Pole dancing to better fitness?

There's a pole dancing place called S Factor that is supposed to be incredible. I watched a performance of sorts that they gave and I was kinda blown away. These ladies were doing so Cirque du Soleil business up on these poles.

Ugh, I'm sorry but I find pole dancing in poor taste. It's not something I equate with attractiveness, no offense. Wasn't Crunch the first place to come up with an exercise class based on stripping moves? Now it has taken over the world, with those Flirty Girl Fitness videos coming out and whatnot.

DBlack has a point that practicing those Cirque du Soleil moves on those poles is amazing as a workout. Think of the abdominals you'd develop! But I'm not going anywhere near a class that has "pole dancing" in the title. All they'd have to do is rename the moves to something involving the word acrobatics, and maybe I'd be willing to take a class or two...

A bunch of my friends are taking pole dancing classes - bizarrely, it seems to be a fun "female bonding" experience for many of them - no men needed/involved. Many of them are otherwise "wholesome."

@NeverSleeps @Uraniumfish I am with you - acrobatics are okay, pole dancing not so much.

"Gotta run. I have a pole dancing class at seven." I just don't see those words coming out of my mouth in that order, is all.

This just confirms what I suspected--

I think it's all good fun! I'd only want to take it alongside women, though - having men in the audience/class would be creepy. But it seems like a fun, saucy, girls' night out sort of thing to me.

Hah. I assure you having me trying to gyrate my hips like those women would be creepy.

No, if they had a pole dancing class for men I would definitely go... to laugh. Apparently I can look forward to just such a thing: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-passage/male-pole-dancers-are-on_b_375663.html

Now that is an excellent article. International Pole Camp. Holy moly that's odd.

I guess anything can be an art form if you just... say it is.

Seriously guys -- as the one person in this thread (I believe) who has actually seen people do this: there is pretty minimal sexuality involved for the serious people -- no more than watching a modern dance piece. It looks like cirque du soleil -- I wasn't exaggerating. I understand that a lot of women do it for a sexuality unleashing which is probably pretty beneficial for uptight people who want to release some sort of insecurity, but it really is beautiful to watch with the pros. Not like going to a strip club at all.

Okay, okay. it's an art form. But surely there has to be some sexuality involved? In dance there usually is, it's difficult to leave it out even.

There's sexuality involved, sure - but same with tango (the "vertical expression of a horizontal passion"), bellydance, etc...

I agree with many of you. I think pole dancing is a lewd way of women to express themselves. It reminds me of prostitutes and strippers, since they do that kind of dancing most often. A friend of mine called it disgraceful. We were watching a movie one day and she saw this girl doing a pole dance for this cowboy and she was so offended that she turned it off. I guess it affects people in different ways.

Hhusted: How's about you learn more (or anything at all) about it before you judge it and call it a "disgrace."

Doesn't pole dancing have an especially bad rap because of some cheesy movie called Showgirls or something?

Yeah, I don't think anyone else agrees with the 'disgrace' term. That seems way too strong. I think the people who like pole dancing think of it as good fun, and the people who make fun of people who like pole dancing also see that as good fun.

@uptowngirl HA! Yeah, that movie was the end for pole dancing.

To each his or her own. If you like it, go for it. If you don't, obtain from it. It is mainly a personal choice.