A 65-year-old woman from Jinlin city in China is the country’s latest Internet sensation.
Although it may seem difficult for seniors to learn pole dancing, Jiang Zhijun fell in love with it.
PHOTO CREDIT: Shanghaiist
Jiang became interested in the sport two years ago when her daughter started working as a pole dance trainer. Her dedication to train daily has enabled her to become a pro in pole dancing. Now, the old lady can pull off advanced and difficult moves on the pole.
In fact, photos of her showing off her awesome moves quickly spread like wildfire in China.
Known as the oldest pole dancer in her city, Jiang has reportedly brought home a gold medal after competing in the senior age category of a National Pole Dance Competition in Beijing, China. Just last month, Jiang and her daughter won in a CCTV talent competition.
“It’s never too old to dance. When you feel the pleasure, the hardship won’t be that hard,” she said.
What is pole dancing?
Pole dancing combines dance and gymnastics centered on a vertical burlesque pole. Historically, this performance art, which recently gained popularity as a form of entertainment and fitness, was associated with night clubs and strip clubs.
In this form of dance, pole dancers perform dance and gymnastics moves with a vertical pole which is a hallow steel or brass spanning from the floor to the ceiling. The dancer uses the pole to do moves like climbs, backbends, body inversions or spins.
Here are some of the health benefits of pole dancing, according to LifeHack.
- It helps burn calories.
- It takes away stress.
- It minimises problems like back pain, muscle soreness, or a stiff neck and reduces the risk of having a sprain.
- It’s good for the heart, bones, and joints.
- It helps women have an easier childbirth in the future.