The U.S. Pole Dance Federation held its U.S. Pole Dance Championship in New York City this weekend, and although a standing court order kept me from attending, I’m happy to direct you to this recap of yesterday’s competition.  The article comes with the standard note that the competitors are NOT strippers, and the victor was Las Vegas-based “aerialist” Jenyne Butterfly (almost certainly her real name), a three-time champion at Pole-a-palooza.  From the recap:

[W]hile pole dancing has certainly gone from erotic to aerobic, not all the sensuality has been lost. At the championship, five-inch heels, belly-button rings and tattoos were just as prevalent as washboard abs, well-toned biceps and calves the size of peaches…

[Butterfly] took the stage as the night’s second to last performance and showed why she truly is “The Pole Queen.” … At times, one arm supported the entire weight of her outstretched body… By the time Butterfly capped off her performance with her signature “flag move” — think of her as the flag on a flagpole — the capacity crowd was on its feet…

“It feels really good,” Butterfly said afterwards as the crowd streamed out the theater. “I’ve never won a medal for pole dancing before. Normally, they just hand me an envelope of money.”

Well, it beats having to pick it up off the stage, anyway.  (Video after the gallery.)

“Miss Sexy” winner (like Miss Congeniality, but better) Alethea Austin:

[story via Hot Clicks]