Yeah, so watch this...
Then tell me this isn't a legit form of fitness, or art, or expression, or a creative outlet. Tell me its all about being sexy for the men, and can't possibly be about anything else. Go ahead...
You know, I've done competitive gymnastics, I've ice-skated. I've played countless sports. I belly dance, and yep, I even get crazy with my bad self with a variety of flaming accessories, such as fans, poi chains, staff, sword, and whip. I also pole dance.
Guess which is the best work out, and the hardest to do well.
Feminist? Maybe not. Bad ass if done well? Yeah, just like the fucking Nutcracker or a 9.98 from the Russian judge. So yeah, fuckawholelottayou.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
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13 comments:
That video was pretty awesome.
Man, I want to learn to bellydance so badly. (Mostly, I think, for the American Tribal Style costumes. I'm pretty sure I could put one together from my closet right now.)
Any videos you would recommend?
My goodness, that was one of the most athletic displays I have ever seen.
oh yeah, there's an American Tribal/goth class I wanna try too, thanks for reminding me
Robert: seriously. I mean, do you know how fucking STRONG you have to be to hold yourself upside down, with your legs sticking straight up in the air and holding on with nothing but your hands? (Hell, you have to be really strong to do the same thing rightside up!)
Hot damn! Is that what goes on in strip clubs? The few times I've been to strip clubs, a lot of "being sexy for the men" was going on, and not a whole lot of delightful displays of strength and grace were on offer.
What the lady in this video is doing is not quite 'pole-dancing.' Sure, there's a pole and she's using some tropes from pole dancing, but come on.
The Supreme Court has issued at least one ruling giving exotic dancers - otherwise known as strippers -- the protection of the First Amendment for freedom of speech. So yeah, even the Supreme Court admits it's a legit form of expression, no matter how listlessly done for dollar bills.
But while being a legit form of expression, could there also be distasteful elements in it sometimes? Maybe. Either way, I don't know what this video proves except that that's one hell of a strong woman who knows how to put on a good show.
Given that the pole has no ceiling attachment I bet she had to tone down some of the intensity.
Apostate: The level of coolness of pole tricks totally depends on the dancer.
What the lady in this video is doing is not quite 'pole-dancing.' Sure, there's a pole and she's using some tropes from pole dancing, but come on.
Ahem. What she is doing absolutely IS pole dancing. If you think that's not pole dancing, then what's your definition? I'd be interested to hear it. Because if it involves deeming anything that's overtly sexy or could be construed as "for teh menz" as somehow less valid or less praiseworthy, then no thanks, I'm not having it.
In my classes we do all the stuff she did in that video. And we look hot and sexy just like she did in that video. The two are NOT mutually exclusive, nor should they be. And neither does that mean it's all "for teh menz" either.
Basically I am sick and tired of erotophobia and arbitary categorization.
And by the way, some of this type of dancing DOES go on in strip clubs.
I don't give a shit whether anybody thinks it's a "legitimate form of expression" or not. People can pontificate about that all day, but to them I have just one thing to say: Kthx for sharing, now kindly fuck off.
All I know is I feel on top of the world when I'm pole dancing. It makes me feel like nothing else, I absolutely love it, and I feel so incredibly in touch with *me*.
Given that the pole has no ceiling attachment I bet she had to tone down some of the intensity.
Nope. A sturdily-made pole with a built-in stage and no ceiling attachment is much safer than a poorly-made pole attached to both ceiling and floor. It doesn't get much more intense than the stuff she was doing.
That's amazing! Wow, if I could do that, I would feel VERY empowered.
Apostate: "Is that what goes on in strip clubs? The few times I've been to strip clubs, a lot of "being sexy for the men" was going on, and not a whole lot of delightful displays of strength and grace were on offer."
As Ren said, depends on the dancer. I have to say, I can understand why catering to the men is the priority. In the clubs I've been at, unless you're a well known guest star, the stage show isn't where the money lies. Men will admire the strength and grace moves, but mostly the big wallets aren't sitting by the stage.
I learned a lot of moves (not like some of the ones in this video though!) in the beginning of my stint, but later learned to pay off the DJs to keep me off the stage.
But at any club there are typically a number of dancers who are very proficient with the pole and less purely mercenary than me, and it's great to watch. I wish I could say that the "delightful displays of strength" and the "being sexy for men" were equally compensated, in my experience. So, can't really blame the dancers in the clubs you've been at for focusing more on the latter...
Amber:
"And we look hot and sexy just like she did in that video. The two are NOT mutually exclusive, nor should they be. And neither does that mean it's all "for teh menz" either."
And add powerful...I love your more by the day ;)
Oh... um...
Her pole work was amazing, and as mentioned in the comments there, gymnastic.
But the part of me that used to love ballet was cringing the whole way through that faux ballerina bit at the beginning :(
It's more like burlesque than either no-frills strip club dancing or classical ballet.
and yeah, hexy, it -is- a bit silly; on the other hand i've always thought "Swan Lake" is a bit hard to do without camping it up somehow...
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