"Aliza excitedly described her pole outfit as 'short shorts, a tank top,
and high heels,' while Elisheva points out that pole dancing symbolizes 'a break from expectations and responsibility.'”
The Forward reports on the pole dancing fitness craze and the growing number of Orthodox and haredi women trying the method, which until recently was the provence of exotic dancers and prostitutes:
Stepping into the dimly-lit studio in midtown Manhattan, Elisheva and Sarah shed their skirts and long-sleeve shirts, leaving only shorts and tank tops. They quickly take their places at two poles in the room and begin climbing and spinning as they wait for class to begin. For these two Stern students — both modern Orthodox women in their early twenties — pole dancing classes at Shockra Studios, located a few blocks from their Yeshiva University classrooms, provide an exhilarating, judgment-free way to release the stress of school and all the anxieties that come with it.
“We carry a lot on our shoulders as Orthodox women,” says Elisheva, who, along with Sarah, asked that she be known by her pseudonym. “To take a break from that without simultaneously breaking halacha is a wonderful feeling.”.…
“It’s very freeing, very fun and it puts me in touch with a side of myself that I don’t get to access very often,” explains Elisheva.…
“It’s the most fun I’ve had ever, in the world,” says Aliza, a 20-year-old Orthodox woman from Baltimore…
…Aliza excitedly described her pole outfit as “short shorts, a tank top, and high heels,” while Elisheva points out that pole dancing symbolizes “a break from expectations and responsibility.”…
[Hat Tip: Jameel.]