PARIS – With breaking making its first Olympic appearance at the Paris Games later in 2024, pole dancers feel it could soon be their turn to be in the limelight, although it could come at the cost of losing the spirit of the discipline.
Pole dancing was recognised as a sport by the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) in 2017 after being essentially confined to cabarets and strip clubs.
Some of the physically demanding moves – Jade Split, Marion Amber – are named after famous strippers.
At Wild Pole Studio in central Paris, strippers in high heels practise alongside women looking for exercise. Some men have also started pole dancing.
“I find it’s a pity that someone would want to dissociate the origin of the discipline and the sport itself,” said Elodie Katze, co-founder of Wild Pole Studio.
“Because if it is a sport now, it is because cabaret dancers were the first to give pole dancing lessons.”
There are pole dancing competitions around the world, but according to French Dance Federation president Charles Ferreira, it will take time for the sport to become an Olympic event.
“Maybe in 10 years or something. For this to work it needs a social media presence, it needs to reach a young audience,” he said.
Clara Pauchet, a pole dancing instructor in Lannion, Brittany, said the sport is “very physical”.
“There are tricks that took me three years to do because I didn’t have the strength yet,” she added.
“When I see that breaking is at the 2024 Olympics, then pole dancing really has a strong case to have a place.
“When I see what it requires of the body, I don’t see the difference between gymnastics with parallel bars and a vertical bar. I think it really has its place.”
While an Olympic label would definitely boost the sport and help businesses grow, some believe it could strip the discipline from its essence.
“It is a double-edged sword,” Anna Gorynsztejn, co-owner of Wild Pole Studio, said.
“It’s true that it’s very good for the discipline because it’s going to legitimise it, even though I don’t like to use that word.
“In people’s eyes, it will make it less sultry.
“But this is part of the discipline and I don’t want it to be codified and have people tell me how it should be done.
“The risk is that we lose our soul.” REUTERS
