Girls Traditional Dance Slammed Because It Included Pole

Story By: Anastasia Smirnova, Sub EditorJoseph GolderAgency: Central European News

Video Credit: CEN/@VeneraNuriakhmetova

These two young women performing a dance that combines a traditional Bashkir performance with a pole have been slammed by trolls online.

The youngsters had been keen to take part in an online contest to try to find the most original dance, organised by a popular musician, the multi-instrumentalist Zainetdin (Zagir Zainetdinov).

One of the two dancers, Venera Nuriakhmetova, said that while she was good with traditional dance, she had never danced using a pole but her friend Lubava Marsheva had used it for some exercise routines, and so they thought it would be fun to combine the two.

Picture Credit: CEN/@VeneraNuriakhmetova

They then posted the footage online hoping to win praise from the organisers of the contest, who indeed found it so original that Zainetdin showed it on his Instagram page.

The harmless video shows the two young women in long dresses perform the traditional Bashkir dance and including the poles as an extra twist.

The organiser Zagir Zainetdinov has praised the pair say: “I’ve never seen anything like it! In my opinion, very original!”

But his good words about the two dancers from the city of Ufa, in western Russia’s Republic of Bashkortostan, were lost in the backlash from online commentators who blasted the use of pole dancing associated with sex clubs and the sordid red light scene.

Many residents of the Republic of Bashkortostan residents are conservative and the pole dance version of a local dance apparently did not go down well.

The pair found themselves accused of immorality with many pointing out that the pole was a symbol of filth and lust, and accused the dancers of insulting the Bashkir national dance.

Netizen ‘Margarita Yakovleva’ said: “Traditional Bashkir dance with a pole. This is very cheeky!”

Another one ‘nurimanovaalbina’ added: “I have been engaged with traditional dancing for years now. I do not find this one of any interest. Pole and traditional Bashkir dance have nothing to do in common. Dear ladies, please respect our traditions.”

And ‘Niyaz_nz’ commented: “Bashkit striptease, this is so shameful for all our people.”

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.