how is the situation in Paris? Are people accepting of pole dance? Are there many girls when you tell them pole dance, they're interested? Or some people think, oh, she's a pole dancer. Maybe she's not a good person or something. I don't know. I think older people don't know that pole dance has a sport, but more that for strip girls. So, yeah, when I talk about pole dance, some person says, so are you a stripper? And I explain to them that it's not bad at all. It's a really good sport where there is artistic and we need a big force. And maybe older people don't understand us quickly. But, yeah, people of my generation, for example, they understand very well when we explain them. Some of them don't know at all and they think that this is for strip girls, but now they know this is not just for them. And this is really good that a strip person can do pole and not a strip person can do pole. And this is really rich. And I think this is what's evolved in pole. This is really, it's complimentary. I agree 100%. I encourage very much your success. And it makes me think, what are your dreams? I know you're starting an Instagram page about pole dance. I'm sure to write it in the description. You're competing in pole dance. Can you tell me a bit more about your evolution? Are you trying to share the message? So more people, men and women discover and do more pole dance. Is it you that you have some of your own goals for your body and your limits that you want to surpass? You want to prove something to yourself? Can you tell me a bit more? Yes, I do a competition in December in Italy. And this is the first time for me in pole dancing that I will do a competition. I'm really excited. And I decided to do this competition because last year in February, I did a show with my studio of pole dance. And it was really nice and showing what I can do with my body, with my strength. It was really, really exciting and empowering. So I wanted to do more and I subscribed for the competition. And that's it. And I started my Instagram account because there are some people that don't follow me in my personal life. And I wanted to do an account just for pole and dance and searching movements because I do sometimes a lot of stories. And I don't want my friends to be overwhelmed by my history. So if they follow me, it's good. But if they don't follow me, it's not a big deal. And a lot of friends want to try pole dancing. And it's really, it's the whole thing. This is funny because at the first time, they think it's easy to climb the pole to do some tricks. And they realize that it's a bit hard and it's hurting your skin. And after it's hurting for the muscles. And they are really surprised because it's harder than they think. And they are really impressed. Thank you for sharing that. And there are pole dancers, girls who told me as well during the interviews, there are many girls when they start, they are wearing long clothes, they feel shy about their body. But then after some months of pole dance, they're wearing very little clothes, they're very confident, they improve all that. Can you speak a bit more about this? Because now in the age of Instagram, there are many women who look at other girls, and Instagram and don't feel beautiful. Is pole dance a good solution for them to connect with their body and to fall in love with their beauty and to see themselves as good instead of comparing to how other women look? I totally agree with that because when I started pole dancing, I was with a short t-shirt to do normal sports. But in pole dancing, you have to show your skin, to stick with the pole. And you have no choice to show your body. And there are a lot of mirrors also in the pole classes. So I feel that to see ourselves in this situation, yes, we kind of accepting each other and our body. And it's really beautiful because there is no other place where we show our body like this. And we see ourselves truly because there is no filters. And it's really good to have this place and this feeling because there is no other place to do that. Thank you for sharing that. That's very important. And I realize that you love plants. And that's another part of your personality. What is interesting to you about your plants? Are you full of love and you want to give your plants love? Are your plants, you're like you said, your baby. So you're talking to them about your day and your problems and you feel better like they are psychotherapists. Or what is your reason for loving plants so much? I love plants because I can care of them. And I know when they're feeling bad, I nourish them. And it's really, I don't know. I like to see them growing. And I don't talk to them, but I like to give them little names. And I'm sad when one is sick or dying. And I do my best for them to grow. And I like this because with people, I think for me, it's a bit the same thing. I like share time with friends or with people. And I like honesty. I like authentic moments. And I like to talk to them. And when they talk to me, it's nourishing also. And plants, they don't fly. So I like that. Thank you. And this is very, very important. I will ask your advice because now you live in Paris for two years. In Paris, there are a lot of people, millions of people. So some people are authentic, other people not authentic. Some people are maybe sociopath. They know how to be good actor and to look and seem like they're honest. But in reality, they are not. So for you, what is your advice to other girls who go live in a new city so that they will know when I speak to someone, oh, I think this person is authentic. Or no, I think this person is not so authentic. What do you search for? What do you think about to know this is a good person to make my friend and maybe this is a person to keep at the distance, even if they're a good liar. Yeah, this is really hard to know. And I think we need to to be really to be careful with some people because they are not already good. Unfortunately, and I think when when I meet someone, I like to to hear them. And when they talk about them a bit too much, I feel that they they don't see the world in just for them them. And this is a right here. I have a bad feeling about them. And I think in my head that I will not continue the the relationship. But I what when I am when I'm with people who talk about about them, but also about the about their, their family, their loved ones about their hobbies, who ask questions, who are really curious people. I think curious people are the nicer people because they care about the others. And I feel this is important. Thank you so much, Fanny. I really appreciate your perspective. And there are many girls really in this world who are dreaming of living life authentically. They want to wear what they want to wear. They want to do the hobbies they want to do, but they worry that other people will judge them. They will think negatively about them. Maybe they don't want to disappoint their parents for some reason. What is your advice to those girls? Maybe they worry with anxiety about maybe something bad will happen. Maybe something bad. What's your advice so that they will be brave to go out of their comfort zone and live the life that they really, really want, even if it's a bit scary? I know it can be really hard sometimes to to be authentic and truly ourselves. But sometimes it's hard for me also, of course, for everyone. But I tell myself that if I'm not doing what I want, I will be disappointing in many years when I'm old and we have just one life. So I hope I will do all I want. And the second quote is about our family and friends. If I tell myself if they judge me or if they don't like myself when I'm doing a pole dance or when I wear the clothes that I want, but maybe that's them. That's not good enough. And maybe I have to find some friends that accept me for myself. And I don't want to be friends with a person who don't accept me and want to be friends with people who are who who are loving me for myself. And I think it's that that's when when I don't know what to do, I tell myself, but if if they don't like it and if they go away, I just let them go. And it's the most important is to do what I want and be myself. If they go there, it's not a big deal. Thank you so much, Fanny. It was my privilege and my honor to interview you in this podcast, to listen to your wise voice as well as hear about your life experience. I wish you success in your competition in December. I wish you to keep going and enjoy life in Paris every day. Thank you again for participating. Thank you for you to hear me and listen to me about my life and my hobbies. It was really enjoying. Thank you.
