‘It’s a great workout, really’: C.O. woman aiming to represent USA in elite pole dancing

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Did you know there's a sport called pole dancing?

A Central Oregon woman is actually heading to Nationals, and soon the Worlds.

 Competitive pole dancing is similar to a gymnastics or dance routine, with a flare of creative performance.

Shannon Daily has represented the United States in pole dance before, and is planning to do so again this year.

“Well, what I really love about it, sounds pretty ridiculous at my age, to really like to do dynamic flippy tricks,” Daily said. 

Daily, 61, has been flipping and performing as an elite pole dancer since 2016.

She was performing on the trapeze in the Bay Area, and took on competitive pole as a new challenge.

“I found that I actually liked performing, and it wasn’t stressful, and it was more fun than when I was younger and did gymnastics,” Daily said.

Since then, she's competed across the country -- and all over the world.

‘These are from Italy,” Daily said pointing at her medaIs. “I got first in Pole Art and second in Pole Sport.”

She does pole sport, a trick-oriented routine, and pole art, an artistic performance.

“They really like to see a story, and I think they appreciate comedy, which I kind of do alright," Daily said.

She also is quite skilled in aerial hoops, which combines both elements.

Daily is heading to Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia for two national competitions, hoping to represent the USA at the global competition.

"It's really cool -- I find it also cool just to be this age and represent the country, because I think most people think athletes are only 20 years old,” Daily said. “Italy and Russia have both recognized it as an Olympic sport. I think it should be. It’s really hard. I mean, it's a 3 1/2, 4-minute contortion, flipping dancing. It's a great workout, really.”

Daily heads to South Carolina this weekend, with the Savannah event afterwards.

She's one of, if not the only elite pole dancers in Oregon, and is proud to represent this part of the country.