Look Ma, no hands!

April 16, 2011 6:34 AM

Chinese Pole Dancing (SLYT, SFW) — More than it says on the tin.
posted by cenoxo (17 comments total)

Wow. That is amazing. How much time and practice went into that? To be able to do this at all is impressive. To do it in such perfect sync is unreal.
Still, no matter how impressive it is, I still find myself thinking:
1. Why?
2. Just because you can do something it does not follow that you should.
3. That "music." Arrggggg.
posted by cccorlew at 7:00 AM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

Without trying to outdo you: Indian pole dancing gymnastics is pretty hardcore too.

If you possess a pair of testicles, or know someone who does, and a functioning sense of empathy, I challenge you not to watch this and wince.
posted by MuffinMan at 7:29 AM on April 16, 2011 [3 favorites]

I was wondering if perhaps they are all experts in Iron Testicle (slightly NSFW) Kung Fu.
posted by titus-g at 7:33 AM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

I need to go to the gym.
posted by CaptApollo at 7:34 AM on April 16, 2011 [4 favorites]

Some of those moves made my arms tired just watching it. I can't help but want to see a fight scene set in a grid of these poles, it seems like you could get some amazing kinetic action going on using the fact that they're fairly sturdy and springy compared to, say, a bamboo forest.
posted by lucidium at 7:42 AM on April 16, 2011

Oh this reminds me of a story! I lived in China for a year, and was shopping around for a a gym membership. One that I went to gave me a guided tour. I noticed one of the rooms we walked by was basically full of stripper poles surrounded by mirrors, and I asked what those were for (I just wasn't expecting to see that). "Oh, that? That's for steel tube dancing!"

I ended up going with a different gym (more convenient location), but I often regret that decision; I would have liked to take that class.
posted by mingo_clambake at 7:49 AM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

We got a grease man!
posted by sexymofo at 7:59 AM on April 16, 2011

We got a grease man.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 8:20 AM on April 16, 2011

Oh my god, their poor poor inner thighs... The going up with one hand and one leg part was the most impressive to me.
posted by of strange foe at 11:55 AM on April 16, 2011

Just because you can do something it does not follow that you should.

Just because you can say that about every single video on YouTube, it does not follow that you should.
posted by straight at 12:10 PM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

man the friction......

How do they not roast their nuts?
posted by dibblda at 12:19 PM on April 16, 2011

It's pretty obvious to me that China's mastered genetic engineering enough to find a way to fill their people with helium. Those guys must weigh 10 or 15 kilos max. My first thought with the music was Cirque De Shanghai but the costumes are a bit rational for that
posted by Redhush at 12:55 PM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

It's less technically impressive, but I really enjoyed Edward Muir's Chinese pole clown routine set to "Mr Cellophane."
posted by col_pogo at 1:00 PM on April 16, 2011 [1 favorite]

How do they keep the wires from getting tangled?
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:11 PM on April 16, 2011 [2 favorites]

Clearly shot in one angle, then rotated 90 degrees. And with selective-relase Velcro(R).
posted by jocelmeow at 3:51 PM on April 16, 2011

If pole dancing becomes an olympic sport, I think americans will be at some disadvantage. Err, from what my friends tell me, of course
posted by Redhush at 5:20 PM on April 16, 2011

Youtube audio: Bane of the internet.
posted by Trochanter at 10:37 PM on April 17, 2011