So I was struck by an idea for an art project recently for which I required reference pics of pole dancing. I discovered that that terminology -- "pole dancing" -- got a lot more relevant hits for what I was looking for than did "stripping", "exotic dancing" or related terms. Pole dancing has gained considerable legitimacy in the mainstream over the last decade or so not just as men's entertainment, but women's recreation and aerobic activity...
After a short while looking at the pictures, I was thinking -- why is this not an Olympic sport?
In all seriousness, a pole is about as arbitrary a piece of equipment as anything else in gymnastics, be it men's (rings, high bar, parallel bars, pommel horse, vault), or women's (balance beam, uneven bars, vault), and with the floor exercise the other event in each gender's rotation, women's gymnastics still comes up short of the men's spectrum of events by two.
Competitive pole dancing prohibits nudity. The top competitors take it fairly seriously, and their dedication shows in lean, muscled gymnast-like physiques.
An additional virtue in pursuing pole dance as an Olympic sport is the decreased likelihood of high-impact-induced injury. Such injuries are found frequently in floor exercise, vault (Kerri Strug, anyone?), and balance beam.
And if there is still some silly hubbub about its origins, olympic officials would do well to remember that the original olympic games were competed in the nude, and the very word "gymnastics" has its root in Greek words meaning "exercise naked".
It wouldn't be hard to break down various moves for technical and artistic merit, or to establish rules and required moves to demonstrate strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, balance and grace in transition -- all those qualities sought in a gymnastic performance.
Consider the above and these pictures (some of which are from the recent championship). Can you mount a legitmate argument against it as an olympic sport?
The U.S. Pole Dance Federation site can be found HERE.
Additional photos from the 2009 Pole Dance Championship can be found HERE.
After a short while looking at the pictures, I was thinking -- why is this not an Olympic sport?
In all seriousness, a pole is about as arbitrary a piece of equipment as anything else in gymnastics, be it men's (rings, high bar, parallel bars, pommel horse, vault), or women's (balance beam, uneven bars, vault), and with the floor exercise the other event in each gender's rotation, women's gymnastics still comes up short of the men's spectrum of events by two.
Competitive pole dancing prohibits nudity. The top competitors take it fairly seriously, and their dedication shows in lean, muscled gymnast-like physiques.
An additional virtue in pursuing pole dance as an Olympic sport is the decreased likelihood of high-impact-induced injury. Such injuries are found frequently in floor exercise, vault (Kerri Strug, anyone?), and balance beam.
And if there is still some silly hubbub about its origins, olympic officials would do well to remember that the original olympic games were competed in the nude, and the very word "gymnastics" has its root in Greek words meaning "exercise naked".
It wouldn't be hard to break down various moves for technical and artistic merit, or to establish rules and required moves to demonstrate strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, balance and grace in transition -- all those qualities sought in a gymnastic performance.
Consider the above and these pictures (some of which are from the recent championship). Can you mount a legitmate argument against it as an olympic sport?
The U.S. Pole Dance Federation site can be found HERE.
Additional photos from the 2009 Pole Dance Championship can be found HERE.
Pole dancing is the latest craze in women's fitness - all the housewives are doing it. 
