Strip clubs and their links to pole dancing
Strip club owners and strip club goers trying to normalise stripping and strip club culture and present it as harmless fun by using the rise of pole dance lessons and pole dance schools as an example. Some when performing pole dance are normalising sexual behaviour and not presenting their pole dancing as a dance form that will ever be taken seriously.
I feel that you should explore floor work and sensual movement in order to progress artistically, but it should not be performed on stage to a 'lay' audience, if ever pole dancing is to be taken seriously as an art form separate from what is performed in strip clubs. I also think although in private you should wear whatever attire you so choose, If you are presenting pole dancing as something separate from what is performed in strip clubs, you should dispense with the shoes and raunchy clothes, sexual behaviour and refrain from removing clothing otherwise it will never be seen as separate or taken seriously.
I am not suggesting that pole dancing becomes sterile as any female dance form can be sensual and beautiful and females seen as objects regardless of intent. It is the intent that is important.
If you perform pole dancing anywhere other than in a strip club and want pole dancing to be taken seriously you have a responsibility to do this. Otherwise it will never happen.
Please discuss.
I feel that you should explore floor work and sensual movement in order to progress artistically, but it should not be performed on stage to a 'lay' audience, if ever pole dancing is to be taken seriously as an art form separate from what is performed in strip clubs. I also think although in private you should wear whatever attire you so choose, If you are presenting pole dancing as something separate from what is performed in strip clubs, you should dispense with the shoes and raunchy clothes, sexual behaviour and refrain from removing clothing otherwise it will never be seen as separate or taken seriously.
I am not suggesting that pole dancing becomes sterile as any female dance form can be sensual and beautiful and females seen as objects regardless of intent. It is the intent that is important.
If you perform pole dancing anywhere other than in a strip club and want pole dancing to be taken seriously you have a responsibility to do this. Otherwise it will never happen.
Please discuss.
posted by Genevieve at 2:20 AM
4 Comments:
Couldn't agree more with you. There are two sides to Pole Dancing and I believe there should be clear differentials between the two, even if any one performer wishes to take part in both. I do see the need for any dancer to be able to move in a sensual, even sexual manner as this promotes full use of the body and gives one a feeling of confidence and accomplishment. But they should carefully choose when and where to perform these relevant moves. An example of this is in classical ballet where dancers have to learn how to simulate sexual passion without making it sterile..eg in the ballet Manon. Therefore they do need to learn the relevant techniques associated with such dancing. It is quite clear though that such movement was clearly in context with the time and the place.
Many Polers keep their passion for their art hidden from family, friends and colleagues because of the public perpception of it and this will not change until clear water can be seen between the two styles. Those of us who practise the art and fitness form have a duty to promote it as such and not to portray the sleazier side without thought and good reason and certainly not in the wrong environment.
Having worked in strip clubs myself and with strip clubs being the first place that i used the pole i still find it hard to differenciate between the two when performing, its like its ingrained.
Of course when I'm teaching its a different story as the concentration goes to the student, what they want to achieve and putting flow in their movements and transitions using their own style of dancing.
I agree that public perception of pole dancing is still connected with stripping, the removal of clothing and in strip clubs its portrayed as a sexual act and i think it will be difficult to eradicate that perception completely whilst dancers are still performing in clubs where pole dancing originated.
Personally, i think that pole dancing has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years and I hope it continues to do so, but because im a dancer, im not ashamed of its roots and this probably shows in my own personal style of performance.
i believe that although you can choose to not remove your clothing while performing a pole routine, in itself (its essence) is sexy, sexual and beautiful. people associate strip clubs with pole dancing because that is where people see it on a large scale. i teach, perform and love pole dancing and when i see someone who moves fluidly and beautifully on the pole, it is not a horrible thing to find it sexy or appealing. being sleazy is totally different than being sexy and i dont think that wearing heels while pole dancing makes it sleazy. the way you move and carry yourself makes it that way. i wish people would get over the idea that being sexy is supposed to be a bad thing.
I agree also, I know this from 1st hand... I'm in the U.S. and I have been Pole Dancing for 5 years. I worked in strip clubs for about 4 years and I really loved to dance on stage. I made decent money and people were always telling how beautiful my performances were and how talented I was. Then there were the men who didn't care. And the only reason I stayed in the clubs for so long was it was the only way I could do what I loved and make money. Well things in the strip clubs all around weren't doing to well, money wise. Girls started doing more and more and it got to where I couldn't compete with girls having sex and whatever else. I couldn't compete because I could hardly dance for these guys one on one. I made my money on stage... but that all stopped.I danced in these h#ll holes for 4 years, all over the south-east U.S. and girls don't even do pole work anymore in those places. Pole work used to be what was done for money now it's other things.... needless to say I quit exotic dancing but I still pole dance! I'm ready to start teaching women all about it. And how it's not like what they do in strip clubs. This is what I've been waiting for , seeing people take this as something fun and exciting not dirty and perverted. You can be sexy and classy while pole dancing, face it sexy is different than trashy!
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