The Chopstick, explained
The Chopstick pole move is one of those shapes that makes people stop scrolling: your body stays upright at the pole while your legs stretch out into a long, open line, almost parallel to the floor. It looks like a split in the air, and holding it for the first time feels like a real milestone in your pole journey.
What is the Chopstick pole move?
In the Chopstick you are up on the pole, not upside down. Your upper body stays close to the pole and your legs open into a wide split beside it, one leg in front and one behind. Seen from the side, your legs form one straight line, a little like a pair of chopsticks, which is where the name comes from. You will also see it called Chopsticks, with an “s”. It is a held shape rather than a spin, so the beauty is in the stillness and the long lines.
Is the Chopstick good for beginners?
It is not a first-week move, and it does not need to be. The Chopstick comes once you feel comfortable climbing and sitting on the pole, because you need to trust your body up there. If your legs will not reach the line you have in mind yet, or the shape feels heavy, you are right where everyone starts. Every attempt builds the strength and confidence that will make it click later.
What the Chopstick builds: strength, flexibility and leg grip
This pole dance hold works your arms, shoulders and core, and it trains your leg grip in a new way, because your legs are both holding and reaching at the same time. Split flexibility helps a lot here: the more open your hips and hamstrings are, the longer and more relaxed your line can look. That is why stretching is a lovely companion to this move. Shorts or bare legs matter too, since skin contact with the pole is part of what keeps you in place, and no body lotion on training days keeps you from slipping.
Chopstick on a static or spinning pole?
Most dancers learn the Chopstick on a static pole first, so the pole stays still and you can focus on finding the shape. On a spinning pole, the Chopstick turns slowly with you, and that long split line looks stunning in motion. Once your static version feels calm and familiar, the spinning pole is a beautiful next step.
How you learn it at POLEPLACE
At POLEPLACE you learn every move with the Floor-Stand-Air Method™. You explore the split line and the leg positions on the floor first, then prepare the shape standing at the pole, and only then take it into the air. Each stage gives you a small win, in your own space and at your own pace. The tutorial gives you the exact cues, so you can focus on how it feels.
Chopstick tips, combos and what comes next
Once your Chopstick feels steady, play with it: point your toes, open your free arm or move slowly in and out of the shape to music. It also links nicely with other moves, and the Machine Gun is one shape dancers like to explore from here. If you love long split lines, the Jade Split is another goal worth keeping in mind. Whatever you choose next, the strength and flexibility you build for the Chopstick come with you.
