Poles have long been a staple of smoky strip clubs, but the women scaling and swinging from them in Las Vegas earlier this month weren't doing it for dollar bills. Many of the attendees at the 3rd Annual Pole Expo are taking the lead of expo founder Fawnia Dietrich and refining their slinky craft as a workout activity.
"Most people that pole dance in the studios are everyday women, not strippers," said Dietrich, and they have many different reasons for choosing pole dancing. Some want to build upper body strength and lose weight. Others want to surprise their husband with an anniversary dance or recover from a divorce. "They need to find their sensuality again," she said.
