A world-class pole dancing champion has pushed the boundaries of performance art and athletic endurance by scaling a Chilean volcano to stage a breathtaking routine at extreme altitude, setting a new record in the process.
The athlete, whose discipline combines strength, flexibility, and dance, carried a custom-built pole up the slopes of a remote volcano in Chile’s Atacama Region—one of the highest and driest places on Earth. Battling thin air, freezing temperatures, and powerful winds, the performer completed a full pole routine at an altitude rarely attempted for any form of dance.
The performance, officially recognized as the highest-altitude pole dance ever staged, required months of preparation. Training focused not only on choreography and strength, but also on altitude acclimatization and safety planning. A support team of mountaineers, medical staff, and videographers accompanied the ascent to ensure the attempt could be completed safely.
“Pole dancing is often misunderstood,” the champion said after the descent. “This was about showing its athleticism, discipline, and artistic power in one of the most extreme environments imaginable.”
Setting up the pole alone was a challenge. The apparatus had to be securely anchored into rocky volcanic ground while remaining stable enough to support dynamic movements. Once in place, the dancer performed spins, holds, and inverted poses—each move made significantly harder by low oxygen levels and biting cold.
Footage of the performance shows the dancer silhouetted against vast desert landscapes and snow-capped peaks, creating a striking contrast between elegance and raw natural power. The images quickly spread online, drawing praise from both the pole dancing community and outdoor sports enthusiasts.
Record officials confirmed that the routine surpassed previous attempts in both altitude and technical complexity, marking a milestone not just for pole dancing but for performance records more broadly.
