'Mommy and Me' pole dance classes spark debate—instructor says there's 'nothing inappropriate'
“These kids aren’t twerking — nothing inappropriate, nothing sexual is going on here," Tiajuanna “Tia” Harris told TODAY.com

Should there be an age limit for learning pole dancing?
Pole dancing might have previously been thought of as exclusively adult entertainment, but over the years it has evolved into a veritable fitness regimen, an empowering form of self expression and even a sport worthy of the Olympics. In many ways, the more modern perspective has brought pole dancing back to its original, ancient roots of circus performers pulling off acrobatic tricks.
But it might be safe to say that the mainstream still views the dance style as more risqué, and therefore, not appropriate for kids. And this is why a pole-dancing school in Atlanta offering a "Mommy & Me" pole-dancing workshop is sparking a debate online among parents.In a now-viral post shared on the class’s Instagram account, we see young boys and girls and their mothers learning spinning tricks as "Take Me There" from the 1998 animated movie "Rugrats” plays in the background.
The class was labeled by many as “insane” and inappropriate, arguing that the inherent context of the art form sexualized young kids. Many were even more concerned that the kids were being recorded doing certain moves and that footage was shared online.
“I think it’s very irresponsible of that mommy and me pole dancing studio to record and upload videos featuring kids in their workshops,” one person said on X, adding “it’s even more irresponsible for the mothers to allow their children to be filmed and uploaded on the internet as well.”
Another argued that people who counter that pole is “just like gymnastics’ know dang well that weirdos also watch child gymnastics videos online.”
However, Pink Poles Studio owner, Tiajuanna “Tia” Harris, maintains her stance that there’s nothing wrong with the “Mommy and Me” workshops, and that the backlash is unwarranted.
“These kids aren’t twerking — nothing inappropriate, nothing sexual is going on here,” Harris explained to TODAY.com, recalling how much it “warmed her heart” to receive a call from a mom saying “I wanted to tell you how much my son enjoyed the class. He said he felt like Spiderman.”
Harris further pushed back against critics on the Pink Poles Studios website, assuring that the “Mommy and Me” workshop provides a healthy, fun, phone-free activity.
“Back in the day, before iPads became babysitters, we relished carefree moments—swinging, hanging upside down from the monkey bars, climbing, and sliding down pole climbs and parallel bars at the playground,” she wrote.
“Fast forward to 2024 at Pink Poles Studios: these children are doing the exact same thing! Having carefree fun and staying physically active without electronics — except now, they’re swinging, sliding and flipping on a pole, under the guidance of a trained children’s gymnast instructor (as a bunch of moms and peers cheer them on in the background!)” Harris even stressed that the kids “wear age-appropriate gym wear, and adult students are fully clothed too.”It’s certainly a dilemma with no easy answer.
On the one hand, the dance world, whether involving a pole or not, has been guilty of sexualizing young kids, and parents rightfully want to protect their children from exploitation. On the other hand, seeing pole solely as a sexually implicit activity—given its history and the way it's expressed worldwide—might be a bit narrow minded and we could benefit from expanding that viewpoint. After all, many report having increased flexibility, core strength, confidence and stress relief from repeated classes.
Either way, Harris has stood firm that her “Mommy and Me” workshops aren’t going anywhere, and that she hopes to “break stigmas and set the bar” by doing so.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.