Rafaela Montanaro of Brazil competes in the Miss Pole Dance South America 2012 competition in Buenos Aires, Argentina, November 26, 2012 (© Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images)

These pole-dancing photos will mock your flexibility skills

11/27/2012

When pole dancing became an exercise fad, we knew it was no longer an art reserved solely for strip clubs. (In fact, we're pretty sure that's when people started calling it an "art.") In any case, the once-taboo practice is now decidedly mainstream, and these photos from two recent pole-dancing contests in Argentina offer solid evidence that it takes more than nudity and a skanky dolphin tattoo to really be a pole dancer. These performers (dare we say "athletes"?) display staggering strength and jaw-dropping flexibility, convincing us to give this “fad” our official stamp of approval. Just don't let your toddlers do it, OK? [Source]

(This gallery was edited after publication.)

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