Pole-dancing granny Sun Fengqin is in her element
Ignoring her doctors' orders and a bad back, a 60-year-old Nanjing rebel has roused shock and awe among family and friends with her sexy, agile antics
In mainland society, pole dancing is seen as risqué entertainment that should be confined to nightclubs. But 60-year-old Sun Fengqin, from Nanjing, is doing her best to change that.
Twenty years ago, Sun had two steel pins implanted in her spine and was advised not to do anything too strenuous. That included dancing. But Sun wasn't listening, and threw herself into several types of dance. But it's her moves on the pole that have brought the greatest rewards.
Since retiring 10 years ago, my life has been busy. I have been learning various types of dance - Latin, belly dancing and jazz, and a mass group dancing. I'm good at them but they don't satisfy my desire for a more challenging dance in which a woman can show her sexiness and charm. Back in the 1980s when I was travelling in Southeast Asia, the tour guide asked us if we wanted to watch a pole dance performance. She emphasised it was risqué. I didn't watch it at the time. But last year, out of curiosity, I found a video clip from a pole dancing competition. As soon as I saw it I was mesmerised and watched it three times. I was drawn to every move by the dancer - a pretty girl in a beautiful dress. I think pole dancing is even more beautiful than belly dancing, and it isn't risqué at all. In March, I asked my husband to give me money to take a dance class. I didn't tell him it was pole dancing because I was worried that he wouldn't like it.
In 1992, bones in my spine broke and doctors inserted two pins. They told me I couldn't do any quick movements, pick up heavy objects or dance. But I ignored them and continued dancing as before. I have been in love with dancing since I was young. A year later, one of the pins broke and doctors removed it. In 2008 I was told I needed two operations - one to take out the other pin and another to put in two new ones. But I haven't had them because I fear it could mean I couldn't dance any more. I just bear the pain, by walking and dancing. I decided I should cherish these years by dancing and doing whatever I'm interested in, before I am paralysed. Decades ago, we weren't allowed to dance, and there weren't any venues. Now everything is there, so why not dance? The miracle is that since I started pole dancing my legs have become less painful.