38 39 lifestyle Moreover, she describes herself as and a number of others from overseas courte s y of Deni e Hou yuen-c h i a “forgetful dancer”, who is “partner- countries she has visited. Her goal now ice irls shy” and she is not a big fan of the is to find her three remaining target

lifestyle physical contact with a partner. street poles: Sham Shui Po, Lei Yu N G Hou’s addiction to the pole goes Mun in Chai Wan, and a country park pole dance too far beyond practising three times a she has yet to find. week and a couple of hours a day. After While some treat pole dancing by Crystal Chui having dinner with a friend in 2008, she more as a hobby or recreational activity, started performing pole dance tricks others use the mystique of pole dancing corpio, Gemini, Fireman, on the street. This turned into a pole- as a gimmick to gain recognition and Superman, Kate Moose, dancing trek around the territory where boost their career. Enya Tse Yi-wing, SFlying Fairy and Butterfly. sensual motion of sliding up and down she would take pictures of herself in a local singer who released her debut They are not superhero or heroine the bar seemed to require no strength different poses on the Hong Kong album in 2009, combines singing and names but terms used in pole dancing. at all.” Tourism Commission’s directional pole dancing. Jady Chow, director of Pole Divas, Some male circus performers also signs for visitors in all the 18 districts “It is indeed a good thing for a a local dance school that was the first to captured her heart. “It seemed like they and outlying islands of Hong Kong. new singer,” says the 25-year-old introduce pole dancing to Hong Kong were flying, and I wanted to learn that Instead of taking “very boring Tse, who has been dancing for three Denise Hou Yuen-chi couldn’t resist jump- ing onto a pole while in Australia. back in 2004 is explaining. “Fireman is too.” So in 2006, her love affair with pictures” to show “she had been there”, years now. “Some people might one of the basic moves…but instead of pole dancing began. After her first spin she decided to add a by adopting not remember my name, but they sliding down the pole from the top like on the pole, she experienced a “Wow!” her unique poses. And there was no remember I do pole dancing and then firemen do, we start from the bottom, moment and has been hooked ever better way to do that than to show-off they’ll recognise me.” all the way to the top. And from there, since. She even ordered her own pole the pole tricks she has mastered. Her first Canto-pop song you can grip the pole between your from Britain three years ago and had it Although she finds this personal “Enya’s Party” portrayed the joy thighs, and then stretch out your arms installed at home. project interesting, it is not always fun of dancing without partners. The and legs. This is called the fairy trick.” At first, her parents were unhappy since some of the signs are hard to music video featured her various Kate Moose, Chow continues, is about her chosen hobby. “My dad find. They are also dirty and dusty with pole dance tricks. derived from supermodel Kate Moss’ associated it with shows he used to watch the paint chipping off. Plus, she has to “I want to continue fusing this dance technique, in which her legs are in the clubs when he was young. But I figure out how to strike and hold her with singing as I am still new to spread out wide on the pole. showed them pole dancing competition pose as the poles are thicker than the people. Pole dancing makes the As pole dancing involves sensual videos when we had dinner one night. ones in the studio. audience hyper and they see this as an and erotic manoeuvres, people usually They were stunned and said ‘Wow!’ innovative move as they seldom see associate it with seductive and scantily Then I did some moves on the pole and singers doing it while performing.” clad women performing and from that moment, they thought it was “I always think “Besides, I always think that to lap in nightclubs. indeed a healthy thing,” recalls Hou, dance is to diversify. It should not But times have changed; pole who refuses to disclose her exact age that to dance is to restrict you in any sense…it’s all dancing now incorporates dance and profession. diversify. It should about innovation or else you won’t and even theatrical elements. More She says her mum even helps to take have any breakthroughs.” people now view it as another form of pictures of her dancing and she has also not restrict you in Even though she inevitably picks expressive art, an aesthetic hobby, or a given her a painting that combines all up bruises and injuries practising, fitness regime. her favourite tricks. “My dad is totally any sense…it’s all pole dancing has now become Tse’s The combination of these three fine with it, too. He even talks about it about innovation philosophy in life, one that she practises aspects pretty much sums up what pole with his friends. They actually joined every day. It has brought more changes dancing means to Denise Hou Yuen-chi, my Halloween Pole Party in 2008.” or else you to her life than any other activity she a recent Master of Philosophy graduate The solo performance and has engaged in. She has slimmed down from the University of Hong Kong. impromptu dance routines are some won’t have any from 68 kg to 44 kg, increased her Hou was first gripped by the idea of the factors that drew Hou further breakthroughs.” pain tolerance level and built up her of performing endless twirls and spins into the world of pole dancing. She persistence and ambition. prefers the freedom pole dancing gives after seeing pole dancers at a concert. Nevertheless, the show must go on. “Pole dancing is my constant her to improvise her own routines, “I’ve always wanted to learn this dance So far, her collection of photographs companion. It changed my life unconstrained by rigid dance rules and Hou strikes different poses at directional when I was a kid. I saw some girls doing boasts 39 different signs in Hong Kong, completely. If there was no pole dance, it in a Kylie Minogue concert…the steps like in or the . I would not be singing to people and signs in Shau Kei Wan (above) and Sai Kung.

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not many would get to know me,” “I notice that girls in the gym are the air was simply sensational. cry s t

adds Tse. seeking psychological improvement Spinning combined with acrobatics a l c h ui The positive change in people’s or empowerment. They want to build is kind of hard and dangerous.

lifestyle attitude towards pole dancing has confidence towards their body and But then again, I love living life helped spread the idea that it does gestures and I really did see them dangerously,” he laughed. not necessarily entail stripping or improving gradually.” On a more serious note, he sexual innuendo. And it is not just the women. Some added that it is about time people As a testament to this, other men have also caught the pole dancing erased the narrow and negative countries have been promoting it bug, although Yuan says most of the perception and stereotypical as a fitness and sports programme. first-timers quit and never bother to image attached to pole dancing. Vertical Dance, a prominent pole come back. “Men can do different techniques fitness school in Britain, has launched Loic Lebret, one of the few male in various ways which have a petition to include pole dancing in professional pole dancers, however, absolutely nothing to do with the 2012 Olympics. decided to return to Hong Kong and striptease,” Lebret said before he In 2008, the first worldwide pole offer a one-day workshop. Lebret gracefully climbed onto the pole dancing competition, International Pole was crowned the Best Amateur and demonstrated an inverted Dance Fitness Championship Pole Dancer of the Hong Kong split. A few women and one man International Pole Dance in his class watched intently before following his lead. Indeed, whether it is considered an art form, a gymnastic activity or a serious ( I P D F C ) workout regime, pole dancing Students at Aerial Arts Academy learn basic pole dancing moves. was held in Manila. Last year, can accentuate men’s masculinity Tokyo hosted the event. as much as it explores femininity in women. The championship has two Competition 2009. competing categories: Pole Art, which Prior to pole dancing, he cry s t combines dancing steps and pole had learnt Latin dance. a l c h ui

tricks, and Pole Fit, which emphasises “When I dance on cry s

the tricks. the pole, I feel the right cry s t t a

combination of energy, acrobatics l c a l c h ui h

and the artistic side to it. This is ui “When I dance on really a particular dance technique because it unifies all dances such as the pole, I feel the Rock and Roll and Latino dance,” said right combination the Frenchman, who was in town to promote a new technique called Duo of energy, Pole Dance Skills. He observed that during dance acrobatics and the shows, women dance in a more artistic artistic side to it.” manner, while men exhibit the strength needed to pull the tricks. Marsha Yuan Hu-ma, widely known “It’s a perfect combination,” he in Hong Kong as the first runner-up in said, “women dance artistically and Miss Hong Kong 1999, was the champion men provide the force and energy.” of Pole Art in IPDFC 2008. She is now a He admitted, though, that he was part-time pole dance instructor in PURE surprised to find pole dancing requires Fitness and Aerial Arts Academy, a so much energy, even from a man. “I was enthralled, attracted and fitness school that incorporates hoops, Lebret helps a student during the workshop at A new dance technique called Duo Pole Dance Pole dancing unifies all dances such as Rock silk and rope into pole dancing. surprised all at once…but flying in the Pole Divas studio. Skills. and Roll and Latino, says Lebret.

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