By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA. An activity associated with strip clubs is becoming a popular, legitimate sport in the Jewish state — and might even become an Olympic event. Clad in skimpy spandex outfits, the men and women dance, twirl and flip above the hardwood floor.
On the sunny street outside the dance studio, passers-by stop to gawk through the picture windows. Some giggle guiltily, while others snap photos with their cellphones. They could be forgiven for assuming the performance was somehow connected to the strip club located across the beachside plaza. But studio owner Jose Rodrigues says he puts his pole dancing classes on display in hope of drawing a distinction. By bringing pole dancing out of the strip clubs and into the daylight, Rodrigues and other instructors in Israel have helped make it a national sensation and a legitimate sport — or at least almost legitimate.
In the Jewish state, pole dancing has come a long way in a short time: Less than a decade ago it could not be found outside strip clubs. Today there are at least 18 places to take pole dancing classes across the country.
Thousands of women — along with fewer numbers of men and children — have joined the trend. Andrew Tobin. A former professional ballet dancer, he has assumed a leading role in professionalizing the practice in his adopted country.
In addition to his work as an instructor, Rodrigues in founded the Israel chapter of the International Pole Sport Federation , which mandates a non-erotic, gymnastics-like form of pole performance. Every year since he has organized the Israel Pole Sports Championship, in which members of about a dozen local studios compete. The winner qualifies for the World Pole Sport Championships, which is held every year in one of the member countries.
