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Pole Dancing Classes for High Schoolers?
Filed under: Opinions
Maybe it's just me, but when I think of pole dancing, I think of strippers. But when administrators at South Devon College in the UK think of pole dancing, they think of fitness. Well, at least they did until the student body got all excited after witnessing a school demonstration performed by a "busty brunette."The pole dancing show was part of the school's Be Healthy Week activities and was performed by Sam Remmer, a dancer at The Art of Dance. Her first demonstration was held in a public area of the school and enjoyed by students ranging in age from 14 to 19 as well as anyone else who happened by. When she returned a few days later for a second demonstration, she was asked to move her show into the more private sports hall.
It seems there had been some complaints that her performance had been a little disruptive to the learning process. "I was told pupils were distracted from their afternoon lessons because they were swapping pictures and videos," she said.
While school officials deny there were any "official" complaints, they have asked Remmer to remove from YouTube the videos she posted of the demonstration. She has refused, insisting that she performed for free with the stipulation that she could post videos of the event for advertising purposes.
Remmer insists that there is nothing inappropriate in what she does and that education is the key to combating the negative stereotyping that plagues the art of pole dancing. I think if she wants to give pole dancing a better name, she should consider dropping the word 'dance' from the name. It may sound like semantics, but if you watch the video you will see that what she is doing has very little resemblance to dancing. And it looks really, really difficult.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 2)
1-30-2009 @ 5:15PM
Heather said...I have never pole danced, but it looks to me like it would be excellent exercise. A combination of strength and stamina. I know I wouldn't be able to pull myself up like she did.
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1-30-2009 @ 8:37PM
hall monitor said...Couldn't some sort of a group exercise class serve the same purpose at this school?
Hall Monitor
http://detentionslip.org
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1-30-2009 @ 8:57PM
Jenni said...I have to be honest, when I clicked over to the video, I expected to be shocked that it was allowed at the school (the term pole dancing has a stigma to it). What I saw, however, was an elegant acrobatic combination.
In addition to the fact that the video is 100% of her and shows no one else but her, the school has no right to ask her to take it down.
This reminds me of an acrobatic number you might see in a circus like cirque d'soleil
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2-02-2009 @ 9:47AM
Aubrie said...What she was doing wasn't trashy,but she should have had more clothes on, especially since she was at a high school.
1-30-2009 @ 9:04PM
ame s said...One of my major goals as a mother is to keep my daughter's off the stripper pole ;)
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2-01-2009 @ 9:03PM
henry said...so you find it terribly unacceptable what the young athlete here did?
2-01-2009 @ 10:05PM
ame s said...No. There was nothing about my very short comment that expressed disapproval or condemnation, plus I added the "wink" to show the lightheartedness of my comment.
I meant: I hope neither of my daughters end up being strippers for a living." I should have made myself more clear, pardon me.
2-01-2009 @ 10:11PM
ame s said...Even in my small rural community, I've seen some routines performed by junior high and high school cheerleaders & dance teams that were more than a little risque. Girls that age should not "dry hump" at the audience/crowd, rub their crotches against one another or smack each other on the ass.
2-01-2009 @ 9:02PM
gabi said...The dance in question was in no way sexually explicit, and I see absolutely no reason anyone would choose to be offended by it. Yes, she was "dancing" on a pole. That's about it. She wasn't shaking anything, or showing off more skin than necessary. This is about as sexually arousing as watching the Olympics when they are on the pole vault or the Pommel Horse. It's a display of strength and fitness.
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2-01-2009 @ 10:00PM
scarlett076 said...I have watched this video. I was worried about what I would see. I agree that this video shows her athletic ability and that it is very similar to Cirque. However, I think that it would be more important that students can read and write when they graduate rather than dance on a pole. I would prefer that students be given the opportunity to participate in phys ed rather than possible training for a future career.
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2-01-2009 @ 10:00PM
toots said...I don't care how it was done it is very inappriate and shouldn't be alloloed in school especally when there r 14 years and 19 or any age for that matter .what the fk is this world comming too .?
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2-01-2009 @ 10:24PM
SpiderMom23 said...Maybe it wasn't a "pole dance" in the sense that most people expect, but you have to admit there was inherent sensuality there. It's part of the technique. Would a man be able to perform the same dance in the exact same way? This was an appropriate fitness demonstration...just not for a high school.
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2-02-2009 @ 1:31PM
Jenni said...I have actually seen men perform the same routine in the same way. So, the answer is yes.
2-01-2009 @ 10:28PM
Miranda said...honestly toots if you watch that and though it was inappropriate than you should honestly get with it..... what she did was not sexual in any way shape or form... honestly she isnt flaunting or bending over towards the students ... she is showing her strength .... and if your that closed minded to not see that then i dont know what else to tell you .... because i dont see anything really inappropriate about it
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2-01-2009 @ 10:34PM
SaraTG said...I feel so sorry for society..The line just keeps getting pushed farther and farther back..What use to seperate a nice feminine girl from a cheap tramp no longer counts..The sad fact is that the "normal" "average" "typical" young woman of today would have been the biggest sl*t in the school from when I was young..And the saddest fact is that no one seems to care or even see this happening..I see girls with these horrible disgusting piercings and tacky tattoos and their clothes half hanging off them..And they honestly think it looks good!..I fear it is to late to save our culture when people don`t even see the problem anymore :-(
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2-01-2009 @ 10:58PM
helen said...I was honestly expecting to see something really raunchy or risque when I went to look at the video, I even had a rant already going. But really, it reminded me more of a combination of dance, yoga, and acrobatics.
Besides, I'm sure they have a dance team whose moves are ten times sluttier than this woman's. In comparison, it's quite tame, lol.
And any of you who are complaining, this is honestly a happy respite from the ordinary amount of sexuality in high school. It is sad what our world is coming to, but I don't think this woman is dragging us to Hell any faster than the hundreds of other suggestive things in our culture.
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2-01-2009 @ 10:56PM
Bobbie said...I watched this video. It is not exercise in the strict sense. She is a great acrobat. However her outfit was definitely too sexy for a high school performance. It was totally inappropriate and the person who hired her to perform should be fired. I would not want my son to watch this as a teenager and in school too! It is very explicit sexually. Pole dancing should not be a "sport" nor an "activity" in high school.
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2-01-2009 @ 11:19PM
PDAjr24 said...bobbie, You say that the outfit was not fit for highschool? Go watch most city Jr High Volleyball games. Her outfit is the same as every team in my 17 year olds league.
As for setting up a Pole Dance institute...yeah, probably shouldnt happen. But if you sign up a Pop Danse institute and they have this rutiene tied in with other types of dance, i would see nothing wrong with it. The difference is, soliciting sex for cash or soliciting sex for a couple drinks at a bar...Not alot of difference, but one is illegal and the other isnt.
2-01-2009 @ 11:04PM
Shannon said...Surprising how many people are missing the point - no it doesn't seem all that sexual when you see the video - shot in a gymnasium in full light with clothing on... now place her and this same routine naked in a dimly lit strip club, rolling around the pole, spreading her
legs open (this time towards the audience and not away - actually
point her any way you want there will be mirrors everywhere so it
won't matter)... So yeah, it is INAPPROPRIATE exercise for females that age - all this does is teach them how to become effective strippers once they turn 18 - have a little foresight people!
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2-01-2009 @ 11:05PM
ninaj3 said...I thought I was gong to see something bad. I have a 10 yr old daughter. This was awesome Nothing was wrong with this THE WOMAN IS GREAT . I wish I could do this. Strippers are nasty and perverted this did not fall in this category at ALL. THUMBS UP TO HER NOTHING NASTY this woman is BUFF
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