Over the last few years there has been much debate about whether or not pole dancing should be an Olympic sport. There have been numerous online petitions, which always raised arguments. Now the subject is becoming an even hotter topic as the pole dancing associations have begun to formalize pole dancing in order to meet the requirements to be seen as a potential Olympic sport, which in turn also brings more attention from the media on the topic.

One of the main discussions surrounding the topic of pole dancing as an Olympic sport is the idea of sexuality. Many people view pole dancing as being of a sexual nature, particularly a feminine sexual nature. I don’t believe that pole dancing is necessarily feminine or sexual though. Yes, more women participate in it than men, but it doesn’t have to be that way, & it doesn’t have to be sexualized the way that many people make it out to be either. There are plenty of people who participate in pole dance who do it in a way that is not sexy, & many of them do it on purpose. These are often the same people who concentrate more on the tricks than the dancing, & wear tennis shoes with gym attire rather than high heels & lingerie or booty shorts.

There is nothing inherently sexual about the pole, rather it’s what you do with the pole & how you do it that makes it sexual. For example, I just came back from Disney World where I was on the monorail with a family that had two children. One of the girls, who was about four or five years old, was putting her inner leg around the pole behind her knee. She was just about prepared to go into a front hook, but didn’t exactly know how. I can’t honestly believe that just because this was a female child & a pole that there must be something sexual about it. To her that pole represented a piece of equipment to play on. A few years back my house cleaner came to clean my home with her twin sons, who were about six years old. I had a pole set up in the studio space & the boys immediately grabbed a hold of it, started running around it, & even doing the fireman trick! The year before that I was teaching at a studio & walked in right after another instructor’s class had ended.  A mother was in the earlier class & when the door to the studio opened her daughter (who was about twelve) immediately lunged into the room & onto the pole. Somehow, without any training, she made her way to the top of the pole. Her mother stood in shock, because she herself had been unable to accomplish this after weeks of training… probably due to her own fears. I also knew a high school student who managed to convince the school system to let her take pole classes to fulfill her credits for physical education… which is a pretty large accomplishment when you consider that most dance classes in high schools do not even count as physical education. Of course I do not think the school would have approved of this if the classes had been taught in a manner that was sexual, & I am sure they researched the pole classes a lot before approving it to fulfill the student’s physical education requirements. I see the pole as a piece of equipment as well, & each person has to decide for themselves how to use it. Many people are familiar with aerial arts such as silks & hoops used in artistic performances such as Cirque Du Soleil, but some performance artists have sexualized these by including them into striptease & burlesque… yet they are not seen as sexual by most of society, & classes are available even for children to take. On the other hand the pole is a non-mobile piece of equipment, unlike silks & hoops it does not move, so what the performer does is almost more comparable to gymnastic bars… how she/he chooses to move in terms of the “dance” is another matter entirely.

I do realize that some people will argue that the history of the pole is what makes it sexual, but I disagree with that. First, I have yet to see any full written history of where pole dancing came from exactly, & it’s probably a lot more diverse than what most of the pole performers believe. Many people believe that pole dancing originated from the acrobats in the circus acts years ago, who may have performed on the poles that were used to hold up the tents. At the time some of the circuses employed Chinese acrobats (who may have already performed on poles now known as Chinese Poles), & it is very probable that even though the Chinese acrobats didn’t necessarily perform pole tricks during the show they may have taught some tricks to others who began incorporating them into their performances. No one really knows for sure. What most people are actually arguing is sexual is not the pole tricks though, but the style of dance, which has a history connected to belly dance & was used to teach women movements to help prepare their bodies for childbirth, sometimes for rituals & at times also used as a form of seductive dancing. Belly dancing was also seen at some circuses & sideshow acts, so it is also very probable that the same people performing belly dancing may have been the ones learning to do pole tricks, & burlesque dancers (some of whom performed at the circus) may have also picked up a few tricks. Other people have argued that pole dancing started by accident when a go-go dancer was dancing around a pole & happened to take off her top. Again, no one knows for sure. It is silly to claim that something shouldn’t be turned into an Olympic sport because people have used it in a sexual manner in the past, especially when we don’t know where it came from exactly.

This also brings me to another point, pole tricks are not about femininity, as a matter of fact they are neither feminine nor masculine… they are a feat of muscle control, balance & endurance. Again, what is feminine here is the style of dancing most often portrayed with the pole, not the pole tricks. It is the movements used in striptease that have been popularized the most as the style of dance connected to the pole but I’ve also seen performers use salsa dance with the pole & ballet, both of which are either less sexual or not sexual at all, & one could use many other styles to express themselves with the pole. I also feel that trying to claim that pole dancing is feminine takes away a lot of well deserved credit from male pole performers who have done a lot to enhance the moves, create their own moves, & bring pole dancing more into the public popularity – especially among male students. There are plenty of men who have done really wonderful things for pole dancing.

Other people who are against pole performances in the Olympics argue over the politics of legitimizing it as a sport, which seems really hypocritical to me. If pole performers think that creating common standards for names of the tricks, standardizing proper grip for the individual tricks, & formally stating what type of pole is the best & making them the same from one competition to the other is so horrible… then why are they doing it themselves? If pole performers & students don’t what these things then why do we have WikiPole? Why do we have multiple pole associations? Why are we concerned about what doctors tell us are the safest grips & the best way of performing tricks? Why do we have instructors giving out certifications? Why do some of the fitness associations offer credits for pole dance? Why do most of the serious pole competitions consistently use the same poles? Why do we already have competitions for pole dancing? It’s a bit of a rhetorical question, but I would say since there are pole performers actively working towards legitimizing this as a sport & not just as dancing, then it’s because some performers do want this & see the value in it!

The fact is that the pole tricks can be separated from the dance, obviously you need transitional moves but performers have already proven that almost any style of dance can be used for that. You can do pole tricks using transitional moves from ballet, salsa, jazz or just about any other style of dance. Thinking that pole tricks have to be performed in conjunction with sensual dance is limiting ourselves!

I don’t see the issue with having standardized names for the tricks either. If you feel that standardizing names takes away from dance being a form of expression, I hate to break it to you but even formal/professional dance styles have standardized names. In ballet a pirouette is a pirouette… regardless of what school I go to learn from! Which means I could move from Chicago to New York, make a few phone calls, & easily find a school where I would be learning at the same level again. Right now most pole schools want you to start at level one regardless of what you know, when really they should be able to ask you to do a move, see that you can do it properly, & place you in the appropriate class/workshop level. Now, there are still different “styles” of ballet such as the Russian Method or Balanchine Method, but the names of the moves themselves are pretty much standard. Just because something has a name does not mean that it takes away from your ability to perform that movement in a way that expresses how you feel or who you are, & just as with the ballet methods there will always be people doing things different ways.

I also feel that stricter regulations of things could be good… really good. There are pole schools popping up all around the world, & some of them have instructors who have only learned in a club or from a friend. Often these people have no idea how to safely perform a trick. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean that you should. Moves such as the carousel, chair, or peter pan can be performed with multiple grips & some of the grips are not as safe as others. Now, while I am not really interested in having the government looking over my shoulder each time that I teach a pole or dance workshop, I do think that it’s better to learn from someone who can show you the best way to perform a trick. I believe that having pole dancing in the Olympics would mean that judging would be scored partially on things such a proper grip & form, promoting safer practices within our industry. As with any form of sport or dance this also means that there will be more students who will seek out “pedigreed” instructors – those who have either attained a certain level of Olympic achievement or those who have been trained by a student or line of Olympians & therefore have learned proper grips & forms so they are less likely to be injured or taught bad habits. These students would more than likely be those either looking to go onto the Olympics, would like to participate in other competitions, plan to teach, or are very concerned about their own safety or form. I think that what people are forgetting is that just because there would be a more formalized competition on an international level does not mean that there won’t still be studios & instructors who teach pole dancing just as it is now. In the United States, or at least where I am, anyone can open up a studio for dance/gymnastics/martial arts etc. Just because a studio exists to teach does not mean that the instructors are qualified (proper training, certifications, etc), yet almost all of these businesses have customers because they just want to enjoy doing the activity & don’t plan to do anything with the training.

It’s also funny to me that some of the people who are concerned that putting pole dancing into the Olympics will make it competitive, which they don’t want, but some of these same people are leaders in the pole dancing industry because they hold titles from other major pole dance competitions. That’s pretty hypocritical! I am not naturally a competitive person, but I do see the value in competitions. They can show you some of the best ideas, & they push you to become better. That doesn’t happen just from competitions though; we see it in real life through businesses competing to come up with the best product, to have the best prices, & even performers to provide the best entertainment. Therefore I don’t see why or how having pole dancing in the Olympics would really change how competitive people are. I suspect that many of the people we currently see in pole competitions would be the same people who would probably compete in the Olympics. Besides, people will create competitions for just about anything they can think of… including seeing how long people can go without blinking. Contrary to what another writer posted on Facebook, there are competitions for burlesque as well. Sure, I like the idea of encouraging other, but just because there is competition does not mean that I can’t encourage my friends. Last December I competed in a pageant with one of my best friends, & honestly I would have been just as happy if she had taken first place as if I had taken first place. We were constantly on the phone weeks beforehand discussing music, costumes, props etc. & bouncing ideas off each other. We also closely befriended one of our competitors whom we had not met before, & learned a lot from the artist who took the main title. It’s non-sense to assume that just because it’s a competition means you can’t encourage others. Besides, just as with dance & many other things, competitions & non-competitive festival showcases can co-exist.

Whether or not pole dancing is a sport or not is certainly a legitimate debate. There are many things in the Olympics such as artistic gymnastics that seem just as much like a “sport” to me as ballet. Whether you are performing with a ribbon, ball, or hoop they are all props & most of them seem equal to other forms of dance such as ballet. They require intensive training & grace to perform. On the other hand there are forms of gymnastics such as the bars & balance beams, & ice skaters who require ice skates – which to me is more a form of “equipment”, & to me that is what I see the pole as. It doesn’t I use the pole for balance & to do things that wouldn’t be possible without such equipment. I guess the day that the Olympics decide to get rid of gymnastics & ice skating is the day when I will feel that the pole performances do not belong either.

In the time I’ve been alive I have rarely ever watched the Olympics. About the only time I pause to watch it are when the figure skaters or artistic gymnastics are on… or when I don’t have control of the remote or television channel. If pole competitions were included in the Olympics you could bet I would watch! Would I compete? No, but I would certainly be cheering on my friends who chose to!

Another problem many modern striptease dancers complain about it that having pole dancing in the Olympics would push it more into mainstream, which would result in less people coming into the clubs… & therefore less money. We all know though that the Olympics are very family oriented, so even if the pole were to become an Olympic competition the style would be performed in would never be the same as what is seen in the club. No, there won’t be people touching themselves… but in some places that is not even legal anyhow! However, pole dancing & striptease are not about touching yourself or your curves. Most burlesque dancers weren’t even allowed to touch themselves either, so if that is how you define sensual dancing I would suggest you dig a little deeper. While it would push pole dancing into a more public eye (resulting in more classes, competitions, etc), it would also more than likely result in more interest & respect in the clubs. Right now pole tricks are almost seen as a circus act within the club. Simply put, those that tip are either other dancers or the rare patron that really appreciates the efforts. Unfortunately, even the appreciation of pole tricks rarely result in lap dances or champagne rooms, which are the “bread & butter” of most modern striptease dancers’ earnings. If anything I would say that including the pole in the Olympics would pique society’s curiosity & appreciation of pole tricks, resulting in more patrons & more tips in appreciation of the effort. As it stands though, most modern striptease dancers are considered “entertainers” by the clubs, & should remember that their primary reason for being there is to dance & to entertain by way of conversation. Being able to perform pole tricks, which are fun & entertaining, are not a necessary requirement for the job. Pole dancing becoming more popular will not be putting clubs out of business. Now, one could argue the snowball effect of pole dancing also popularizing striptease, but that is not necessary & many of the same arguments apply. People will always have an interest in sexualized establishments, even if they are getting almost the same thing at home. It’s a very basic thing… sex & anything related to it sells.

Yes, I would like to see pole performances in the Olympics. Do I expect it to be the same thing I see in the club? No, but I still see value in it & if there are people interested in competing than I am more than happy to let them know that I will be watching. I don’t think that it could hurt to at least have a test run of pole performances in the Olympics. I bet a lot of people would be interested & many people might be shocked at just who would stop flipping channels to watch such a thing. I think that having pole performances could increase creativity allowing people to expand their views of what pole dancing is & what it could be. Who wants to see some Polka Pole? Okay, maybe not, but you get the idea. I have a few personal ideas of other ways pole competition could expand, but since I never know what I’ll do in my own future I prefer not to mention them right now.

The point is that even for those of us who don’t want to compete in pole if it does become an Olympic competition, who are we to tell others that they can’t? If they want to do it, I say go for it! More power to them. I’ll stand on the sidelines & cheer them on. I don’t care if they call it pole dancing, pole performance, artistic pole or pole gymnastics. As long as those participating in it understand that there will be a separation (those performing it as a sensual dance art & those performing it as a non-sexualized sport) then I don’t see what the problem is. Or, if people can’t grasp the idea that pole performances don’t have to be sexual then maybe we should start pushing for the Chinese Pole to be considered for the Olympics… especially since some pole dancing studios are starting to teach that as well!

We need to stop coming up with all the reasons why pole performance shouldn’t be in the Olympics and start considering whether having it in the Olympics has value? Are people interested in competing? Are people interested in watching? What should this new “sport” be called in the Olympics? I think the only real way to find out is to do a test run and see what happens.

To read more opinions on this topic go to: http://www.expressthesensual.com/2010/03/01/our-community-speaks-pole-dancing-in-the-olympics-pt2/