Saturday, October 28, 2006

Popular Science and the Role of the Pole

It's the weekend, so enough politics already, and let us turn our thoughts to dancing and science. Following on from the earlier clash between Family Values Campaigners and Tescos over the availability of the ( rubbish) Peek-a-boo pole dancing kit from their website, and the possible corruption of the nation's youth, blogged earlier, ( and today on Boing Boing) the always-interesting-reading Not Saussure has drawn my attention via an email to a fascinating study of the physics of pole dancing on Popular Science website. Pole dancing is all about centrifugal force, or at least, it is if you are approaching it from a scientific point of view.

Here you can see the video of a young lady poledancing to which Popular Science refers. I urge you to study it carefully. Bit jerky with the hip technique, but she's certainly got rhythm, and the general idea, though she isn't actually pole dancing properly, more clutching the pole as support whilst she wriggles about. And then, oops, oh dear, thump. Popular Science points out where she falls foul of Newton's laws.

Now if you want to see proper pole dancing, may I recommend you have a look at one of the entrants to the World Pole Dancing championships, here, a nice routine here or to get an idea of the the sort of things we do in my class, here are some moves demonstrated by a lady called Jamie in Birmingham.


EDIT: Actually, never mind them, look at this, sent by Glamourpuss - absolutely GORGEOUS

You can also have a look at Glamourpuss's poledancing blog, for more fascinating insights into why we ladies like this pole thing so much, or read my blog/Sunday Times piece on it.

How to learn to pole dance and get your own pole here, two easy moves to try out, a poledancing footballer, and a must-watch - pole dancing on roller skates.

It's the weekend. The lamp-posts are calling you!

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Tescos also sell Lickster body paint that you paint on your beloved and then lick off. Quite disgusting to sell something like that in my view. Raspberry would have been much nicer, I hate chocolate.

October 28, 2006 2:53 pm  
Blogger Rachel said...

Most entertaining Rachel! And, as I discovered when I attended a lesson and photoshoot myself, a lot harder than it looks...

October 28, 2006 2:57 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"The lamp-posts are calling you!"

Singing in the brain?

Some of us are still figuring out how to walk properly, thankyouverymuch!

http://www.biomotionlab.ca/Demos/BMLwalker.html

^_^

October 28, 2006 4:55 pm  
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October 29, 2006 4:17 am  
Blogger Glamourpuss said...

Hi Rachel
Great post - love the links. Have you seen this clip on YouTube? Fabulous. I think roller shaking woman has a blog, too - link on the Pole Dance Directory, I believe. Huge thanks too for the plug!

Happy pole-ing!

Puss

October 31, 2006 11:01 am  
Blogger Julia Buckley said...

Hmm, doesn't appeal to me I'm afraid, seems a bit practising some elaborate mating dance! Everyone to their own though I suppose.

November 02, 2006 8:56 am  

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