It has its origins in the dimly-lit world of strip joints but pole dancing now is now in a much brighter place – on the verge of becoming an Olympic sport and one of the 海角视频’s most underrated, but lucrative, industries.
There is little research into just how big the pole dance industry has become but in Plymouth alone there are six schools teaching techniques to women – and men- of all ages and backgrounds.
There and hundreds more around the country, and ancillary businesses selling a range of equipment, including poles, clothing, shoes and make-up and offering advice and tuition via apps.
And on August 10 and 11, 2019, hundreds of pole dancers, including some of the world’s best, will be in Bristol for the 海角视频’s largest expo: Pole World.
It will attract pole dance superstars from around the globe including former world champ Anastasia Skukhtorova, from Russia, Holland’s Hanka Venselaar and international and 海角视频 title holder Dan Rosen.
The two-day event, at the Exhibition and Conference Centre at the University of the West of England, and only bested by the likes of Pole Expo in Las Vegas, USA, as a worldwide showcase for the sport.
And in recognition of pole’s growing status, there will be awards for people and businesses which have helped the industry grow.
Sam Remmer, who founded Art of Dance in Plymouth in 2004, now sees up to 150 people taking part in her studio each week. It’s also a business hub, providing a base for four other businesses covering diet, beauty and fitness – all run by women.
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She is nominated for the Industry Contribution Award, the second time she has received national recognition after being involved in the World Pole Sports Championships in London in 2014.
And she will be one of a contingent from Plymouth performing at the event, accompanied by Esme Telford, who has been invited to perform.
Mrs Remmer is a leading figure on the 海角视频 pole scene and said the country has more instructors than in either the USA or Australia.
“It’s huge,” she said. But how huge? No one knows, because no figures have been crunched.
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“We have been trying to get market research done for years,” Mrs Remmer said. “At one stage I was working with a company to commission a study, but the market research has been atrocious.
“However, there are a lot of people wanting to cash in on this growing industry. There are poles for sale, costumes, pole shoes and heels, memberships, people grading exams, mobile apps, pictures of pole dancing moves.”
She said it is difficult to even know how many instructors are working in the 海角视频. The Pole Dance Community, the advisory and award body she founded in 2009, has graded, up to four-stars, 400 instructors.
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“That’s just the tip of the iceberg,” Mrs Remmer said. “Hopefully in the next few years we will have market research. We want to reach out to more organisations, to find out how many schools there are, how many people are pole dancing.”
Mrs Remmer is keen to negate the stigma around pole dancing and bring in dancers from different genres of the sport, such as pole fitness, contemporary pole, exotic pole, and the traditional Chinese and Indian Mallakhamb, styles, with were originally for men preparing for warfare.
She is keen to promote the health and wellbeing aspects of the activity, and is pleased pole dancers could soon be joining pole vaulters on the medals podium now it has been given “observer status” a “clear pathway” towards full recognition.
Mrs Remmer points people to the United Pole Artists organisation, promoting the sport internationally, and September 30’s World Pole Dance Day.
She’s also highlighting the campaign to oppose the so called “pole dance shadowban”, by which pole dancers have said their images and hashtags have been removed from some social media platforms, notably Instagram, because an algorithm has confused them with sexualised content.
“Although there is still some stigma surrounding pole dancing I think that more people are learning to embrace pole in all it's genres,” she said.
“Pole is an amazing way to stay physically and mentally fit and pole classes are extremely supportive and friendly so you can get fit whilst having fun.
“For many people pole is a deeply personal journey and everyone has the right to enjoy their own unique experience without criticism from others."
But Mrs Remmer is keen to stress that it should be remembered that pole dancing began in the strip clubs of Canada, in the 1980s, and is participants are non-judgemental towards those still involved in that world or dance style.
“The argument is we want the industry to retain a lot of respect for strippers,” she said. “It’s where this industry came from. Pole definitely evolved from the strip clubs in Canada, they set up the first studios in Canada and the USA.
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But Mrs Remmer is keen to stress that it should be remembered that pole dancing began in the strip clubs of Canada, in the 1980s, and is
“But today people have different reasons for doing it, whether it’s fitness or whatever, that’s fine, because the industry it growing, we are seeing contemporary and ballet dancers, even gymnasts, coming in.
“I ticks a lot of boxes, it increases confidence, and it’s not just a gender thing, it spans age groups too.”
And Mrs Remmer is delighted the industry is recognising the contribution she and others are making. Mrs Remmer said "It is so wonderful to receive recognition for what we do. All our instructors deserve awards but as a team we are happy with the individual nominations which reflect the hard work of the Art of Dance instructors."