No longer poles apart from sport

SOUTH African pole dancers have welcomed the decision to recognise pole dancing internationally as a sport, with the possibility it could be included at the Olympic Games.

The Global Association of International Sports Federation (GAISF) recently awarded observer status to the International Pole Sports Federation, along with dodgeball and arm-wrestling.

With Miss Pole Dance SA taking place in Johannesburg this weekend, the founder of the Pole Dance Association of South Africa and owner of BodyMind studios, Natasha Williams, welcomed the announcement, saying pole dancing was already recognised as a dance sport by the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc).

“Sascoc have given us affiliate membership with the proviso that we are in five provinces and that we continue to grow. The stigma attached to pole dance is changing.

“As far as I’m aware, Brazil was the first to recognise it as a sport and then South Africa.

“A lot of people who do gymnastics or ballet see it as the next challenge. I think pole dance is graceful and sensual, more like ballroom dancing,” said Williams, adding that as strength training, pole dancing was “hectically intense – I do three pole classes and one fitness class a week and I am super fit”.

One of the country’s top pole dance competitors, Benita Bouwer, who won the Masters World Pole Championship in Holland this year and was voted 2017 Female Athlete at the championship event, described the international decision as “fantastic news, I’m elated”.

“I am proud to say South Africans hold their own on international stages. We have incredible athletes, coaches, judges and organisers affording us opportunities to compete at national and international levels,” she said.

Previously a professional ballet dancer, Bouwer is from Pole Physiques Studio. She said there were many genres in pole, including pole dancing, pole fitness, pole art and pole sport.

Instructor Bronwyn Whittington, from Nouveau Dance Studio in Durban, said the recognition of pole dancing as a sport would help remove stigma.

“There’s still a daily struggle around the stigma and recognising pole dancing as a sport will make it easier to dispel this. It’s exceptionally good as a full body workout. It’s also an amazing experience in that it builds strength and helps a woman feel strong, empowered and confident.

“I think it will take a good few years before it becomes an Olympic sport, but it will eventually happen,” said Whittington.

GAISF president Patrick Baumann said: “We will do everything in our remit to help them realise their full potential as international federations within the global sports family and one day, maybe, become part of the Olympic programme.

“The new sports debuting at Tokyo 2020 and at the Buenos Aires Youth Olympics is evidence that the pathway is there.”