JohnCenaFan28
01-30-2009, 08:53 PM
A college has attracted controversy by offering lunchtime pole dancing demonstrations to 14-year-old students.
South Devon College in Paignton invited pole dancing company The Art of Dance to give two demonstrations as part of their Be Healthy Week.
A packed crowd of around 1,000 teenage students, aged 14 to 19, watched the first display performed by company boss Sam Remmer in the main public area of the college.
Mrs Remmer said many of the teenagers recorded the performance on their mobile phones.
Returning to the college for the second demonstration, she was told to move inside the sports hall and away from the main public area as there had been "a number of complaints".
Mrs Remmer, 32, told the Daily Telegraph: "On querying the nature of the complaints I was told that most of them had come from members of staff who had not actually seen our displays but had just assumed that they were inappropriate for their students.
"I was told pupils were distracted from their afternoon lessons because they were swapping pictures and videos."
The college has refused to comment on the issue, vice principal Pat Denham did say there was a "pole fitness demonstration but no pole dancing" and the college had received no "official" complaints.
Mrs Remmer said pole dancing was appropriate for young teenagers at school as it was a mix of dance moves and gymnastics and was excellent for fitness.
She said: "I am really angry that bad pole dancing stereotypes are being thrown in my face, I am annoyed to think that many mainstream pop groups seem to promote inappropriate behaviour far more than my pole dancing classes."
-Nova
South Devon College in Paignton invited pole dancing company The Art of Dance to give two demonstrations as part of their Be Healthy Week.
A packed crowd of around 1,000 teenage students, aged 14 to 19, watched the first display performed by company boss Sam Remmer in the main public area of the college.
Mrs Remmer said many of the teenagers recorded the performance on their mobile phones.
Returning to the college for the second demonstration, she was told to move inside the sports hall and away from the main public area as there had been "a number of complaints".
Mrs Remmer, 32, told the Daily Telegraph: "On querying the nature of the complaints I was told that most of them had come from members of staff who had not actually seen our displays but had just assumed that they were inappropriate for their students.
"I was told pupils were distracted from their afternoon lessons because they were swapping pictures and videos."
The college has refused to comment on the issue, vice principal Pat Denham did say there was a "pole fitness demonstration but no pole dancing" and the college had received no "official" complaints.
Mrs Remmer said pole dancing was appropriate for young teenagers at school as it was a mix of dance moves and gymnastics and was excellent for fitness.
She said: "I am really angry that bad pole dancing stereotypes are being thrown in my face, I am annoyed to think that many mainstream pop groups seem to promote inappropriate behaviour far more than my pole dancing classes."
-Nova