Women embracing pole dancing in Saudi Arabia say they are “not ashamed at all”

A woman taking up pole dancing is bound to draw attention in the very traditional Saudi Arabia, where women were not even permitted to drive a car until recently. But in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, women are defying stereotypes by enrolling in pole dancing classes to increase their physical stamina and flexibility.

Nada, who according to the news agency AFP only wanted to be addressed by her first name, discovered that taking pole-dancing lessons was met with strong opposition in her social circle.

Family and friends in Riyadh told her that the arduous form of exercise – a test of strength and coordination involving acrobatic movements on a vertical pole – was “so wrong.”

Pole dancing is associated with seedy strip clubs and burlesque houses, which are frequently depicted in Hollywood films. Pole dancing is bound to face social opposition in Saudi Arabia, a deeply religious and orthodox country.

Defiant, Nada persisted with the course she enrolled in at a local gym a few years ago, in part to combat that very stigma.

The 28-year-old believes she has made progress, at least among her friends.

“At first, they said it was inappropriate and a mistake,” she explained to AFP. “Now they’re saying, ‘We want to try it.'”

One pole dancing student in Riyadh claimed that she “wasn’t ashamed at all” to give it a try.

“That’s my personality, I would say. I’m not ashamed to embrace my sensuality, my femininity. I’m not ashamed of anything, as long as I’m not hurting other people,” she said.

Push for gender inclusivity

For many years, Saudi women’s options for physical recreation were limited by notorious restrictions on what they could wear and where they could work.

Despite persistent repression of women activists and dissidents, the promotion of women’s sports has recently featured as part of a broader push to open up Saudi society and project a softer image to the outside world.

The Saudi women’s national football team played their first home matches against Bhutan last month, and a women’s premier league is now in the works.

Officials are also working to increase female participation in golf, a traditionally male-dominated sport that is gaining popularity in the United States.

In this changing environment, at least three Saudi gyms have spotted an opportunity and begun offering pole dancing classes.

“I think pole dancing has gotten more attention because it’s something new and girls like to try it,” said May al-Youssef, owner of a gym like this in Riyadh.

Youssef further adds, she hopes the physical demands of pole dancing come through in the photos and videos she posts on Instagram.

She believes that compelling evidence of pole dancing benefits can be found in the transformation of her clients.

“With time they seem to like their bodies more,” she said. “They say to themselves: ‘I am feeling good in my skin’.”

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