South America Crowns Her 2013 Regional Vertical Dance Champion!

Argentina hosted this year’s regional contest in the beautiful city of Buenos Aires, and for the first time in the South American chapter’s history, men were permitted to compete to represent in the men’s category at the world competition. A historical first, and a sign of how truly popular vertical dance is becoming.

While the sport continues to invade gyms and studios across the world, more and more regional contests are emerging as official branches of the world pole sport federation. But now we are in a place where we can accurately see where the trend is going, as far as what nationality will reign supreme. So far it’s leaning heavy towards Russia, with a huge number of gymnasts and athletes hailing from Russia and its surrounding provinces, East European contestants have taken the contest more than once since its inception in 2009. As the United States appears to be falling behind, it’s more of an image issue with the sport. In Russia this type of dance is becoming far more mainstream and less taboo than what we make it here in the States and Europe. Whereas most would associate the art form with exotic dancing in the U.S., East Europeans are beginning to accept it as a fusion between gymnastics and dance, and treat the form with respect. While not shunning the idea, here in America the idea is far less conceivable as a future to gymnasts and other athletes. At least until the idea of pole sports are finally involved in the Olympics, America isn’t going to see a whole lot of its most skilled gymnasts and dancers practicing to win the world pole dancing championships.

But it’s inevitable, and it appears other nations will have the jump on the US when the time comes to officially represent the American flag at the Olympics, but for now the United States still holds onto a number of the world’s most skilled dancers and some of them have capitalized on teaching contest level vertical dance in studios and gyms to the next generation of competitors. But in Buenos Aires the contest has been decided, and next year’s South America contestant in the world competition will be the skilled and graceful Rafaela Montanaro, who hails from Brazil. One of the more interesting sites would have been the street of Buenos Aires before the contest, where hundreds of dancers converged and used street furniture and light fixtures to demonstrate their skills to the public! Think of it as an international pole sport street festival! But as the next round of competitors the world over prepare to represent their nation in regional finals, the pressure for 2013 is on as Ms. Montanaro displayed some extremely impressive feats of coordination and balance, giving a preview of the intensity of the contest to come for 2013!