Pole-Dance Thesis

Btw, the Asian one is actually Asia Pacific, which includes Australia too. 🙂

iNFO HERE: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Asia-Pacific-Pole-Sport-Alliance-APPSA/111800062214013?v=info

hi there,

I think what you are doing is fantastic! I think that Fawnia was one of the original girls to take pole mainstream, and also Jamilla DeVille – (Australian) was an early-influencer…my 2 cents. i am going to come back to this thread and check out all the links!

Hi there.  I think your idea is fantastic.  I have seen a few books while on ebay that may help you. 

One I'm sure that could help you is called Pole Dancing, Empowerment and Embodiment by Samantha Holland.  The Review: This book provides an international, multi-disciplinary empirical account of pole classes and how they fit into wider discourses about bodies and gender, and age and fitness. In particular, the book explores how women initiate agency and espouse liberation and empowerment through something as seemingly problematic as pole classes. Heres the contents Introduction Towards a Feminist Ethnography From Circus& Sex ! ! to Fitness& Leisure What is a Pole Class? What Not to Wear Diversity& Empowerment? A Thing of Beauty' The Pole Community: Opening Closed Minds Case Study I: 'Empowering women with confidence' Case Study II: Power Moves& Everyday Bodies Conclusions: A Positive Active Identity? Appendix I: Questions for online questionnaire and statistics of responses Appendix II: Websites of Instructors Who Took Part + Schools Mentioned Bibliography Index.

Something that isnt so much about pole dancing but more stripping and burlesque, (but could be useful) is The Happy Stripper by Jackie Wilson.  The review: If the burlesque stripper, with her bawdy spirit and unruly insubordination, has emerged for many as a new 'empowering' model for the sexually aware woman, then she also strikes horror in the heart of second wave feminism. Embodied by high profile artistes such as Dita von Teese and Catherine D'Lish, the explosive revival of striptease, burlesque and overt female sexual performance has proved no less alluring to a new generation of women artists familiar with the provocative work of 70's performance artists such as Hannah Wilke and Carolee Schneeman. Eloquent on 'prettiness' and power, desire and 'knowingness', money, sex and class, and with an extensive knowledge of burlesque's rich tradition, Willson raises long overdue questions about women's erotic expression within a 'postfeminist' condition. The 'new burlesque' demands above all a response – this fresh, brazen, provocative book at last provides it.

Two books that could be helpful historically are The Mexican Indian Flying Pole Dance by Helga Larsen and May-Pole Possibilities: With Dances and Drills for Modern Pastime by Jennette Emeline Carpenter Lincoln.  However I could not find any info on what these books are actually about.  But I do know that pole dancing has been linked to the may-pole. 

Im not really sure what focus you are looking to take (perhaps you dont either).  It may be helpful for you to go on ebay and do some searches in the books category. Some key words are stripper, stripping, exotic dance, strip tease, and burlesque. 

Hope this has been helpful 🙂

I might include some of the current male figures in pole….

Dominic Lacasse

Remi Martin

Eike Von Stuckenbrock

Josiah

David Owen

Jungle Cat (Tavon)

Steven Retchless

I am not aware of international males or I would give you their names.

One other person I think greatly influenced pole a few years back and then kind of disappeared…Sarah Cretul.  She totally changed the art.  No one saw an aerial twisted grip prior to her (let alone twisted grip at all??) or some of the amazing moves she performed.  Go an look at the first USPDF competition and the performances…she was in a class all her own and the next year everyone was doing her moves.

Then you have people that are creating new and exciting moves that everyone wants to do:  Oona (Oona split), Marlo (I can't even describe this one but it is one arm pencil thing), Jenyne (jade drop, iron X lift, horizontal pencil), Pantera (death lay),  Allegra (Allegra), Rebecca Butcher (crazy a$$ drop she did), Alethea (floor work), Remi (the Remi)…I'm sure there are others

I know that pole-dancing organisations have a lot of 'high-up' influences over the sport, but personally, I think for most polers, our greatest influences are our studios in which we train, the teachers or owners of those studios, and our personal pole idols (who are usually the top polers in the world, who compete etc). If you want to look at pole dancing down under, you should definitely research the beginnings and recent expansion of 'Bobbi's Pole Studio' in Sydney. Im not sure, but I have a feeling Bobbi's was the first pole studio in Australia… and they now have branches in Singapore, Malaysia, and more.

I find it interesting to compare the different priorities of pole studios, why some are more athletic and fitness orientated, while others push more dancing/asthetic values…

And as far as pole Idols go, and big names in poling, you cannot go past Alethea Austin! She is the current USPDF Champion, and has been hugley influential in regard to incooperating innovative, gymnast and breakdancing moves into her routines. 

I think you should look at how pole dancing is constantly evolving and expanding… Dancers like Allegra, Felix, and so on are inventing new moves and expanding the physical possibilities of pole…. so yeah, I hope you give plenty of credit to the individual original talent and interpretation of the top pole dancers! 🙂 Good luck!