Guinness World pole dancing record broken
The current Guinness World Record for "Most people pole dancing simultaneously, worldwide" has been broken.
Two of the four pole dancing studios in South Africa, in association with the International Pole Sport Federation (IPSF) that participated in the attempt, on Sunday, February 22, were the Anti-Gravity Pole and Aerial Dance Studio and Pole Physiques Studio, from Benoni.
The original world record the dancers had to break was 206 dancers in 26 countries, who completed the exact same routine at the exact same time and raised over 50 000 pounds for Cansa.
They started at exactly noon and completed a set six-minute long routine.
Fifty-six international locations and 494 people broke the record and over 26 300 pounds were raised for cancer charities combined.
Over 100 000 pounds were raised in total over the last 10 years by the IPSF.
A requirement to participate in the record attempt was to support a cancer charity of each participating group’s choice.
Pole Physiques Studio raised R8 410 for “Cansa for Breast Cancer (Type A) Research”.
Anti-Gravity Pole and Aerial Dance Studio raised over R2 000 for the Animal Cancer Trust.
This worldwide event was organised by KT Coates of the IPSF, and marks the biggest collaboration of its kind worldwide.
The IPSF is dedicated to positively promoting pole as an athletic sport, and is currently involved in a bid to include Pole Fitness in the next Olympic Games.
The IPSF, used this opportunity to help promote the World Pole Sports Championships (WPSC), which was held in the United Kingdom, on July 22.
The only South African athletes to qualify to compete at this international level are Benita Bouwer from Pole Physiques Studio, who placed 11th overall in the masters division, and Melissa Steenekamp and Lance Hastie, who finished 14th in the duets category and who also took part in the record attempt.
Bouwer said: “It was an honour being on stage when the announcement was made that the world record has been broken, and that we were part of this.”
“At that moment, it made me miss our people back home; I wish I could have wrapped each one and brought along with us to share in this incredible experience.”
Both Benoni-based studios thanked members of the public, their sponsors and loved ones who supported them.
