Pole Reversal: Dancing for Women... And Men

Music is usually the muse of dancers, but those roles were reversed as Bai Yan pounced on the pole. The stereo’s slinky, sensuous baseline seemed to mimic her every move. She hoisted herself up with an assertive yank, then she wrapped both her slender thighs around the gleaming metal. She stretched outward until her body was firmly perpendicular with the support beam. Finally, she slid slowly to the floor in an upside down pose as the last notes faded.

She only began practicing half a month ago. Since becoming a student at Lolan Pole Dancing School, Bai Yan says her attitude has evolved even more than her physical prowess.

“The traditional idea was you’d see this in a bar. But after you actually try it, you’ll find it’s for women. It shows your confidence and beauty, inside and out.”

Nicholas Tang watches as Bai and her classmates finish their break and return to the studio’s numerous poles. The students, who spend hours practicing – without stripping, of course – long for Tang’s admiration, not because he’s a leery spectator, but because he’s their teacher. He says people shouldn’t be judgmental of the dance form, regardless of who performs it.

“Many people think it’s slutty. But it’s great for your body, it uses all your muscles,” he says. “The whole point of dancing anyway is to show how you’ve worked to make yourself look great.”

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Photo: Courtesy of Yuan Biao, Nicholas Tang