COVID-19: Turkish pole dance teacher moves classes online

Pole dance instructor Tuba Parlak , 39, in Turkey has moved her studio to the internet as people across the world turn to online exercise classes amid the coronavirus pandemic. | Above: Parlak warms-up at her studio in Istanbul, as she prepares for an online training session for students at home.

To stem the spread of COVID-19, Turkey closed down sports facilities in March but Tuba Parlak's students wanted to continue their lessons. | Above: Parlak warms-up at her studio in Istanbul.

Using the video conferencing app Zoom, Parlak teaches the vigorous exercise from her studio in Istanbul's hip Cihangir district. She limits her classes to five students as she did in the studio, and says Zoom has made it easier to critique her students' moves with all video images lined up on her screen. | Above: Parlak talks to her students watching from home.

Some of Parlak's students had poles installed at home, with a discount from a local pole manufacturer, and others are continuing with pole dance floor work. The classes, most of them advanced, are only available to students that Parlak already worked with. | Above: Parlak prepares at her studio for an online training session for students at home.

Parlak, a former arts and culture journalist, started pole dancing in 2015 and turned her passion to full time profession. She says the pandemic, apart from taking her work online, has not altered her day-to-day because she already led an "isolated" life as an athlete. | Above: Aybuke Yanar, 21, a pole dancing trainee watches her instructor, Tuba Parlak.

Drop-out rates are high in this challenging exercise, Parlak says. Her students are looking forward to returning to the studio but it remains uncertain when Turkey will allow sports facilities to re-open. | Above: Parlak talks to her students watching from home.

Parlak makes an online training session for students at home, with her assistant and trainee Aybuke Yanar, at her studio.

Parlak talks to her students watching from home, as she takes a break from an online training session.

Parlak talks to her students watching from home, during an online training session.

Parlak warms-up at her studio in Istanbul, as she prepares for an online training session.

Parlak prepares at her studio in Istanbul for an online training session for students at home.

Parlak performs at her studio in Istanbul during an online training session for students watching from home.