The online pole dance community, known for its supportive and passionate members, recently found itself in a lively debate. The point of contention? A song that explicitly mentions “porn star dancer.” While some embraced the track as a fun and catchy tune, others voiced serious concerns about its potential impact on the perception of pole dancing as a legitimate art form and athletic discipline. This discussion, initially sparked in a blog post, quickly moved to forums, revealing a spectrum of opinions within the community.
One pole dancer initiated the conversation by expressing their discomfort with the song. Acknowledging its appeal, they articulated a worry that associating pole dance with “porn stars” would only reinforce negative stereotypes. They emphasized the constant struggle to combat the stigma surrounding pole dancing, striving to move away from perceptions of it as “unapproachable, dark, and dirty.” This dancer passionately argued for the distinction between pornographic acts and pole dance, a form of dance requiring immense skill and athleticism. Their core concern was clear: they didn’t want their dancing, or pole dance in general, to be categorized as “porn star dancing,” fearing it would hinder the progress towards broader public respect for the art form. They questioned if this stance made them “snotty,” highlighting the internal conflict within the community about how to navigate such potentially controversial cultural references.
Responses to this initial post were varied, reflecting the diverse viewpoints within the pole dance community. One commenter, Evarut, adopted a lighthearted approach, suggesting that it’s “just a song” and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. They pointed out that songs are made about all sorts of topics and that various people, including, potentially, some porn stars, engage in pole dancing. This perspective aimed to diffuse the tension and encourage a less critical interpretation of the song’s impact.
However, englann86 strongly disagreed with the dismissive “just a song” sentiment. They expressed frustration with the widespread embrace of the song, particularly due to the music video featuring Jenyne Butterfly, a respected figure in the pole dance world. Englann86 worried about the general public’s tendency towards close-mindedness and feared that associating pole dance with this song would be exploited to reinforce negative stereotypes. They argued that the pole community was inadvertently contributing to this by readily adopting the song, potentially undermining the efforts to gain mainstream acceptance and respect.
Another commenter, workingfire, raised a different but equally pertinent point: the perceived double standard in public reactions. They observed a lack of criticism directed at the pole dancing itself within the context of the song, contrasting this with the frequent negative and judgmental comments pole dancers often receive online and offline. Workingfire found it “irritating” that a song glorifying stripping seemed to escape the usual scrutiny and moralizing commentary directed at individual pole dancers sharing their passion. This observation highlighted the complex and often contradictory public perception of pole dance and related activities. Englann86 echoed this concern, pointing out the common misconception that pole dancing is inherently linked to stripping, regardless of the dancer’s intentions or style.
Dayanara offered a more pragmatic perspective, reiterating the “just a song” argument. They emphasized the song’s genre (rock) and its lighthearted nature, even mentioning a collaboration with rapper Ludacris to underscore its mainstream, pop-culture context. Dayanara argued that the song was simply meant to be fun and danceable, similar to many other songs with suggestive lyrics. While acknowledging the original poster’s concerns, they expressed a belief that the association between “stripper” and “pole dancer” was likely to persist regardless of this particular song and that the song itself was unlikely to have a lasting negative impact. They pointed to Jenyne Butterfly’s presence in the video as a “performance,” aimed at market appeal, and suggested that public opinion would always be varied and sometimes critical.
Shayshay21489 also leaned towards the “fun song” viewpoint, stating they didn’t take it “so seriously.” They acknowledged the ongoing need to “prove to people and educate people” about pole dancing as an art form but saw this as an inherent part of the pole dance journey. They suggested that controversy and differing opinions were almost intrinsic to pole dancing’s appeal and that the song was simply another element in this ongoing dialogue. Shayshay21489 drew a parallel to dancing to “worse songs” in clubs, implying a degree of acceptance for suggestive or potentially controversial music within a dance context.
Englann86, however, remained firm in their stance, emphasizing the visibility of the song within the pole dance community due to its widespread sharing online, particularly by pole dance friends. They reiterated their concern about the association with the “stripper community” and questioned the wisdom of the pole dance community readily embracing the song, especially given Jenyne Butterfly’s involvement. Englann86 framed it as a matter of choice and community identity, suggesting that a more critical and considered approach to such cultural products was warranted.
The discussion concluded with saldivar expressing full agreement with the original poster, reinforcing the existence of a significant segment within the pole dance community that shared concerns about the “Porn Star Dancer Song” and its potential implications for the public perception of their beloved art form. This online exchange highlighted the ongoing and nuanced conversation within the pole dance community about its identity, its relationship with broader cultural trends, and the continuous effort to gain respect and recognition as a legitimate and valuable form of dance and athleticism.
