Pole Dancing May Become an Olympic Sport
The leading pole dancing school believes so, and it has set out to get the fledgling sport included in the 2012 London Olympics.
"After a huge amount of feedback from the pole dancing industry, we have decided to lobby the 2012 London Olympic committee so that pole dancing is represented as a test event in London 2012," says the website for Vertical Dance.
Vertical Dance, a Pole Fitness School, has just started an online petition and already has over 3,300 signatures.
"The Olympics is considered the best sporting event in the world and we believe that some kind of pole athletics should be part of it," says the school. "The problem is we need to change peoples preconceived ideas on what pole dancing is all about. We know that it has changed thousands of people lives by attracting those that would not normally exercise or even perform and no matter what people think that can not be a bad thing."
Pole dancing is, of course, traditionally associated with strippers and strip clubs. Recent years have seen pole dancing moving more mainstream, however, into the circles of the fitness community.
"I think getting in the Olympics would be great for the sport," Iina Laatikainen, one of Finland's top pole dancing teachers told the Associated Press. "I actually see a lot of similarities in what pole dancing is now for women with what skateboarding used to be for men back in the day. Pole dancing is definitely on its way to becoming a mainstream sport."
Some believe the sport would give the Olympics a needed spark.
"It has the wow factor," said KT Coates, who is a pole dancer from Britain and the director of Vertical Dance.
Vertical Dance is seeking to make pole dancing a test event for the 2012 London Olympics, and then a formal sport for the next Olympic games which will be held in Rio de Janeiro.
Japan's Mai Sato, the current world champion pole dancer, says that she believes her regimented training, which runs about five hours a day for five days each week is worthy of greater recognition.
"I could definitely see pole dancing in the Olympics," said Sato, who won the 2nd International Pole Dancing Fitness Championships recently. "I would love to win a gold medal."
Sources:
Vertical Dance, official website
ESPN/Associated Press, Get ready fans, pole dancers eye Olympics
Published by Jeffrey Weeks
Jeffrey Weeks is an award-winning NC newspaper columnist who writes about saltwater and freshwater fishing, southern seafood and cooking, hunting, popular entertainment, and sports. View profile
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16 Comments
Post a CommentLOL. Great! I can do kissing and I'm good at getting in and out of the shower too. Can there please be Olympic kissing and Olympic showering? Seriously, the definition of 'sport' is getting pretty weird. Personally I think it all started when they made holding-a-pint-of-beer-and-throwing-an-arrow-at-a-board into a sport!
Oh me. Well, I guess it does take a lot of strength to do that. hmmm
this is so interesting, a great read
All right, then they should also add ballroom dancing (ice dancing without the ice).
Yeah, um, I don't think I like this idea. My apologies to all of the serious pole dancers out there.
"take off ice dancing" - busy day - oh, and I'm thinking 2014, little ahead of myself there - but still believe pole dancing is not a sport. 10-4 :)
Interesting read. :)! rcj
There is NO WAY I'd go for it. For one, it's not even a sport. If they add pole dancing, they might as well add off ice dancing. And I highly doubt that any pole dancer will put on skates or skis. Wow, thanks Jeff, interesting.
I've heard of competitions already internationally. I just don't feel we need it here in the US. Thats just what my girls need, to watch other adult women (hoping to God no one under 18 ever appears) dancing with an inanimate object. That should be left at adult bars and some peoples bedrooms. I know you can get a workout from it but jeez.
ermmm. don't know about this one :0