U.S. Pole Dance Championship 2012, New York

Once the exclusive province of strippers, pole dancing has now exploded into the mainstream all across the world. Whether for physical exercise, art or to spice up their bedroom lives, people have flocked to pole dancing classes to twist, twirl and spread. This risque past-time has now become a popular subculture in many different countries, evident by the rise of national pole dancing contests. In this gallery, we bring you scenes of pole dancing contests from the U.S., Colombia, Hungary, and China. [CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO CONTINUE]

Above: Karol Helms performs her routine during the 2012 US Pole Dance Championship at the Symphony Space in New York  on September 29, 2012. AFP PHOTO/ TIMOTHY A. CLARY