Strip Down, Rise Up is a 2021 American documentary film by Michèle Ohayon that explores the lives of women from different backgrounds who use pole dancing as a means of healing and self-discovery. Instead of focusing on the sensational or erotic, the film treats pole dancing as a therapeutic and transformative practice. It is a powerful exploration of body image, trauma, womanhood, and the journey toward self-acceptance.
Released on Netflix, the documentary is remarkable not only for its subject matter, but also for the warm and compassionate way in which it portrays women dealing with deep emotional pain and learning to embrace their bodies as symbols of strength and freedom.
🎬 Overview and Structure
The film revolves around a six-month-long pole dancing workshop with Sheila Kelley, a dancer and entrepreneur who founded the S Factor movement, which integrates sensual dance with emotional expression and feminine embodiment. Kelley’s philosophy is not about performance or the male gaze; it is about movement as a means to access buried emotions and heal from shame, trauma, and disconnection.
The women in the class differ in age, ethnicity, body type as well as personal and cultural backgrounds. Some of the participants are survivors of sexual trauma and are grappling with issues of self-hate and body image. One of the participants is currently mourning her daughter’s death while another participant is a mother and grandmother who is now learning how to embrace an identity beyond her traditional roles. The audience sees the extent of the emotional burdens women carry through their journeys, most of which is done in silence, and the freedom movement can provide.
The documentary is not confined to just Kelley’s class. It features other practitioners and philosophies in the pole dancing world like elite athlete instructors and dancers who take a more competitive or fitness-oriented view. Nevertheless, the emotional center of the film is with Kelley’s group, where the dance is raw, unscripted, and highly personal.
🎭 Participants and Stories
Although Strip Down, Rise Up is not a scripted film, it utilizes the emotional arcs of real people’s lives:
Sheila Kelley appears prominently in the film as she is the founder of S Factor and serves as a guide, coach, and at times, a provocateur. As a passionate advocate, she uses intense methods ranging from screaming, tears, and uninhibited movement. While her passion is apparent, her style raises questions regarding emotional safety, therapeutic boundaries and the confrontational style used.
Ellen is an archetype of a woman from the past who was taught to suppress her body and hide her sexuality, as a retired grandmother, she displays incredible vulnerability and transformation. This is one of the most inspiring changes in the film.
A grieving mother, Patricia, uses the class to process her grief and reconnect with a part of her that was consumed in sorrow. Her story is equally inspiring and heartbreaking.
Jocelyn, a timid woman with a history of body shaming, uncovers the strength and sensuality that allows her to learn to move without fear.
These women—and some others—render their deepest wounds visceral when they perform in front of poles, mirrors, and cameras. The documentary observes rather than judges. Alongside discomfort, there are moments of authentic joy and laughter, as well as solidarity. Ultimately, the women learn not only to dance, but also to stand tall emotionally and physically.
🎥 Direction and Cinematic Approach
Director Michèle Ohayon’s treatment of the subject shows grace and restraint. She does not indulge in voyeurism and sensationalism; instead, she lens emotion and the process. The camera’s gaze is intimate, but restrained. It documents sweat, tears, trembling limbs, and catharsis with honesty and compassion.
Ohayon’s documentary technique displays patience. She constructs the scenes with space, revealing the group exercises instead of cutting away for commentary. This choice places viewers inside the experience of the participants rather than treating them as objects of observation.
Warm tones and organic visuals imbue the film. The pole studio is lit naturally, and often framed like a sanctuary, a space of safety and risk. Archival footage and home videos enrich the women’s stories. The film is driven by the women’s voices without a narrator.
The accompanying music is gentle and positive, aimed at supporting emotional contours while not eclipsing the sounds of breath, laughter, and sobs that permeate the studio.
🎯 Themes and Emotional Impact
- Body Image and Shame
As a result of weight, scars, aging, or even abuse, numerous women in the documentary express how they have been conditioned to despise their bodies. Through pole dancing, these women attempt to transform the narrative of their selves.
- Trauma and Healing
A common theme is trauma, often sexual in nature, and how it is stored in the body. In this sense, pole dancing becomes a form of non-verbal psychotherapy, a means of releasing the body so that emotions can rise and heal.
- Sensuality Without Shame
Strip Down, Rise Up contests that sensuality is reducible to a sexual or shameful act. Women take back sensual movement as a means of self-expression, not performance, and empowerment.
- Feminine Power
The documentary highlights that power does not have to look aggressive or overtly masculine. The class encourages movements that are fluid, slow, and circular, which are deeply receptive and emotional as a form of strength.
- Community and Sisterhood
The most important lesson is perhaps the strength of women united in vulnerability. Through story sharing and communal dancing, the women cultivate an environment in which judgment ceases to exist and support runs abundant.
📊 Reception and Discussion
Strip Down, Rise Up had an overally mixed to positive reception. Its emotional depth, authenticity, and commitment to real women’s narratives drew acclaim from many viewers. Critics appreciated its focus on healing rather than titillation, and its refusal to sensationalize pole dancing.
Some viewers, however, were critical of Sheila Kelley’s coaching style, deeming it overly forceful. There are moments where participants are pushed into emotional release, raising questions about whether these deeply therapeutic processes require the oversight of a licensed mental health professional.
Notwithstanding those criticisms, the film ignited discussions about the relationship between fitness, movement, trauma, and the identity of womanhood. For some, it was illuminating to see a world where dance functions as therapy, and in particular, where pole dancing reclaims its narrative from mundane stereotypes.
🔚 Conclusion
More than a documentary on dance, Strip Down, Rise Up is a meditation on womanhood, strength, and vulnerability. It asks us to think about how movement can unlock the parts of us that transcend words. The film reveals the stories of real women who have navigated pain, shame, and rebirth, inspiring us to view the body not as a battleground, but as a collaborator in the healing process.
Whether one is familiar with pole dancing or skeptical of it, this film defies expectations and displays the unrefined beauty of human evolution. While it may be challenging at times, it remains powerful and profoundly relatable.
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