Famous Pole Dancers
Since the middle of the new millennium, many practitioners of pole dancing have been trying to change people's views of the art. Several of them have been promoting it as a nonerotic form of dance and acrobatics. Recently, it has gained popularity as a legitimate form of exercise and mainstream entertainment. Competitions on pole dancing, both on amateur and professional levels, have also recently been held in many countries around the globe. Through these competitive pole dance competitions, many enthusiasts worldwide have showcased their skills on combining a range of dance styles and gymnastics.
One of the famous pole dancing enthusiasts is Elena Gibson, a world champion pole dancer from the United Kingdom, who is well known as a professionally trained dancer who has danced for several theater and ballet productions. In 2005, Gibson supposedly won the title for the World Pole Dance held in Holland. However, because of the controversy that her performance was more of a striptease rather than an artistic dance, she was disqualified the next day by John Benner, the organizer of the said competition. Thus, the title was given to her runner-up, Reiko Suemune, a pole dancer from Japan.
Another world champion pole dancer is Felix Cane, an Australian professional dancer. In 2006, after only an incredible 8 months of pole dancing, Cane won her first title during the Miss Pole Dance Australia. Notably, she also won Miss Pole Dance Australia in the years 2008 and 2011, and the World Pole Dance competition in the years 2009 and 2010. Cane is one of the performers for Cirque du Soleil's Zumanity, the first adult-themed Cirque du Soleil show.
Jenyne Butterfly, another famous name in the pole dancing community, is a pole dancer based in Las Vegas who is remarkable for winning the first-ever US Pole Dance Federation Championship in 2009. Later on, Butterfly has become one of the best and most sought-after aerialist and pole dancer worldwide. She performs in several shows all over the world and conducts pole dancing workshops in the international level. Having won several competitions over the past years and having been a huge inspiration for so many amateur and professional pole dancers worldwide, Butterfly is considered as America's pole dancing goddess.
Finally, Crystal Lai, an Asian pole dancer based in Canada, is also well known for having won in several competitions on pole dancing, such as the Miss Pole Dance Northwest USA in 2008 and the Miss Pole Dance Canada in 2010. She has become famous for her upbeat and bouncy style, which enables her to capture her audience so easily. No doubt that she won the Best Entertainer and People's Choice awards at the World Pole Dance Championship in 2010.
Truly, pole dancing has now gained a new meaning. It is now regarded as an exercise that can be used for aerobic and anaerobic workouts, which aims to promote strength and fitness. Moreover, it is also now perceived as an artistic form of dance that involves athletic moves and tricks such as climbs, spins, twists, turns, kicks, and body inversions, thanks to the renowned pole dancers who have shown the world how pole dancing can benefit one's health and overall being.