Onze missie
Our goal is to create a Dutch-based (pole) dance school in Brussels that focuses on movement, performance and creativity. The studio’s mission is to stimulate emancipation, creativity and community-building through (pole) dance, physical activity and approachable sports practice. More importantly, aside from pole dancing, is the fact that we want to fill in the shortage of spaces for inclusive psychical activity and accessible sports practice in Brussels.
JEZEBEL Studio is a meeting spot for people who are interested in dance and body movement and wish to (further) develop this together with others.
JEZEBEL Studio is a meeting spot for people who are interested in dance and body movement and wish to (further) develop this together with others. This way, this project contributes to innovative creative solutions for today's urban problems such as; isolation and loneliness in the city, the exclusion mechanisms towards minority groups and the lack of safe spaces for physical exercise and sports. We aim to achieve this through our solidarity-based pricing, a beginner-friendly programme of classes, an accessible and welcoming image and special attention to a responsible and safe environment.
More about our vision:
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Pole dancing is a mixture of dance, sensuality and acrobatics in which various exercises are performed, dancing around and hanging from a vertical pole. Pole dancing became known in the 1980s when the dance pole first appeared in Canadian strip clubs. The fitness variant of pole dancing is called pole fitness or pole sports.
Our class offerings include various dance styles that have gained popularity in recent years, including pole dance, striptease, heels, etc. But we will also offer classes that focus more on exercise, flexibility and physical awareness.
At the studio, pole dance is not the end point, but rather the starting point to work towards a common goal: making space for fun and community. We see sport and exercise as an important part of physical and mental health, but our focus is never on what the body cannot do. Well, on what the body CAN do.
The classes on offer will therefore always have a sensibilising, destigmatising and even deconstructive role.
We in no way distance ourselves from the origin of pole dance, namely stripper culture. Instead, we acknowledge and celebrate its existence and are grateful to all strippers and sex workers who helped create and still keep this dance form alive.
We express our appreciation and thanks to all pole dance schools and initiatives as well as teachers who came before us and cleared the path. We are grateful to them for sharing their knowledge and skills (Brussels Art Pole, Full Moon Studio, Deroze Studio, Pole Room, Kitty Velour, Sammy Picone, etc.).
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By queer, we understand as anything that does not fit into the list of neat social categories, or the sum of our identities. Queer is an area of tension; what is considered strange, abnormal and dangerous by society.
We embrace gender and sexuality as a space full of possibilities. Queer is about our sexuality and gender, and so much more. It is about our desires, our fantasies.
We oppose gatekeeping and support the celebration of genderbending in every conceivable way. Allies are welcome!
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JEZEBEL actively works towards being a queer feminist safe(r) space. By this we mean a supportive, non-threatening environment that encourages openness, respect, a willingness to learn from others, as well as physical and mental safety. It is a space that is critical of the power structures that influence our daily lives. It is a space that strives to respect and understand the specific needs of everyone.
During our classes, events and meetings, there is no place for violence, which means that racism, sexism, biphobia, transphobia, queerphobia, fatphobia, homophobia, butchphobia, sissyphobia, ableisms, agism, femmephobia, toxic masculinity, misogyny and classism are not welcome here. Visitors to the space are invited to actively reflect on these structures of oppression.
Do you see or experience unwanted behaviour that makes you feel uncomfortable? You can always report it to the team members present at JEZEBEL or don't hesitate to send us an email. We are open 24/7 for feedback, suggestions, criticism and of course: lots of love!
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The name 'Jezebel' is taken from the Old Testament: Jezebel was the free-spirited wife of the Israelite king Ahab, but she was not thanked for it, especially after the death of her husband. In contemporary usage, the name Jezebel is sometimes used as a synonym for sexually promiscuous, shameless or morally uninhibited women. A feminist re-examination establishes Jezebel as a powerful female religious leader and, as such, a threat to the patriarchal power structure.
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We are a non-profit organisation, 100% bottom-up founded by four multi-talented dancers. Since 2022, we have been working hard to establish our non-profit organisation and organise our first project JEZEBEL. We are currently all still working as volunteers in this collective, but we hope to change that soon.
Since 2023 Jezebel Studio has been recognised by the vgc as a sports institute and will be recieving yearly financial support.
This is not a commercial project - we want to keep access to our classes accessible and open to all, and provide a much-needed safe(r) space without the pressure of making a profit. For that reason, we try to keep our classes very affordable