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Advocating that Pole Fitness be recognized as a global sport, even one to qualify for the Olympics is a work in progress.
Watching the captivating Netflix documentary Blood, Sweat and Sequins lends hope that the Dance Sport of Pole Fitness is circling upward.
The fact that the widely respected magazine National Geographic has featured the program is a huge compliment. They express, “The title for Miss Pole Dancer Australia is up for grabs! Follow three women as they battle it out and face society’s preconceptions of pole dancing.”
Here is the storyline at bloodsweatsequins.com. “The title of Miss Pole Dance Australia is up for grabs as world champion pole dancer FELIX retires. Following three competitive pole dancers, as they battle it out for the tiara and challenge the stereotypes of pole dancing as they dance their way to the top.
Blood, Sweat & Sequins follows these incredible athletes as they face daily preconceptions about who they are and what they do. This is a chance to for Cleo, Chelle, Lou Landers & Miss FIlly change their lives and challenge the stereotypical views even some loved ones hold.”
At Femcompetitor Magazine, we watched the film and this writer came away with the impression that having parental approval for what the girls love and have chosen to do in their lives was extremely hard to secure and too painful not to possess.
There were many moments during the piece where the dancers would break down and cry when it came to describing how their parents felt about what they do compared with how they hoped they would react or feel.
As they say, it’s a work in progress.
Aren’t most parent and child relationships?
If you get a chance to watch the movie while it’s still on Netflix, we’re confident you will feel it was worth your time.
Pole Fitness girls? Don’t give up. We’re cheering you on.
Please enjoy this supporting point of view by an enjoyable female guest writer.
Pole Fitness As a Sport
Pole dancing has evolved over the last decade, becoming a popular workout and an organized gymnastic competition. There are people that think poling is provocative; that it’s only associated with stripping and gives a sexual connotation. But, what people need to see is that pole dancing could be considered a sport. There are many pole dance studios around the world, making the sport not only national, but international as well. Many students of the dance studio admit that pole dancing is a great way to exercise, get fit and it also inspires and empowers them. There are many reasons why pole dancing should be recognized as a sport and perhaps one day become an Olympic sport.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if a pole fitness athlete wins an Olympic medal? Before pole dancing could be considered a sport it must be administered by an international federation which ensures that the sport’s activities follow the Olympic Charter. If it is widely practiced all around the world and meets a certain amount of criteria established of the IOC’s, and eventually draft an official petition for consideration by the international Olympic committee. The International Sports Federations are international non-governmental organizations recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as administering one or more sports at world level. The national federations administering those sports are affiliated to them. While conserving their independence and autonomy in the administration of their sports, International Sports Federations seeking IOC recognition must ensure that their statutes, practice and activities conform to the Olympic Charter.
Poling is an innovative and trendy way of working out. It depends on significant upper body strength, flexibility, and body endurance. Pole dancing is not your typical gym exercise. It lacks the need of heavy equipment. The only weight it requires is your own body’s mass. This sport can be geared towards toning muscles, and classes can make women feel athletic yet artistic and confident at the same time. Pole fitness is for women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and backgrounds. Women have been looking for a change in their exercise routines and pole dance provides that modification. The sport develops self-confidence and healthy bodies all over the world.
Timothy Trautman, President of the International Pole Sports Federation was recently interviewed with “Buzzfeed” he said that he would love for pole fitness to be in the 2016 Olympics. Tim goes on to say, “having pole dancing in the Olympic Games is the only way for people to realize that pole dancers are incredible athletes: “They have such grace and elegance and they absolutely belong in the Olympics. But we do fight the stereotype that it’s for strippers.” “We have to take some of the eroticism out of the moves and also take off the high heels.” “We’re going to frame it as these are athletes that you’re watching”, Trautman says. (Stewart/ Trautman, It’s Gonna Be a While Before Pole Dancing Is in the Olympics)
There were a total of 12 new events that debuted at 2014 Sochi Olympics. The ski halfpipe (men’s and women’s), ski slopestyle (men’s and women’s), snowboard slopestyle (men’s and women’s), snowboard parallel slalom, women’s ski jumping, biathlon mixed relay, a new figure skating team event and luge team relay. In hopes, with time pole dance will make it to a list of debuts. The Arnold Sports Festival 2014 is paving a way for pole fitness to be introduced to the world as mainstream. For the first time, pole is going to be featured at a major event.
Like most of the events featured in the Sochi Olympics this year, pole dance competition administrators hold strict requirements for its competitors that must be followed to compete. Based on the article Pole Dancers Buff Image with Rules and a Dress Code, among the written regulations there is no dancing in an overtly erotic manner. No rear end shaking and no hats, canes and anything that is not considered attached to the costume. The federation’s rules frowns upon anything that falls off a dancer. They mandate disqualification for intentionally removing items of clothing, ban costumes from being used in an erotic manner and require neckline of no lower than eighty (80) millimeters from clavicular notch. (Gulyas, Pole Dancers Buff Image with Rules and a Dress Code).
We have to continue to spread awareness so that everyone will know that pole dancing should be an Olympic sport. Mainly because it is truly as difficult a sport as gymnastics or ice skating, pole dancers train tough and there are pole dance fitness communities fighting to make it to the Olympics. I strongly believe that good conduct within a pole team can also contribute to each pole dancer’s personal growth, so why not encourage it? Pole is a lifestyle for many!
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OPENING PHOTO CREDIT bloodsweatsequins-com photo
Sources: brainyquote.com, Wikipedia, fciwomenswrestling2.com, FCI Elite Competitor, photos thank you Wikimedia Commons.
- Stewart, Dodai. “It’s Gonna Be a While Before Pole Dancing Is in the Olympics.” Jezebel. N.p., 30 July 2012. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
- Gulyas, Veronika. “Pole Dancers Buff Image with Rules and a Dress Code.” The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, 12 Aug. 2013. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Yana_Yakovleva/1760747
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8418042
http://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/tv/blood-sweat-and-sequins/
https://bloodsweatsequins.com/#!/browse/film/219/blood-sweat-sequins
https://www.facebook.com/BloodSweatSequins/photos
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2569146/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl
