Pole dance competition in CT this month

The competition includes multiple showcases from four different genres of the sport including Pole Acrobat, Pole Artiste, Pole Provocateur and Pole Duets.

Tammy Smith at The Pole Factor 2015. Image by Lindsey Appolis, courtesy of The Pole Project and X-Pole South Africa

Entrants

Entries opened earlier this year to amateur and professional levels, male and female, national and international contestants. At the end of the competition, only eight contestants will take home winning titles. Last year’s inaugural event saw competitors from across the country gathering at the Magnet Theatre in Observatory.

Organizer of The Pole Factor and owner of The Pole Project studio, Kathy Lee, says, “This is our second year organising the event, so we have the experience of year one under our belts. Of course, being the second year, more pole dancers are aware of the event, so we have had quite a few more entries, including international contestants from Dubai! We also have a bigger venue to accommodate more spectators too.”

Who’s to judge?

In 2015, the judging panel was made up of local pole dancers and international stars that were in Cape Town as part of the Madame Zingara crew. This year the judging panel continues along those same lines with local pole dance personalities on board, as well as internationals such as Shaina Cruea from the USA.

Benita Bouwer at The Pole Factor 2015. Image by Lindsey Appolis, courtesy of The Pole Factor and X-Pole South Africa.

Shaina Cruea has studied various forms of dance for over twenty-five years. In October 2012 Shaina took her first pole dance class and immediately fell in love with the combination of athleticism and grace of the sport. Today she shares her passion through the aerial dance company AERA. Shaina has several titles behind her name including Winner of the 2014 United Pole Artists Contemporary Category video challenge and 2014 United States National Pole Dance Champion.

Lee adds, “I’m really looking forward to seeing what our international judges have to say about the incredible talent here in South Africa and – as the theme of the event goes – who’s got that ‘je ne sais quoi’! Another highlight for me will be watching and supporting competing instructors and students from The Pole Project studio, as well as the male pole duet team showing off their moves in the Duets category.”

The event will take place from 19.00-22.00. Tickets are being sold via Computicket at R250 per person. Drinks and snacks will be on sale at the venue on the evening.