This document discusses the history and social perceptions of pole dancing. It begins with the origins of pole dancing in cultures like China, India, and Somalia. It then provides a timeline of how pole dancing evolved from the 70AD to becoming a popular fitness activity in the 1990s. The document also includes the results of a survey that found women are generally more uncomfortable with pole dancing than men, seeing it as a moral or social issue. While the author's research helped change perceptions of pole dancing as a sport rather than just a sexual activity, they recognize more diverse sampling could improve understanding of views on pole dancing.
1. Pole Dancing
Created by Samantha Angel
Soc 235 Gender Roles in Society
Erica Dixon
8/18/2010
2. Where Did it Begin?
China
Chinese pole dance in Cirque Du Soleil
India
Rope dances
Somalia
Veil dancing
The first recorded strip tease
3. Timeline of Pole Dancing
70 AD
The Seven Veils dance
1883
Oscar Wilde film that introduces the dance
1920's
Woman dance on tent poles for money during the
depression
1950's
Burlesqe begins and becomes more accepted
1980's
Pole and Lap dancing gets big in Canada and US
1990's
Every day women start learning pole dancing for fitness
2006
Pole fitness takes off
5. Methods
Made a survey
asked 15 questions
after I picked the most relevent ones and used thoes
as my data.
Posted survey on Facebook, Myspace, as well as my
email.
Allowed anyone to take it
I ended up with mostly middle aged men and women
that are middle to lower middle class.
Also most were some type of Christian or Agnostic
I used Survey Monkey to make my survey
6. Subjects
My subjects were
Men and women
ages 15-45
middle to lower middle class
mostly Christian or Agnostic
7. Results
I found that more women have a moral or social problem
with pole dancing then men
Also I found that more men would allow their
mother/daughter/sister to pole dance then women.
Women seemed to think its not just fitness, I found this
to be odd
The last question I asked was "Would you support a local
college or community center if they offered pole dancing
classes?"
With no variables controlling the data the main answer
was only at a community center because colleges were
for learning and held in a higher standard
8. Conclusion
I was right about women having a larger problem with pole dancing
then men.
I feel this is because women in society are not allowed to
express their sexuality openly like men are.
From a young age we are taught not to be "easy or slutty"
Women are taught we are to be pretty and attractive but not to
all men just to the "right" kind of me
With pole dancing being attributed to stripping it makes sense
that women feel that it would attract the "wrong" kind of male.
I would change how I got my subjects to make it more diverse.
Doing my paper and study helped change the stigma around pole
dancing.
Has become a male and female sport that works together not
on separate leagues.
It is an androgynous sport
It builds great confidence.
9. Data
Would you allow your mother/sister/daughter to pole dance?
Yes No
Men(11) 11 1
Women(29) 5 24
Do you feel pole dancing is a
moral or social problem?
Have a Problem Don't Have a Problem
Men(11) 3 8
Women(29) 20 9
10. References
2007 "The history and future of pole dancing. ." Http://www.
Thepolepower. Com/history_
of_pole_dancing. Html ():-. Retrieved from on Jul 20, 2010
Femme , De Lys . 2009 "The beauty of pole dancing." Http://www.
Com/home ():-. Retrieved from on Jul 17, 2010
Hanna, J. (2009). Dance and sexuality: many moves. Journal of Gender Studies , 206-241.
Holland , S. (2009). Preparation and determination: three vignettes of gendered
leisure. Journal of Gender Studies , 18(1), 35-45.
Trace y, Lloyd . 2007 "Pole dancing ." Http://ezinearticles. Com/? History-and-origins-
ofpole- dancing&id=734835 ():-. Retrieved from on Jul 17, 2010
