Pole dancers are in the midst of a ruthless battle with the conservative, simple folk, as well as in a civil war among themselves. We have already established that pole dancing and, what some may perceive as, shocking attire are here to stay, but as a sport that is trying to gain worldwide respect (through acceptance into The Olympics, for example), its advocates have to strike a fine balance between artistic expression, athletic appearance, and historical inevitabilities.
I'd vouch that 99.9% of pole dancing competitions out there do not allow stripperesque tendencies such as thongs or the taking off of clothes, but anything beyond that, and the standards waiver. The infamous stripper shoe - or as some at the studio say "the exotic ballet shoe" - is a definite culprit. The high platformed shoe is extremely comfortable and even has a purpose in most pole moves that either involves additional ankle grip, or ability to slide easier. Artistic expression does not necessarily deem it as inappropriate, but it's ties with the seedy bars of the world most definitely don't do the sport of pole any favours as far as prestige is concerned. Most elite competitions don't allow such shoes, and elite pole athletes wouldn't dream of wearing heels for performance, as pole moves that involve foot grips become impossible, yet many competitions out there still have no restrictions towards it, and many polers take full advantage.
Then, there is the "costumes" themselves. When you are trying to maximize your skin to pole ratio, wearable attire becomes limited, and the results would make the crazies over in Kansas and Arizona plaster burkas on the poor polers. As liberals and advocates for freedom of the female form, we'd all just have a nice laugh and pull off a super-woman, into shoulder mount, into elbow hold Iron X combo, but as world stage performers, we have to think carefully. I consistently see competitions post stripperesque photographs of their competitors, or competitors wearing cheap 99 cent performance gear to the stage. Not that that is not OK, we all enjoy a bit of fantasy, but we have to laugh at our own hypocritical displays that only hinder our abilities to be taken seriously. As I said before, there is a fine balance between artistic expression and athletic exhibitionism, and many polers today lack the support and imagination to strike it. Ladies, coming up with a minimalistic costume that is both expressive and functional is not as easy as you think. If it took you a click to E-bay and 30 seconds to fill out the PayPal security form, you are probably on the wrong track.
The root of the problem lays in the lack of standards for the sport, which makes sense as, not only are female sports a fairly recent addition to the world, but this particular, practically all-female sport, is even more recent. Is poling acrobatics? Is it dancing? Is it gymnastics? It is such a versatile forum that ballroom, ballet, and jazz, combined with circus acts and pure gymnastic strength can all be found in one routine. Tango dancers are sexy and fierce, yet they are not persecuted for their tiny flirty skirts, sequins, and heels. Ballet dancers can appear to wear next to nothing, yet they are not associated with seedy downtown bars. Gymnasts are hard working individuals who give up their life for the bar or the ribbon from toddler age, yet most pole studios don't allow patrons younger than the age of 18. And then there is the can of worms that is the history of pole dancing; we don't just ignore years and years of the foundation that has given birth to this wonderful sport!
It's hard to send a clear message to the world, when the sender still hasn't come up with the code. One thing is for certain though, we all have to do our part in opening our mind and overcoming prejudices.
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