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| Advertisements for jobs and classes at a pole dancing school in Zhongshan, Guangdong (October 2017) |
Six years ago I met a college student working part-time handing out printed advertisements for a pole dancing school in Changsha, China. Later, I met another student doing the same. After asking a few questions about the school, she invited me to take a look myself. Soon I was having an enlightening conversation with a manager during my first visit to a pole dancing school.
Since then, in a number of other cities in China I have come across signs of more pole dancing schools, and the activity's popularity has grown as a way to stay physically fit while enjoying oneself. Although pole dancing occurs in some locations, such as nightclubs, where it can more typically be found in the U.S., there are differences between the two countries in how it is perceived.
Still, when I first saw a remarkable tweet today from Michael Standaert, a freelance journalist based in Shenzhen, indicating his children's kindergarten had put on a pole dancing show for the young students on their first day of school, I wondered if it was some sort of joke.
He wasn't joking.
Below are most of Standaert's tweets on the topic, including videos of children watching pole dancing performances and some of his replies to others' comments. The tweets are from multiple threads and presented in the order they were tweeted. Read to the end to learn the school's decisive response.
It looks like opening day will be a bit different next year.
So before our kids got out of kindergarten for the summer, there was 10 days of military "activities" and displays of machine guns and mortars at the door; now the principal has welcomed them back with a strip pole dance on the flagpole bearing the PRC flag. She's gone nuts. pic.twitter.com/BJr4UI6Oq3— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
More from the opening day of our kids' kindergarten. Crazy. We're trying to get them out of there and get our tuition back. They also had a bunch of adverts out for a pole dancing school. Most likely paid the principal to put them up. pic.twitter.com/fgU946hFwn— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
Who would think this is a good idea? We're trying to pull the kids out of the school and get our tuition back. They wouldn't give us the number of the company that owns the school, but looking into that. pic.twitter.com/vEdIhuq774— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
The principal hung up on my wife when she called after saying it was "international and good exercise" ... okay, yeah for adults maybe, but not 3-6 year old kids. pic.twitter.com/OAw8S5ihzX— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
And they also had a bunch of adverts out for a pole dancing school. The gals in the videos, except for the first one, were not the principal. pic.twitter.com/xj56WegTxG— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
This was the military display from back in July. Almost took them out of the school then but they were a few days from finishing so just let them stay. It is hard to move the kids around to a bunch of different schools here, and they've made a lot of friends. pic.twitter.com/EkhGKyQJyq— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
I think she really has no understanding of the connotations of pole dancing in other countries. Yes of course it has taken off as an exercise fad for adults, but the leap from that to performing herself and inviting a troupe in for about 200 little kids?— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
To update: We met with a representative of the company that owns this school and several other schools. An understatement to say they've been getting a lot of complaints today. She told us that the principal is being removed and will be replaced, but that it will take two weeks.— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
All the pole dancing and military stuff [actually a lot of parents were supportive of the latter] was all the idea of the principal, we are told. Our kids are pretty happy with their homeroom teachers. So it looks like we may stay there, but will take a couple weeks to resolve.— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
At least this school doesn't give much homework. My daughter might want a pole in the living room.— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
Some coverage via weixin: https://t.co/Sa5ay8YMS7— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
The principal did one dance. The other dancers are supposedly from a pole dancing school that the principal belongs to. I'd seen her post some things on her own Wechat recently about it. But no idea that she was going to bring it to the kindergarten.— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
Funny you mention this. I was told by my landlord that the park where I run most days used to be where they did public executions in these parts, 30 years ago.— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
Another update before I run out of power. The principal has been fired. The Bao'an education authorities acted quite quickly.— Michael Standaert (@mstandaert) September 3, 2018
I mean this with no disrespect, but do you think you might have just been a bit of a prude? Was there really any difference between a pole dance and something in a music video?
ReplyDeleteNo disrespect taken.
DeleteShorter answer: The only personal opinion regarding the event I wrote about here was that I found it remarkable / unexpected, which would be true regardless of whether I thought the pole dancing was OK or not. I would agree there are numerous music videos which include dancing with similar amounts of sexuality or sensualness. Kindergartens don't typically play them for students either though.
Longer answer: This will appear in a later post. I'll share more about my opinion on the dancing and also explain why I think people can believe it was inappropriate without necessarily being prudes. Stay tuned!
Thank you for your reply :)
Delete