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No (former) strippers allowed in my studio competition :(
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There's a studio here that used to refuse service to anyone who danced. Imagine my surprise when I saw one of their instructors at a club LOL. They got over that, quickly.
I agree with Katana. If you're going to bar people who have an advantage, don't segregate it to only one. If you had previous dance experience (jazz, tap, contemp, ballet, etc) then you shouldn't be allowed to enter, either. Gymnasts are the same way.
If they're less worried about experience and more worried about the stigma, I'd remind them that major competitions allow former dancers, as long as they aren't current. You can start by listing Jenyne, Pantera, and Alethea. Given that this is a studio, not the USPDA, I don't see why you should have to relinquish any adult titles. No one should force you to give up or hide something that has and will always be a major part of pole dance. If they want to ignore that, and pretend it's all about fitness, maybe your views and the studios just don't match and you can convince another studio in the area to have a showcase?
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Wow I would never support a studio like that with my business.
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Look at Tinu's competition that runs in the fall. Nicki Shaw was asked to stepped down or change careers if she wanted to compete. How are you going to tell someone that they have to give up their profession for their hobby? USPDF states you can being a former stripper and compete – they are one of the top leading competitions and they allow it.
We all know being a former stripper has nothing to do with getting an edge over amateur pole dancers. Its not like your gonna strip down naked mid performance!
I say from past experience of running into situations semi-like this – one door is going to close and the next one opens right up.
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I always understood the distinction to be the same as amateur versus professional in any other kind of sporting competition: it wasn't considered fair to have people who practice for pay, and can dedicate their entire life to perfecting a sport pitted against those who are holding down day jobs and competing for fun and passion.
Although, I can see how it might make less sense in pole than it might in say, hockey, or weightlifting, because, as you say, the professionals often do not perform many tricks and aren't really encouraged to. I see this as another case where taking something from an artistic/theatre world and applying a sporting competition filter to it is causing conflict.
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Wow! This is an important social theme here for the entire pole community, I think. I love pole dance as an art form and a sport and have only been poling for a year. I have never been a dancer of any sort before in my life. I would’ve never thought I would be participating in any activity that carried such a negative stigma. It is that stigma from which I see the entire community wants to move away. However, there remains the proverbial elephant in the room.
I have found our local pole studio to be so different from the rest of the world. I have been so fortunate to be accepted by and learn from such an amazing group of people. We are from all walks there… I have never really gotten to know anyone who has made a living working in a gentle men’s club before. But I have now. And I’m so thankful that I have them as friends. It’s helped me gain a lot of perspective about how I’m seen and accepted and how I need to return that show of love.
TroubledWaters, I admire your integrity and you won’t be sorry for hanging on to it. Yes, you are being singled out. What I see happening here isn’t about what skill you have or have not. Rather, it’s about the ‘stigma’… Like it has been noted, no other trained athletes (dancer or not) is being excluded from this competition. You apparently are on a higher rung on the ladder than those who are organizing the competition. They are going to need you at some point, but that doesn’t mean you have to stick around for them. The rules they are making are like a tree deciding that it’s roots are offensive and so trying to grow without them. Even an recovering addict has to recognize where he or she came from, right?
I’ve had folks be really offended because I go to pole dance classes and they get really angry about it with me, but they don’t really know what it is. I forgive them their ignorance and I will not let them rob me of my goals.
There’s tons I could write here… In the end, I think pole is about embracing your life and empowering yourself to live it. Those who want to pretend that there’s no elephant in the room will find themselves stuck dealing with that elephant while the rest of us go on to enjoy the fruits of our labors. Find another studio that is accepting of everything that you are and doesn’t make it so you feel you have to ‘protect’ yourself from judgement. That’s not growth and I think it’s bad for the pole community to exclude certain populations in it’s membership…
LOVE TO YOU SISTAH!!
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I had no idea that this sort of thing happened!!!!! I am by far the most conservative pole studio in my area, and I absolutely have working entertainers come to my studio. They are welcomed with open arms by me. Everyone should be valued and supported regardless of their income source.
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I had no idea this sort of thing happened either! A pole studio not being accepting of exotic dancers? Acceptance is one of the things I love about the pole community. I understand trying to separate yourself from the stigma but the dancer is not the stigma. Society may put a scarlet letter on exotic dancers but one would think that a pole studio would be above that. That's a shame. I understand having guidelines for what is acceptable in a competition but forbidding current and former exotic dancers from competing makes them no better than any non poler who "slut shames." Bad form.
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I’ve never understood the concept of breaking through barriers by putting up more of them. Basically, by doing such things, they tell society that there is something wrong with pole dancing. Any idea how laughable and hypocritical it seems to non-polers when people make these ridiculous rules? Get OVER yourselves, snobby didn’t-quite-make-it-as-an-Olymic-gymnast-or-ballerina-supreme. Having a closed mind yourself is not going to open the door to changing popular opinion. Quit rejecting the talent and support pole ALREADY HAS in favor of winning over the people who hate it.
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*Olympic
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Ok, putting former gymnasts and ballerinas down is no better than preventing exotic dancers from competing. That just adds to the “us vs them” environment. I’ve heard a former exotic dancer say no one except strippers should teach pole…that’s not right (or nice).
I can see requiring an exotic dancer to compete in the professional level if and ONLY if she competed in a club’s pole-focused competition and was paid. Other than that, she’s should be able to compete–and in whatever category fits.
Seems like a lot more tolerance is needed in the pole world. Live and let live. -
lol I was just waiting for someone to take that example and completely throw everything else I said out the window. Why I even bother posting anymore I’ll never know. It truly is utterly pointless.
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Hi Serzi, It's perfectly ok to express how you feel, but it's hard for everyone to know how serious you are just by reading text. If you type a response that sounds harsh you'll tend to get a harsh reply back.
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Things I say just do not come out the way I am trying to express. This issue with “the legitimization of pole” has hardened my heart beyond all words.
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It's interesting because I was a gymnast and have trained in many other forms of dance (ballet, modern, jazz, tap, salsa, hip hop, and even a little burlesque) so if anything is going to give me an "edge" it's probably that. When I started going to pole classes my form was totally off, because I was self taught and a had learned moves to do them quickly and not necessarily safely. I fell from a layback at a club two years ago and still can't do them in class or practice even though most inversions don't freak me out at all.
I think what I'll do is tell my main instructor and judge by her reaction how much of a thing I want it to be. If they still refuse to let me compete I'll decide from there what to do, but I'll probably just at least with be open with everybody about being a dancer. In the end it might make my time at the studio harder, but after talking with all of y'all I think it would be worse to keep hiding in silence. I guess worst case scenario I'll start a performing troupe with all the disaffected (ex)strippers, ha!
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I'm not sure if this is connected, but I see a "trickle down" attitude here. (Please pardon me for the use of an overused political cliche). The anti-exotic movement thing is happening in the professional realm of pole dance competition, so it would make since the same attitude would flow downward into the studios. There have been many posts discussing the issue of exotic dancers being banned from top competitions. I completely agree that a business owner can choose to allow or disallow people to compete, however you're willing to accept a dancer's money for classes but not let them perform? The exotic dancer can share a pole with me but not a spot in a competitive lineup?
I'm insulted.
The person behind the rules is presuming I am not as good as an exotic dancer. When I compete- I want to compete against the best of the best. Don't block me from matching my skills, abilities, and strength against anyone simply based on where they work. If a competition is arranged by skill, that I can understand. At this point, I gladly admit my bell would be rung by many beautiful talented dancers. Why– because they have more experience! Not because they work at a nightclub.
Can someone explain to me why the individuals with competition decision making authority want to limit my competition? It only makes American pole dancing weaker.
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