Welcome Plan – Soul on Pole 2026
The Soul on Pole Welcome Plan is designed to help you orient yourself throughout the entire event – from the moment you apply to the moment you leave the venue – for artists and coaches alike. After having sent your artists application, please remember that your application needs to be completed by filling out the “complete your application” form. The link to the form is in your confirmation email.
Venue / Location
Teatro Giuditta Pasta
The theatre is located right in the city centre of Saronno (VA), in Via I Maggio snc. Inside, you will find a welcoming foyer with a bar, and just a short walk from the venue there are plenty of cafés, restaurants, a supermarket, a pharmacy and several different kinds of shops, making it easy to enjoy a break or a meal before or after the event.
How to get there
Saronno is located in the province of Varese, about 25 km from Milan, and is well connected within the “hinterland north-west” of the larger Milan Metropolitan Area. The town is easy to reach by train, car or plane, depending on how you prefer to travel.
If you use public transport and travel through Milan, the most common way to get to Saronno is by train. The suburban lines S1 (Saronno–Lodi) and S3 (Saronno–Milan Cadorna), as well as several regional trains, connect Saronno directly with Milano Cadorna station. From Milano Centrale you can reach Saronno by taking the metro or a regional train to Milano Cadorna and then one of the frequent suburban or regional trains towards Saronno.
If you travel by car, Saronno is conveniently located near the A9 (Lainate–Como–Chiasso) and A8 (Milano–Varese) motorways. It is easily accessible from the main ring roads around Milan, and there are several parking options available near the theatre and in the town centre.
Three airports serve the area: Milano Malpensa (MXP), Milano Linate (LIN) and Bergamo Orio al Serio (BGY). Milano Malpensa is the physically closest to Saronno. From Malpensa you can reach Saronno directly by train: the Malpensa Express stops in Saronno on its way between the airport and Milan, making it a very convenient option for international travellers.
If you are planning a trip to Milan before coming to Saronno, you can take the Malpensa Express to Milan (for example to Milano Cadorna) and then travel back to Saronno using one of the frequent suburban or regional trains. All other airports are connected via Milan as they are located east of the Milan Metropolitan Area, while Saronno lies to the north-west: from Linate or Bergamo Orio al Serio you can reach Milan by shuttle bus or train and then continue to Saronno using the same suburban and regional train connections.
Accomodation
Accommodation options in and around Saronno range from comfortable business and boutique hotels to cosy B&Bs and serviced apartments. You will also find a good selection of apartments and rooms available on platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com. Please check our website www.soulonpole.com for accommodation packages and special deals.
General Guidelines
Our mission is to offer the best Soul on Pole experience for performers, coaches, judges and spectators alike. In order to achieve this goal we defined a set of rules that will make everybod’s presence at Teatro Giuditta Pasta an even greater experience.
Cleanliness
Please be respecful of common spaces and other people’s duties – this includes the cleaning personell. It’s really an easy gesture to make life easier for everybody by taking care of one’s personal spaces and not leaving any trash around for someone else to collect. There are bins in the hallway and behind the scenes. Please use them. They are free to use and there for you 😉
Hostesses and Hosts
At the front desk, the check-in desk, the hallway and entrances to the backstage / dressing areas you will find hostesses and hosts who are there to welcome you, answer your questions and help you out with any issues you may encounter during Soul on Pole. They may also request your pass / credentials before letting you in and out of specific areas of the theatre. Whatever may happen, remember that most of them are fellow pole & aerial artists who are voluntarily there to make your stay better.
Spectators
Spectator passes grant access to the public area of the theatre. Tickets are numered according to the row and seat numbers of the theatre and are personal. You may use a free seat at any time, but you are asked to please respect another person’s seat reservations, if requested to do so.
Coaches
Coach passes grant your coach access to both, the public area and the backstage areas of the theatre, such as changing rooms and warm-up areas. Please bear in mind that coach passes, due to technical reasons, do not have an active seat number reservation. Coaches and you (the artist) can use any free seat in the public area at any time, but you will have to move in the case a spectator claims a reserved seat number. Coaches, please read the following artist’s vademecum, as it contains valuable information for you as well.
Aritist’s Vademecum
Whether you are an experienced pole & aerial artist or a novice, every competition is a new opportunity to show the results of many months of hard training to the public and to inspire generations of future artists in our community. Your participation matters and we are happy to have you on stage!
Know the Rules
EVERY COMPETITION HAS IT’S RULES – and even if in Soul on Pole we try to keep them as light as possible, there are some you probably might want to know. Please read the regulation, even if your coach knows it inside-out, it is always good when the artist has read it, too. By knowing the criteria the jury uses for your scores, you may understand how your evaluation came to be, or plan your performance accordingly well ahead of time. Doing so also reduces your natural anxiety significantly!
Music Track or Video
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: MARCH 1st 2026 at 23:59 (incoming upload timestamp or email)
You can choose to have background music (.mp3 file format) or background music with video (.mp4 file format). Background videos may also consist of simply a still image, but it is still required to provide a unique file with audio and video in .mp4 format. All files must be sent in by our upload form or via WeTransfer / other download link (e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive etc.) to info@soulonpole.com . There is no penalty or bonus for artists who do or do not rely on video or background images. The video screen has an aspect ratio of 16:9. Remember that you can also request lighting colors and styles. Check the regulation or complete your application form for details.
SEPARATE AUDIO AND VIDEO / IMAGE FILES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!
To prevent any (unlikely, but not unseen) technical inconvenience, please bring your audio and/or video files on a USB support on the competition day. In case of technical problems the competition direction might ask the coach (or your nominee) to hand in the USB support.
Stage Rehersals
ARTISTS CAN TEST THE STAGE BEFORE THE COMPETITION STARTS
Please book your stage rehersal for us to schedule and reduce the attendance. You will have 3 minutes on stage. Teams can book rehersal together to optimize rehersal times.
Check-in
PLEASE REMEMBER TO CHECK-IN ASAP ON ARRIVAL
ARTISTS MUST HAVE CHECKED-IN BY APRIL 12TH 2026 AT 11:00 TO BE ADMITTED
ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE SENT IN DIGITALLY BY MARCH 1st 2026 – on check-in the originals and validity of your documents and ID will be visually checked. Please make sure you bring them, especially the following documents are important. With lack of validation the artist will not be able to participate.
At Soul on Pole we made it one of our priorities to reduce the use of paper, generate less waste, for the environment and for a better future. If you have any problems with digitalization / sending in the digital copies of your documents – please contact us asap. Don’t wait until the deadline!
- technical sheet and stage / speaker announcement
- athlete’s competitive sports medical certificate
- valid intl. sports insurance or tessera ente promozione sportiva (ITA)
- image release / privacy policy / liability waiver
Pole Cleaning
There are voluntary pole cleaners who help cleaning the poles before each performance. If you prefer, you can have your own team, friends or helpers of choice clean the poles for you. No slipping or any other inconvenience can be blamed on the cleaners once you accept the stage. In case of doubt you may ask for the poles to be re-cleaned, but please be responsible with such requests, as it will cause delay.
Useful Tips for Artists
Every artist has her/his own rituals and ways of preparing for their perfomance before going on stage. This is a very personal matter. However, some universal tips can be helpful, especially if you don’t yet have a lot of experience.
- check the regulation once again for all documents to be sent in before deadline
- bring slippers or socks to keep your feet clean before going on stage
- bathing or jump suit to keep you warm from dressing / warm-up to stage
- wet wipes and dry tissues are useful in many situations (please don’t litter!)
- alcohol and a piece of cloth to clean poles are important goto’s
- usb stick with your song and / or video (with audio) track
On stage a small number of gestures will incredibly increase your appearance for judges and the public:
- greet the jury and audience at the beginning and/or the end of your performance
- your face conveys emotions, so does your body. Make sure you “comuincate well”
- spectators and jury are there for you, make them feel that their time is appreciated
- close your eyes, take a big breath and enjoy your time on stage!
Hair & Makeup
If you need help with your hair and makeup it is possible to book professional help at very competitive prices through the local Soul on Pole partners. Please check our website and contact us for quotations and advanced bookings.
Photo & Video
During Soul on Pole you may take your own pictures with your cellphones and post them on your social media profiles, but please be mindful of other people’s privacy and image rights, as they might not agree to being in your picture. At no time it is allowed to use a flash! Not even the tiniest. Professional photography and /or news coverage are not allowed without written consent by Be Art Studio SSD aRL.
ORDER PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO
Taking professional pictures in a theatre is no easy task. Make sure you have the best material (photo & video) of your performance by booking our state of the art professional service in advance. All pictures you are seeing on our social media feeds were taken by UNIDIGITA’S professional photographers specialized on sports (motion) photography and in particular pole & aerial arts events!
Check www.soulonpole.com for special early booking deals. There won’t be a photography desk on site! You will receive a notification via email. Also check your social media for news about photo deals.
Organization
Soul on Pole is organized by Be Art Studio SSD aRL. We are a pole & aerial arts and holistic fitness studio in Legnano (MI) and Lainate (MI) teaching pole, aerial arts, dancing and acrobatics on various levels reaching from purely amateur (free time) classes to highly professional artist / athlete level preparation and coaching. As an affiliate to Italia Pole & Aerial we aim to contribute as much as we possibly can to the italian and international pole and aerial arts and sports community. We love what we do!
Contacts
Be Art Studio SSD aRL
Via Resegone 26
20025 Legnano (MI)
p.iva 10198400961
cod. fisc. 10198400961
ID CSEN: 59009
phone: +393928863778
email: info@beartstudio.eu
event: info@soulonpole.com
Jury
The jury is composed of (world) reknown pole artists and athletes with a well confirmed authority in participating in and judging performing arts pole competitions. For an updated list of the members of the judges panel please visit www.soulonpole.com
Please don’t forget to read and fill-out the “complete your application” form prior to the march 1st 2026 document and music deadline.