Pole dancing studio offering classes for boys and girls as young as 10 is slammed by parents who claim they encourage sexualisation of children
- Girl wanted to pole dance after seeing Kristy Sellars on Australia’s Got Talent
- Ad for children’s classes pulled after angry backlash, dance studio owner says
- Advocacy group says encouraging girls to pole dance is sexualised ‘grooming’
- Academic says it’s often seen as an athletic prowess activity rather than sexual
A pole dancing studio has been slammed by concerned parents after advertising classes for children as young as 10.
The operators of Pole Dance Addiction, a studio in Blackburn, Melbourne, say they were forced to change their class times after being threatened.
The fitness-oriented studio had advertised pole-dancing classes for girls and boys as young as 10 on social media.
Online advocacy group Collective Shout – which campaigns against the sexualisation of girls – said the classes were problematic as pole dancing has a long-standing association with the sex industry.
The operators of Pole Dance Addiction (advertisement pictured), a studio in Blackburn, Melbourne, claim they were forced to change their class times after being threatened
‘Pole dancing is a sex industry practice that has gone mainstream,’ campaign manager Caitlin Roper told Daily Mail Australia on Friday.
‘So we are seeing pole dancing companies offering classes to girls saying it’s about fun and fitness.
‘But there’s plenty of ways for kids to get active and moving without looking to the sex industry for inspiration.’
Ms Roper said pole dancing was an activity mainly undertaken in strip clubs by nearly naked women for the entertainment of fully clothed men.
‘There’s so many other ways young girls can keep fit. Encouraging girls to take up pole dancing is a form of grooming and sexualising girls.’
Concerned parents also expressed their unease about the classes.
Mother-of-two Sarah Santilli of Blackburn South said she was shocked that children could take pole dancing classes.
‘I think it’s quite degrading,’ she told the Leader.
Pole dancing at Pole Dance Addiction. Studio owner Melissa Comb said its youth classes were ‘age-appropriate’ and children were not allowed in the studio during adult classes. Pictured: Adult dancers at Pole Dance Addiction
Pole Dance Addiction owner Melissa Comb said she had to take the post advertising the classes down less than two hours after it was put up due to ‘violent threatening and crude messages’ from outraged critics.
The studio is still holding the afternoon youth classes but Ms Comb said she had to change the advertised times for fear of being attacked.
Pole Dance Addiction’s Facebook page shows its classes are focused on fitness. Pictured: Adult dancers at Pole Dance Addiction
‘We were concerned that the violent abusive messages may result in physical conflict at the studio and we wanted to keep children away from any such issues,’ Ms Comb told the Herald Sun.
‘Pole dancing is a sex industry practice that has gone mainstream,’ Collective Shout’s Caitlin Roper (pictured)
Pole Dance Addiction said its children’s classes were ‘completely age-appropriate’ and children were not allowed in the studio during adult classes.
Owner Ms Comb said youth classes were open to both boys and girls just as swimming or gymnastics classes are, and that the studio had only introduced them after a series of requests by parents.
One of the parents, a mother whose daughter featured in the advertisement, defended the classes.
The mother said her daughter wanted to do pole dancing after seeing Kristy Sellars’ winning performing on Australia’s Got Talent.
‘I know my child and I know that the classes are right for her, that is all that is important to me,’ she told the Leader.
‘The classes are pitched perfectly at her age group with qualified instructors who are focused on health, safety and wellbeing.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Pole Dance Addiction for comment.