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Spinning, twirling and grooving: Glimpses from Pacific Pole Championship
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Kerri N'Fuego competes in the 'Exotic' performance category during the 2017 Pacific Pole Championships at the Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. (Mark RALSTON / AFP)
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April Williams competes in the 2017 Pacific Pole Championships.Around 200 performers gathered at the Pacific Pole Dancing Championships in Los Angeles to twirl, spin and balance their way to glory. (Mark RALSTON / AFP)
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Combining dance and acrobatics, originally began as entertainment in strip clubs, pole dancing soon became mainstream as a form of exercise and expression (Mark RALSTON / AFP)
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Tina Casper competes in the 'Exotic' performance category. Competitions are now held in countries throughout the world and has a participant level estimated at over 30,000 in the US (Mark RALSTON / AFP)
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Medals displayed during the 2017 Pacific Pole Championships. (Mark RALSTON/ AFP)
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Ishtar Sunday (C) waits to compete in the Championships. (Mark RALSTON / AFP)
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Despite traditionally being associated with raunchy routines, pole dancing is becoming more and more popular as a form of exercise. (Mark RALSTON / AFP)
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Samantha Anderson during the 2017 Pacific Pole Championships. (Mark RALSTON/ AFP)
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The event featured contestants in different skill levels being marked in a range of categories.The key elements were: technique, difficulty, balance, musicality and stage presence. (Mark RALSTON/ AFP)
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Dancer Val Dubon (L) waits to perform in the 2017 Pacific Pole Championships. (Mark RALSTON / AFP)
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Founded by Amy Guion, a California Pole Dance Championship 2011 bronze medallist, the event grew from a small community to a national brand now competing globally. (Mark RALSTON / AFP)
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The organisation’s website states over 2,000 pole dancers compete each year in the competition series. (Mark RALSTON/AFP)
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But unlike the kind of routines you might see in a strip club, the contest organisers enforced a strict no nudity rule. (Mark RALSTON / AFP)
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Dancers wait to perform at the Convention Center . (Mark RALSTON /AFP)
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Chenita from the Luscious Maven Studio shows her moves during the Championship. (Mark RALSTON / AFP)
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