Can I Compete on Pole? Where?
YES! There are many different competitions for pole. The United States Pole Sport Federation (USPSF), and Pole Sport Organization (PSO) are two of the larger competitions in pole.
There are no "local" competitions, but PSO offers 2 competitions per year in Chicago. The Land of Lakes (LOL) Pole festival is held in the Twin Cities in Minnesota as well.
Since Covid, many competitions also offer virtual options for competing!
Pole Sport Organization (PSO) (complete rules available here) offers events year round all over the United States, and internationally, and even has multiple virtual events as well.
PSO offers 5 difficulty levels plus a professional division. They also break down categories into Artistic, Championship, Dramatic, Entertainment, Heels, Freedance, and Showcase. They also have a separate type of competition called After Dark for those looking to compete in a more sexy/risque style.
Land of Lakes (LOL) Pole Festival is held in the fall each year in Minneapolis, Mn. This smaller competition is a nice way for competitors to get a feel for what competing is all about.
LOL offers Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Elite, Semi-Pro, and Professional divisions. They then use Artistic Dance, Classic, Performance Theatre, and Pole Sport as their categories.
United States Pole Sport Federation (USPSF) (complete rules and code of points accessible here) offers competitions on hoop, silks, and pole.
This competition offers three categories for pole - Classique, Art, and Sport. They also break down levels to two options - Amateur and Competitive. The USPSF hosts two competitions per year. Regionals are held each spring virtually, and nationals are held live (in person) in late summer/early fall. The top 3 competitors for each category and level are invited to compete Internationally at POSA World Championships.
The USPSF uses their different Code of Points when judging routines. They offer regular training for competitors, coaches, and prospective judges on reading and understanding the code of points. The USPSF is one of the leading organizations pushing to get pole and aerial into the Olympics!