Until you’ve tried to propel yourself on a pole you couldn’t possibly understand how difficult it actually is. It takes a set of pipes. And to do it gracefully is an art. There’s a new spin on pole fitness: it’s a serious thing. It’s where art and sport meet, and that deadly combination is why it’s growth is pretty rapid. (There’s even a petition to have it considered an Olympic sport!)This year the Miss Pole Canada competition was re-dubbed the Canadian Pole Fitness competition and Halifax is host to the first ever Atlantic Pole Fitness Championships, the qualifying round for the national contest. “We’re trying to bring pole up to a new level,” says Studio in Essence’s Christy Sanford, one of the local athlete’s vying for a title. “It’s so great to have a theatrical venue as opposed to a bar, or something less than a bar. I’m excited about showcasing pole as a true sport.” The competition was open to video submissions, which were narrowed down by a panel of judges and the best pole peeps in the region will compete in a number of categories (including amateurs, pros and doubles). And the APFC has strict rules about attire and sexual suggestion so if your mind’s in the gutter, kindly remove it.
Fri Sep 7, Casino Nova Scotia, 1983 Upper Water Street, 6:30pm, $45, 496-4667
This article appears in Sep 6-12, 2012.