Pole Dancing in Shanghai: Empowerment, Art, and Changing Attitudes in Modern China

Women Embracing Pole Dancing in Modern Shanghai

In the heart of Shanghai, a city often seen as the vanguard of China’s modernization, a quiet revolution is taking place. Women from diverse backgrounds are flocking to pole dancing studios, not just to learn a new form of exercise, but to discover confidence, community, and self-expression. This movement is challenging deep-seated stereotypes and reflecting broader shifts in Chinese society’s attitudes toward gender, sexuality, and personal freedom.

How Pole Dancing Arrived and Evolved in Shanghai

Pole dancing’s journey in China is distinct from its Western counterpart. While in the United States and Europe, pole dancing is often associated with strip clubs and adult entertainment, in China it has been reimagined as a demanding sport and an expressive art form. The discipline first gained traction in major cities like Shanghai in the early 2000s, as fitness trends from abroad began to influence urban lifestyles. Today, it is recognized for its athleticism, artistry, and empowering qualities.

Olivia Bingyu Wang, who began her dance journey with traditional Chinese dance in Canada before moving to Shanghai, recalls her initial hesitation about pole dancing due to cultural perceptions. However, she soon embraced it as a way to expand her artistic skills and challenge societal norms. Wang’s experience is emblematic of many young women in Shanghai who are redefining what it means to be strong, feminine, and self-assured in contemporary China.

Historical Roots and Cultural Shifts

While pole dancing as a modern sport is a recent import, China’s history with pole-based performance dates back centuries. In the Song dynasty, male performers would use poles in acrobatic displays, and the cabaret culture of 1930s Shanghai featured glamorous dance acts that blended East and West. Today’s pole dancers draw inspiration from both this historical legacy and global trends, creating a uniquely Chinese interpretation of the art.

Inside Shanghai’s Pole Dancing Studios

Step inside a Shanghai pole dancing school like S-pole, and you’ll find a vibrant community that defies stereotypes. Students range from university students and young professionals to mothers and entrepreneurs. For many, pole dancing is less about public performance and more about personal growth. Tutu, a student and assistant manager at S-pole, describes pole dancing as a way to discover herself, gain confidence, and cultivate self-love. Lena, another student with a background in martial arts, says the sport has been transformative, helping her explore her feminine side and stay motivated to be active.

Unlike in some Western contexts, pole dancing in China is rarely linked to strip clubs. Instead, it is seen as a challenging form of exercise that requires strength, flexibility, and resilience. Many students, like Yingying and Juzi, use pole dancing to relieve stress from work and family life. Some train for competitions, but most attend classes for personal reasons, seeking empowerment and community rather than external validation.

Breaking Stereotypes and Building Confidence

Olivia Wang’s journey illustrates how pole dancing can challenge traditional beauty standards and promote body positivity. As she progressed in her training, she realized the importance of building strength, which changed her body and challenged her to accept a more muscular frame—something that runs counter to the cultural ideal of thinness in China. Wang documented her progress on social media, using her platform to challenge beauty standards and promote mental health awareness. She choreographed dance pieces that interpreted different mental health disorders, using pole dance as a medium for advocacy and self-expression.

Pole Dancing and Shanghai’s Nightlife

Shanghai’s nightlife has long been a melting pot of cultures and artistic experimentation. Venues like SYSTEM Shanghai, a club known for its genre-fluid programming, have embraced pole dancing as part of their performance repertoire. SYSTEM’s events blend art, music, and dance, reflecting the city’s culture of openness and innovation. Pole dancing performances are featured alongside live music, electronic acts, and avant-garde art, highlighting the art form’s versatility and growing acceptance.

Other venues, such as The Pearl Bar and Cabaret, incorporate pole dancing into their cirque-style shows, alongside aerial silks, contemporary dance, and fire performance. These events attract both local and international audiences, further cementing pole dancing’s place in Shanghai’s dynamic entertainment scene.

Shanghai’s openness to new forms of artistic expression is not without its challenges. As seen in the experience of the city’s first burlesque club, creative ventures can face scrutiny from authorities concerned with upholding public morality. Performers and organizers must navigate a complex landscape of regulations, adapting their shows to comply with official standards while pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

Community, Empowerment, and Self-Expression

For many women in Shanghai, pole dancing is about more than just physical fitness. It is a source of empowerment, a way to reclaim their bodies and assert their identities in a society that has traditionally placed strict expectations on women’s behavior and appearance. Hai Xiaohan, founder of S-pole, notes a broader shift in Chinese society toward self-love and open-mindedness. Students now feel comfortable sharing their passion online, facing less criticism than in the past. Support from friends and family is increasingly common, and even workplace connections have formed around pole dancing.

However, online criticism and slut-shaming persist, especially from other women. Despite this, most participants focus on dancing for themselves rather than for the male gaze. The acceptance of pole dancing in Shanghai reflects changing attitudes in China, with women finding empowerment, community, and self-expression through the sport.

Pole Dancing and Mental Health

Beyond physical benefits, pole dancing has become a tool for mental health advocacy. Olivia Wang, for example, uses dance to interpret and raise awareness of mental health issues, particularly for underserved populations. Her work highlights the potential of dance as a medium for healing and social change, challenging stigma and encouraging open conversations about mental health.

Comparisons and Contrasts: Regional Attitudes Toward Pole Dancing

While Shanghai is at the forefront of pole dancing’s acceptance in China, attitudes toward the art form vary across the region. In Taiwan, for example, a couple sparked controversy by hiring pole dancers to perform at their son’s graduation, prompting police action and public debate. Such incidents highlight the ongoing tension between tradition and modernity in Chinese-speaking societies, as well as the generational divide in attitudes toward sexuality and self-expression.

In mainland China, pole dancing’s association with fitness and artistry has helped it gain legitimacy, but performers must still navigate societal expectations and official scrutiny. The experience of Shanghai’s voguing and LGBTQ dance communities offers a parallel: while these subcultures provide vital spaces for self-expression, they often operate under the radar to avoid unwanted attention from authorities. As one voguing participant explained, many people come to these studios to escape environments that restrict self-expression.

Pole Dancing as Art, Sport, and Social Statement

Pole dancing in Shanghai occupies a unique space at the intersection of art, sport, and social commentary. It demands athleticism and discipline, but also invites creativity and personal storytelling. Performers blend elements of traditional Chinese dance, contemporary movement, and global influences, creating routines that are both physically impressive and emotionally resonant.

Competitions and showcases provide opportunities for dancers to push their limits and gain recognition, but the heart of the movement lies in the everyday practice of self-discovery and mutual support. As more women take up pole dancing, they are not only transforming their own lives but also contributing to a broader cultural shift toward greater acceptance of diversity and individuality in Chinese society.

Challenges and the Path Forward

Despite its growing popularity, pole dancing in Shanghai still faces obstacles. Social stigma, regulatory hurdles, and the lingering effects of traditional gender norms can make it difficult for some women to pursue the sport openly. However, the resilience and creativity of the pole dancing community continue to drive change. As younger generations embrace new forms of self-expression, the boundaries of what is considered acceptable or desirable are being redrawn.

Venues, performers, and advocates are working to create safer, more inclusive spaces for all who wish to participate. Whether through public performances, online communities, or private classes, pole dancing is helping to foster a culture of empowerment, body positivity, and mutual respect in Shanghai and beyond.

In Summary

• Pole dancing in Shanghai has evolved from a niche fitness trend to a mainstream form of empowerment and self-expression for women.
• The art form is distinct from its Western associations with adult entertainment, focusing instead on athleticism, artistry, and personal growth.
• Studios and nightlife venues in Shanghai have embraced pole dancing, integrating it into the city’s vibrant cultural scene.
• Women use pole dancing to challenge beauty standards, promote mental health awareness, and build supportive communities.
• Despite ongoing challenges, including social stigma and regulatory scrutiny, the pole dancing movement reflects broader shifts toward openness and individuality in Chinese society.
• Shanghai’s experience offers insights into the changing landscape of gender, sexuality, and artistic expression in modern China.