A dance school in Britain has stoked a public debate and invited criticism for offering lessons in pole dancing to children as young as 12.
The lessons are being run by the Art of Dance pole dance and burlesque school, which claims they are aimed at making people fitter and stronger as well as boosting self-confidence, the Daily Mail reported.
The training requires each child to be accompanied by an adult for at least their first session. They are asked to wear a T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms with shorts underneath for parts of the class that need skin contact.
However, the classes, launched on Thursday in Plymouth city in Britain's Devon county, evoked sharp criticism.
Stating the lessons need to be treated with a ‘great deal of caution’, Gary Streeter, Conservative MP for South West Devon, said: "We have a real problem in our country with the increasing sexualisation of children through the media, advertising, branding of products and this kind of thing would be a step in the wrong direction."
He said that it was right to help children to be fit and healthy but any exercise would have to be carefully monitored. "So that they weren't overtly sexual," he said. "We do not want 12-year-olds parading as if in some kind of strip club."
Sam Remmer, founder of the company, and who runs the classes, has defended them saying there is a big difference between fitness pole dancing and exotic dancing.