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With the Harbour Bridge rising from the edge of the waters and the majestic Opera House in the distance, Sydney provided an iconic backdrop for local and international guests alike at the 3rd Asia Pacific Pole Dance Championships.

Held at Luna Park, where the rides, coloured lights and high spirits added to the atmosphere, pole dancers from around the globe joined in the weekend of networking, socialising and pole dancing.

The Pole Dancing Shop was proud to be an Official Sponsor of the Asia-Pacific Pole Dance Championship 2011

The Pole Dance Expo saw crowds buzzing with excitement all day as they browsed the exhibition and shopped for the latest pole dance and fitness gear. Local pole and circus schools were on show, along with companies providing the latest fitness clothing and pole dance wear. Mighty Grip was there with grip aids and new accessories, X-Pole had the latest portable and stage poles, and among other things there was dance equipment, beauty accessories and photography packages. GNC LiveWell, an international nutritional supplements company, brought mainstream health and fitness into the pole dance industry sphere, evidence that the sport of pole dance is becoming more widely supported.

As dusk fell, the competitors started to fill the green rooms, transforming themselves with makeup and costumes, stretching muscles while listening to their music and mentally preparing for their performances.

The 1,000 strong crowd filled the theatre, and the night kicked off with an incredible array of talent as Open Pairs took to the stage. This division featured doubles teams which included males and females, all exhibiting unique pole moves on the pole as well as synchronisation, partnered dance and acrobatics. Partners hung from each other by a single limb, contorted, spun and lifted each other in a series of breathtaking routines. This division showcased creativity between a team of two that left everyone in awe and in some cases, drying their tears! Enchanted became the 2011 Open Pairs Champions with their haunting performance, followed by Japanese mixed doubles team Masayo & Kazuya, and Sydney’s own Shimmy & Matty, in 3rd place, all of who displayed creative interaction between their partnered pole tricks and captivating performances.

Strength, creativity and entertainment exploded as the women took to the poles in the Freestyle division. Chelle’s Terminator routine won her the Championship title, clad in black leather pants and exuding strength, flexibility and fearlessness. Fontaine placed 2nd, followed by Lisa in 3rd, both twisting and lifting their way up the pole, combining fluidity in their dance and strength in their tricks.

The Asia Pacific’s top male pole dancers were all in fine form as they took the opportunity to compete in a division open to their gender. In 2009 the APD Championships was the first to provide a competitive platform for male pole dancers! Demonstrating the progression of men’s pole dancing, the men performed with artistry, strength and creativity, winning many fans! Duncan fused Chinese Pole and break dance together in his performance, flipping from great heights and using creative movement between the poles and the stage. Matty, fresh from Australia’s Got Talent, graced the stage with an Indigenous performance which won him 2nd place. In a display of classical dance and precision choreography, David came 3rd with his Swan Lake pole dance.

Closing the competitive performances for the night, the Classic Pole division highlighted the artistry of pole dance in a unique way. With regulation black dancewear and bare feet, competitors dance to instrumental music and include 10 required moves and an aerial combination in their performances. With a natural flexibility, Luxe won for the second year running, followed by the smiley Viva in 2nd place and Gemma from NSW in 3rd place.

Australia was privileged to have an internationally renowned judging panel, featuring our own Jamilla Deville, Mat Daniels, casting agent for Cirque du Soleil and the National Institute of Circus Arts, Ania Przeplasko of the International Pole Dance Federation, alongside the USA’s Becca Butcher. Becca graced the stage for the first time in Australia with a special performance at the end of the night. Australia loved her, and during her stay she ran workshops as part of the Championships weekend.

The APD Championships weekend can be re-lived through the newly released DVD! It features all the performances from the night, a behind the scenes snapshot of the weekend as well as downloadable wallpapers, available right here.

Click here to purchase the Asia-Pacific Pole Dance Championships DVD

Click here to purchase the Asia-Pacific Pole Dance Championships DVD

[Photography by Mindi Burji]

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