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Wall Street Journal addresses pole dance
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Corby is that the mobile version of the article I read? 🙂
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Haha! Its totally the same! Whoops! Somehow I missed that!
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I think dance is dance and sport is sport. Why can't both be together? Everyones brain is different and everyone sees things differently than the next. I agree you can't really judge dance ( technical aspects i suppose) because its an art form and people take what they want from a performance and it's in the eye of the beholder. I personally like the sexual side. It's no different than any other form of dance, they all cater to love and sensuality. When i try to explain pole to people that view it as a strip club mentality i first say " pole dancing has been around for around 2000 years, chinese pole!" "it wasnt until the 80's i believe when it hit the strip clubs in canada" " It's like aerial ballet or gymnastics" What would any form of dance be without expression and sensuality? not very interesting i suppose…. I wish people were more open minded of things in this world but to many are scared of what they don't know. It's up to us pole dancers to change the mindset of the masses. Once people can see it for what it truly is, an inspiring feat of fitness and grace that takes perserverance and strength whether or not it's "sexy" then the world will forget about the exotic dance mentality around it and move on to something else to put down. I watch dance shows and Americas got talent and people vote for the little kids dancing all provacatively swaying there hips, booty popping etc..I guess thats ok and cute but god forbid you put a pole into dancing…just saying… When I mention the aerial ballet, most say " I never thought of it that way" lol
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I agree, sexy, or rather in this case, vulgar, is allowed too much in "regular" dance in all age categories and even though it is in the rules of many of those competitions, nobody puts restriction on this, which I find appalling and hypocrite. Many latin dances are innately sexual and nobody has a problem with that. I have no problem with pole involving sensual movement, I have a problem with people saying that sexy pole is the original pole and that we should all "go back to our roots".
Btw, great article on evolution in gymnastics. Sadly, this is the case even with rhythmic gymnastics, which, by definition, should be done to music and follow it accordingly. But even today there are some exceptions to the uniformity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37YEpf_xhbk
London was pretty uniform, but nobody can deny that there were some outstanding performances that were great and even artistic, despite all the rules and limitations.
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When I say London, I mean IPSF World Pole Sports Championship 😀
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I wanted to respond a little bit to this statement upthread:If you want to have FUN go to pole class and seek out showcases that are of similar taste to how you wish to perform. When you get up to professional competition level its not about FUN. It's about an agenda. You are trying to make some kind of professional advancement.
I understand this point of view but I don't really agree with it. I feel like making a distinction between "fun" showcases & "serious" competition essentially trivialises the difference that some people are seeking to make here. Because competition is about an agenda of advancement it is important to keep an eye on the statement that it seeks to make. I don't agree with the direction of sexless tricking that the sport may take. Call it something else altogether ( I'm fine with pole sport) and separate it from the edginess of pole dance, whether that's competition, performance or personal evolution. If Miss Pole Dance Australia can produce incredible athletes who are sexy, flexy, badass performers in tiny pieces of clothing, high heels and who use theatrics and props, then surely there can be more competitions that encourage that.
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Ironically, I sometimes regret the fact pole dancing requires very little clothes because it limits your choice of character. Of course, costume is not everything that makes the character, but it is hard imagining poling in a a more elaborate non-skimpy costume unless you are a guy with a lot of upper body strength that doesn't have too much leg gripping in the routine (or does more of a chinese pole style) or unless you take the "extra" clothes off during the routine. Yes, having skin exposed is essential for pole dancing, but as i said, your choice of costume is limited.
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There ARE competitions that still have the sexy!!! Why does everyone keep saying there are not? One competition, not sure which one, required heels even! I like ALL pole styles, and there WILL be more styles. This should not threaten anyone. There is room for it all. I personally, get tired of the stripper stigma because I am personally not one. Perhaps more competitions in general would help the stigma, but even that will always remain a little.
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There is another factor here that no one has touched on but has been brought up in other conversations, and that is sponsorship. These events are not cheap in any way to put on and requires lots of begging for money (I am calling it what it is). Many companies will donate product but it is hard to sell advertising to a company in a country that still for the most part sees pole as stripping. Even many venues have stipulations on the amount of skin that can show due to their city zoning ordinances. A venue that sells alcohol can very easily lose their liquor license and no one wants to ruin a business. Once the competition has a name usually the guard comes down a bit.
And leeloo, with the pole sleeves that are starting to crop up minimal clothing is no longer needed, however things like spins are pretty much not an option, so it will definitely go more towards a Chinese style performance.
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Good point!^^^^^^
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Totally awesome to do regulations that brings this to the Olympics. I would love for that to happen.
But…..I don't really care to compete myself. I'm personally only in it for the sexy and the costumes and getting to wear make up and flaunt my ass–and MAKE MONEY, not win awards.
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USPDF has a compulsory round with obligatory heels. And optional rounds can be in heels as well, many dancers used that possibility.
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