#mallakhamba

[tilbageidanmark]

You learn something new every day:

This is a demonstration of a traditional sport named Mallakhamb, originating from the Indian subcontinent, in which a group of gymnasts perform aerial yoga and gymnastic postures using wrestling grips in concert with a stationary vertical pole.

[island6artscenter]

"Mallakhamba Mama" (印度神技)

Pole dancing is actually based on a traditional Indian sport known as Mallakhamba, which dates all the way back to 1135 AD. What began as a little-known way for Indian wrestlers to stay fit was eventually molded into a flamboyant and quite popular fitness recreation in the 18th century (you can thank Mr. Balambhatdada Deodhar for that). As travelling circuses gained popularity in America during the 1920s, tent poles we often used as part of burlesque dance performances. The leap to strip clubs though wouldn’t happen until 1968 at the legendary Mugwump Strip Club in Oregon, courtesy of miss Belle Jangles. The trend gained momentum in the 1980s, leading to an explosion in both the amount of poles in strip clubs and the appearances of pole dancers in film and other pop cultural references. In 1990 the practice saw another rebirth as Fawnia Mondey began treating pole dancing as an art form and unrivalled fitness exercise. As it stands today, pole dancing has a reasonable chance of being added as an Olympic sport, and even it is, you’ll probably still be able to find it in the old Mugwump.

Unique Edition.

41 x 41 cm | Shanghai | 2018

Media:   RGB LED display, one-way glass, teakwood frame

https://island6.org/mallakhambamama 

[samadhiyogaashram]

Yesterday was such an incredible day. As part of the Samadhi Yoga Ashram, we performed a ceremony called the Mallakhamba. It was such a beautiful experience to connect with our student.