Pole dancing has transcended the domain of strippers and go-go girls to become a bona fide competitive sport — now with $10,000 in prize money.
Tonight marks the first of what organizers hope will become an annual Pole Superstar competition in New York City, with six finalists from Florida, New York, California and Utah taking to the pole in what’s sure to be an acrobatic extravaganza.
Think it’s easy to work the shiny metal? It’s anything but — these moves require real strength.
“All of the girls come to the stage with different styles,” explains Diane Passage, the founder of Pole Superstar. “Some are more athletic, some are more dance-oriented, but all of them are extremely sexy ladies.”
Passage was inspired by the pole dancing exercise craze, which has gathered steam nationwide in the past seven years through exercise studios like S Factor. Founded by actress Sheila Kelley, 47, the nationwide chain blends ballet, yoga and striptease into pole classes. Poles are now found in gyms all over New York.
See video from the competition
Passage launched the competition this year to support S.P.I.N., a charity for struggling single parents.
More than 75 hopefuls sent in videos of their pole dancing prowess, and judges selected six to compete tonight. After the six finalists have performed their 10-minute set, the audience at the Highline Ballroom will vote for the winner via text message.
Passage plans to open the competition herself with a few turns on the pole.
“People ask why I’m not holding this event in Vegas,” she says. “It’s because these girls don’t do what strippers do. New Yorkers are more understanding of pole dancing as a sport.”
The US Pole Dance Federation seems to agree, and earlier this year hosted its own US Pole Dance Championship in Greenwich Village.
Among the hometown favorites at tonight’s competition, is Barbara Dial, 26, who lives in Manhattan and has spent the past seven years as a pole dance instructor at S Factor. “Any female can move naturally around a pole, they just need to learn how,” says Dial of her considerable skill. “I’ve taught women of all shapes, sizes and ages to do this. I’ve even had a student with only one hand.”
This is Dial’s first competition, and 50 of her S Factor students are planning to be in the audience to offer moral support (and votes). Practicing her moves at Headquarters on Tuesday night, Dial managed to hold herself inverted against the pole, feet in the air for three full minutes without breaking a sweat. She calls the move “the jackknife,” and it has left a pole-shaped callus on her neck.
“Strippers don’t necessarily make the best pole dancers,” says Dial, pointing out that Headquarters, like most strip clubs in Manhattan, keeps the pole far away from the main stage. Indeed, one of the exotic dancers working at the club on Tuesday said she avoids pole dancing altogether. “It’s such a cliché for a stripper to swing around a pole.”
Tickets for tonight’s competition are available through polesuperstar.com.
jsilverman@nypost.com
At the pole position
Here are Barbara Dial’s tips for the wannabe pole dance champ:
1. Do only the tricks that you enjoy doing. You have to love the movements if you want them to look good.
2. People think they have to drink to relax before they go on. Wrong. Don’t drink alcohol before the show.
3. Don’t be too hard on yourself, and don’t dance anywhere near a mirror! If you must dance near a mirror, make sure to turn on a red light bulb first.