History and origins of Pole Dancing

This has been around a lot longer than many of us think, but how did pole dancing originate and where did it come from? The form of pole dance that we know today and its origins can be traced back to the exotic performing arts of dance.

The first recorded striptease dates back to a myth from ancient Sumerian times involving Inanna, the goddess of love, and her descent into the underworld to find her lover Damouz. At each of the seven gates, a piece of clothing or jewelery was removed. As long as Inanna remained in hell, the earth was barren. When he returned, the land was once again abundant and fruitful. Some believe this myth developed in Salome’s ‘Dance of the Seven Veils’ from the Bible.

The Bible records Salomé’s dancing, but the first mention of taking off the veils comes from Oscar Wilde’s work of ‘Salomé’ in 1883. Some have claimed that this is the origin of the modern striptease, but other influences may have come from the Parisian era and the Moulin Rouge striptease. to Middle Eastern belly dancing and American burlesque.

Today, many women learn the arts of Belly Dance and dance with Veils. Belly dance has been inherited from these legendary events. The skill has traveled from ancient Sumer to the counties of Asia. It is believed that it was picked up by the gypsies who brought belly dancing across Europe.

Ancient Middle Eastern belly dancing was thought to induce fertility in women and strengthen their bodies in preparation for childbirth.

Throughout history many forms of dance have emerged. Many were formed from sensual roots and bringing with them a lot of controversy.

Another sensual form of dance, Rumba, is a dance of temptation and mockery. Tango originated in the brothels of ancient Argentina. The ‘gouchos’ arrived after working in the fields and the girls encouraged them to climb the stairs by dancing with their heads slightly turned to avoid the smell.

In the early 1900s, striptease dancing was added to burlesque shows to attract men to return. These featured famous strippers like Gypsy Lee Rose. The traveling tent shows had strip acts. The smaller tent dancers began using the pole in the center of the tent to dance. These tents became known as the dance pole tents.

Another idea of ​​where pole dancing really began is related to the maypole. This pagan ritual was seen by some as a phallic symbol that may explain why some associate it with the pole dancing that we now know.

The first recorded pole dance was in 1968 with a performance by Belle Jangles at the Mugwump strip joint in Oregon.

The current pole dancing craze is believed to have started in Canada in the 1980s in exotic table dance and erotic dance clubs. Fawnia Mondey, originally from Canada, is one of the world’s first pole dance champions. During the 1990s, Fawnia began teaching pole dancing to everyday women. She produced the first pole dance instructional DVD.

Pole dancing quickly spread to the US, followed by the rest of the world, with the help of multiple corporations such as Spearmint Rhino. Pole dancing is recognized around the world, including Europe, Australia, and even parts of China.

Lap dance clubs in the UK grew up in the 1990s with pole dancing on stage. From the year 2000 onwards, pole dancing has become more acceptable to the general public.

Pole dancing, as we know it today, involves dancing around a vertical pole. The old strip tease became a precursor to the updated modern variation. Pole dancing offers a display of acrobatics and strength, combined with a combination of fluid, sensual and feminine dance moves to form the art of pole dancing that we now know and recognize.

The modern form of pole dance has only been documented since the 1980s, however the origins seem to go back many years before. Only in recent years has pole dancing become more acceptable. The stigma associated with this art may be one of the reasons why dance appears to have little documented history and appears to have been “underground” for many years.