Pole Dancing Is The New Burlesque

?Forty years ago, women who had the audacity to go out in public without wearing a bra could expect to be labeled immoral. Sexuality has always complicated women’s fight for equality, sometimes confusing those within the movement themselves. When some women began to celebrate their new-found freedom with a joyful participation in burlesque theater, others raised eyebrows. It took some time for the women who had fought so hard not to be viewed merely as sex objects to realize that women were now free to define their own sexuality.

Today’s women can choose to be sensual – that’s the big difference. It’s what drew women back to the era of burlesque, when sensual dancing had more to do with titillation, fun and fashion than overt sexuality. Taking burlesque and pole dancing out of the realm of male-defined settings and roles puts the power of female sexuality back into the hands of women. Women don’t have to dance for men, they can dance for themselves, for the sheer fun of it. And if a woman chooses to dance for her man, that’s okay, too.

With pole dancing, a women owns her own sexuality, and that’s empowering. The cardio and strength workout a woman gets from pole dancing can be just as empowering. Pole dancing as an exercise routine covers all the bases, raising the heart rate and increasing flexibility and strength. Set to music, pole dancing offers women opportunities for self-expression, allowing them to convey their interpretations of songs through movement. Pole dancing gets women in touch with their emotions, as well as with their bodies.

Pole dancing has gained acceptance as a form of physical fitness, with classes offered in homes, gyms and dance studios across the nation. Modern women understand that keeping fit is crucial to maintaining a healthy life style, but don’t necessarily want to do boring calisthenics to stay in shape. As an exercise that enables women to have fun while staying physically fit, while allowing them to explore their own sensuality, pole dancing is a perfect expression of female power.