The art of pole-dancing

[RedRoses]

Amazing Pole Dancer - Videobash
That ultimate body-control (0:20 & 2:29)... That elegance that stretches to the tips of her toes (1:37)... Extreme flexibility (2:55)... WOW!!!

And to realize the light is awful, the one holding the camera is clearly an amateur, the music is distorted and the background-sounds remind me of a teaparty, think how good this will look when the surroundings would match the performer!? If they'll serve this quality of entertainment in clubs, I'll go there instead of the theater next time. Or perhaps; they should put this in the theater

Seriously; those that don't consider this an art, should at least consider it a sport worthy of the Olympics!

[g-dubz]

Wow, I think I'm in love . Seriously though, that was pretty impressive.

[Firmus]

Definitely a cool video! And yes it's incredibly athletic, but unfortunately will always have the "stripper" stigma attached to it. Just like I'm sure there are legitimate mud wrestlers in the world, it'll forever conjure an image of a seedy bar activity.

I've always liked this one:
Hottest dance battle ever [ORIGINAL] - YouTube

But my favorite is this:
Harry Potter Pole Dance! - YouTube

It's not really technical or anything, just a neat little movie. And her boots kick ass!

[RedRoses]

Dancing goes back to the deeper cores of our bodies, where our emotions and instincts thrive. It represents in our most primal ways of communicating through body-language. It is therefor more than only sexual. The concept of sexuality is a difficult one in our society. Basically; sexuality is interwoven in everything. But the concept we've made it to be (driven by perverting it mostly) also creates a need to separate it and to emphasize life is more and bigger than that.

But let's be practical; many dances originated with sexuality as an inspiration. There's a good reason why the Tango has been forbidden by the church for many years Personally; I love watching modern ballet. And I don't see that when it is ok for a man to hold a woman up in between her legs and for her to spread them while soaring like a beautiful eagle above his head, why using a pole should be so extremely different

I can definitely see choreographers making up fascinating performances using the art of pole-dancing. Perhaps combining it with other techniques... Sounds exciting to me! O well, at least pole-dancing does have a child-friendly sister-art of butterfly-acts in the circus

[Firmus]

You're definitely right.

My only issue with pole dancing is the "limit" it imposes for them to essentially be stationary. The below dance, to me, is fantastic in its use of the floor. I wish I could find the version without the crappy music overdub.

Korea, the best dancer ever!!! - YouTube

[dlb]

Yep. Some of those women are quite athletic. I have actually seen a performer do all those moves in a strip club. I remember a few years back pole dancing classes were quite popular among women here.

[EvilEvilKitten]

Considering the pole was put there to keep the dancers from being drug off the stage by enraptured horny patrons - and that the pole has become a metaphor for the penis - yeah - it is not going to be considered an art form any time soon!

[RedRoses]

Firmus, that's exactly the type of dancing I love to watch!
It's always hard to find good vids. After all; they need to protect their performance or they risk fewer visiters in the theater
This one I find beautiful: Ballet Junior de Genève- Fragile- YouTube Doesn't it really feel "fragile" in every move?

There are also performances that are filled with humor. I once saw a dance in which they used a couch and tumbled all over it, while slap-stick-like-jokes took place between the dancers. I could see such a thing happening with poles as well

I could imagine passion, love, becoming unreachable, grief, etc. I could imagine groundwork dancing in groups and "lifting" the choreography with poles. You could display the same movements at a ground horizontal level and vertical on a higher level, turning it into this surreal dance. Off course; making the dancers shift places, so that it doesn't become "static". I can see wonderful things happening with the right type of lightening and shadows it creates. And I don't mean it to go cirque du soleil; I mean it with less acrobatty spectacle and more emotion to it. Movements that are quite complicated, but it looks so effortlessly. I'm no dancer nor choreographer, so it's hard for me to really put it together. Perhaps I should pick up this idea and drop it into the hands of someone that does know

[EvilEvilKitten]

But RR - that's the essence of art.

"to make effortless that which takes effort"

or you try writing plays as great as Shakespeare

[Biker Babe]

I completely agree that pole dancing is an Art Form. There are not many strippers who are able to do it well. I LOVE going to strip clubs and watching the women who are so truly talented at this and can do it effortlessly. The videos everyone posted are amazing.