Read this post on Psychology Today about Pole Dancing

anamika started this discussion · 10/7/2013

So, I read this on Psychology Today. I love most of the writers for this site but then there are some that just make you think how they got into the psychology field. This article amused me and thought I share it with you guys. I don't think I would want to have this psychologist as my therapist. It's sad that people who have a great outlet to share their thoughts don't give themselves the opportunity to see all sides of the story and see some good in all. Here's the link to the article. Share your thoughts http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/millennial-media/201310/is-pole-dancing-actually-empowering-women

Psychology TodayIs Pole Dancing Actually Empowering for Women?Is pole dancing really a new way for women to reclaim their sexuality while getting fit and having fun? Or is it just another way that women's bodies are being exploited?

44 replies

villainvixen · 10/8/2013
This was a fascinating article and the comments in the discussion were just amusing. I can't help but chuckle with amusement at some of it. Yes, pole stems slightly from stripping, but that's only half the story. I don't believe she did enough research on pole dancing. Mainly only went with the route that it's used today as a way to empower women. There's far more to the history than that. Also, guys pole too! And its not all necessarily to be sexy. The fact that it was not mentioned in this article, tells me the research was not done thoroughly enough and just enough was written to satisfy the article. All the same. I enjoyed reading it.
anamika · 10/8/2013
Villainvixen, I totally agree with you. It bothers me when people in that position don't research and plant their opinions rather than facts. Too bad. I still need to comment on the blog. I'm trying to figure out right words so the writer can find some information and broaden her views. We've got long ways to go.........
villainvixen · 10/8/2013
i commented! I didn't quite out everything I wanted. It'd be TOO long lol. But just enough.
Danielle Tillie · 10/8/2013
I find it so hard to find the words to describe the empowerment that comes from owning and enjoying one's sexual sensuality. This is especially true for this article as the tone implies she's already made up her mind. I realize not everyone is going to understand it, and that's ok. I decided instead to talk about the versatility of pole dance and the many ways it can be used as an outlet of expression. It seemed to me like she thought that the only way women pole dance is by grinding on the pole. *sigh*
Ava Madison · 10/8/2013
Love the quote "Just like nudity and sex... the artists intention and interpretation is what makes the performance true art... or in this case exotic dance". She, like most people being new to the art, seems to be struggling with the public perception of pole - hope she goes and educates herself to a deeper level.
BeccaBuck · 10/8/2013
I couldn't help but chime in too, lol. its nice to see so many pole dancers jumping in on that discussion!
Veena · 10/8/2013
I read it, she's said to have had friends who've tried pole dance, but if her only visions of pole is grinding, then I would wonder where her friends went! I don't know of too many legitimate studios that teach you first to grind on a pole, bodywaves, yes, grinding, hmmm, not so much. I will also add, and this might be a surprise, I'm tired of the word empowerment being connected to pole (I used it too). However, now I say....Be fit, Be sexy, Be Confident, forget the E word it's time for the B word! LOL That was sooo cheesy! But anyway, using the term "empowerment", still sounds like we're making excuses for enjoying pole dance or that somehow it will make women themselves more widely accepted!! Which is silly because we rule the world. lol Using the E word is as if we are trying to change peoples opinion of pole. In reality you can't change OTHER people, so it should only matter how Pole makes YOU feel! For me it's fit, sexy and confident!! Just BE! I'm much better at expressing myself through dance then words so I hope you get the idea. :)
sdewhizzle · 10/8/2013
Listing not having to look "cute" as a plus point for female only gyms grinded my gears to begin with. This is just an opinion piece and I don't see any evidence of research in her writing. I agree with the above comments regarding her use of the phrase "grinding on the pole". C'mon, that's such a cliché! If she's not into trying pole dance that's totally cool, different strokes for different folks. But why write an article suggesting there's any kind of correlation between pole dance classes and rape culture?
CreativityBySteffie · 10/8/2013
I normally never comment on a blogs other than SV. But her article just made me feel.. ugggh! So I spoke my mind. I wasnt nasty, but I wasnt as nice as usual :)
Dirty Girl POLEtice · 10/8/2013
HOLY SHIT! pardon my french! But this (was till I sold it last year) MY studio! I was reading and read the names of the classes (meet me at the barre was my favorite name I came up with lol), those are MY names! lol This is Diva Den Studio in Portland. I started this studio way back in 2008. I sold it to my biz partner in March of 2012. She obviously hasn't tried the pole classes, this is actually a pretty common reaction when people first come in to the studio. It's not as easy to convert the "fitness" people to "pole dance" people at the new place, as it's over 9000 sq ft and the pole has it's own room vs sharing with zumba and whatnot. When I had it in a 1600 sq ft one room studio, it was easier to get people used to the poles because they had to zumba around them. The pole classes have changed quite a bit since I stopped teaching there from what I hear. They are definitely more "fitness/strength" based vs sultry dance with a few tricks as I taught. But yea, this is par for the course here. I've seen many blogs and reviews with this exact tone. I was usually able to convert most of them to see that it's not what they imagine (people actually thought we stripped in class, like we would be topless or something! lol). Summer
Dirty Girl POLEtice · 10/8/2013
Oh, and on another note, grinding the pole was the number 1 no no in the class, it's just ugly, manly and not sexy at all. I call it the drunk girl hump lolol
Krista Bocko · 10/8/2013
I actually don't even know what 'grinding the pole' even MEANS. Is that, like, rubbing your crotch on it? FOR REAL, that's what people think? good lord.
Dirty Girl POLEtice · 10/8/2013
grinding is essentially "humping" like a dog humping a leg. You see drunk girls doing it at dance clubs all the time...which is why I call it the "drunk girl hump" lolol
SexyRockStarsWifeNowWidow · 10/8/2013
SMDH! This woman has zero clue about pole dancing. Not to mention she has friends who take classes and or teach, yet she has this very narrow view of what pole dancing/fitness is? They haven't given her much of an education IMHO. It's sad Psychology Today felt it was fit to publish this article.
Veena · 10/8/2013
We've invited her to check out the site to see how pole dance can really change someone's life.
villainvixen · 10/8/2013
wow lol this discussion got so heated. feeling really bad for this writer. granted, she didnt quite take the necessary steps to learn more about pole fitness. but at the same time she probably didnt talk to the right people. i think rather than attack with information, someone should offer this woman a real class, not just a 'sexy, lets grind' class. or have her watch artful competitions. i think she'll be quite surprised when she walks in and an instructor tells her she needs to warm and stretch her muscles before EVER touching that pole. the next surprise might be that you wont be spinning right away. holding on while walking and pole ups are beginner :) and when the sore muscles hit thr next day, her tune might change. and just to blow her mind show her a human flag.
CapFeb · 10/8/2013
I just woke up and read the thread as "read this Psycho Today post about pole dancing". That pretty much sums it up. "I have a psychology degree so I can post my opinion of what I think of something without actually trying it." Yep, you DO sound crazy! SMH, you didn't even bother to research if men did pole LOL. And for the record, while I might be slinky and sexy at work, the studio I go to rarely has a "grind the sh*t out of this pole" workshop. Or twerking. But, and here's the kicker---I hate twerking. Still a pole dancer. Also, pretty sure I'd die if I ever saw Oona Kivela or Marion Crampe grinding.
CapFeb · 10/8/2013
ALSO. And I just thought of this (because not having coffee before you check the internet is dangerous). If this was about regular dance. No prop, just dance. Dance like you see on "So You Think You Could Dance." Wouldn't anyone be bothered by the fact that she only talked about ONE kind of dancing ("sexy"?) The equivolent would be her writing a blog about taking a hip hop class and being disappointed and calling anyone who does dance in general silly for making them feel good about themselves. There's still ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, etc to go on and try through DANCE. But I mean, since there's a pole, I guess it's okay to get confused and only single out one general of POLE-dance. No, but really. I wish I could post a photo of my hand.
Krista Bocko · 10/8/2013
@villian, I don't feel bad for her. In my past life I was a writer, and heat is something you expect if you're writing about anything controversial. Also, she mentions she was in a studio that had poles, right? So she has already had a chance to try a class. And due to the wonders of the 'net, if she bothered doing any real research, she would have seen competitions. She just chose ignorance. ;)
Dirty Girl POLEtice · 10/8/2013
@sparrow not sure if you saw my post above, but this is about my (former) studio I owned. She as far as I've heard hasn't been in...yet. She wouldn't necessarily even see the pole room because the studio is over 9000 sq ft and has 3 large class rooms. The pole room door is always shut, so she may never even walk in there. Although, eventually curiosity gets them as they walk passed the pole room door into the main fitness room and they peak in lol Also the studio has anywhere from 30-60 or more different classes a week, so there is a good chance she'll never do a pole class or even a class in the pole room. But we'll see if she posts a followup. I contacted my ex biz partner and showed her the article (she owns the studio now), and she said she'll show her what it's about! lol
anamika · 10/8/2013
Thank you Veena for inviting her. We want more people educated on what we like so let's be proactive and educate them. I work too hard and have bruises to prove so it's hard to see someone making ignorant remarks on my art.
korinne · 10/8/2013
I am wholeheartedly amused that whenever there is a negative article about pole dance, it seems the pole dance community overwhelm the negative comments of 'outsiders' to a level almost akin to trolling. I'm so glad to be an 'insider' in the pole community.
Runemist34 · 10/8/2013
I was, at first, interested to see an article written by intelligent individuals about pole dance... but I was a bit surprised to find it was a blog (you can see "blog" written in the URL) written by someone who hadn't even tried pole dance at all. I found some of the facts wrong (ONLY for WOMEN! Ha! How about Steven Retchless? Our own Poledancefan? Hmm?), and I found a lot of it to be simple speculation and wonderings... more like a personal essay, rather than an article (an article putting me in the mind of something researched, possibly peer-reviewed). I have recently discovered that Pole Dance is being offered to the grade 12 girls here in town, which I think is pretty awesome. Miley Cyrus' "Pole dancing" was hanging on to a pole-like apparatus upon a moving platform (I looked it up on Youtube, saw no actual pole dancing). Further, the "pole dance was set up for the satisfaction and pleasure of men." Umm, what about Burlesque? Belly Dancing? Those are both considered female-empowering dance styles that are highly regarded, particularly in our culture and European culture. Burlesque was the original stripping, and women were arrested for it. Belly Dancing was said to have been something to entertain men, and also said to have helped the women through childbirth, and as a bonding experience. There's a lot more behind "women's empowerment" than just our feminist movement these days! Finally, I often have the thought to pole DANCE when I hear an excellent song. Grinding on my pole, or any other pole, has little to do with the music, the beat, etc. and more to do with being silly, or being slutty. Either way, it's the woman't choice, and I encourage her to do that... but it has nothing to do with pole dancing. Just because it's done WITH a pole, doesn't mean it's pole dance. I think a lot of builders would agree with me on that one, too! Anyways... I hope that this person takes the time to explore the world of pole dance, and find out that it's a lot more than 'grinding on a pole,' because it's sure changed my life for the better, and I would hope it would do the same for others, even if it's just an opening of the mind!
adAstra · 10/8/2013
Yup I was annoyed at the quotations I saw reposted on Facebook--I resisted clicking out to not give them more views :D There is sexy pole, sporty pole, pole art, lyrical, contemporary... and here she's equating it all of pole with what I would call "pole play" (grinding) not pole dance. If she ever *tried* sexy pole with grinding AND tricks/flowy movements I bet she would have to think twice about watering it down the way she did in her post. Surely she would not be pleased if someone equated having a Ph D in Psychology with taking high school Psychology.
ginger78 · 10/9/2013
She didn't try a class which is a disappointment to me. She can write about pole dancing after she actually tries it and can give a more informed opinion.

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