I heard about this and was immediately confused. Any activity is good for children but I may have to cross the line at pole dancing! I guess you could just narrow it down to “dance class,” but pole dancing has always been linked to other things (if you catch my drift). Kids pole dancing classes seem to be a hit! Would you let your child attend?
The Twisted Grip Dance and Fitness Studio in Duncan, B.C., has become the newest addition to the group of schools that now offer kids pole dancing classes created specifically for children. Not only are parents signing their kids up, the classes were their idea in the first place.
The owner of the studio was approached by various parents who stated that their kids were trying to use their poles at home but lacked the correct form and technique. To avoid injury, the parents requested that the children also have a class specifically for them.
The class is called “Little Spinners,” and the youngest child is 5 years old. The children’s class is specifically focused on fitness without the sexual undertones. Craig, the owner says, “I treat it just like gymnastic classes; I don’t teach any of the adult moves.”
ALthough this may come as a shock, this is not the first class of it’s kind. In 2010, Tantra Fitness started a similar class. This class required adult permission and was for young girls. The owner of Tantra fitness says the class is a huge HIT and that the girls just love the class! Since they are children, they have no other association with it rather then fitness. Other association comes from adults.
PROs and CONS of Kids Pole Dancing
When I hear about mums taking their daughters to classes like this, it angers and astonishes me,’ says child psychologist Emma Kenny.
‘To encourage young girls to use their bodies in a sexual manner is not, in my opinion, moral. Children are being pushed into adulthood long before they need to, and this is one of the most extreme examples yet.’
Since the Eighties, pole dancing has been synonymous with strip joints and lap-dance clubs. But a decade or so ago, it stopped being solely the preserve of red-light districts and moved into mainstream life. Sniggering hen parties took classes along with middle-aged women looking for a novel way to keep fit.
It is even being bandied about as a future Olympic sport, and last month The International Pole Sports Federation announced new regulations (no ‘overly-erotic’ dance moves in competitions) in the hope it will become more ‘respected’ (source).
SO what do YOU THINK ??? Write in and give us your 2 cents! Would you allow your child to take kids pole dancing classes for the sake of their health??? Would the sexual connotations of this type of dance inhibit you from signing them up?
Adria
CPT, BS, CES, PES
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