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Pole-Dancing is Sport

Anyone who as ever watched the Olympics has probably never heard of or considered half of the events as a sport but according to the The Free Dictionary a sport is a “Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively (“Sport,” n.d.).” If that is the case, then there are many activities that can be considered a sport, even pole-dancing. Some people might scratch their heads at the very thought of pole-dancing as a sport, but the United States Pole Dance Federation holds the US Pole Dance Championship every year and it has been introduced in dance studios and sports gyms as a fitness activity. (2008). Like all sports players, pole-dancers have to perform according to a set of rules and customs, some of which are required by the government and others determined by the competitions. By its very nature pole-dancing is competitive, the best dancers make the most money, but the ones that enter competitions receive trophies and cash prizes, or as the United States Pole Dancing Federation says on their website, “compete because you love to pole dance. (2008)” Since pole-dancing requires physical activity, is governed by a set of rules and customs, and because it is competitive, is by the very definition of the word, a sport.

All sports are physically demanding is some fashion, even golf and gymnastics require large amount of physical exertion and strength. Some people might argue that for an activity to be considered a sport, there needs to be direct contact between contestants. The Olympics disagrees with this requirement and has many sports that do not require direct contact. Ice-skating, gymnastics, diving, and even many forms of competitive skiing do not required direct contact between competitors and still meet the required physical activity criteria needed to be considered a sport.

There is little doubt that Ice-skating, gymnastics and even cheer-leading required physical activity, but what might surprise some is how much physical exertion is required to pole-dance. A person can’t just walk of the street and perform the choreographed pole-dancing moves properly or without hurting themselves. Gyms across the country have started holding classes in pole-dancing. Gyms like Allure Dance & Fitness Studio in Los Angles offer classes in pole-dancing, that “teaches the foundation to the art: sensual movement, body strengthening & toning, increasing flexibility (“Pole Dance Allure” n.d.).” During their routines, the dancers perform spins around the pole, contort their body in all sorts of positions, constantly move about the staged and hang upside down with only their leg strength to keep them from plunging their heads into the hard floor (“Pole Dance Allure” n.d.). Since pole-dancing requires physical activity and risks bodily injury, pole-dancing more than meets the required physical activity criteria that is needed to be considered a sport.

There is more to sports than just being physically active, they also need to be governed by a set of rules and customs. Even before the first recorded ancient Olympic games in 776 BC governed the rules and customs of sporting events, people have used rules and customs to determine the fair play of sporting events. (“The Ancient Olympics.” 2009) . Without such rules, no one would be able to compete fairly and without fair competition, then sports would be reduced to just plain old exercise and showmanship.

People may doubt that pole-dancing is more than showmanship and many are surprised when they find out that there are many rules that govern what a pole-dancer can and can’t do, in both amateur and professional competitor levels. The amateur levels are governed mostly by the hosting club’s rules and vary from club to club and state to state. These rules have to do with mostly conduct and dress codes. The same way that basketball has less rules at the local park than it does in the NBA (Also known as street ball) , Pole-dancing at a club has less established rules than the professional competitions. Not all competitions have the exact same rules but most do not allow nudity or g-strings, music with explicit lyrics, and “As part of the judging criteria, entrants will need to incorporate required pole moves into their routines (eg aerial holds, inverts etc), to demonstrate their technique and creative execution of these moves (“Rules” n.d.)” Since pole-dancing requires dancers to follow established rules, it meets the requirements in both the amateur and the professional circuits and like all sports, both professionals and amateurs compete.

Whether a professional or amateur, perhaps competition is the most basic required criteria for something to be considered a sport. All sports have another person or team that they compete against. In contact sports like football, the players compete for the most scored touchdowns and goals, while in non-contact sports like gymnastics, ice-skating, or cheer-leading judges score contestants by a number system based on performance. For example, gymnastic judges at the Olympics take a look at whether or not your gymnast has followed the rules of attendance, judged the overall difficulty of the moves performed, and tally up all the points given (Hughes n.d.). This system is not to be confused with beauty pageants which are also subjectively judged by physical attributes of the contestant. Prizes for winning the competition vary by the events, but some common prizes are trophies and cash.

Just like all other sports, both amateurs and professionals compete for prizes and are judged on a scoring system similar to ice-skating and gymnastics. The amateurs compete solely for money and like the competitors of the Ancient Olympics compete nude or topless, while the fully dressed professionals compete for prizes and recognition (“The Ancient Olympics.” 2009). Unlike many of the other professional competitions that offer cash prizes, at the US Pole Dance Federation’s annual pole-dancing competition, dancers compete with other pole dancers from the United States showing off their moves, physical strength, and their passion for dance and nothing more (2008). Since pole-dancing is by its very nature competitive, it meets the necessary criteria to be considered a sport and like all sports, players receive recognition, prizes and trophies. Wouldn’t Ma be proud?

Maybe Ma should be proud. If the mothers of gymnastic competitors, a sport recognized by the Olympics, can be proud of their sons and daughters, than why not the dancers of the pole? Many people are uncomfortable with the idea that something as taboo as pole-dancing could be recognized as a sport but because of the recent addition of pole-dancing to fitness gyms, this sport is becoming more and more mainstream. Just like the typically acceptable sports of cheer-leading, ice-skating, and gymnastics, pole-dancing requires physical exertion, follows a set of rules and customs, and is as competitive as any other sport. Pole-Dancing can obvious be defined as a sport. Maybe one day it will even be an Olympic event. It would certainly be a lot more fun to watch than curling.

Works Cited.
“The Ancient Olympics.” HickokSports.com. HickokSports.com, 18 Feb. 2009. Web. 12 Feb. 2010. .
Hughes, Murray. “Gymnastics Judging – A Brief Overview.” EzineArticles. Web. 12 Feb. 2010. .
Pole Dance Allure – Home Page. Ed. Nicole Williams. 2009-2010. Web. 11 Feb. 2010. .
“Rules.” Australian Pole Dance – 2009 Championships. Web. 12 Feb. 2010. .
“Sport – Definition of sport, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.” Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus – The Free Dictionary. Farlex Inc. Web. 11 Feb. 2010.
US Pole Dance Federation. Ed. Anna Grundstrom. 2008. Web. 12 Feb. 2010. .