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Last winter, in a rebellious fit against my habitual lethargy I opted to let a little exercise into my life. Some friends of mine, fresh from a two-month belly dancing course, informed me that they had found a pole dancing class we could all sign up for.

Pole dancing, an emerging trend in fitness rather than profession, has become increasingly popular over the past several years; and it is fairly safe to say that the moment late night talk show host Conan O’Brien awkwardly attempted pole dancing maneuvers on American network television, the once notorious practice officially swung its way into mainstream pop culture.

Some might wonder where the appeal lies; others might write it off - alongside Bratz dolls and celebrity sex tapes - as yet another indication of the hyper-sexualization of Western society. But there is more to pole dancing than cheap sexual allure.

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Beyond the obvious physical prowess, pole-dancing requires another kind of strength altogether: confidence and a sense of ownership over one’s sexuality. It is ultimately empowering to tackle a controversial or taboo practice and strip it, so to speak, of its seedy subtext. It is widely regarded that the appeal of exotic dancing, for the dancer, is the sense of being in control of their own their bodies and the audience, rather than being a submissive target of objectification. The same ideology can be applied to pole dancing as recreational fitness, for the experience transcends the reality of the male gaze. While the pole may be loaded with lurid connotations, in this context it is viewed as just another piece of exercise equipment – no more sexually suggestive than a step platform or a yoga mat. Pole dancing promises liberation from monotonous exercise regimens and a relaxed, non-judgmental atmosphere. Traditional gyms can often be humorless, making a healthy lifestyle seem more like a chore than a pleasure. Many gyms serve as meat-markets more than health clubs, ironically demonstrating that traditional workouts can be considerably more sexualized experiences than pole dancing classes. Unlike your standard issue gym workout, pole dancing has the potential to be fun, motivating and, as a result, actually effective. Confronted with this challenge, I thought to myself, “my parents were dancers!” (ballroom, not pole), “I have rhythm!”, “I’m kind of flexible!”, “I watch endless reruns of the Pussycat Dolls’ Search for the Next Doll!”, “I can so do this!”

My delusions of Shakira-esque hip swaying and pole-spinning dynamism were quickly dashed within my first few minutes of class, as I soon came to the realization that I had the core strength of Gumby and all the coordination of a drunken court jester with an inner ear infection. This was hard. As we watched our tiny, toned pixie of an instructor effortlessly propel her body to the top of the pole and perch there nonchalantly while chatting with us, it was hard to swallow her claim that “60 year old women can do these tricks.” I don’t think Cher counts.

Despite my skepticism, I was determined to put my best foot forward, wrap it around that pole and spin like a pro. Some of my classmates (my group of seven all knew one another) were quicker studies than others but even the gym rats among us had a tough time nailing those gravity-mocking tricks. The emphasis here is on athleticism, and core and upper body strength are essential. Definitely not all hair flips and booty shaking, this was more Cirque du Soleil than sleazy black-lit strip joint, and it was intimidating as hell. Not only had I overestimated my abilities but I had also underestimated the pole. On an intellectual level, I could easily grasp all the sexual politics surrounding the practice of pole dancing, and actually disregarded them rather quickly. As a piece of exercise equipment, however, the pole was a formidable foe. Despite my lack of success, I continue to respect the art form (yes, art form) and certainly would not write off the practice entirely.

Pole dancing is beyond politicized, it is politics. It connotes a power struggle, a cacophony of conceptions and misconceptions. Its social implications extend considerably further than the gym or the strip club, and taking your body outside of its comfort zone in this manner can potentially be enlightening. And I would be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted to try a little mermaid spin on the metro some mornings, not for the audience, but for myself. {w}

left of centre: volume i, issue i

 

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