See..This is How the POLE DANCING they did

How and when did poles become inextricably linked with women taking their clothes off? And how, more recently, did pole dancing become a trendy workout for women looking to “find their inner diva” or whatever?  Camille Darroux reports:
Obviously, upon hearing the words “pole dancing,” one immediately thinks of strip clubs and sex work, and often a discussion about the objectification of women isn’t far behind. Since the early 2000s, however, pole dancing is being rebranded as a trendy, not-necessarily sexual, artistic sport. In fact, reports of a possible recognition of pole dancing as Olympic sport are being published every year. But how did this erotic dance make its way to the mainstream? And how was it rebranded as a way to work out for sex-positive feminists and basic bitches alike? Below is a brief history of life on the pole.

Blurred Origins, Ancient Sports And Phallic Symbolism

Weirdly enough, the exact origins of pole dancing are hard to trace. But supposedly, using a pole for dancing purposes first occurred in India long before our era, as a sport akin to gymnastics called Mallakhamb. Its name comes from malla which denotes a wrestler, while khamba means pole.

Other possible origins are linked to ancient circus discipline Chinese poles, Germanic folk festivals involving a maypole—which Sigmund Freud obviously deemed as phallic symbolism—as well as African tribal fertility dances, though reliable sources are near impossible to find.

enter-the-void

From Enter the Void

Pole Dancing And The Sex Industry

Similar challenges are faced when trying to find out how, and when, pole dancing has become an integral part of the sex industry. The most common belief is that hoochie coochie dancers, who were part of traveling sideshows in the US, ended up using the pole that held up the tent they were performing under.

According to Sheila Kelley, author of The S Factor: Strip Workouts for Every Woman, pole dancing was introduced to clubs during the 1950s as part of burlesque’s growing acceptance. During the 1980s, strip clubs gained in popularity in both the US and Canada, but the earliest record of pole dance itself can apparently be traced back to 1968.

Later on, the rise of chains such as Spearmint Rhino contributed to making pole dancing a regular staple of strip clubs across America. Lap dancing venues then started opening in the UK and also featured pole dancing on stage.

The 1980s and 1990s are when pole dancing became tightly linked to the performance routine of strippers. This is also the point where the explicit imagery associated with today’s performers was defined. Consequently, pole dancing became one of the main symbols of the common representation of sex work.