Kerry Griffiths is a Research Fellow in the Sport Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University. She works on a range of research projects relating to the sport and leisure industries and her particular areas of research interest include understanding participation in sport, including barriers to participation and participation in minority groups, particularly women and girls; the outcomes of sport, including the physical and the social outcomes, such as the development of identity and community through sport; and the health and fitness industry, including new trends in fitness practices. She has a BA (Hons) degree in Sociology from the University of Warwick, an MSc in Sport Management from Sheffield Hallam University, an MA in Sociological Research Methods from the University of Sheffield, and she completed a PhD at the University of Nottingham in 2011.

This book explores the phenomenon of pole dancing as an increasingly popular fitness and leisure activity for women. It moves beyond previous debates surrounding the empowering or degrading nature of pole dancing classes, and instead explores the complexities of these concepts and highlights that women participating in this practice cannot be seen as one dimensional. It will be a valuable contribution to those interested in women's and gender studies, cultural studies, feminism, sociology and leisure studies.

1. Introducing recreational pole dancing 2. Recreational pole dancing: the cultural context 3. 'I dance around a pole...but I am not a pole dancer...' Impression management and respectability in the pole dancing class 4. Muscles, strength and risk...but still being sexy, feminine and girlie: interpreting the pole dancing body 5. Being 'one of the girls': female friendship, empowerment and the pole dancing community 6. Conclusion