With the 2010 Winter Olympics underway, everyone has skiing, figure skating, and snowboarding on their minds. As well as all sports wintery, I remember great moments from the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing (MICHAEL PHELPS! SHAWN JOHNSON! Oh my gosh, they were so much fun to watch!) and I am super excited for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Along with my favorites, swimming and gymnastics, we may be watching...pole dancing?
Yes, believe it or not, campaigns have been launched to add pole dancing to the Olympics. Yes, this is the same 'pole dancing' that automatically reminds you of strippers.
But does pole dancing always have to mean strippers?
When I first heard of this campaign (and when I heard there was a men's league of pole dancing...), my mind was a little boggled. My thoughts were something like this: Uh... yeah... okay... let's not.
And then I thought, well...gymnastics is an Olympics sport. Figure skating is an Olympic sport. Both combine graceful movements and require incredible altheteicism. I don't know about you, but I can't do any of those twirls and leaps that gymnast or skaters do, and I certainly wouldn't be able to do a pole dance if someone told me to (a legitmate pole dance routine, not just walking around a pole seductiveley in boots and lingerie). Pole dancing requires the same sort of flexibility and strength that dancing, gymnastics, and figure skating does (and probably a lot of other sports, too).
WATCH THIS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM5zBOVwYlI
When I saw this video, I was blown away. Can you do all of that?
I didn't think so.
And look at how buff she is!
Pole dancing shouldn't have to have a bad rep and be kept out of the Olympics because of it, especially when a routine like that would take years of experience. Pole dancing is good exercise; it requires incredible strenght and flexibility; there are competetitons. It's a sport. Put pole dancing in the Olympics, I say--I want the rest of the world to be blown away, too.
More information
I know some of this information is not the most recent, so if anyone has any updates, please leave a comment and I'll add it to the list.
Also, NO RUDE COMMENTS. Think what you will and state your opinion, but do so in a polite and intelligent manner. Thank you.
That video you posted is insane! Reading your post I'll admit I was a little skeptical... But I watched the video and now I'm a convert too! That dance routine was absolutely insane, I wish I had half the physical fitness that woman does!
ReplyDeleteNice blog, btw =). I really enjoyed reading it!
As someone who has pole danced for almost three years. I wholeheartedly agree that it could qualify as an Olympic sport. And pole dancing is also good for connecting to your body and your sexuality. Thanks for this post!
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