Pole-dancing as an Olympic Sport?

[ccharles000]

Should pole-dancing be approved as an Olympic sport? According to the Collette Kakuk, founder of the Pole Dancing Association, yes. She believes pole-dancing should not be marginalized or shamed, but brought into the light as a difficult, healthy and competitive activity that makes you fit.

I guess my question would be, would making pole-dancing an Olympic sport bring to light some of the horrible treatment of exotic dancers and give them a standard wage with some worker rights? Most of the participants in the PDA appear to be white and as the article discusses as a sport, pole-dancing generally attracts middle to upper middle class housewives.

But this is interesting. Thoughts?

http://www.feministing.com/archives/014566.html

[HopeHoops]

1. Sure, when Newark, NJ hosts the next Olympics.

It just seems appropriate there.

[Deja Q]

2. Only if pole cats are involved...

:yoiks:

[trof]

3. I've never seen a Pole dance. What kind of dancing do they do?

Do they dance differently from the French or the Germans?

[Bucky]

4. No question that it takes a good deal of athletic skill

But some of the more, ah, suggestive moves don't exactly fit in with the "spirit of the Olympics." Surely there must be other gymnastic events that would allow young Olympians to display their physical prowess without actually hip thrusting their under bits directly at the judges.

We shoudl remember that Olympic events all originated as activities designed to prepare athletes for combat--discuss, javelin, hurdling, biathlon, pole-vaulting, and all the running events are clearly working muscles for war. I can't see where the verticle pole gymnastics fit into this paradigm--once a pole is verticle the only thing you really need to do next is climb up the damn thing and start chopping the Athenians' heads off.

[jobycom]

5. Could they combine it with pole vaulting?

Make make both more interesting.

Anyway, I don't see why not. They've already got beach volleyball and ice skating. Tell me those outfits aren't meant to boost ratings in the same way.