‘Poling for the Polls’ puts a new spin on voter turnout efforts with a sexy Sunday livestream of buff boys and gripping girls working you to the polls.
We learned this week of drag queens’ voter turnout efforts to increase participation in the November 3, 2020 elections. Not to be outspun, the pole-dance community is also determined to ‘turn’ out a vote of their own. The Sunday event Poling for the Polls! (4 p.m. - 6 p.m.), put on by Berkeley pole and dance company Flux Vertical Theatre, aspires to “dramatically increase voter turn-out by changing the culture of Election Day to be about celebration and activation.”
“We hope to do so by using our art to inspire others in a fun entertaining way, to bring the joy to voting and turn our civic duty into a celebration not an obligation,” Flux Vertical Theatre founders and producers Leah Marie and Mz. K tell SFist. “We hope this will encourage people to either go out to the polls or stay at home and vote. That's right, no needs for pants. Vote naked and watch the show! And remember, voting is sexy!”
The two-hour set of pole performances is quite obviously a livestream, with tickets at Red ($10), White ($20), and Blue ($30) price tiers. There is also an in-person VIP option for couples or groups of four, if you want to attend the event live in San Jose, and small personal bottles of champagne and gift bags will be involved. But you better believe that strict Santa Clara County mask and distance protocols will be in place for those upper-tier ticket holders.
“Many of us are struggling with virtual tips trying to keep our art alive,” they tell us. “It is our goal, with this show, to continue to pay our performers what they deserve. Our VIP experience was created for this reason, as well as our 'pick your price' virtual ticket options.”
There will be plenty of beef served on that pole too, as buff male pole dancers are included in the company’s mix. “Flux Vertical Theatre does our very best to make sure that all genders are represented and diversity is very important to us,” the producers say. ”We have a rotating cast of incredible dancers from all walks of life and we are very proud of this, and ‘Poling for the Polls’ is no different.”
And so Mz.K and Leah Marie will be joined by Mikal (above), as well as Aurora Rose, Melody Grace, Reagan, and Sade Symone.
Do not expect a “strip show” here, the modern art of technical pole dancing combines rigorous agility with a creative flair for storytelling.
“Pole dance has become a very exciting avenue of expression for the mainstream,” according to the producers. “It is not a new art but more and more people are adapting and learning from it. Anyone who touches a pole is a pole dancer, and it takes incredible amounts of strength, power, stamina and artistry to use this apparatus in your art or in your work.”
In other words, these poles have no margin of error.
Poling for the Polls is Sunday, October 18, 4 p.m.-6 p.m. PT, Live online, with limited in-person VIP seating available. Tickets Here.
Related: Photos: The Regional Pole Dancing Championships Were Actually Kind Of Artistic [SFist]
Image: Flux Vertical Theatre
